"There they are. Thank God."
Roy felt a shudder run down his back at Ed's overzealous words. Approaching the Galaxy from a couple yards out, his cop instincts told him quite a different story, one that didn't necessarily make him feel relieved.
The sight was an eerie one.
The bright red brake lights and slowly fading exhaust fumes told him that the car was running, sitting parked in front of a huge fallen pine tree. The clear view into the interior of the tan sedan indicated that the rear window had been shot out, likely by their deceased suspect.
And one thing nearly made him freeze in his tracks.
It was the sight of the gray fedora sitting perfectly still in the driver's seat.
"Take it easy, Ed, let's make sure the scene is secured first.", Roy cautioned, his own senses bracing for disaster, as he slowly stepped out of the LTD, taking in the sight and ensuring that there was no unexpected company.
Despite the cold, he could feel the heat from the engine against his outstretched hand holding a flashlight, indicating that the car had been running for a long time. He figured Mike had desperately tried to keep them warm. Swallowing his fear and ignoring the rapid heartbeat making him tremble; Roy approached the driver's side, a trained hand over his .38.
"Mike? Steve?"
His voice was breaking, barely audible over the rumbling of the engine, so he cleared his throat and tried again.
"Mike. Steve. Are you guys ok?"
If there was any sort of answer, he didn't hear it. And what little he could see of the back of his old partner's head and fedora suggested no movement at all.
Glancing back at the two unmarked cars behind him to reassure himself that help was nearby if there was any chance at saving his men, he swallowed hard, before stepping up to the driver's side door.
"Mike?"
Carefully opening it, he was surprised to find a scene far more peaceful than his troubled mind had envisioned.
Like a protective bear over her cubs, Mike had curled around his partner's body, trying to keep him warm with a strong arm around the young man's chest, his head resting on top of Steve's, as if both detectives were merely sleeping.
"Mike?"
When he received no response once again, he reached forward, carefully moving his hand along the seasoned Lieutenant's cold neck. Down below, he could hear the radio of the Galaxy spring to life, as several of their unis communicated about tire tracks found near the Hollow Springs campground.
Grateful to find a pulse, albeit fast, he had to lean in farther to work his way around Mike's shoulder and reach Steve. Finding the same result, Roy let out a breath he'd held for far too long, almost getting dizzy from the overwhelming relief.
Taking a moment to put his other hand against the doorframe of the tan sedan and resting his forehead on top of it, he sighed heavily, biting the inside of his cheek when he felt tears well up in his eyes.
With his whole body shaking at the mix of emotions that flooded his senses, Roy finally leaned backward enough so that Ed could see him from his position in the passenger seat.
"It's time for you to get to work, my friend."