Scorching rays overhead were the first sensation Anderson felt a she regained consciousness. The second was the agonizing pain the coursed through her body upon her rousing. So strong and crippling. She tenses her entire body in an attempt not to move and further. Her chest fell into a series of erratic spasms as she tried to control her breathing. A strangled cry escaped her chapped and lacerated lips, echoing through the ears of the absent. She lay on her back, looking at the sky through her the visor of her helmet. She snorted internally. She couldn't bring herself to wear the thing on assignment, but given a street chase, it never left her head. It was most likely the sole reason for her survival during the chase. A shift of her head, and she is freed from its confines, relishing in the moment of fresh air gracing her sweat and blood covered face. Her left arm lay beside her head, uniform shredded and riddled with blood and vehicle fluids. Her fingers trembled unceasingly, numb from the shock. Her entire body felt cold, cold blades piercing her every fiber.
Twenty yards from her position lay her Lawmaster, crippled, just as badly as Anderson, if not better. It lay on its side, rear wheel still spinning its shredded tire, sending pieces skittering across the bridge. The right cannon barrel has broken off from the crash, probably near the bridge entrance, while the left is bent toward the center of the bike. Dents, scratches, components litter the bridge and the Lawmaster.
An armed robbery escalating to a chase through Mega-City One. Perps didn't want to surrender. They would rather die before surrendering to a Judge. The mangled remains of their flaming vehicle at the bottom of the gorge was a testament to the fact. Their desperation to flee from her, irresponsible speed, and reckless firing had not only killed thirteen innocents in the pursuit, but had also rendered both vehicles unstable. The perps hand been first to lose control, and she had followed not long after. As a result, the perps had careened through the old railing into the gorge, while Anderson managed to remain on the bridge, but only just.
Anderson closed her eyes and released a strangling breath, only to couch violently. The warm bitter taste of copper flooded her mouth and was partially expelled as she coughed. It splattered her skin, rolling down her cheek. She swallowed what remained and focused on her breathing. The pain still rang throughout her body. Taking all her focus not to cry out again.
"Control to Anderson, what's your status?"
Anderson opened her eyes. She gasped painfully. Her comm had survived the crash, despite the state of her uniform. But her injuries prevented her from responding.
"Control to Anderson what is your status?"
Anderson clenched her hand in an attempt to move her arm. The pain immediately engulfed her limb, causing the muscles to spasm. She groaned and relaxed her arm, unable to move it. Control would go unanswered.
"All units be advised, we have an AWOL Judge on assignment. Responding to pursuit of armed robbers moving through sector thirteen. Any Judges within the vicinity respond."
Anderson closed her eyes as the pain slowly began to subside. Whether it was from the shock or her body giving into its injuries, she wasn't sure. What Anderson was sure of, was that her surroundings were dimming. She felt as if her mind was slowly pulling from her body. Anderson inhaled deeply, trying to maintain her coherence, but only managed to induce another coughing fit. Her body tensed as she choked on her blood in an attempt to expel it from her body.
Beneath her, the bridge shuddered loudly. The structure baring the weight of her Lawmaster crumbled under its lacking stability. With a violent shudder, the bridge gave way to the vehicle and sent it tumbling down into the gorge. The collision shook the bridge to the core, threatening to take down what remained of the structure. The weight of a single person added to the bridge would be enough to collapse it.
The roar of a Lawmaster cut through the air, overtaking the groaning of the bridge. Its engine grew closer, growing louder. Anderson could hear it approach her position. She turned her head ever so slightly to avoid further pain, but is wasn't enough to see the approaching vehicle. Instead she listened as it came to a stop just before the bridge entrance. The engine cut off, leaving the perimeter in silence once more. She could hear the dismount, followed by a long stride of heavy footsteps.
"Anderson!" comes the gruff, but all too familiar voice.
Her heart speeds up from some unknown reason. "Dredd?"
"Good to see you're still alive kid. What's your status?" he demands.
Anderson can sense nothing but authority within his voice. "Not good, sir. Perps killed in pursuit. I am...unable to reach a safe distance due to severe injuries sustained in my pursuit. My security is only maintained by the unstable structure which I reside upon." She coughs harshly once. "Off the record sir, I'm screwed."
"Not on my watch Rookie." comes the reply. Only a second following, Anderson feels the approach through vibrations within the bridges structure. The bridge groans under the additional weight, giving into it.
"Sir what the hell are you doing?" she demands.
"Getting you to a safe distance." he replies.
"Sir, the bridge is structurally unstable, any additional weight will causes its collapse." she explains. "Risking your safety for my own is an unacceptable course of action."
"Leaving a fellow Judge in aid is also unacceptable." Dredd replies.
"Sir I cannot allow you to risk your safety for me." she says. And I am aware you would only take such a risk for a select few of Judges.
His voice is closer to her now. Nearly on top of her location. "You plan on forcibly removing me?"
Anderson shifts her head carefully, finally located Dredd. He is just behind her, almost within reach. She swallows with anxiety and difficulty. She coughs again, turning her head from him as more blood escapes her lips and saturates her skin.
"Hang on Rookie." he says.
"You're lucky I can't remove your ass, sir." she coughs again. "And I'm hardly a Rookie."
Dredd says nothing, but merely grunts in response. He reaches her position. To her surprise, and great relief, the bridge has yet to give under the additional weight. It was most likely due to his slow and steady approach. But reaching her position was the easy task. There was still the task of returning to as safe position. Dredd moves around her body, kneeling directly in front of her.
"You ready?" he asks.
Anderson nods.
He reaches beneath her left arm first. Her arms comes around his neck and she takes a shaky hold of his collar. She buries her face against his chest as she rises into his hold. The pain returns at a hundred folds it original strength. Her body tenses to keep from screaming in agony as he takes her into his arms.
A groaning sound breaks them both from their thoughts. The bridge shudders and groans again. Anderson and feel the balance of the bridge sink. The groaning increases and the structure supports give way altogether. Anderson tightens her weak grasp of Dredd as the bridge begins to drop. The bridge slides beneath them into the gorge. Anderson feels Dredd's secure grasp around her injured body. For a moment, there is nothing but air around them. As Anderson lifts her head in investigate, they collide with the cliff face. Dredd takes the brunt of the impact, causing him to grunt, but nothing more. The jolt, however, does more to Anderson than she would like to admit. The force knocks the air from her lungs and begins her most violent coughing fit yet.
"Retract!" he orders.
Anderson can feel them rise against the cliff, but she is too distracted by her suffocating and choking to investigate. She can't get a breath to ease her burning lungs, nor can she expel the blood flooding her mouth. She choking on her blood and suffocating simultaneously. She could feel the ground suddenly beneath her body. Her face pressed to the ground, finally giving her the position to expel her accumulating blood. She spat the blood to the ground beside her, ignoring the growing pool beside her. She gasped for air, cautious not to start choking again.
Dredd climbed up beside her. He carefully pulled her from the edge, minding her battered body. he carefully laid her back to the ground and raised his comm. "Dredd to control."
"Go ahead."
"Have located Judge Anderson. Injured, severely. Request immediate medical treatment to my location." he ordered.
"Copy that. Medic en route." control replied.
Anderson closed her eyes once more. The pain and lacking adrenaline was taking its toll on her body. She could hardly keep awake, much less attempt to raise her head. As she faded between states on consciousness, she caught the last few words from Dredd.
"Hang in there Anderson. We'll have you patched up in no time."
okay, so I've never read the comics and only saw Dredd recently. I doubt I nailed either character, I just like writing fics where characters get the crap beat out of them. unfortunately, it's Anderson.