Take a Shot

Agony

The shot whizzed by her head, earning a cringe and only causing her to run faster. Pavement pounded under her feet. She could just barely make out her athletically-figured partner in front of her through all the smoke and small particles of debris, but she knew, with his speed and longer legs, she shouldn't be able to see him at all. A growl escaped her mouth. Why wasn't he going faster?

"Full throttle, Matt! Run!" Her hand went to her belt, where she yanked a handgun out of its holster. She whirled on a dime, closing one eye and firing twice, then turning and running again.

"I'm not going without you!" he hollered back, not speeding up at all. Her heart fluttered, but she scowled, growling. He wouldn't go without her no matter what she said, and she knew it, not even to save himself. She huffed.

"Well, I'm not going to be responsible for you dying! GO!" she shouted back. She increased her speed as much as she could, pausing occasionally to shoot behind her. She heard a couple shouts of pain and a thud as a body hit the ground. She closed her eyes, turning back around and shaking her head. She had to keep him safe, she had to keep him safe, she had to keep him safe. If she did nothing else right this mission, or for the rest of her life, she'd get him out alive.

"Emerald? Where'd you go?!" He sounded panicked. She growled, snapping open her eyes. They immediately filled with tears as she scanned through the smoke, and she wished she'd brought her goggles. His voice had been close. She moved forward. The temptation to close her already-compromised eyes and rely on hearing was strong, but if she could hear him, others could, too. She kept scanning through the smoke.

Finally! She started towards him at a slow, quiet jog...until she realized he was standing still. He was looking through the smoke, trying to find her. Her eyes flew wide. Idiot! He was such an idiot! She adjusted course, growling again. A few more strides and she ran into him, shoving him forward, spurring him back into motion.

"Em!"

"They're still shooting! Keep running, you idiot! Quit worrying about me!" she screamed. He obeyed, and she was grateful. He didn't seem to understand how much she needed him to get out and get back to Harmony's HQ. If she was caught, it wouldn't matter, but if he was, she'd have to get both of them out. She knew holds like these men had, and she would be dead before he'd have to face one alone.

Emerald took one arm out of Matt's back to wipe her eyes. The air was getting thinner again, and she could see the now-cobblestone ground beneath her feet. Matt let out a sigh of relief as they both soon found breathing getting easier and easier. Emerald pushed harder.

"We're not free yet. If we can see ground, they can see-RRRAAAAAHHHH!"

Everything was red. A searing pain sliced through her arm. Her left hand flew to her right bicep. It was slick and sticky at the same time. Her fingers found torn fabric, flesh, blood, and finally, a hole.

She'd been shot.

The pain, like every other time she'd been shot, sunk in slowly. She had some experience with bullet wounds, and a lot of experience with pain. The pain would continue to sink in slowly. She had enough adrenaline racing through her to induce a heart attack. It kept the pain at bay. If she kept running, she would have little less than an hour before the pain hit another intense peak. She had to ride out the initial pain, then she had to keep going.

Her arm felt weak. It hurt. She tried to tighten her grip on her gun, and her fingers failed. The gun clattered to the ground. She swore, wavering.

"Em? Hey, what- Em!" Matt's heavy footsteps approached. Emerald kept a hand on her arm. Her vision swam with tears. It hurt. Had it cracked bone? Gods, it hurt. But she could think in a straight line, so they needed to keep going.