Melissa had not been thinking straight the last few seconds and has not realised that her giving chase alone is what Dante wants. Deeks is attempting to keep up as she closes the gap between and her the treeline nimbly avoiding the bystanders who are you rushing from the madman who has just fired two warning shots. Her gun is ready in her hand. Dante watches eagerly as she makes her way towards him briefly stopping with cover nearby. A third shot can be heard as she reaches proximity to the treeline and it's enough to make her slow down and for her training to once again take control and she allows Deeks to catch her up. Dante fires again as they both slow to a stop. He isn't attacking people; he poses no imminent threat to civilians, so caution can be taken. Dante is growing tired of Melissa being rational and fires a shot in her direction happy that bystanders are all but away. It's enough for Melissa to dart closer but not into the open. He doesn't want to shoot her anyway, he wants to make her suffer, the thrill of the chase. Deeks covers Melissa from his cover as she darts closer to the shooter. A fourth shot is all it takes for Callen, Sam and Kensi to appear nearby and start to usher the bystanders away before finding cover. Without hesitation and without thought for her safety Melissa darts for the treeline suddenly catching Dante off guard. Her actions force him to flee further into the trees unable to fire while he runs giving her the upper hand for the first time in the case. She is trained with her weapon and he is not.
'Melissa!' Deeks hisses over comms. 'Damn it. She's bolted.'
'Get after her.' Kensi orders her boyfriend and partner.
'We got any bystanders. Go Deeks.' Sam reaffirms as Callen bolts towards the treeline too and Sam notices. 'Stupid is catching!'
Melissa can hear the team over her comms but tries to block it all out. Dante has made it personal. He could also turn around and stop running now she is alone it would make sense. She's ready for if he fires again, her gun raised, alert to any movement in the trees. Seconds later as if to match her thoughts he fires a shot from her left and she ducks towards the nearest tree for cover. His shot misses scathing a nearby tree. She darts to the next tree hoping to draw more fire allowing someone from the team to find them firing a shot of her own in the direction Dante's previous shot came from. He's moving fast but she's able to hear a 'Buggar!' and the sound of some twigs breaking moving away from her as Dante decides he needs an escape plan. His round is nearly out and he's questioning whether he would be able to reload with Melissa and maybe at least a few more others on his trail. He reaches a clearing then darts right before Melissa appears in the clearing. She approaches carefully aware of the clearing way before Dante was. She's barely out of breath.
'Just give up!' She calls out.
Dante keeps running using her caution to gain distance when he gets distracted by a sound off to his side and sees a flash of blue of Callen's shirt. Dante ducks and uses a tree as cover and Callen runs parallel to him. Callen is running in the direction of the clearing his gun at the ready. Dante's combats help him blend in and despite Callen being on high alert Dante manages to stay hidden until Callen disappears from view and he's able to slope off in a slightly different direction towards the clearing.