Mickey had set off early, when there was a problem he couldn't let it go. His dreams were filled with dead end clues and bars of a dark prison cell. This usually happened whenever they became deeply involved in a case but this time it was more intense, he couldn't do anything except think about his work. The horrible feeling surging in his stomach told him that this was going to last a while.
Then in the corner of his eye he saw it. A black jeep with the number plate matching the car seen driving away from two of the incidents.
"Jack!" Mickey spoke authoritively down his mobile. "I'm behind a black jeep with an identical number plate, we're heading towards the rec on the right of the council estate."
Jack's words of warning only just reached Mickey as he trained his eyes on the vehicle which was now turning into an alley, a dead end… This was too easy he grinned to himself
He parked his car out of site round the corner and cautiously made his way to the alleyway. It led into an enclosed courtyard surrounded by towering flats giving it a claustrophobic edge. The car was parked to the right, the driver had made his way to the fountain in the centre had not yet seen the DC, or if he had, hadn't let on.
Mickey stood directly in the way of the exit, there was no way this man could get way form him.
"Is that your car?" Mickey words made the man jump.
"Keep your mitts off it, its new and all."
"I take that as a yes then?" Mickey reached round for his handcuffs…..but something stopped them, someone grabbed his wrist from behind in a vice like grip. Pivoting on both feet Mickey tried to swing a punch round with his free arm but that too became caught. Then he saw him. The eyes of his capturer.
"Dela, Delaney….." He felt his throat close as panic swept through him. All procedures of how to handle left his mind and his survival techniques kicked in as he violently thrashed about in Delaney's grasp.
"You basted! Let go!"
His leg delivered a painful kick on the shin, with a yelp Delaney released him.
A loud bang was all Mickey heard as he tried to flea for the exit. Followed by a searing pain. The next thing he knew he was on the floor as the world closed in around him and an ugly laughter rang in his head.
Jack had driven round the recreation ground and counsil flats twice now with no sign of the car or Mickey. His worry growing further when Mickey failed to answer his radio or mobile. Parking in the exact spot his DC had described when he was last in contact, Jack decided to proceed on foot. It wasn't long before another of sun hill's cars approached and Smithy hurried over.
"Guv."
"Smithy, have you heard from Mickey?"
The PC shook his head. "I have heard from the controller. They said to let you know they've got Mickey's car on camera at the centre of the estate."
Jack felt a new energy as he rushed into command. "Lets get moving."
"Sir." Smithy kept up with his quick pace. "I've tried radioing DC Webb but there's no reply, control says they can't get hold of him either."
"I know." The DCI replied solemnly.
They soon found Webb's car but the DC was no where in sight. A alley way was close by, anything down there would have been hidden from CCTV, making it a good spot for anyone Mickey was after to meet for some kind of exchange.
Carefully they made their way along the wall until they entered a rectangle shaped courtyard. On the left of which, lay a bloody Mickey Webb.
"Oh no." Jack had to double take before dashing to his DC's side. "Mickey!"
"Shit!" Smithy was soon there. "Siera this is oscar one, in need of an ambulance immediately, we have an officer in desperate need of medical attention, please send an ambulance now."
Jack gently put a hand on his friend's neck, holding his breath.
"Is, is he…..?"
"No." Jack allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. "He's still alive, but his pulse is slow. We have to stop the bleeding."
"Where?" Smithy asked handing his outer JACKET TO Jack who tied it with his own forming a long bandage.
"It looks like most of the bleeding's coming from here." He lent closer to the top half of Webb's back. "I think he's been shot. Now…" He wrapped their make shift bandage round the DC being careful not to result in moving the body so much. Jack tried to ignore how limp and lifeless he felt in his hands.
Eventually they heard sirens approach and seconds later the ambulance with flashing blue light entered the yard.
Jack tried to act professional as the Docter's strapped Mickey onto a stretcher, he'd seen this countless of times as part of his job. But this wasn't some stranger who had been abused in the streets; this was his close friend with serious life threatening injuries. The look on Smithy's pale face gave away that he felt the same way.
