This is the fictitious story of a young female rookie police officer assigned to patrol the downtown theatre district with an experienced field-training officer (FTO). LB, formerly known as FBB, my love and soul mate is the coauthor and editor.
Mellissa shows up for roll call and meets Gene, her FTO; a guy she heard at the academy was a stickler for details and a good mentor in the field who had recently returned to the street after a tour with a special task force. Melissa was a unique young lady; athletic, she had won a full scholarship and competed in gymnastics at a major university before serving a tour with the Marine Corps. Leaving active duty, she signed on as a police recruit with the Metro Force; her goal was to become the youngest detective on the force. She reported in to the precinct, carrying her go bag of gear and hoping no one would notice that she was as nervous as the first day she walked onto Pendleton as a brand new butter bar (the nickname given to second lieutenants in the Corps). The desk sergeant pointed her down the hall to the roll call room where the other officers on night shift had started to gather. Walking into the room her FTO recognized her and called out "Probie." The others looked to see the new guy or, in this case, gal was. She walked over to the empty desk next to the FTO and dropped her bag to the floor with a thud.
Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail then pinned up to keep it off her collar and within regulations. Her uniform was perfect, a habit from five years as a Marine. She wore just a hint of make-up, and the gold ball stud earrings also from her days in the corps. Her weapon belt rode nicely on her petite body and the mandatory protection vest under her shirt hid the curves of her breasts.
Gene, the FTO, would be her partner for the first six months while preparing her for the qualification board and assignment to ride solo. He could make or break her career. Gene had a similar background; he had joined the Metro Force after a tour in the Marine Corps as an enlisted infantryman and RECON Marine. Trained to parachute, scuba dive, and to operate as a special warfare operator, he moved through the squad room with the swagger of a confident operator—whether as a Marine or a police officer. He was one of the most respected officers in the squad and everyone expected he would be on the next sergeant's list and most likely selected as a detective since assignment to the special task force was a plain-clothes gig.
Gene was still as fit as his days as a special operator in the Marines. His hair still clipped short but not quite the "high and tight" so often seen in Marine recruiting posters. A hint of gray was starting to appear at his temples and the younger squad mates often kidded him about being the old man. Like Melissa, his uniform was perfect.
After the sergeant called roll, Melissa had to stand up and do the mandatory introduction, which included a round of whistles and taunts from her new squad mates. Walking to the patrol car Gene tossed her the keys and told her to roll!
Melissa strapped the seat belt over her body. Gene's eyes seemed to linger as she settled into the seat and started the engine to begin their patrol. It wasn't long before they got a call to return to the lieutenant's office ASAP. Walking back past the sergeant's office he glanced at them with an inquisitive look. Gene shrugged his shoulders, telling the sergeant he didn't know what was up.
Gene and Melissa reported to the lieutenant. He looked at them for several minutes before referencing papers in his hands. He informed them that they were being put on a mission and were going to be on loan to a special federal task force. Even though Melissa was a probie she fit the requirements for this investigation and the chief had signed off on the request for assistance. The lieutenant said they needed to go with him to meet with the feds where they would be properly briefed and sworn in as federal officers.
At the fed's office they met the special agent in charge, or as everyone called him the SAC. The SAC was responsible for all the bureau operations but because this one was so high profile he would personally be overseeing the investigation. In the briefing they were told that Melissa would be the primary undercover and Gene would be her guardian angel. The guardian angel is the officer who would be looking after her safety from a cautious distance but close enough to make sure she was never in danger (as if an undercover cop could ever be in a safe position).
The target of the investigation was an elected member of the state government who was selling contracts to the highest bidder. He was divorced and known to like having a young lady on his arm at any public event and was rumored to also have a kinky side in the bedroom. The SAC told Mellissa she was not required to have sex with the target but that if she was ok with participating at least to some level it would probably work towards her being trusted and would further the investigation. With the briefing over they were sworn in which would give them the same arrest powers as any of the regular feds.
