This story is set in 2003, when police officers wore proper uniforms.
Woman police Constable Sarah Sussman, was a 2-year veteran of the Thames Valley police force and for the last 18 months had been stationed at Bracknell town police station.
Sarah had wanted to join the police since she was a little girl, and the day she passed out of Sulhamstead was one of the proudest days of her life
.
She had joined the force at 17, but though she was still a young 19-years old, she was fast becoming a seasoned copper. It took a while for some of the older veterans to accept her, but she soon earned their respect, and was soon one of the team.
Today she was on a night shift, manning Sierra 5 a patrol car patrolling around the south side of the town. She was partnered up with WPc Alison Hicks, a 10-year veteran, and 36-years old.
Sarah chatted to the other girls in the women's locker room, as she buttoned her white shirt.
"Hopefully a quiet shift tonight," Sarah said to no one in particular.
Sargent Tracy Lewis replied, "Tuesdays on the grave yard shift are usually quiet after midnight."
WPc Hannah Harris chipped in, "I'm on the drunk van, so no rest for the wicked."
Sarah clipped her black tie to her collar, and buttoned on her shoulder slides to her shirt.
To her right WPc Hicks had just finished buttoning her tunic and took her hat out of her locker, "Sarah, I'll meet you in the equipment room."
Sarah donned her own tunic and slipped her warrant card and purse into her regulation handbag.
She took her hat out of her locker, before closing and locking it. She checked herself in the full-length mirror. Her tie was straight, her brunette hair was tied neatly in a bun, and off her collar, she was ready for duty.
In the corridor, she was stopped by a young copper named Steve, he was a couple of years older than Sarah, and was always hitting on her.
He put his arm across the corridor blocking her way, "So babe, you going to let me buy you breakfast after the shift is over?"
Sarah sighed, "Steve you're not my type, I prefer my fellas a little more evolved."
Steve pretended to be offended, "Sweetheart, your words cut deep."
She stuck her tongue out at him and ducked under his arm. They both knew the banter was harmless fun, but Sarah wondered how he would react if she ever took him up on his offer.
She caught up with Hicks in the equipment room, and they both drew their radios from the stores. Hicks signed the car keys out, and they put their hats on as they headed to the car park behind the station.
Usually Sarah preferred to drive, but as tonight was her last shift before she rotated back to days, she was happy to slump into the passenger seat of the white Vauxhall Astra diesel. Hicks started the engine, and they headed out on their assigned patrol route.
15 minutes into the patrol, the radio crackled to life, "Bracknell central to Sierra 5, domestic disturbance, Heron Grove, reports of IC3 male and IC1 female fighting, over."
"Sierra 5 responding, over," Sarah acknowledged the call, flipped on the cars siren as Hicks gunned the throttle.
The girls quickly arrived at the scene, and Sarah keyed the radio, "Sierra 5 on scene."
They exited the car and donned their hats as they ran over to the fight.
Sarah grabbed the girl as Hicks went for the man, "Break it up."
"GET THE FUCK OFF ME BITCH!" the black guy screamed at Hicks as she grabbed him from behind.
Sarah had subdued the white girl, who was equally scathing of Sarah.
The guy thrust his arm back, smacking it into Hicks side, she yelped in pain as her ribs cracked. As she stumbled back grabbing her side, the guy turned around and threw a right hook at her. His fist connected to her lip, busting it open in a spray of blood.
Sarah looked on in horror as Hicks went down, she tossed the girl aside and ran at the man.
Since Sarah dreamed of becoming a copper, her dad insisted that she learned how to look after herself. She had taken martial arts classes, and was perficient in both Judo and Karate.
The man saw Sarah's approach too late to put up a real defence, she swept his legs from under him, and as he hit the deck the wind was knocked out of him. She flipped him over and cuffed him.
"I'm arresting you for assaulting a police officer. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence," she said to him pulling him into a seated position.
The girl charged her, "Let him go you cow."
She was no challenge for Sarah and soon she was sat next to her boyfriend, equally cuffed and arrested.
