DISCLAIMER: This story is not intended to infringe on the copyrights of any of the holders of LA HEAT. It is just for fun, not profit; the characters are borrowed and will be returned, unharmed and unchanged at the end

"TRADING LIVES"

By Sarah Kathryn Roberts


The day started out like any other day. Detective Chase McDonald and his partner Detective August Brooks were on the trail of villains. Today they were after bank robbers that robbed a bank on Chester Street in downtown Los Angeles. As the thieves sped down the street trying to get away, McDonald and Brooks were close behind in their sleek, blue detective car. The light blue van driven by the villains sped around a corner.

"I lost them, August. Where did they go?!" Chase exclaimed.

"They turned left up ahead," August replied.

"I see them!" Chase said.

The robbers desperately tried to get away from the cops that pursued them. One of the men in a ski mask, sitting in the back seat of the blue van, pulled out a large gun and began firing upon the detectives.

"It's too early in the morning for people to be shooting at me! I haven't even had my coffee yet!" August complained.

"Don't worry, August. I'll get you some coffee later," Chase said, trying to calm August down.

The men in the getaway car still fired at them, when one bullet hit a tire and flattened it.

"Man!" Chase shouted in disappointment.

They got out and looked the car over. Suddenly a black and white police car that was also in pursuit of the robbers drove up.

"Are you guys all right?" the cop inside asked.

"We're fine, but the car's got a flat tire and the bad guys are getting away," August replied. He looked over at Chase and noticed that look on his face that he gets when he has an idea. Chase ran over to the driver's side of the black and white and asked the officer to get out. He obeyed.

"Come on, August. They're getting away!" Chase said. They both hopped into the car and drove after the robbers once again. The van still tried to get away, but the good guys were still after them. The pursuit led to the interstate highway where the van and the police car dodged civilian cars and trucks. The robbers still fired upon the detectives. "We have to stop these guys before someone gets hurt," Chase said to August.

"Yea. It will probably be us!" August replied. Then he pulled out his gun and started firing upon the robbers.

"Drive faster!" one of the men in the van commanded.

"Try to hit their tires, August," Chase suggested.

"That's what I'm trying to do!" August shouted back. August continued to fire, and he prevailed when he hit the back tire of the van. The driver lost control, zigzagged across the street, and hit a tank truck that exploded on impact. The money that the robbers stole sprinkled down like rain onto the street. Chase and August ran over to the van and pulled the men out of it.

"Well guys," Chase began, "I'm going to introduce you to a friend of mine. Her name is Miranda. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you, free of charge. Any questions?"

"Can I call my mother?" one of the men asked.

"Sure, from your jail cell," August replied. He and Chase escorted them to the black and white to take them to the station.

"Hey, August," Chase began, "do you want that coffee now?"

"That sounds good, Chase," August replied. They both got in the car and left the scene heading for the station to take the robbers in and to get coffee.

"Brooks. McDonald. Come see me in my office please," Captain Jensen said. Chase and August looked at each other and thought, 'What are we in trouble for now?'. The blonde haired, blue eyed Chase and the short black haired, dark brown eyed August walked into Jensen's office and shut the door.

"I just want to congratulate you both on that bank robbery bust yesterday. Most of the money was recovered and they're in jail," Jensen complimented.

"Well, thanks Captain," Chase said in a boyish voice.

August looked at Jensen's face and saw that something was wrong.

"That's not the only reason you asked us in here, is it Captain?" August asked.

"No, it isn't," Jensen replied. "Frank Aurness escaped from jail last week and killed three guards in the process."

"Frank Aurness?!" August said in an excited voice.

"Who's Frank Aurness?" Chase asked.

Jensen looked at August. August could tell by looking at his eyes what he wanted to know. He nodded to say it was all right to tell Chase.

"Frank Aurness," Jensen began, "is the older brother of Billy Aurness, a drug lord that ruled a part of Mexico a few years before you and August became partners. He was selling drugs to teenagers and children. One day August and his old partner Chuck Coleman caught him and his gang, and on the way to jail, Billy escaped and August pursued him. It lead to a shoot out and Billy lost. Frank didn't like that much, so he went after Coleman and killed him when he was off duty. He tried to go after August also, but we caught him before he could. He was in jail for nine
years, and now he has broken out and will probably go after August or someone near him. Including you, Chase."

Chase looked over at August and saw the worried look on his face. August wasn't worried for himself but for Chase, his other friends and colleagues, and his wife Kendra. He knew what Aurness was capable of and feared that he would go after one or all of them.

