The gunfire near drowned him out, but he was able to sound three words above the ear-aching cracks.

'Burgess, stay down!'

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ruzek felt ready to kick himself. From behind the car she was using as cover Burgess shot him a look over her shoulder, her chin jutting forwards in defiance and her eyes narrowed with a mixture of humiliation and pride. Her words rang in his ears: this isn't going to affect our work. He watched as she darted above the boot of the car, aiming her weapon with a precision and certainty that caused a swell of pride in his chest. After letting off two rounds, she made is across the open-space car lot, her boots, then her knees, skidding on the tarmac is she came to a stop beside Olinksy. He was kneeling also, resting his gun on the hood of the sleek black Audi. The gun barked loudly as he successfully made contact with the chest of one of the assailants.

Ruzek's eyes were drawn back to the car that Burgess had been using as cover. The cold Chicago daylight fought its way through the twisted metal of several erratic bullet-holes in the open door. He still wasn't used to the cool, damp sweat that covered his flesh, the heat in his temples, that came with being in the field with Kim. Roman, crouched behind him, breathed a barely susceptible shudder as he re-loaded his firearm. 'Your girl's got guts Ruzek.'

They had been called to the lot to check out a suspicious deal. A large sum of money and boiler suits had been the trigger words that caught the attention of the dispatcher. Olinksy had barely stepped out of their vehicle when the Audi had rammed it from the side. He'd made short work of the driver who remained motionless, slumped in the seat he had died in. A small, cent sized explosion on his chest and a trickle of dark blood were the only signs that he wasn't simply dreaming. The driver's accomplices, four men dressed in boiler suits, had released a hail of bullets as they'd moved for cover, aiming the majority at the vulnerable Olinksy. Prior to Burgess's manoeuvre, the team had been separated 3:1, but now an equal divide had renewed their determination. One other had been taken down.

'Shots fired, we need urgent assistance. I repeat shots fired. Officers involved.' Roman muttered into his radio, his jaw slackening.

'Shit'. Ruzek glanced up at Olinksy's furious curse, his eyes searching immediately for Burgess. She remained, her weight on one knee, firing careful, calculated shots. Using the shattered window of the open door to rest his forearm, Ruzek steadied his hand and closed his eye. Shit. He saw what had caused Olinksy's hiss of anger. A white, unmarked van was rocking on it's axis as it hurtled towards the car lot. The windows were blacked out, but the passenger side was open, a man in a black ski mask and white boiler suit leant out, firing rapidly at the officers. The van didn't stop, but the brakes screeched as it slowed. The three suspects continued firing as they ran backwards, moving with such speed that they appeared to collapse into it as the floor caught the back of their legs.

Burgess, Olinksy and Ruzek continued to fire until Olinksy slammed his empty gun to his thigh and pulled his hat forwards from his head. Through his unwashed, dark hair Ruzek could see his furrowed brow. Roman was speaking breathlessly into his radio, his chin down but his eyes quick and efficient, directing other mobile units in pursuit of the van.

'I think I got the leg of one.'

Burgess's eyes told Ruzek she was trying to convince herself, as well as him. 'I'll call the local hospitals and pharmacists. If he seeks treatment they'll get him,' he assured her, bracing her shoulder, but only briefly. 'What was that?'

'I've been hearing word about a new gang - it seems they came to us from NYC.' Olinksy didn't look up from the notebook he held in the same hand as his beanie. He scanned through information he had recorded from his CI's, flicking through the pages impatiently. 'Specialise in abductions, supposedly for ransom, but no-one taken of yet has uh,' this time he looked up and met Ruzek's eyes, 'been found in one piece.'