The Guardian

lot. His eye caught something and he had to take a double look. It was a white van with blacked out windows. For a second his heart did a double beat.
    “Laura, over there, the van, you see it?”
    She leaned over looking through the driver’s door window, scanning the parking lot, “Got it.” She said.
    “Let’s go take a look,” John said as he made his way into the left turn lane. Once the traffic cleared he swung the car into the lot and headed back to the restaurant parking area.
    Just as they were coming around, they saw a man walking towards the van. He was holding a young girl by the arm. He was bent over as they walked. It appeared he was yelling at her, shaking her vigorously.
    They both had seen what was happening. At the same time John was mashing the gas pedal, Laura was jabbing his arm yelling, “Go, go, go get over there.”
    Screaming to a stop about ten yards from the white van they were both out of the car, guns drawn. John was yelling now, “Freeze, Las Vegas PD. Don’t move. Let the girl go!”
    The man had a surprised look on his face frozen. He saw the two of them standing there with their guns drawn. He froze like a deer in the headlights. After a moment of panic, he started to turn.
    “I said freeze asshole. Down on the ground, NOW!”
    The man, still panicked, looking around took off like a shot. He had totally ignored the little girl. He was running out across the parking lot.
    “Shit, get the girl, call for back up, he’s headed for the mall.” John said. He took off after the man.
    The man had run down the parking lot and into the Sears store on the corner.
    John hated the runners. He was getting way too old for this shit. He reached the mall. People were screaming and scattering about when they saw John with the gun in his hand. He pulled his badge, “Police officer, everything’s okay. Did any of you see a man run through here?” He was asking anyone that would answer him. A young boy about 17 pointed towards the food court. John took off after him.
    At the same time that John was chasing the suspect, Laura had taken the little girl back into the restaurant. She got the manager, and told them to wait until the other officers arrived. She explained that she was going to help her partner.
    She took off running towards the mall. Laura didn’t know how she’d catch up with them and find them but she was sure that all she had to do was follow the commotion.
    Once inside the mall she heard the entire ruckus down by the food court and headed that way. After several minutes, she finally caught up with John. “Where’d he go, do you see him?”
    “No, but I don’t think he’s too far. He’s not stupid though. All these people and the damn stores, it’s easy for him to blend in. We could loose him in the crowd.”
    They were scanning the people. They were watching the stores and searching. People were hustling their children and each other out of the way. The two made their way through the mall with their guns drawn.
    John heard his radio. “Ya, we’re in the mall. Seal the outside exits and don’t let anyone in or out.”
    “Do we have a description?” The voice on the radio came back.
    “He’s a Hispanic male, five-five or so, heavy set, dark blue shirt, tan pants.”
    “There he is” Yelled Laura. He was running towards Mervyns at the opposite end of the mall.”
    They took off after him yelling at people. “Move. get out of the way, get out of the way!”
    John’s knees were killing him. He’d blown them out in high school running track, and doing hurtles. He blocked out the pain and charged after the runner.
    Laura was in damn good shape. Passing John, she looked back, “You okay?”
    “Ya, ya, just get him. I’ll be okay.”
    They got to Mervyn’s, panting, sweat soaking through their shirts,
    John was limping and sucking air through his mouth. His lungs burned. God he hated this. “There he is, up the escalator”
    They took off running after him. Laura almost tripped on the first step, “FREEZE!” she yelled.
    The man kept running. He looked back over his shoulder to see where they were and ran square into a large metal rack full of designer blouses. Stumbling he tried to keep his footing, but the suede cowboy boots that he was wearing weren’t made for running. He slipped and fell getting tangled in the blouses and scattering the rest all over the floor.
    Several women standing around were screaming, hands over their faces, wide eyed, not sure