Jenny Myers was walking down a sidewalk on Ocean Avenue near the beach in Santa Monica. She had had a light dinner at Meat On Ocean, or as light a dinner as one can get there. She had purposely parked aways away from the restaurant so she could walk it off before heading home. She also enjoyed walking at night close to the ocean, where the night air was redolent with salty goodness. Before she got to the public parking lot, she heard the sounds of fighting. Against her better judgement, she investigated.
Three men were attacking another man in the alley between the parking lot and a restaurant. The man appeared to be holding his own against the three, using a mix of martial arts moves and straight boxing. As she watched, one of the three who was now behind the man they were attacking pulled out what looked like a sizeable knife.
“This will not do,” she thought as she ran towards the knife wielder. She took him from behind with a joint lock that eventually made him drop the knife, but not before he partially turned and aimed it at her. She grappled and put him down with an elbow to the temple. As soon as she was sure he was out, she jumped at one of the other attackers. This left whom she assumed to be the victim free to finish the third man. When he turned towards her she could see that he was bleeding profusely from the head. Her guy turned and ran. She turned back to the victim, who was now down on his knees, holding his head.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“Yeah,” the man said. “I fucked up and took a good shot to the head with something hard.”
“You looked like you were doing okay. Where did you learn those moves?”
“Around,” he said. “And thanks. Where did you learn yours? You put your guy down like nobody’s business.”
“MCMAP training,” she said.
“Marine?”
“Ex-Marine.”
The man stood. “There’s no such thing as an ex-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Semper Fi.”
“How did you know MCMAP?”
“I was a Ranger. I got to spar with one of your instructors a few times.”
“Hooah, Ranger. What in hell was this fight about?”
“I have no idea. They just appeared. I’m guessing they were after money.” He looked at her. “By the way, you’re bleeding, too.”
She looked down and sure enough, there was a significant slice on her abdomen. The asshole must have managed it before she made him drop the knife. The adrenaline had kept her from feeling it. The man whipped off his shirt, lifted up hers, looked at the wound, bundled up his shirt, and pressed it against her.
“Keep pressure on it. You’ll be okay,” he said. “But please let me drive you to my house so we can fix it right. Or to a hospital, your choice.”
She studied him for a bit. Without his shirt on, she could see that he was in incredibly good shape. She could also see that he was carrying a semi-automatic pistol. He saw where she was looking, and reached for his wallet and showed her his credentials.
“I’m a cop,” he said. “You can trust me.”
“My car is just down the street,” she said.
“Yeah. Well, after this I hate to let you walk there alone in the dark. I owe you big time. Please let me drive you somewhere.”
She WAS feeling a little faint. “Hmm. Is it okay with you if I call 911?”
“Yup. When you call, tell them that you need an RA unit and that a Robbery Homicide detective needs assistance.”
She thought a moment, then “Okay, you passed the test. Drive me to your house and we’ll figure it out from there.”
He walked her to his car and opened the door for her and she climbed into the passenger seat.
“I’m Jenny Ryan, by the way. May I know your name?”
“Rand,” he said. “Johnny Rand.”
——
Once he started the car, which looked like a standard issue undercover police car except for the nice interior, he fired up his phone. The ring sounded over the car speakers.
“2501,” she heard.
“Mary Beth, I’m in trouble. Can you get Buddy and Jen over to our house? Buddy’s a lot better at first aid than I am.”
Silence. Then, “Girls! You’re on speaker now, Johnny.”
“I was attacked down near the pier. I was rescued by a Marine, who got sliced with a knife, and whom I’m bringing home. We’ll do triage there and figure out what to do next.”
“Copy. Are you hurt?”
“Nah, I’m fine.” Jenny looked at him. His face was covered in blood.
“You know where we are. I’ll be there in just a few minutes. I’m hanging up now. Please call Buddy.”
Rand pretty much ignored the speed limit, wanting to get home and knowing that if he got a cop on his tail he’d be pretty much golden with his get out of jail free card from the LAPD chief of police. When he pulled into his driveway all three girls were out there, waiting. He walked around the car and opened the door for Jenny, then together they went up the walk. That’s when the girls saw all the blood.
“Johnny!” Dawn screamed, and ran to him.
“It’s okay, baby, it’s just a scalp wound. They bleed like a bastard.” He pointed at Jenny. “She’s the one you should be caring for. She saved my ass.”
Dawn looked at her, and at the slashed blouse and blood. “She’s the Marine?”
“Yes she is, and don’t piss her off, because she has the skills to make you regret it.” But he said it with a smile.
“I didn’t save his ass. I just helped. He would have put all three of them down; it just would have taken longer.”
“Three?” Jay said. “What did you get yourself into, Johnny?”
“I have absolutely no idea. We’ll talk later. Right now, let’s get this young lady into a bed. And somebody please call the Pacific Division, let them know what’s happened, and ask them to please send a unit out.
They walked into the house, Johnny unwilling to let go of Jenny’s arm on the way there.
“Where’s Kimmy?” he said.
“Asleep,” Mary Beth said. “We didn’t want to wake her up for this.