Focus.
I had a clear target to the side of his head from the second floor restaurant balcony. Not an obstruction in view, but I couldn't find the shot. "Sierra do you have the solution?" I heard Greg ask calmly into my headset. "That's a negative, no solution" I replied.
Focus.
I looked back into the eyehole, I could see the perspiration running down the mans forehead, his terrified expression, the scar that ran through his left eyebrow all the way to his temple, where my bullet was about to strike. Then it was gone, I was lost again, but I fought hard to come back when I heard Greg's unstaggering voice "Jules, we need a solution here." Sam putting his hand on my shoulder was what fully brought me back. I traced the mans scar back to my target. "I have the solution" I said aloud, but I'm not sure if I was informing my team as much as reassuring myself.
"Scorpio."
The recoil took me by surprise for the first time in as long as I could remember, and I watched as the mans body collapsed sideways. Everything went quiet for me, and I closed my eyes and rested my head on the wall to my left. I knew Sam was reassuring me, I could feel his hand on mine, and this breath on my face. He was so close.
Focus.
I knew I still needed to be interrogated and debriefed, and thinking of Sam wouldn't help me get through that. My head was already swimming as it was. I nodded once to reassure him, even though I hadn't heard what he'd said, and walked away without making eye contact. It seemed to be good enough because he stayed to speak with another officer and didn't follow me. I found my way downstairs to the truck, where an investigator was waiting. Ed put his hand on my shoulders and I watched his lips say good work. I gave him a half smile, knowing that nothing else had to be said, and followed the investigator to his cruiser. As we pulled out of the parking lot I gave into what my body had been teetering on for hours,
darkness.