Post by papaof2 on Jun 29, 2020 20:17:24 GMT -6
Short-short story, complete in this post.
Wednesday, 27 May, 1:06PM
"Jack, Georgia Power is reporting yet another vehicle accident-caused power outage in Atlanta. That's 12 in the past ten minutes."
"Where, love?"
"Ten at or close to an Interstate on or off ramp or other major intersection. The others affect Grady Hospital and the Gwinnett Medical Center."
"What businesses are near those ramps?"
"Fast food, grocery stores, branch banks…"
"I think you might have said the magic words."
"Branch banks? OK. Power out. No traffic signals. Bank robberies that the police can't get to because of the traffic jams and the perps likely escaping on dirt bikes."
"Excellent analysis. I should call Captain Henandez with my suspicions."
Ring! Ring!
'Robbery Division. This is Hernandez.'
'Rick, it's Jack Wilson. Cindy just pointed me to the Georgia Power outage site and their dozen vehicle accident-caused power outages in the past ten minutes.'
'That's not normal.'
'No, it's not, and ten of them are at Interstate on or off ramps that have bank branches nearby…'
'You just connected the dots for the eight - no nine - silent alarms we've gotten. That many power outages make a vehicle pursuit impossible.'
'Cindy suggested perps on dirt bikes. I'll suggest helicopter or fast drone pursuit.'
'OK, we have that tenth silent alarm and both choppers will be up in three minutes. Anything else I should know?'
'Vehicle-caused power outages at Grady Hospital and Gwinnett Medical.'
'So the perps may have destinations near either or both or they're just tying up more traffic for effect?'
'Your guess is as good as mine. Send motorcycle officers to the bank branches and see if anyone saw which way the perps went.'
'Jack, are you certain you don't want a job with Atlanta PD? I'm sure the Chief would make you a very good offer.'
'No thanks, Rick. I've spent enough years being shot at and I want to enjoy all my girls for a while.'
'We can't compete with that. I've been texting what you've told me and we have officers on-site at each location. The motorcycles do fit nicely on the sidewalks. We have reports of dirt bikes headed North from all the banks. Suggestions?'
'Ask Dobbins ARB if they have any choppers they can put up? From the ATC radio traffic I've heard, I think the Reserves are there in force today.'
'I think I may owe you a steak dinner. I need to call Colonel Lightner. Thanks, Jack.'
"So we won't know anything until it's reported on the local news?"
"This isn't the first time I've given Rick a heads-up on something so I'll use one of his previous 'thank you' gifts - a trunking radio with all the metro Atlanta public service frequencies on it. I think the Atlanta PD might give the broadest coverage and I'll also turn on the aircraft band scanner and see what's going on at Dobbins."
'Dobbins from Reserve 7.'
'Dobbins to Reserve 7; go ahead.'
'Two small motorcycles headed up 575 at over 90MPH. We are in pursuit.'
'Other bikes?'
'Group of four towing trailers. Two with child seats making those unlikely for getaway vehicles.'
'Roger. Relaying to Atlanta PD and Cobb Sheriff.'
"That's all?"
"All the good stuff happens on the ground and in person. We might see some dashcam video on the news."
"What about the other perps?"
"Still waiting to hear something. As big as this event seems to be, I wouldn't be surprised if the Atlanta PD and Cobb Sheriff vehicles in pursuit were using cell phones because of the possibility of the perps having access to trunking radios. Trunking radio systems were very secure when initially installed but now a fast laptop computer and a couple of $20 SDR devices can monitor selected trunking channels."
"You have that?"
"Yes, but if it's not on the radio Rick gave me it's not on that system either - still the same frequencies and the same reuse pat..."
Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!
Roar!
Screech!
"Shotguns, love. We may have unwamted visitors."
"At the backdoor. Four cameras up on the display."
"I have the front and these four cameras. Movement across the road."
"And?"
"One male. Jeans. Brown boots. Nike jacket. Red helmet. Something in his right hand - maybe large phone or small handgun."
"Fox News has pictures and descriptions and that matches one of the suspects from the BOA robbery at West Paces Ferry. Report is they shot a guard and a teller."
"Then we shoot first and ask questions later. He's headed this way."
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"LET ME IN OR I'LL BUST DOWN THE DOOR!"
"I'm holding a 12 gauge loaded with slugs. I can take you out via this firing port without opening the door. Put the gun down and get on your knees with your hands behind your head and fingers interlocked."
"How you gonna know what I'm doing?"
"There are four cameras on you. Two that you can see and two that you can't see…"
Bang! Bang!
"That's all the cameras out here! Now you can't see anything!"
"But I can see - like the two deputies behind you with shotguns. Put the gun down!"
"I'll kill the…"
Bang!
BOOM!
BOOM!
"IN THE HOUSE! ARE YOU OK?"
"We're fine, Deputy Thomas."
"Is that you, Jack?"
"Yes, Bill. We're fine."
"You need a new front door. The 00 buckshot did a number on this one."
"No, I'll just replace the wood veneer that covers the steel door."
"Might have known you'd have an easy answer. Can we get copies of your video?"