=-=-=-=-=

Later, when Chase and August went out for lunch, Chase asked him if he wanted to talk about it. August declined and they both ate without talking about the business at hand and then went back to the station. The rest of the day was slow in crime, so August left early from work to go home and think about the recent events.

"YOU KILLED MY BROTHER, BROOKS! I KILLED YOUR PARTNER NINE YEARS AGO AND NOW I'M GOING TO KILL YOUR NEW ONE AND YOUR WIFE, AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP ME! HA! HA! HA! HA!...." said a voice that trailed off, still laughing. Suddenly, August sat up in bed. It was just a dream. Just a nightmare. He calmed himself and lay back down so as not to wake his sleeping wife. He told no one of the dream, because he didn't want to believe it. He slept soundly the rest of the night.

Tomorrow came and August was a little more calm than the day before. He went to work where he met up with Chase.

"Are you all right, August?" Chase asked with concern.

"I'm fine. I just had a bad night and didn't get much sleep," August replied. "Have you found anything on Frank Aurness yet?"

"No. It's like he just disappeared. There's no sign of him anywhere," Chase replied. "But we'll find him, August. We will."

August looked at Chase and smiled and was glad to have good friends like Chase in his life; he also feared it. The first person close to August that Aurness killed was his partner. He might try it again and kill Chase, too. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let anything happen to his loved ones. He had to find Aurness.

Another week went by and still no sign of Aurness. Everyone in the station began to believe that Aurness had forgotten or had already gotten his revenge and would leave August alone. August didn't believe he would just forget about his brother, but he did begin to let his guard down and hoped he would let it be. Although he wanted to believe, he kept a close watch around the station just so he could make sure Aurness wouldn't try anything.

Kendra, August's wife, decided to make a big dinner for him to cheer him up. She went to the store and bought many good things for the wonderful meal. She drove home and brought the groceries inside. She walked into the kitchen and sat them on the counter. Suddenly she heard a noise.

"August, is that you?" she asked loudly. There was no answer. She figured she was just paranoid and began taking the things out of the bags. Suddenly, a dark figure grabbed her, making her drop all the things in her hands and put a white cloth over her mouth. She became limp and fell to the floor. The dark figure smiled an evil smile and carried her to his car.

That night August came home and found that she was not there. The groceries were all over the floor, and he knew she had been taken by Aurness. His guess was right. Aurness had left a note for him that read:

Dear Detective August Brooks,

You killed my brother Brooks. I killed your partner nine years ago and
now I'm going to kill your new one and your wife, and there's nothing
you can do to stop me!

Frank Aurness

August remembered that he had said that exact thing in his dream. He first feared for Kendra and then he realized that he either had Chase or was going after him. He had to try to save him. He got in his jeep and made his way through traffic on his way to Chase's beach house.

The unsuspecting Chase was on the couch watching the news. Suddenly all of the power went out, the lights, the television, everything.

"What's going on here?" Chase said out loud in a puzzled voice. A noise came from his workshop in the garage. "Who's out here?" Chase asked as he walked through the doorway. Suddenly Aurness came out of a shadow and smacked Chase on the head extremely hard with the butt of his gun. Chase fell to the floor, unconscious. A little trickle of blood dripped out from where the gun had hit him. Aurness got that evil smirk on his face again as he dragged Chase out to his car. He left another note for August, knowing that he would try to save his friend.

Finally, August broke through the traffic and reached Chase's house. He got out of his car and headed for the front door, hoping he was home. He began to knock on the door and noticed it was ajar. He opened it swiftly, his heart pounding.

"Chase? Chase!" August yelled, but there was no answer. He desperately looked through the house, calling his name and hoping he would answer. Still no answer. He went into the living room, sat on the couch, and propped his head up with his hand, thinking of what to do next. He opened his eyes and looked on the table where he saw the note left by Aurness. The note read:

Dear Detective August Brooks,

I told you there was nothing you could do to stop me. I will, however,
give you one last chance to save one of them. Come to the warehouse on
Chester Street, downtown. Come alone or they both die. Have a nice
day!

Frank Aurness

While August read this his heart kept beating faster and faster because he knew that he would do it if he didn't come alone.

=-=-=-=-=

August got in his car and made his way to the warehouse where he would confront Aurness. He was very angry inside and didn't know if he could hold himself back from killing him. August checked his gun to make sure it worked right, so if it led to a show down he would be ready.

He arrived at the warehouse and drove up quietly so as not to startle Aurness into killing them both. He got out of his car and shut the door. Then he bent down to check his ankle gun in case Aurness found his other one and this one had to be used. He took a deep breath and walked toward the doors of the warehouse.

Aurness laughed and made his way after August. Kendra and August had run out of the building and taken shelter behind August's car. August looked around and noticed that something was amiss.

