As they drove to the call, Rollie looked over at his TL. He turned off his radio and waited.
Sam felt Rollie staring at him and looked to the driver's side. When Rollie pointed to his headset, Sam turned off his radio and sighed.
"I know you're tired of being asked, but are you sure you want to-"
"Yes." Sam nodded and said with finality. Ed had asked, his team, and this was the second time Rollie was asking. No, he wasn't sure about this at all. The only thing he was sure of was that his team was needed to do their jobs.
They arrived a few moments later and all ran to the back of their SUVs to gear up.
"Full gear and shields." Sam called to his team. They all answered "copy" and donned their highest level of protective gear including helmets. The six of them gathered with the members of Team One behind the protection of the SUVs.
"Ed." Rollie lifted his chin at the Sergeant. "How do you want to do this?"
"The neighbor said they thought the people were having a party. They saw at least 10 guys go in the house, but it's been quiet except for the gunshots." Spike said as he jogged up. He gave Sam a quick nod and looked at Ed.
"Ok," Ed pulled up the floor plan for the two story house and held it for people to see, "Alpha team with me, Jules and Liam. We go through the front door, clear the first floor. Bravo: Rollie, Dale and Jake take the back door, head up the stairs and clear the second floor. Charlie: Leah and Toni clear the basement. Sam, Sierra One and Frank Sierra Two. That leaves Ferd and Spike, I need the two of you watching the perimeter. Coordinate with the unis, be ready in case we have any runners. He received a "copy that" from all of them and they moved to get into position.
Jules caught Sam before he left by putting a hand on his arm. "Hey. I just wanted you to know that I'm glad you're here." She looked at him meaningfully. She smiled when a look of relief crossed his face.
Sam released the breath he was holding and gave Jules a nod. He released the pent up tension he was feeling, smiled and patted her shoulder before he turned to leave. As he walked to a nearby house, he felt lighter than he had since he left Sadie with Winnie. He ran to the neighbor's house on the west side of the target house while Frank ran to the house on the other side.
After talking to the homeowner briefly and explaining the situation he ran upstairs to the bedroom closest to the target house. He stopped briefly in the doorway and looked around the very pink and sparkly room. There was glitter all over the pink walls along with a mural on one wall of a large castle with a moat and a purple unicorn standing guard at the door. He chuckled and turned off the light, moving carefully in the darkness to the window where he set up his remi.
"Bravo in position." Rollie whispered as they gathered at the back door, he and Dale with their MP5s at the ready while Jake had the ram ready.
"Alpha in position." Ed whispered. "Sam, Frank, status?"
"Sierra One in position." Sam answered in a low tone as he sighted the upper floors. "I've only got about 50% view of the top floor and maybe 40% of the bottom. On the upper level there are three men in the bedroom on red and yellow walls. Two are pacing, one on the floor looks to be tied up. Two more in the bedroom on yellow and black. Three in the living room, red and yellow walls, one is pacing in front of the windows, the others are watching tv."
"Sierra Two in position." Frank said over the comms. He settled into his spot on the roof of the neighbor's house. He was still getting used to the fact that the team relied on him to report what he saw through the scope. He'd thought he was just supposed to shoot when told, he wasn't used to the way Team One worked before he joined them.
It took a little time for them all to adjust. He and Ed had butted heads the first few calls because he wasn't reporting in and Ed had gotten frustrated and yelled at him. Luckily, Frank was a very direct person and had pulled Ed aside and talked to him about it before it got too bad. Ed had been apologetic and said that he didn't realize how much the team relied on him being more of an overwatch like Sam was when he was on the team. Now things were much better.
"I have eyes on the large bedroom on red and white walls, second floor. Looks like a man, definitely Junge, and woman are, uh, getting busy in there. I've got one in the kitchen, lower floor, white wall. According to the floor plans there's a large pantry and bathroom at the back by the stairs so we're blind there." Frank reported.
"The neighbor wasn't far off, that's 11." Jules looked at Ed.
"Ok, we breach in 3, 2, 1 GO!" Ed counted as everyone tensed. At the same time, Jake and Liam rammed the doors open and the teams rushed inside to shouts of "SRU! Show me your hands! Hands where I can see them!"
Liam broke off and took the man in the kitchen into custody.
Ed and Jules faced the three in the living room while the others rushed upstairs and to the basement.
Tim Fir was pacing by the window when the door burst open and three cops ran in, their guns pointed. His heart dropped in his chest and he immediately let go of the semi-automatic gun he was holding. He put us hands up and looked to Glenn who had jumped up from the couch, gun at the ready. "No! Don't!" He yelled as he saw Glenn lift his gun towards the cops. How the hell did he get himself into this, he thought as he dove for safety.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion from Sam's view. Alpha team breached first and he watched the first two subjects drop their guns. At the same time that the subject by the window in the living room yelled, Bravo had already moved into the the rooms upstairs, and he could see the subjects in the second bedroom on his side were grabbing their guns.
"Charlie, get to-" Sam got out before he saw the gun raise in the living room. He sighted and fired in what seemed like moments, but it wasn't early enough. The subject got a shot off towards Ed and Jules before he dropped. The guttural and soul splitting, "Juuuules!" that escaped his lips tore at all who heard it. Her body slumped to the floor and his only thought was, no you can't leave us. I need you, Sadie needs you.
Ed looked frantically at Jules who lay still as he took cover behind the couch and pulled her to him.
"Ed, status!" Spike yelled as he and Fred sprinted for the front door and Leah and Toni took the basement stairs two by two.
"Jules is down!" Ed looked back towards the front door as Spike, Ferd, Leah and Toni converged on them. "Charlie, status?"
