AN: This is dedicated to everyone who reviewed! Thanks for having such wonderful things to say for my first story!

"Well, you were sure right when you said it was surrounded, Kowalski."

The scientist nodded in sad agreement. Cops were everywhere around the greenhouse, helicopters were flying overtop, their spotlights shining, people were out in the open carrying shotguns, rifiles, and pistols. Streetlights had been shut down, there were little groups of six roaming around as patrols. It would've looked like a war zone if it weren't for the perfectly reserved buildings. The two men had parked there car quiet a ways away, but only because they couldn't get any closer. Every street in a two mile radius was being searched and patrolled through. Kowalski and Skipper always ad to keep a move to hide from them, and even then they were just slipping away from the cops eyes by a millisecond.

It was now that the two men realized how bad there situation truly was.

"Well, if it helps, I think we're in a safe spot right now. Nobody has tried to disturb this spot yet."

"We're hiding in a tower of garbage cans that we made. This is the sorta thing you would see in 'rescue mission gone wrong'. Do you see Rico being hauled out yet?"

Kowalski couldn't but smile slightly. He supposed their new hiding spot did look a bit foolish. Four metal garbage cans surrounded the two, giving them hardly any room to move, and two cans piled on top of them. It took maybe thirty seconds to put together-which was really the only time they had- and it was a huge surprise to both of them that no one had bothered to investigate the tower of cans. It was one of the mistakes the NYPD were making that were saving their lives.

The tallest of the two peered through an opening between cans. Besides an ambulance waiting for an injured person, no one was getting into it. Kowalski guessed that it was for Rico, but after twenty minutes without it getting a passenger, he discarded that option. For emergencies of the NYPD members? He discarded that option too after remembering that they were only after four men. Three of which were older than some of these cops, and one that would never hurt someone so much to send them to a hospital. There were people crowding around every inch of the building, but no one was really going in.

"No. I think Rico's still in there." He paused. "I think they're waiting for us."

Skipper frowned. He hated this situation. Not knowing exactly why this was happening. People traping him so he couldn't help his teammates. Having so many questions with so little answers. No answers actually. Most of all, he hated that these people thought they've beaten him. He hated losing. He hated giving up. And, he decided, tonight is not gonna be the night he does both. Not by a long shot.

Rico groaned in pain. Although, it was more like agony. It felt like every part of his body was crying. Without checking, he knew glass was sticking into his skin. Did he have any broken bones? Who knew how high he fell. And the bed of broken glass probably didn't help his landing either. He coud see though. That was a saving grace. It didn't do much help though. All he could see was dak outlines of objects, since it was so dark. The only light was coming from the broken skylight, and that was just iluminating him.

Oh but could he hear. There was sounds everywhere coming from the skylight. Cars screeching and honking, an ambulance horn. A helicopters flying above, ffeet stomping on concrete, and every once in a while the sound of metal hitting metal. He desperately wanted to know what was happening, but he was face up, feeling shards in his back, and every bone in his body ached and he couldn't do anything but lie. He couldn't even turn his head to the side. Although, he subconsciously didn't want to, because he knew that beside him was a puddle of his own blood, and if he saw that he would either pass out again, or wish that he may never be able to move again. So, to pass the time, without asking himself questions, he laid there listening.

"Rico?"

His eyes widened a little at his leader's voice. How did he possibly get in here? Surely the NYPD had this place surrounded. Rico was the weapon supply line, so he couldn't have any weapons, could he? Rio groaned in pain yet again and heard foot steps rushing towards him. He used the last bit of strength and lifted his head up. His dark hair fell to the sides, and he got a clear look at who was rushing to him.

Skipper, his flattop was always easy to recognize. He had blood on him too, which made Rico feel a little better. Glad he wasn't the only one who was bleeding. When the leader kneeled next to him, Rico made a face because he smelled so bad. An intense smell of blood, trash, and sweat. After a closer look, Rico realized Skipper also had a pistol in his hands.

"Wha' 'appened?" Rico asked, his voice cracking and Skipper knew he was at the end of his strength.

Worried, Skipper started to pick shards out his teammates skin. "Well, you fell into a greenhouse. Don't know what you were thinking. I was nearly killed in a cop car, but managed to get out. Met a girl too, her name was Neon Tiger. Wait, no it was Tyler. Anyway, we found out where you were, hijacked an ambulance, stole a couple of pistols, and in a minute or two Kowalski is going to crash through that wall," he pointed to the farthest wall from them, "and then we're gonna go find Private. Who we have no idea where he is." He sighed and stood up. "So... where do ya wanna go for Christmas?"

Rico grinned, blood in his mouth. "Mexico."

"Really? Oh, yeah I guess I see it. We could go on a justice spree. Stop crime and stuff. Do you think it'd be warm? You know how I hate being cold."

Rico had no time to even consider an answer. In an instant, it was like the world exploded. When Rico thinks about it, he doesn't remember seeing the ambulance coming through the wall, but he did see the debris. A mix of plaster and concrete spiralled away rom the far wall, leaving a cloud of dust in the air. As the dust cleared, he could only see a fragment of crimson from the ambulance. It happened so quick that that was the only thing he could remember. The debris, the dust, and then the colour.