"Where's Chase?" he asked Kendra.

"I thought he was right behind us," she said in a worried voice. "Oh, no, August, he's still in there with that mad man. We've got to help him."

"I will, Kendra," he said. "I need you to go find a phone and get help. Chase's life depends on you doing this."

"All right, August. I will," she replied. She got up and ran to look for a phone, while August tried to think up a plan. Suddenly the doors of the warehouse burst open and Aurness, carrying Chase by his neck, exited. Chase was too weak and couldn't defend himself.

"Brooks!" Aurness yelled. "Come out of hiding or I'll cut his throat right now!"

August knew he would do it so he readied his gun and stepped out from behind the car. He looked at Chase and saw the gaping hole and blood on his pants.

"Chase, are you all right?" August asked hoping for an answer, but Chase was too weak from the loss of blood and Aurness' large arm held tightly around his neck. He couldn't speak and could barely stay conscious, but he did manage to nod to August, trying to tell him he was still alive.

"Let him go, Aurness!" August shouted.

"You know I can't do that, Brooks, because you killed my brother and I want revenge," Aurness replied.

"You got revenge nine years ago when you killed Chuck Coleman," August said trying to get him to let Chase go.

"No! That was only the beginning. You doomed yourself when you killed Billy, and I am going to kill everyone you care for!" Aurness shouted.

"You are a mad man, Aurness!" August shouted back.

"Yes, I am, and you made me!" he yelled as he raised the knife to Chase's neck.

"No!" August screamed as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Aurness. "Don't do it or I'll shoot you!"

"Put your gun down or I'll kill him slowly, and you'll have to watch him!" Aurness commanded.

August didn't want to, but he did it anyway, hoping that he would spare Chase's life. As August leaned down to put his gun on the ground, Aurness lowered the knife. Chase looked at August with a very serious look, and by looking in his eyes, August knew what he was trying to say. August placed the gun on the ground, but while he was bent down, he got the gun out of his ankle holster and hid it from Aurness' sight.

"You fool!" Aurness shouted. "Do you *really* think I'm going to let him go?!" He lifted the knife and put it to Chase's throat. Then suddenly........BANG! His hand let go of the knife, which fell to the ground. Aurness slowly fell as well and hit the ground with a thud. He had misjudged August and because of that he was now dead and the world rid of him, forever.

August lowered his gun and a tremendous weight was lifted off of his heart. No longer could he threaten the people he cared for or destroy his life. He looked down at Chase and realized that he was dying, if not already dead. His heart pounded as he swiftly ran over to Chase lying face down.

"Chase?! Come on, Chase, speak to me!" August said with deep concern as he tried to find his pulse. He found one. Although weak, it was there. Chase was very, very weak, but he was still alive. "Don't worry partner. I'll get you to a hospital," he said, trying to comfort him.

Not even minutes later, swarms of police cars surrounded the warehouse. In one of the cars was Kendra, who had found a phone and called the station for backup. When the car came to a stop, she opened the door quickly and ran to August.

"Thank goodness, you're alive!" she shouted as she hugged him with tears streaming down her face. "I was so worried."

"I'm all right, Kendra, but Chase isn't," he said in a very sad voice as he looked down at him.

"Oh, no! Chase!" she yelled with still more tears trickling down her cheeks. She bent down and hugged him tightly, hoping he was still alive.

"Kendra," Chase said softly, "please don't lean on my leg."

"Chase! You're alive!" she said with joy.

"Yea, surprisingly I am," he answered back.

Soon after, an ambulance arrived. August helped the paramedics load Chase into the ambulance and then rode with him to the hospital.

Chase had been in the hospital for a few days when August came to visit. He walked into Chase's room, and Chase was reading a magazine.

"Hey, partner! How are you doing?" August asked as he entered.

"Hey, August!" Chase said. "I'm doing better. The doctors say I'll be able to go home in a few days, and I can go back to work in about a week. I don't know how you're going to get along without me for a whole week."

"Oh, I think I'll get along fine while your gone," August joked.

"What happened to Aurness? I don't remember," Chase asked.

"Well, he's dead," August answered. "He shouldn't be giving anyone any more trouble."

"Oh, August. There is some bad news about my leg," Chase said in a serious voice. "My doctor said I won't be able to use my leg for anything other than walking for a month. So that means you'll have to do all the driving." August looked at the smile on Chase's face, and was thrilled. Maybe they could get through the month without crashing the car.

"Oh, Chase, that's terrible," August teased. "I guess the motor pool won't have to worry with any cars for the next month." Chase and August looked at each other and just laughed.

THE END.

By: Sarah Kathryn Roberts

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