Tannum Friday : Hawk

Preface

My name is Tannum Friday. I'm a fictional character as a sworn member of the NSW Police Force. My unit specializes in countering organised crime and terrorism.

Two years before I joined, I met a man called Mackenzie Knight. He's been my handler in The Agency Group ever since. TAG is the number one organised crime outfit in Australia with members infiltrating the police, government and corporate sectors.

I work both sides. It's flipping liberating. I have freedom and protection, structure and chaos. And if anyone finds out, I'm dead.

I'm not specifically interested in saving the world from organised crime. That's just a bonus. I'm driven by a psychotic need to stretch and blur edges between good and bad, right and wrong.

Did I mention Justice Walter is my Godfather? A really decent gentleman who owes his life to my father. Now he looks after me. Justice Walter is the only person on this earth I fully trust. And he is the only person, other than me, who knows my secret.

I should probably tell you about Mac. My heart belongs to Mackenzie Knight. He's sexy and kind and particularly dangerous. We're complex and tangled and I've been blending the clandestine layers of my life with him since I was sixteen years old. 

Chapter 1

"Geezuz. Who is that?" Detective Sergeant Tannum Friday, surprised by the proximity of the dark shape hurtling ahead, visually tracked its path.

"Company. And they're coming back." The R22 mustering helicopter bumped in the midair turbulence. "Guaranteed."

"How can you be sure?" she asked, watching as it turned in a tight arc.

"We're getting close to Mungi Mungi."

"The welcoming party." Tannum grinned facing the pilot. "Well now Cowboy, they told me you're the best this side of Longreach. Guess I'm about to find out for myself."

Cowboy didn't answer. Beneath the dusty cap and dark aviators, Tannum knew the challenge registered in eyes as clear as a western sky.

They dipped into the dead man zone, flying low and at speed skimming the vegetated plains of a dirty red outback landscape.

"We'll never outrun him." Cowboy explained. "So, today we outsmart him. Hope you've the stomach for it Detective."

He swerved around the base of a small rise as the arse dropped out of the red earth world and they descended into a maze of aqua and gold. Cocooned within the scaling heights of ancient cliffs, the vastness of the West Australian desert closed tightly around her.

Tannum swallowed down the anxiety as they raced towards a solid, rock-lined funnel. She glanced sideways at Cowboy, who unperturbed by the task, winked broadly for her benefit.

Below, the chopper flirted with a watery channel. Teal depths dared Cowboy to glide the landing skids across placid skin. Tannum looked down through the glass bubble encasing them and all but lifted her feet off the floor.

Ahead their world narrowed. At speed. The detective held her breath as they squeezed through the last ravine and the landscape opened again to endless wonder.

"My God!" She breathed into the headset mike, filling her memory. "I've never seen such beauty! The colours! And the contrast! Those reds, that sky! Takes your breath away. Where are we?"

"Locals call it Karijini. Currently we're about 50km north of the Mungi's western boundary. Too populated with tourists to attract a lot of attention. In any case it offers the best places to hide. And deceive."