Skipper immediately sprang into action. He gave his friend a reassuring smile, and carefully, but quickly, slid his hands underneath Rico's back. He grimaced when he felt a squishy, dry liquid on is back, and had to take a deep breath. He pressed his arms further, until he could see his bloody fingertips on the other side of his friend. Kowalski had already opened the large back door of the ambulance, and Skipper could hear him yelling at him to hurry up.

He sighed, tensing up his muscles in his legs, hoping they had the strength to lift his teammate. Even his arms were tensing up. There was a slight hesitation, and then Rico was up in the air. Skipper was grateful he had enough energy, and without any more thoughts, ran to the ambulance. He doesn't actually remember what happened after that. There are only snipets of memory. Usering Rico into the back, Kowalski telling him something that he forgets, and then somehow being the one at the drivers wheel of the ambulance.

Skipper took a deep breath, backing the vehicle up. Kowalski was mending to Rico's injuries in the back, and they were about to drive into total choas. Next order of buissness was to find Private. He exhaled. Tonight was definitely never gonna end.

So, they are moving a bit slower, Skipper decided. It took them only ten seconds to shatter the windshield of the ambulance. Whatever. It gave him more ability to see. And get shot at, but he decided not to include that. Skipper was expecting the breaking of windshield, and lowered his head just in time. They weren`t even done backing up yet. Debris was still on the vehicle, and everytime the wheels turned, it sent plaster and glass into his face.

When the ambulance finally finished backing away from the wall of the greenhouse, everyone was acting in confusion. Some people were getting in copcars to chase the three, but in their dash had lost their keys. Others had their guns pointed at the white and red vehicle, but no one daed to gve the order to fire. Others were blindly running up to it, smaking it`s walls with the palms of their hands helicopters were the team`s real problem.

"Which way should I go, Kowalski?" Skipper asked calmly.

"Left. Towards the woods."

Skipper nodded, backing up the ambulance more towards the right, so they were facing left. He yelled a quick warning on how bumby the ride was goning to be and pressed on the gas. He was knocked fully against his seat at how fast they took off. People fearfully jumped out of the way, just barely escaping the vehicle`s path. The people in the helicopters were less fazed and took off after the ambulance. After cocking their guns, the people took aim, and began to shoot.

Skipper swore under his breath. He was at the end of his strength, running on adrenaline. He swerved the steering wheel side to side, making it harder for people to lock on to it. He came to the first turn, and churned the vehicle so much that it nearly toppled over. There were only three turns to go before he would on the highway to the woods. Skipper dreaded that. He knew as soon as they got to that road, the helcopter people would have the best shots on them.

Bullets were breaking through the thin layer of metal now, Skipper cursed as one pireced his shoulder, and started to swerve faster and more recklessly. Each time, the vehicle would almost go completely sideways. He could hear Kowalski and Rico screaming from his driving, but he didn`t care.

It was the thrid turn when the ambulance toppled over. Luckily, it caught on a tree, and was caught sideways. Skipper yelped in surprise and was thrown to the seat beside him. Not good. Skipper quickly frailed back up, only staying there because of grabbing the handle of the door, and lifted his feet up and positioning them back onto the pedals. Bullets were flying around him and all he could do was press on the gas pedal. In the time it took two bullets to enter his other shoulder, the ambulance was back on it`s wheels, speeding through the streets.

On the last turn, he could see the woods. Police were surrounding the whole perimeter, helicopters were there too. Skipper was sure Private was somewhere in there. From a distance, he could see people entering the woods blindly, taking their time to inspect each tree. If he could see that by how far away he was, he wondered if how many people were there, and why exactly they were looking so blindly.

Escape route. Gotta get an escape route.

He found one. Just before the start of the woods, a deep ditch. He decided that it was insane, agreed with himself, and punched the gas even harder, aiming for the ditch.

"Get ready to get out quickly! We're gonna do a flip!" Skipper yelled behind him.

"WHAT?!"

He turned into the ditch. The front wheels of the ambulance caught onto the dip, and tipped the hood. Skipper fell threw the open, broken windshield, and started to run away as fast as he could, scared the whole vehicle would fall on him. The centre of gravity in the ambulance shifted, and the whole thing was tipping over. Skipper felt an intense worry for Kowalski and Rico, since they were in the back, the part that was now tipping. He stopped running to turn, and try to spot his teammates, but quickly, bullets were being shot near him. He could feel the air swishing past him they were that quick.

He raced towards the trees. It was the only safe spot left he could go. He heard Kowalski scream behind him, so he got out. Where did he get shot? Was Rico with him? As soon as he got to the trees, he pushed through the pain in his shoulders and tailbone, and climbed the first tree he saw.

Kowalski and Rico followed soon after, having been able to see where their leader climbed. Rico was a bloody mess, Skipper didn't look that good either, and Kowalski's right arm looked like a mangled piece of meat. All of them were bleeding, sweating, and panting uncontrollably. Maybe it is a war zone, Kowalski thought dryly.

Skipper forced a grin. "Well, on the bright side, at least we know that sunshine is probably in here."

Kowalski gave a snort. "Dead or alive?"

That earned a glare from Skipper. "Depression does not work with you, Kowalski. We're stressed enough. Do not make it worse."

"Fine. You're the one who crashed an ambulance."