Paint Me Blue

XIV. Changes

2019

It was a hot, stifling night, and Yin's team moved with precision, shadowed figures in the glow of neon lights and the rising steam from the bustling streets of Khon Kaen.

They had tracked the mastermind behind a major bank robbery to a tiny noodle shop tucked away in one of the city's narrow alleys. The suspect had holed himself up there, his presence confirmed by a tip-off, and Captain Su Lin led them in with steady authority, every move calculated and confident.

They moved in silently, surrounding the shop. Yin's pulse quickened as he took his position, his gaze fixed on the door. A flash of movement, a shadow darted out from the kitchen, and the next thing Yin knew, the suspect bolted, knocking tables and chairs aside in his mad dash to escape.

Chaos erupted as the suspect burst out of the noodle shop, diving into the maze of narrow, dimly lit alleyways, and Yin sprang into pursuit, heart hammering in his chest.

Feet pounded on the pavement as the team splintered, each officer attempting to cut off the fugitive's path. Yin was close, his breath ragged, just a step behind as they twisted and turned through dark passages barely wide enough to move through. The suspect was fast, almost blurring in the dim light, but Yin was faster, closing in with every stride.

And then—he hesitated. The suspect whipped around suddenly, eyes wild, a black gun glinting in his hand, aimed directly at Yin's chest.

Time seemed to slow. Every instinct screamed for Yin to act, to tackle the man down, but his body froze. A cold sweat broke out across his skin, his feet rooted to the spot. In that split second of hesitation, the suspect's gaze flicked away, recognizing the advantage, and he bolted, slipping past Yin with a speed that left him spinning.

Yin's paralysis broke too late. The suspect was already sprinting away. He heard the distant shouts of his team, felt the weight of his own failure bearing down on him as he forced his legs to move again.

But the damage was done. The suspect was now a blur in the shadows, weaving further into the depths of the alleyways until he collided head-on with Captain Su Lin.

A gunshot echoed through the night, sharp and terrifying. The world blurred around Yin as he watched his Captain stagger, a flash of red blooming against his chest before he hit the ground.

Shouts erupted, heavy footsteps racing toward them, and Yin's blood ran cold. The rest of the team descended on the scene like a storm, subduing the suspect in a flurry of furious yells and snapping handcuffs.

Yin stood there, stunned, staring at Captain Su Lin, who lay motionless on the concrete, gasping for breath.

It was only later that Yin saw the bulletproof vest beneath Su Lin's torn uniform, the thick material having absorbed the shot. Relief swept through the team like a wave, but the mood quickly turned grim. Captain Su Lin, though alive, lay on a stretcher being rushed to the hospital for the shock and bruises that followed such an impact.

As the adrenaline began to ebb, Yin's relief was short-lived. A senior officer, his face dark with rage, rounded on him as they regrouped back at headquarters. The entire team was assembled, tension thick in the air, and Yin stood stiff and numb, dreading what he knew was coming.

"What the fuck was that, Wong!?!" The senior officer's voice was a thunderous roar in the sterile, fluorescent-lit room, eyes boring into Yin's with a fury that made him flinch.

"You had him right there, and you still froze? Are you out of your damn mind? You nearly got Captain Su Lin killed! What kind of idiot move was that? What's the point of wearing a bulletproof vest? How could you mess this up so badly?"