1

Mackenzie Natrol knew everything after today would be different. He was moving up in the ranks, and this was his last day at his current job and station. As he suited up to go for a ride to the place they would have to breach. This would be his last time leading one of these operations. It was bittersweet, and it left a bad taste in his mouth, to be honest.

He had just gone over the file they had put together over the past two months. Though he knew he had to finish what he had helped to start, it still felt wrong. Though knowing that police were extremely superstitious, he would never say anything to the effect that something didn’t sit well with him. Just something in the moment was nagging at him.

He was placing all the things he would need onto his belt, and he walked out to join the group. “Ready, Natrol? You know, since you are leaving us to go upstairs and all.”

“Look, guys, I said I would do this. Don’t make it harder to leave you by getting all sentimental. I thought you were all guys.” Mack said as he chuckled. The time he had been on the force had been a good five years. He joined shortly after he was discharged from his contract with the military. An officer there, it only made sense to him to become a cop afterward. He knew he wasn’t going to stay in the military as a career. He enjoyed his time, but it was time to move on and really try and help people here and now.

The group didn’t have much to say as they loaded up into the van that would take them to where they were going. The nightclub had been the head of the operations for the small but extremely well run little syndicate of crime for the area. It had taken a while to get someone into it. They were very secretive with good reason. They did not let outsiders in. It seemed for good reason as well.

Everything was going to happen quickly once they got there. He knew that. Once the van stopped, they all got out and saw they were not at the point they were supposed to be at. Something was very wrong.

When the sound of gunfire reached them, they knew they were the target. Everyone reacted quickly. Guns were drawn as they tried to find somewhere for cover. There wasn’t anything. Mack was looking around for the slight muzzle flash that would give away the location of where the firing was coming from, but instead, he saw nothing. It was madness as they turned and saw their driver in front of them.

Gun lifted and drawn, it wasn’t a surprise that the syndicate had got to one of them. Mack smiled as he also had his gun ready. As soon as it was pointed at him, he fired and saw that it hit. Two others had been hit as he turned slightly to yell for them to get into the van, and someone started driving it away. This was a bad set up. There were more than just one or two people involved on the inside.

Two of the others he was with looked at him. As they turned, he saw their eyes. Mack knew then it was more than one person turned. All of his bad feelings surfaced again as he tossed one of his sidearms down with the other ready to go. Mack knew he was better trained for this than they were. However, more and more of the team was down on the ground.

A few more rapid shots were fired at close range. Two people were now dead in front of him, and he didn’t fire his gun but instead began to feel the icy fire in his arm. He looked down to see the blood dripping down and soaking his shirt. He fell to his knees and then to the ground. He managed to reach up to call for help, “op was a bust. Complete ambush. Some compromised. Need medics.”

Mack fought with himself to keep his eyes open, but he soon lost the battle when he saw briefly red and blue lights headed his way. Ten officers on the ground, all of the wounded or dead. He felt nothing as his eyes rolled back.

“Code Blue.” Was paged over the speakers in the small emergency room. “Code blue officers coming in.”

Haven Quintin looked around and knew this wasn’t going to be a good day. She had just got to the hospital to start her shift. She wasn’t even supposed to be on the floor she was on. She was there just to get some ice. That was her weakness. Emergency room ice was simply the best. She knew she had a choice. She didn’t think anyone had seen her. She could slink back down to her spot in the basement to work, or she could jump into the fray like she was supposed to.

She knew what she had to do. She put the cup down and knew that as soon as she could get back to it, it would be nothing but water. She shook her head and walked out of the small room the machines were in, and made her way to the front of the emergency area. There were six doctors now waiting. “The last call, we have ten coming in. Oh, you’re here.” The head doctor said as he looked at her.

“Was getting ice.” Haven replied, “Heard the call.”

“Well, good, we may need your hands.” The man said as he then continued, “Ten coming in. Looks like three are DOA. However, we have some fighting for their lives.”

As soon as they got the rundown, the nurses were running around stocking the open rooms. The doctors were waiting at the bay along with the head nurses. One by one, the officers began to arrive. Haven knew that she had the last one coming in right now. As they started their run-down, they got him and the other officer out at the same time. She looked down and saw him lying on the gurney, “Mack?”

He opened his eyes slightly at the sound of her voice, “Haven?” and then he passed out again.

“Go to the other if you know him.” the last doctor yelled at her, and she turned and went with the other officer. She worked as a secondary doctor on the other man who had a gunshot wound through his abdomen. They had to get him steady enough to wait for the surgeons to take him upstairs. As they did and they rushed him upstairs, she looked down at herself. She looked to the room that she knew Mack was in. He was no longer there.

Haven knew she had to find him. They had a lot of catching up to do.