"Give me five minutes."
---
Wednesday, 27 May, 1:06PM
"Jack, Georgia Power is reporting yet another vehicle accident-caused power outage in Atlanta. That's 12 in the past ten minutes."
"Where, love?"
"Ten at or close to an Interstate on or off ramp or other major intersection. The others affect Grady Hospital and the Gwinnett Medical Center."
"What businesses are near those ramps?"
"Fast food, grocery stores, branch banks…"
"I think you might have said the magic words."
"Branch banks? OK. Power out. No traffic signals. Bank robberies that the police can't get to because of the traffic jams and the perps likely escaping on dirt bikes."
"Excellent analysis. I should call Captain Henandez with my suspicions."
Ring! Ring!
'Robbery Division. This is Hernandez.'
'Rick, it's Jack Wilson. Cindy just pointed me to the Georgia Power outage site and their dozen vehicle accident-caused power outages in the past ten minutes.'
'That's not normal.'
'No, it's not, and ten of them are at Interstate on or off ramps that have bank branches nearby…'
'You just connected the dots for the eight - no nine - silent alarms we've gotten. That many power outages make a vehicle pursuit impossible.'
'Cindy suggested perps on dirt bikes. I'll suggest helicopter or fast drone pursuit.'
'OK, we have that tenth silent alarm and both choppers will be up in three minutes. Anything else I should know?'
'Vehicle-caused power outages at Grady Hospital and Gwinnett Medical.'
'So the perps may have destinations near either or both or they're just tying up more traffic for effect?'
'Your guess is as good as mine. Send motorcycle officers to the bank branches and see if anyone saw which way the perps went.'
'Jack, are you certain you don't want a job with Atlanta PD? I'm sure the Chief would make you a very good offer.'
'No thanks, Rick. I've spent enough years being shot at and I want to enjoy all my girls for a while.'
'We can't compete with that. I've been texting what you've told me and we have officers on-site at each location. The motorcycles do fit nicely on the sidewalks. We have reports of dirt bikes headed North from all the banks. Suggestions?'
'Ask Dobbins ARB if they have any choppers they can put up? From the ATC radio traffic I've heard, I think the Reserves are there in force today.'
'I think I may owe you a steak dinner. I need to call Colonel Lightner. Thanks, Jack.'
"So we won't know anything until it's reported on the local news?"
"This isn't the first time I've given Rick a heads-up on something so I'll use one of his previous 'thank you' gifts - a trunking radio with all the metro Atlanta public service frequencies on it. I think the Atlanta PD might give the broadest coverage and I'll also turn on the aircraft band scanner and see what's going on at Dobbins."
'Dobbins from Reserve 7.'
'Dobbins to Reserve 7; go ahead.'
'Two small motorcycles headed up 575 at over 90MPH. We are in pursuit.'
'Other bikes?'
'Group of four towing trailers. Two with child seats making those unlikely for getaway vehicles.'
'Roger. Relaying to Atlanta PD and Cobb Sheriff.'
"That's all?"
"All the good stuff happens on the ground and in person. We might see some dashcam video on the news."
"What about the other perps?"
"Still waiting to hear something. As big as this event seems to be, I wouldn't be surprised if the Atlanta PD and Cobb Sheriff vehicles in pursuit were using cell phones because of the possibility of the perps having access to trunking radios. Trunking radio systems were very secure when initially installed but now a fast laptop computer and a couple of $20 SDR devices can monitor selected trunking channels."
"You have that?"
"Yes, but if it's not on the radio Rick gave me it's not on that system either - still the same frequencies and the same reuse pat..."
Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!
Roar!
Screech!
"Shotguns, love. We may have unwamted visitors."
"At the backdoor. Four cameras up on the display."
"I have the front and these four cameras. Movement across the road."
"And?"
"One male. Jeans. Brown boots. Nike jacket. Red helmet. Something in his right hand - maybe large phone or small handgun."
"Fox News has pictures and descriptions and that matches one of the suspects from the BOA robbery at West Paces Ferry. Report is they shot a guard and a teller."
"Then we shoot first and ask questions later. He's headed this way."
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"LET ME IN OR I'LL BUST DOWN THE DOOR!"
"I'm holding a 12 gauge loaded with slugs. I can take you out via this firing port without opening the door. Put the gun down and get on your knees with your hands behind your head and fingers interlocked."
"How you gonna know what I'm doing?"
"There are four cameras on you. Two that you can see and two that you can't see…"
Bang! Bang!
"That's all the cameras out here! Now you can't see anything!"
"But I can see - like the two deputies behind you with shotguns. Put the gun down!"
"I'll kill the…"
Bang!
BOOM!
BOOM!
"IN THE HOUSE! ARE YOU OK?"
"We're fine, Deputy Thomas."
"Is that you, Jack?"
"Yes, Bill. We're fine."
"You need a new front door. The 00 buckshot did a number on this one."
"No, I'll just replace the wood veneer that covers the steel door."
"Might have known you'd have an easy answer. Can we get copies of your video?"
"Give me five minutes."
---