Leah and Toni moved forward and secured the two subjects already on the floor.
"Four in custody, one more room to clear." Rollie whispered as Dale and Jake moved the handcuffed subjects to the landing.
"Ferd, EMS. Toni, Leah, get upstairs, back up Charlie." Ed commanded. He looked at Spike who was kneeling next to Jules checking her over. "Spike."
"Rollie, three subjects, all armed with FN Fal, Belgian automatic rifles. I have the solution, but we may need to talk them out." Sam said as steadily as he could. He lost his breath when he saw Jules fall to the floor after the shot. It nearly made his heart stop, but he knew he still had to do his job. The teams depended on it.
"On my way to you." Frank huffed as he ran down the street and to the other house. He ran up the stairs and moved to the other daughter's bedroom to set up. After a minute he radioed, "Sierra two in position. I have the solution on the man in the blue jacket."
"Through the vest." Spike breathed a he put a hand over the pooling blood. "Oh god."
"Jules. Hold on. EMS is coming." Ed took her limp hand in his.
His vision started to darken at the edges when Sam heard that. "Jules. You hold on you hear me?"
"Focus Sam. We've got her." Ed stated, knowing the others still needed him.
"Copy. I have the Canadiens jacket." Sam focused on his subject and pushed the ache in his chest away.
"You're going to be ok Jules." Spike squeezed Jules' hand as the EMTs carried her out of the house.
##### Braddock residence #####
"Shhh. Sweet Sadie girl. It's ok honey. What's wrong?" Winnie cooed as she walked a screaming Sadie back and forth in the living room of Sam and Jules' home. She didn't know what happened. They were on the floor playing with Sadie's blocks when the little girl had suddenly looked at Winnie and burst into tears.
In the past ten minutes she'd changed Sadie's diaper and warmed a bottle, but nothing seemed to be working. It broke her heart to hear the little girl crying her eyes out. It was so unusual for her. She'd always been a very happy baby.
"Dadadaa!" Sadie cried uncontrollably. "Mmmm. Mmmaaaa!"
"You want your daddy? I know love, I know." Winnie pulled the girl close and kissed her wet cheek. What was she going to do? Sadie was so upset. She suddenly had an idea and walked quickly up the stairs to Sadie's room. She walked to the bed and sat down. She grabbed the bear from the bed and showed Sadie. "Look Sadie, it's hugabug."
Sadie looked at her favorite bear and calmed slightly, hiccuping from crying so hard.
"I think hugabug could use some love. How about a hug?" Winnie smiled at Sadie and breathed a sigh of relief when she hugged the bear and Jules' voice played.
"I love you Sadie. Forever and always." Jules' voice said lovingly.
"Mmmm. Mmmmaamaa." Sadie hugged the bear close, a big tear rolled down her cheek.
Winnie pulled Sadie close. "That's right. That's your momma's voice." She wiped the tears from Sadie's cheeks and rocked her gently as the little girl held onto the bear tightly.
##### Junge residence #####
Sam raced to pack his rifle and get to one of the SUVs. The men in the room had given up easily and had been taken into custody without incident. As he was running down the stairs, rifle bag in hand he saw Ed arguing with SIU at the bottom of the stairs.
Ed took a breath and met Sam's eyes as the younger man raced down the stairs. "Go slow. Don't fall Sam." He put up a hand. He looked back at Stainton. "It's his wife dammit. You can wait."
Stainton looked at Sam and nodded. "You are not to talk to anyone about this call tonight Constable. I'll contact you tomorrow."
"Thank you." Sam said sincerely then looked to Ed. "How bad?" He asked anxiously.
"It's in the chest, but she was stable when the EMTs left. Spike went with her." Ed put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Come on, I'll drive you to the hospital."
"Ok." Sam nodded. He knew it probably wasn't a good idea that he drive himself. They hurried to the SUV and made it to the hospital in record time. "Jules Braddock? I'm her husband." He said to the girl at the desk. He wouldn't have said the second part, but the girl was new. The staff at the hospital were all, unfortunately, familiar with he and Jules. He didn't recognize this girl.
"Just a moment." The girl stood and went into the ER.
"Come on, come sit down Sam." Ed put a hand on Sam's arm knowing he'd probably been running on adrenaline and would crash soon.
Sam nodded and followed Ed to the rows of uncomfortable plastic chairs. He sat down, put his elbows on his knees and head in his hands, feeling the inevitable drain of an adrenaline crash. He looked up when he heard the crackle of a wrapper and saw a powerbar, water and coffee in front of him. He took the water and powerbar and smiled up at his former teammate. "Thanks Spike."
"She'll be ok." Spike sat on the other side of Sam and put a hand on his back. He wished he believed that. He just came back from washing Jules' blood off his hands. There was so much blood. He dropped his hand from Sam's back and looked at both of his hands. So much blood. He'd held Jules hand the whole way to the hospital, but she didn't wake up. It was surreal and so scary. It reminded him of the time Jules was shot in the side. They'd almost lost her that time.
"Hey." Sam saw Spike staring at his shaking hands and put a hand over Spike's. "Thanks for being with her. It was good to know she wasn't alone."
Spike looked up at Sam but stopped when he saw Dr. McKenzie approaching. He still felt a little uneasy around her even though their one and only date had gone well. He just hadn't felt for her what he did for Winnie.
"Sam." Dr. McKenzie gave the familiar officer an empathetic smile.
"Hey doc. How is she?"
AN: I know, I know! I'm posting this from my secret bunker. Lol. Sorry this took so long to post. Just a note that the next chapter may be awhile as my husband and I do a moviefest for New Years and I won't have a lot of time to write. I'll do my best though!