BackTrek by Kelvin Kelley

don’t know who
this bastard is, but we’ve got to get him, before he does this to
anyone else.” As Jack spoke, Penelli watched down the street as a
black unmarked car pulled in behind where they had parked. Jack
turned as he realized that his partner was fixated on something
specific. He watched as a man in a black suit exited the car, and
began to walk towards them. Suddenly Jack had the feeling that he
should know this man, but his identity was just out of reach. As
the man came closer and closer, the feeling increased, and Jack
began to become uncomfortable. He knew this man, but the distance
that separated them made it impossible to place the face. As the
man approached them more swiftly he lowered his face, which totally
obscured Jack’s view. Finally within earshot of the two detectives,
the man looked up and began to speak.
    “Jack! Long time no see. How are you?” The
man asked, his tone friendly.
    “Ted? Ted Truman? What the hell are you doing
here?” Jack exploded in anger as he realized who the man was.
    “Hey. Is that anyway to treat an old friend?”
Ted said. He smiled as he extended his hand for Jack to shake.
    “You’re no friend of mine, you bastard!” Jack
spouted, as he intentionally ignored the man’s outstretched hand.
Ted left it there for a moment longer before he dropped it. He
turned to Penelli and offered his hand to him, which Penelli shook,
though not enthusiastically.
    “I see that you haven’t let go of the past,
there, Jack. I never thought you’d be one to hold a grudge.” Ted
said, a slight smile entered his expression.
    “You can kiss my ass, you liar!” Jack
said.
    “My card.” Ted said, as he handed a business
card to Jack. Jack ignored it as he began to approach Ted. He
backed him up a step or two before he got right in his face.
Penelli couldn’t believe Jack’s sudden aggressiveness, and stood
silently in shock as Jack continued to verbally assault the other
man.
    “I asked you a damn question, and I want a
damn answer. What in the hell are you doing here?” Jack yelled,
only inches from the man’s face.
    “Get out of my face, Jack.” Ted said calmly,
making no effort to push him back, nor to step back any further
himself.
    “Get me out of your face, you stinking
maggot!” Jack screamed, his eyes wide with hatred.
    “This is not a pissing match, Jack. Back
off.” The man replied calmly, but Jack stayed his ground.
    “Get your lying ass back in your damn car,
before I rip off your damn head and spit down your neck!” Jack was
clearly out of control as spittle spewed from his mouth and struck
Ted in the face. Penelli finally shook off his paralysis, and moved
in to contain Jack, just as he saw him begin to raise his arms.
Jack went wild. He shook off Penelli, and lunged for Ted in a
single move. Ted had foreseen this inevitable physical
confrontation, and coolly stepped to one side, and lightly struck
Jack in the back as he flew past and hammered himself into a black
and white police car parked at the curb. Ted’s business card
fluttered to the ground, now forgotten.
    “Cool it Jack!” Penelli hollered as he began
to move towards Jack.
    “Stay out of this Penelli! This is between me
and this...this...this puke!” Jack said as he regained his balance,
and spun around to once again charge at Ted.
    "Jack. Don’t do this." Ted said calmly to
deaf ears as Jack once again lunged at him. Ted used Jack’s own
momentum, spun him around by the arm, and slammed him to the
ground. He reached into Jack’s jacket, and pulled Jack’s own weapon
on him. Ted placed the barrel of the Glock nine millimeter pistol
against the base of Jack’s neck, while he still held his right arm
pinned behind him and pressed his face to the sidewalk. Penelli
reacted on instinct when he saw the blue steel of Jack’s gun as it
slid out of his jacket. He drew his own weapon, and aimed it
directly for Ted’s head.
    “You bastard!” Jack screamed, as he spat sand
out of his