Sarah went over to Hicks; her lip was bleeding badly and she was cradling her side.
"4 5 1 to central, request transport for two in custody, Constable Hicks is injured," she keyed in to the radio.
"Central to 4 5 1, do you require an ambulance?" the reply came.
Hicks shook her head, Sarah replied to central, "Negative, walking wounded, but might need stiches in her lip."
40 minutes later, they were all back at the station. Hicks was in the medical room, whilst Sarah booked in her suspects.
After the couple were put into the cells, Sarah went to check up on Hicks. She was sat on the edge of the bed, the duty doctor had stitched her lip, and now she had her shirt open as he strapped up her ribs.
"Sussman," a voice called her from behind.
Sarah turned and saw the duty sergeant standing there.
"Yes Sarge?" she replied to him.
"Obviously Alison is done for the day, so when you go back out, I'm pairing you with Steve," he told her.
"Sure Sarge," Sarah replied, but inside, she knew she would be having to endure Steve's innuendos for the rest of the shift.
After a quick coffee break, Sarah and Steve headed back out from the station, this time Sarah drove the panda car.
They were only a couple of minutes out from the station when the radio crackled to life.
"Central to Sierra 5, reports of a suspicious vehicle on West Road, near the Home farm play area," came the shout.
Sarah turned the siren off just before they approached the white van parked up at the side of the road.
"Sierra 5 on scene, white van, standby for the index number," Steve said into the radio.
Sarah positioned the car to block the road should the van try to run.
They both got out of the car and approached the van from both sides. Sarah tapped on the driver's door, and the guy sat behind the wheel rolled the window down.
"I'm WPc Sussman, Thames Valley Police, can you please tell me what you are doing here?" Sarah asked the driver.
The driver looked over to the passenger door as Steve peered through.
"I'm just out walking my dog," the man replied in a thick eastern European accent.
Just then there was a thud in the back of the van.
"What was that?" Sarah asked.
She saw a shadow appear behind Steve, "STEVE WATCH OUT!"
It was too late, before Steve could respond he was coshed from behind and slumped to the ground out of Sarah's view.
She was distracted watching the assault on Steve that she missed the driver's door swinging open, knocking her to the ground. She was winded as she fought for her breath. She tried to move as the driver approached her, but her body betrayed her and she remain motionless.
She flinched as his fist approached her face, and after the shock of the hit subsided, she remained limp on the floor dazed.
She was handcuffed and dragged to the side of the road. She heard the men chatting in their native tongue, most likely what they were going to do with them.
One of the men jumped into the patrol car and moved it off to the side so the van could pass. The man exited the car, and appeared to have Sarah's handbag with him. He placed the bag down next to her and removed her personal radio.
She watched as he went to his mate, where they picked up Steve and carried him back to the car. They put him in the driver's seat, and handcuffed his hands to the steering wheel. Steve had started to come back round and was trying to break free of the steering wheel. They tossed Sarah's radio back into the panda car.
Sarah's eyes widened when one of the men lit a lighter, and tossed it onto the passenger seat for the car.
She watched on helplessly as the seat caught fire, and the flames engulfed the car. She would be haunted by the screams as Steve burned to death in the car, tears streaming down her face.
When they were satisfied that the car was aflame, they picked Sarah up and tossed her into the back of the van. She noticed another young girl, around 21-years old, tied and gagged in the back of the van.
She too was gagged, and the door slammed shut. Moments later the van's engine started and they started to drive.
The van was driving for a long time, Sarah tried to follow the vans path, but after 15 minutes she was lost.
The other girl in the back of the van was sobbing, but as the rear of the van was in pitch darkness, she could not see her.
She managed to scoot herself into a seated position, and other than her aching cheek she was OK. Sarah had nothing to do, but sit and await her fate. She feared they were planning on more than just killing her, or she would have shared Steve's fate.
Poor Steve, he did not deserve to go out that way. But what about her, at least they had Steve's body, her parents may never know her fate.
She felt helpless, and joined the other girl in weeping.