Arriving at the warehouse, Hondo gave his instructions.
"Street, Chris and Luca, you three go to the warehouse and get an overview. Once you see the suspects, you'll give feedback to Deac and me, then we'll come to support. I just don't want them to see all of us right away. Benni, you stay in the Betty and stand by. When the three of them have spotted and located the suspects, you drive into the hall at full speed and cut them off. Do you understand everything?" Hondo looked at his team. They all nodded and everyone got into position.
"Guys, do we split up?" asked Chris when they arrived at the hall.
"Yes is best, this way we can walk the different areas better." Luca stated.
"Ok, but we'll stay in constant radio contact." added Street. Luca walked up the steps to the upper area while Chris and Street split up downstairs. Chris went to the left corner of the hall, Street to the right.
"24 - David. No sight of the suspects so far, all quiet." came from Chris.
"22 - David. All clear up here so far too." replied Luca.
"26 - David. On this side everything also seems cl - " Street wanted to say, but that's as far as he got.
A loud bang was heard and another. When Chris regained consciousness, she felt cold concrete floor under her body. Thick smoke obscured her vision and a sharp pain in her right leg. She had to collect herself to realize what had just happened.
"Luca! Street!" Chris startled and looked around. She tried to sit up to get her colleagues in view, but there was no one there. "Streeeeet? Luuuucaaaa?" she screamed frantically, but there was a dead silence. Only the clinking of broken window panes could be heard. Chris tried to stand up and saw that a metal shard was stuck in her thigh. "Oh damn!" she muttered. She took off her vest and set it aside. After getting rid of her shirt as well, she used it to tie off her leg so she wouldn't lose any more blood.
"Aaaaaaahh." in severe pain, she dragged herself limping through the hall, calling for Luca and Street again and again. Her nerves were shot, she was scared for them. Through the heavy smoke she had to light the way with her flashlight. When she had made a little progress she saw something big lying on the ground. She shined the light more closely and saw that it was Street. "Oh my God." Street was lying with his stomach to the ground. "Street?" she limped over to him as fast as she could and dropped down on the ground next to him. She patted him down for injuries or visible bleeding before daring to move him. When she got to his head, he stirred.
"Chris?" he said in a whisper.
"Hey, there you are." Chris was a little relieved and helped him turn over. As he lay on his back, he smiled slightly at her. Chris had tears of relief in her eyes.
"Are you hurt?" he wanted to know.
"Yeah, but I'll be fine." she dismissed and Street saw the metal shard in her leg. "Damn, you must be in real pain." he took her hand.
"Can you move Street?"
"I'm trying." as he sat up, his facial expressions suddenly froze. He looked at Chris with wide eyes. "Luca?" and Chris had to swallow.
"I haven't found him yet Street."
"Can you walk?" he asked her worriedly.
"Badly, but I'm trying."
"Ok, I´ll help you. Come on then, we have to find him!"
Street supported Chris as best as he could and she was grateful not to be alone. They just had to find Luca, hopefully he wasn't hurt too badly.
"The last time I saw Luca he was up there." Chris looked at the top of the warehouse and the door. Street turned to her.
"You stay here, I'll go up and see if I can find him there." he said firmly, looking her in the eye.
"What, no, no way. I'm coming with you. I'm not letting you go off on your own." there was all her stubbornness again. Street couldn't even be mad at her, because it was exactly for her kind that he loved her.
"Ok, let's go. I'll back you up. I got you." they walked off and up the lattice stairs.
Arriving at the door, Street jolted the knob, but it wouldn't budge.
"Lucaaaa?" Street called, but he received no answer.
"Lucaaaa?" now Chris also shouted, but nothing. Frantically, she looked at Street. "Damn. Street I'm scared. What if he's in there and - "
"Stop, don't think that. I'm sure he's fine. We'll find him. Back up a little bit." Chris looked at him with a furrowed brow and did as he said. Street took a bit of a running start and pushed hard against the door, it burst open and Street used the flashlight to get a better view. Everything was full of smoke and parts of the ceiling were on the floor.
"Lucaaa?" he called again, and suddenly he got an answer.
"Street? Here I am, back here by the window. I'm stuck." Luca was relieved to hear the voice he was familiar with. Chris and Street ran to him and Luca instantly had a smile on his lips when he saw them.
"Thank God, you guys are okay. Chris what's wrong with your leg?" he looked at them worriedly.
"Not too bad, just a splinter. I'm so glad we found you." Chris was glad that all three of them were reasonably unharmed.
"So now we have to get you out of here my friend. Chris I'll lift up the wooden wall and you try to help Luca out, ok?" Chris nodded determinedly and Luca also got ready. "One, two, three." Street mobilized all the strength he could muster and it worked. The wooden wall moved and Luca, with a little help from Chris, was able to crawl out.
"Streeeeeeet? Chriiiiiiiis? Lucaaaaaaa? Talk to me! Hey, can you hear me?" Chris looked up and her eyes widened.
"It's Hondo!" she said.
"Hoooondooo, hey we're up here!" yelled Luca and the three of them ran out the door to the stairs. Looking down, they saw a very relieved Hondo and Deacon.
"Thank God, you guys are okay. Do you guys need a medic? Are you okay?" called Deac upstairs.
"Good to see you guys." Street smiled. "We're coming down. Chris is hurt in the leg, but she's okay." as he spoke he supported Chris again and the three of them were about to make their way down. Suddenly there was a crash behind them and another explosion was heard...
Everything happened very quickly. Luca threw himself on the floor, his hands above his head, Street grabbed Chris by the waist with both hands, pushed her on the floor and half threw himself on her. With his upper body and hands, he protected her body and head from falling ceiling pieces. Luca looked over at Street and panic was evident in his gaze. Chris had closed her eyes and hoped that everything was just a bad dream, but when she opened her eyes again she saw that this disaster was real.
"Chris, are you okay?" Street frantically patted her down and was relieved when he could find no other injuries on her.
"I'm fine and you?" she looked him in the eye.
"Me too." "Luca?" Chris looked over at him.
"I'm fine, don't worry."
When the three were back on their feet they looked down at Hondo and Deac.
"You guys okay up there?" called Hondo.
"Yeah, we're still alive," Street tried to joke. The renewed detonation destroyed the stairs leading down.
"You guys got anything to rope down with?" asked Deac. Chris looked around and a rope caught her eye.
"I think I have something." she limped forward two steps, showing the rope. "Do you think this is sturdy enough?" she lifted it in the air and pulled on it with both hands.
"It should definitely be enough for you," Luca agreed.
"Hondo, Deac?" Street called down. "We're going to rappel Chris down to you, okay? Her leg needs to be taken care of."
"You got it, the fire department will be there soon too, they'll get you two down then." Street nodded visibly.
Luca and Street tied the rope around Chris' waist as best they could. As she stood at the edge of the ground, ready to rappel, Street stood directly in front of her. She looked him in the eye and he saw that she was a little scared. He took her in his arms briefly.
"I got you, it's going to be okay. Almost there." he smiled at her. She nodded and took another deep breath.
"Chris are you ready?" Luca looked at her worriedly.
"Yeah, ready to go guys."
"We'll let Chris down slowly now Hondo." Luca looked down at both of them for a moment.
"Alright, we're ready."
Street and Luca were careful to lower Chris very gently and most importantly safely. The rope had held well and when Chris reached the bottom she was embraced by Deac, he was terribly relieved. Hondo put his hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, the ambulance is waiting outside." Together with Hondo, Chris limped outside.