Free Behind the Badge by J.D. Cunegan Page B

against his skin. Maybe-Carter tightened his grip on the steering wheel, and she felt him tense around the weapon.
    Before Jill could react, though, she heard her attacker howl in agony before crumpling to the floor of the van. She frowned in confusion before seeing Colonel Downs, resting on his good elbow and holding onto a black taser. The anger and pain on his face made for a potent mix, and Jill reminded herself to never actually cross him. She also respected him a lot more than she had before; despite his cooperation earlier, part of Jill had considered him part of the downtown cover-up that allowed these four officers to get away with these rough rides in the first place. But if they had kidnapped him and subjected him to a rough ride of his own...
    Jill turned her head so that by the time Downs looked directly at her, he wouldn't see her face. She so did not need someone from the Bishop figuring out who she was.
    “You alright?” he asked.

CHAPTER 17
     
     
     
    As soon as the van skidded to a stop, Officer Carter yanked off his mask, tore open the driver's side door, and hopped out. Pulling his handgun out of the waistband of his pants, he crossed to the back of the van as the other two masked individuals followed. Cocking the gun, Carter shot through the chain before yanking the battered double doors open and climbing into the back. Colonel Downs turned around just in time for Carter's boot to smash into his chin, knocking the older man out cold. The van skittering along the median had caused Jill to lose her bearings, and she had regained her grip on her sword when Carter then grabbed Jill by the wrist, the two behind him having drawn their weapons. But before Carter could hoist Jill back to her feet, she slugged him across the face with the hilt of her sword, spinning out of his grasp and kicking him in the solar plexus.
    The force of the blow sent Carter stumbling out of the van. As he landed on the sidewalk, writhing in pain, the other two in masks cocked their weapons. Jill stood near the double doors, twirling the katana in her right hand. Her left eye glowed red, which would've been far more formidable had she been tucked in the shadows. But she wasn't, and the scene was gathering quite the crowd. Before long, other cops and TV trucks would be on the scene. A fire engine roared to life three blocks away, a siren cranking up to undoubtedly check on the hydrant that had been demolished.
    “There were four of you when this all started,” Jill said. “Now you're down to two. Sure you wanna keep going?”
    The woman tightened her grip on her weapon, even as she cradled her broken arm against her side. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she put up a good front, even as the hand holding the gun shook. “We'll put our weapons away if you do.”
    “And what, we go ten rounds like Pacquiao and Mayweather?” Jill laughed. “Trust me when I say neither of you want that.”
    “Well,” the burly man said, unruly strands of red beard poking out from underneath his mask, “aren't we full of ourselves.”
    Jill shrugged before sheathing her katana and hopping off the back of the van. She really needed to get Colonel Downs some medical attention, but until she dealt with the dynamic duo in front of her, she couldn't do much of anything. So shifting her body weight to her back foot, Jill put her fists up in front of herself -- before unfolding her right hand and waving her fingers toward herself. “Don't say I didn't warn you.”
    The redheaded woman telegraphed her first move, lunging at Jill with her weapon raised above her head. Jill sidestepped the blow before trapping the woman's arm against her side and hoisting her over her shoulder. The woman landed at the burly man's feet before he attempted a charge, not unlike a linebacker approaching the ball carrier to make a tackle. Fortunately, sparring sessions with Detective Stevens had taught Jill the finer points of using someone's momentum against them, so