Chapter 3

When we arrived at the scene, Elera quickly put on a bulletproof vest and tossed me her pistol. “Shoot at anything that’s trying to kill you,” she said, her voice serious.

I giggled nervously and shook my head. “I don’t know what that means,” I replied.

Elera gave me a quick rundown on how to use the pistol and reminded me to stay calm and focused. As we got out of the car, we could see the chaos unfolding in front of us. There were people running in every direction, and the sound of gunshots echoed through the air.

Elera and I cautiously made our way toward the bank. We could see the robbers inside, holding hostages and shooting at anyone who tried to approach. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I tried to focus on the task at hand. I took deep breaths and reminded myself of the training I had received.

Elera and I split up, each taking a different side of the building. We moved slowly and quietly, trying to avoid being detected by the robbers. I could hear Elera’s footsteps on the other side of the wall, and it gave me a sense of comfort knowing that she was close by.

As we got closer to the bank, the sounds of the gunshots grew louder. I could feel my hands shaking, but I tried to steady myself. I raised the pistol, taking aim at the robbers. I knew that one wrong move could cost lives, and I didn’t want to be responsible for that.

Elera and I both took shots at the robbers, hitting some and forcing others to take cover. We continued to move closer to the bank, taking cover behind cars and walls as we went. The situation was tense, and I could feel my heart racing.

As soon as we burst through the doors of the building, chaos ensued. The robbers were armed and dangerous, and they didn’t seem to have any intention of surrendering peacefully. Elera barked orders at them, demanding that they put their hands behind their heads and get on their knees.

But it was too late. One of the robbers had already raised his gun and fired straight at Elera’s chest. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I watched her stumble backward, the impact of the bullet knocking her off her feet.

Without a second thought, I dove toward her, spreading my hands wide in an attempt to shield her from the gunfire. I felt the sharp sting of a bullet as it hit me, and I knew that I had taken the shot intended for Elera.

The robbers were relentless, firing shot after shot at us as we scrambled for cover. Elera dragged me toward a nearby desk, where we huddled together, waiting for backup to arrive.

As the gunfire continued, I felt a sense of dread wash over me. Had I made a mistake by becoming a police officer? Was this really what I had signed up for?

But then I looked over at Elera, who was staring back at me with a look of fierce determination in her eyes. She was wounded, but she wasn’t about to give up. And neither was I.

As I lay there, my mind raced with a million thoughts. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? One moment, we were charging into the building, confident that we would make a quick arrest, and the next moment, we were under heavy fire. I looked up at Elera, who was frantically trying to radio for backup and medical support.

My vision began to blur as the pain in my chest grew stronger. I knew that the bullet had hit me, but I couldn’t tell how bad the injury was. I tried to stay conscious, but my body was shutting down, and I felt myself slipping away.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my arm as Elera injected me with something. I looked up at her, confused, and she smiled weakly at me. “Hang in there, partner,” she said. “Help is on the way.”

I wanted to ask her if she was okay, but the darkness was closing in, and I couldn’t find the words. All I could do was lay there, watching as Elera took cover and returned fire at the robbers. It seemed like the first bullet only hit her vest.

As the chaos ensued, more police officers arrived at the scene, trying to contain the situation. I was on the ground, struggling to breathe, as I tried to keep pressure on my wound, hoping for the paramedics to arrive soon. The robbers, however, had other plans as they managed to escape through an underground tunnel that led out of the building.

The sound of the explosion from the building shook the ground beneath us, causing a ripple of panic to spread among the officers. The robbers had blown up the place, creating a diversion to cover their tracks. Smoke billowed out of the building, making it difficult to see anything beyond a few feet. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and debris. The sound of sirens echoed in the distance as more help arrived.

Elera was still gasping for air, and her eyes were slowly losing focus. I could see the life draining out of her, and it broke my heart. I kept talking to her, trying to keep her conscious, but it seemed like she was slipping away. I felt helpless and hopeless, and tears streamed down my face.

It felt like an eternity, but finally, the paramedics arrived, rushing toward us with a stretcher. They took over. The sound of the explosion was still ringing in my ears as I watched the building burn down to ashes. The robbers had escaped, and all we were left with was the destruction they caused.

As the smoke cleared, we could see the devastation that they had left behind. The building was completely destroyed.