Inhaling and exhaling deeply through her nose, Yazawa's chest drummed loudly as she felt her beating heart nearly explode from her thoracic cavity. Her grip was tight around a clammy polymer handle. Anxiety plagued her thoughts momentarily. She reached for her microphone clipped to her outer carrier and depressed the push-to-talk button.

"167 R, shots fired... 999."

"R.A. is staged. Hold the air for 167 Robert." Dispatched responded quickly yet efficiently.

A constant siren blared in the distance. "167 R. I got one Suspect down. My partner is down. Roll rescue, supervisor, and the airship ASAP!" Nico's voice cracked. She stood just in front of her black and white with one arm extended holding a black handgun and the other clutching her lifeline to the outside world. Her lifeline erupted with chatter after her last broadcast. Without pausing, she moved forward and kicked the bullet-riddled suspect onto his belly and cuffed him. A search revealed a spare magazine and a bag of white. She dropped the crumpled remains of the illicit substance and looked at the crimson blood staining her palm. She wiped it on what clean piece of clothing he had left.

Tossing his gun in the back of her belt she hurried over to her fallen partner.

"Where you hit? Talk to me!" Yazawa sprinted from the pooling blood of the gang member to the pooling blood of her partner. The senior officer collapsed to her knees and ran her hand all over her partner, looking for any holes not immediately noticeable. Two gushing punctures, one in her partner's pelvis and the other located on her upper thigh.

"I-I don't know. Partner?!" The downed officer breathed, glancing at Yazawa's crimson covered arm. Covered in her blood. She tried to peek at her wounds but her head fell, wincing at the burning pain.

Yazawa shook her head and snatched her arms from her wound. "Keep pressure, Maki-chan. Don't give up. Keep your fingers here." Yazawa inhaled the scent of gunpowder and blood that hung in the air. The strong smell of iron and sulfur almost made her puke.

"167 R. I need an R.A and I need it ten minutes ago." She yelled loudly into her speaker mic before delving into one of her outer carrier pockets. She pulled out a CAT tourniquet and fixed it high and tight around her leg, creating a painful crush injury. Nico removed her partner's vest and ripped her shirt open. Thankfully the Kevlar had taken all the lead for her chest. Safariland has done its job. It wasn't until her gaze fell to her pelvic area that she realized that they were in trouble. Bright red blood soaked through her white undershirt- coated her belly and pooled beneath her. Maki let out a pained cough as Yazawa stuck her fingers into her wound.

"No, no, no, no, no!". Yazawa removed a package of compressed gauze from her carrier pocket. She doubled up and pushed both of her hands on the wound. "Look at me, Maki, you going home today. You just gotta stay awake."

"I d-don't wanna die here, Nico." Maki whispered, her voice was weak and raspy.

"You're not gonna die here, we've got the fucking cavalry on the way." Nico had to stop herself from screaming.

"They're not gonna get here in time."

"You're gonna be alright. Just you see. This is gonna be another story for the squad room. Just you see."

Maki felt the weight of Nico's hands falter. Emotionally, Nico was spent. Nico felt the warm crimson liquid seep through the gauze and through her fingers, and hit her skin. She powerlessly watched her partner and friend cling on to the last recesses of life. She fell in and out of consciousness every few seconds. The situation grew direr with each passing second, even as the incoming flash of red, blue, and amber lights illuminated Maki's and Nico's features.

Tires screeched at the end of the parking lot and shouts echoed off of the walls of the businesses. The two bathed in a flood of light from an orbiting airship, and a black and white Ford police car parked in front of them.

Nico caught sight of a group of angry, wrathful cops approaching the handcuffed gang member, holstering their weapons after witnessing his Swiss Cheese state. Looking up, she saw two of their closest friends, Eli and Nozomi, swing open their car doors, practically tumbling out of the squad as they rushed to their side.

"7 Adam 4 is code 6! 902R is 97'!" Eli bellowed into her microphone as an ambulance sped through the parking lot.

A wave of relief fell through Nico. Looking down all she saw was a set of amethyst dull eyes belonging to her partner.