The Perfect Shot (Book 3) ✓

14 - Problem

Cleo

If you asked me two months ago if I was going to be in a relationship with a woman and I was going to be the one pushing for it, I was going to tell you "You lost your mind, not in a hundred years..." But here I was, pushing Hannah to stop hiding from the town. Trying to make her do what she wanted to do, not what all the people were expecting her to do. It was a hard task, I knew that. It's hard to reprogram yourself when all your life you are acting in a specific way. But finally, I think I managed to persuade her to stop thinking of other's opinions and start living her own life. Now, I was just hoping she'll tell her father in the near future so that this hiding would stop. I wanted everyone to know she was mine. I wanted to be able to get her on the back of my bike, drive through town, and eat at a restaurant together. For her to get to know my teammates and their women. I just... I think I wanted what Dax and Ralph were having. Seeing their happy faces every day, their eyes when they are close to their halves, it was making something inside of me move and long for that kind of relationship. I can't say it was something I was expecting to want so early in my life. I was barely out of my teen years, but when you know you know, right? Dax knew he wanted Lily from the moment they met at the bank robbery; Ralph knew he wanted Ali since he could remember himself. So, it wasn't something uncommon, I guess. Maybe it was some SWAT thing, knowing when you met the woman of your life and persuading her to give you a chance.

I couldn't wait to tell the team Hannah was mine. I know they were suspecting something. I wasn't sure if they knew who the girl was, why I didn't share the news, but I was happy they didn't push for information. I think they could feel I needed some time and luckily, they gave it to me. Well, we didn't have to hide anymore, so I was going to tell them tomorrow, when we were supposed to gather for our monthly training as a team. First, I just needed to finish this awful shift I had. I hated to act like a patrol cop. I hated dealing with dump drivers, even dumber passengers, or...if I'm honest, people as a whole. That's why I became I sniper, to deal with everyone from afar.

I was at the end of my shift, driving around my appointed zone, when I saw one truck driving fast and something felt strange about it. When they crossed the path of another car, I decided that was it, turned on the lights and called the dispatcher to let them know I was in persuade of the vehicle.

It was like they didn't want to stop because even when I turned on the sirens, they were driving with the same speed, trying to get away from me. This made the sick feeling forming in the bottom of my stomach to increase. I knew that whatever their reason to run was, it wasn't good. In the best-case scenario, I was going to have a lot of paperwork to fill in because of their arrest. Worst case scenario – I didn't even want to think.

"I'm headed to the intersection of 7th and 10th. Is it someone close-by to help me with this stop?"

"Unit 285 is on its way. ETA 7 minutes." This was Dax. I'm glad to know it was someone from my team. I'm not so happy he was so far away. Just when I was going to answer the dispatcher's message, the truck made a bad right turn without slowing down. The vehicle slid off the road and lost control. Made a half turn while his right tires lifted from the asphalt and ended on its side in the ditch. I stopped my car near theirs and told the dispatcher I was going to check if everyone was fine. I knew I made a bad decision the moment my boots stepped out of my cruiser. The first shot pass by my head on mere centimeters. The next one lodged into the front window of my car, and after that, it was rain of bullets flying in my direction.

"Fuck! Send all units! I've been shot at!" I ducked down, hiding behind my open door, trying to see how many were shooting in my direction and where they were.

"Unit 369, help is on the way, ETA 2 minutes." Not good enough. I didn't know what weapons they were having, but they were making visible damages to my car, so it must be something big...plus, they were shooting almost non-stop, so I knew at least one weapon was automatic. I had no chance against them with my pistol, but that didn't stop me from trying to return the fire just to make them stop for a second so I could find a better hiding spot. I was trapped. My door wasn't the best shield and with each second it was getting worse. I knew I had to move to the back of my vehicle, but it was risky. When I finished my second magazine, I knew I had to act, couldn't wait for Dax to help me. So, I loaded a new full magazine in my gun and shot a few rounds at their general direction while I was moving backwards. I could hear the sirens of other police cars getting closer and closer to us. Just when I thought I was safely hidden and was ready to wait for my backups, I saw one man running in my direction with a riffle in his hand. He was running in all directions on a zig-zag, that it was almost an impossible task for a bullet from a gun to catch him. Luckily, I was really good with my aim no matter the weapon, so I straightened my arms, took a breath, exhaled, and pulled the trigger. Right in the center of his chest. The man stopped at his track and fell to the ground with that all known distance look. In the next second, before I even had the time to comprehend what was happening around me, I felt a sharp pain in my stretched arm. When I tried to pull it close to my body, I felt a new pain in my tight that made me lose balance and fell on the ground.

"Fuck!"

"Unit 369, what's your status?" I could feel the blood seeping out of my wounds in a rapid speed. I tried to stop the bleeding, tried to push against the wounds, but the pain was enormous, and my strength was seeping out of my fingers with every second. "Unit 369, what's your status?" I didn't have the power to answer the question. Chills started running all over my skin and I knew things were getting very bad very quickly.

My eyelids got heavy and I couldn't keep my eyes open. I knew the person who shot me must be getting closer to check if I was already dead. It was going to be an amazing scenario if I could shoot him or her the moment they got to me, but I couldn't hold my weapon. I was an easy target lying on the ground waiting for the inevitable to happened.

"Cleo!" If I tried to concentrate, I could hear someone screaming my name at the distance. New shots flew by me, some more screams of my name. Then I could hear steps getting closer to me. "Cleo! Stay with me, kiddo, stay with me. I need an ambulance! Officer down, officer down! He's been shot at! I need it now! I don't care for the others. Get me the ambulance right now!" The voice was a lot closer this time, and if I was not mistaken it was Max's voice that I could hear from above me. "Dax, push at his leg's wound! Damit, Cleo, why are you always getting yourself in trouble!" There was some heaviness put on my bleeding thigh and then on my arm, like someone was trying to stop the blood from leaving my body. If I had some strength left in me, I was going to say it was unnecessary action. I knew there was a lot more blood outside of me than on the inside, so it was a matter of moments before I took my last breath. "Don't you dare, kiddo. Don't you fucking dare! Stay with me! You need to fight it! C'mon! Where the hell is the ambulance!" If I wasn't mistaken, Max's voice was trembling. It was the first time I heard him so emotional.

"C'mon, Cleo, can't leave right now. You have some explaining to do. Like when are you going to tell us about your girl?" Hannah. I can't believe I forgot about our arrangement. I guess no need to worry her father anymore. It was good while it lasted. "C'mon, Cleo, you have to tell, can't leave us hanging..." I know what Dax was trying to do. Keep me conscious while thinking about Hannah. But, no matter how hard I tried to stay awake, I could feel myself slipping. "You know, we have bets on when are you going to tell us about her. Ollie thinks it will take you months, Luke thinks it will pass before you manage to tell us..." These bastards. Having bets on my behalf.

"Yeah, Dax here thinks you'll tell us soon like in the next week. I bet it will be within the next month." I can't believe that even my team leader was on this betting thing. I guess this left me with no other choice but to find some strength in me and play their game.

"Hannah." Her name was barely a whisper on my lips before the darkness consumed me and left me without knowing who won the bet.  

***Wounds look bad for our boy Cleo. What do you think the consequences would be?