Wired. That's what it was, I felt wired and with every pump of my legs against the ground, every beat of my heart slamming in my chest I became more so. Adrenaline surged in me the way it had on Yamatai and I relished it. Dozens of lights flashed rapidly in the trees, frantic and searching. I did my best to evade them for what felt like miles. Every part of me knew this was real, they were coming for me this time. It wasn't a flashback, a dream or paranoia.
Everything around me blurred at the realization they were now close enough to be shouting directly at me. "You have exactly 5 seconds... to drop to the fucking ground Croft... or I will put you in it." A sprinting commander shouted through panting breaths. The sound of automatic weapons being readied was cacophonous. I'm surrounded.
Shit. No choice now.
I slam on the breaks. My ankles digging painfully into the forests slightly damp turf as I skid to a halt, spinning on my heel in a crouch to examine my predicament. It's so dark, and they're masked. Of course they're masked. They surround me instantly guns leveled steady and lights blinding any hope I might have at an accurate body count. There are at least twelve from the look of it, and the sound of sirens far off and dogs snarling and barking their way to the front line begins to make me panic. Four of them approach me, slowly and with weapons slightly shaking. I notice and shudder calculating how many of them I must have taken down before I fled. I can't remember. And the thought alone terrifies me to momentary inactivity. "Just relax."
I snap back to reality again. One of them is close now, the other three with weapons still on me. A small army of police around them on radios, snapping photos, or simply fucking staring at me. He pulls his ski mask off and I can see his face. He's old, old for a field agent and I immediately recognize with terrifying familiarity the heavy look in his eyes. "This doesn't have to be hard." His voice low and threatening. I moved backwards on instinct and he stopped moving. Standing straight he holstered his weapon. Though I'm keenly aware of the other 15 or so barrels aimed directly for my head. "Get on your knees." With conviction this time... "And put your hands behind your head."
I didn't see options. I was exhausted, aching and I could feel the stitches in my side pulling loosely against my freshly opened skin. The pain had been idle through the adrenaline rush but now amidst this finale it seemed to all come crashing back. I fell more onto my knees than got on them. And my hands raised carefully above me to rest on the back of my head. I raised my chin to look into the face of the man now staring at me, statuesque. He didn't flinch in expression. He was as dead as I felt now, and we peered into each others soulless eyes before I felt the prickle of human hands on my wrists, prying them back and down to fit into the hand cuffs I could now hear him removing. And just like that I broke again.
Before I knew what I was doing my arm snapped back faster than he could anticipate and hard enough to send him sprawling backward into unconsciousness. My elbow instantly ached and I gaped at him for a split second pondering what I had just done. The moment I turned back the wind fled my lungs before I could blink. My back hit the ground and a whole fresh wave of pain surged through every limb. I opened my mouth to cry out but no sound came. My nails dug into the fabric of the jacket of the man now pinning me to the ground. His icy eyes now enraged. I pushed against him desperately but with no oxygen I couldn't shake his weight. He leaned back momentarily and I took advantage and headbutted him straight in the nose. His howl inspired shouts from the other officers now circling us but not risking a shot.
He reared back suddenly his fists clenched and nose dripping heavily with blood. The next thing I knew was in more pain, new pain. I don't know how many times he hit me, all I could do was endure it. It hurt, but I didn't care. My mind settled on the finality of my situation, and I couldn't think of anything else. I would either be arrested or die here. Either way I'd leave her.
"Sam..." I whimper her name just as his fist slams into my jaw yet again. I bite hard into my tongue and stain the ground with my blood. I fight to stay awake, the image of her so clear in front of me it's as if shes standing there, looking down at me pitifully. "I'm so sorry." I whisper, my eyes locking onto hers. I'm afraid to close them, I'm afraid if I do I'll never see her so clearly again. But I can't... Another impact and my eyes roll back, I can't feel anything anymore. I let the darkness take me.