Kono's heart hammered in her chest.

The thermal imaging still lingered in her mind—the flare of heat, the uncertainty of what was happening to her friend, the desperation in Steve's voice. The helplessness she felt as she watched her fearless leader rush forward, headlong, without them.

She shook her head, she knew she couldn't afford to lose focus, even as her gut twisted in concern.

She focused on Joe, he nodded grimly, his jaw set, already anticipating the chaos to come. He made the call over the radio to Bravo team, giving the green light to engage.

Chin shifted beside her, his gaze fixed on the compound ahead, hand tightening on his weapon. The air felt thick with anticipation, dusk casting long, eerie shadows over the barren ground. The warehouse loomed before them, a hulking structure with armed guards patrolling the perimeter, and somewhere inside, Steve was barreling in to face hell alone.

Determination settled over the three of them. Joe signaled for Chin and Kono to follow as they moved in silence.

Joe took point, his rifle trained on the nearest guard patrolling the perimeter. He moved like a shadow, creeping up behind the man and dispatching him with a decisive round to the head. The guard crumpled to the ground.

Chin and Joe worked in sync, covering the West end of the compound moving to where they saw Steve go. Systematically, they took out the remaining guards along the way with lethal efficiency. While Kono brought up the rear, watching their six. Every step was measured, every sound from the enemy a potential threat.

Kono kept her eyes forward, her senses heightened, scanning every corner for movement. Her pulse quickened as they neared the door.

Just before they reached the side entrance, Joe caught her eye.

"We're splitting up," Joe said quietly. "I'm going to peel off and back up the others breaching the north side," he whispered, nodding toward the distant flash of gunfire as the rest of their team engaged the guards outside. "You two finish this. I'll catch up."

Kono's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "You sure you're good alone?"

"I'm sure. The faster we move, the faster we can finish this"

"Ok, go," Kono whispered back, already focusing on the task ahead. She watched Joe melt into the shadows, his figure vanishing into the chaos beyond.

Then it was just her and Chin.

With a silent signal, Chin moved to the door. The door clicked open, and they slipped inside, swallowed by the cold darkness of the building.

The hallway stretched ahead, dimly lit, the low hum of distant voices bouncing off the walls. Kono felt her nerves prickle as they moved forward, her eyes darting between Chin and the space ahead. Her finger hovered just above the trigger, waiting, every step deliberate.

Then, movement.

A guard turned the corner at the end of the hall, his eyes widening in surprise just as Kono raised her weapon. One clean shot. The guard dropped without a sound, and they moved on, faster now, the urgency thrumming through their veins.

As they rounded the corner, a door caught Kono's attention. It stood slightly ajar, light spilling out from the crack, and her stomach twisted.

"That's gotta be it," she whispered to Chin, as she recalled the relative distance based on the thermal scans. Chin silently nodded his agreement.

Her pulse quickened as they neared the door, her mind racing through possibilities— Kono burst through the door, gun raised, ready for anything...

Steve caught her attention first. He stood in the room clutching his SIG P365 in his right hand. The sickly smell of blood that hung in the air hit her next. Instantly Kono's tactical instincts took over. She began scanning the room for imminent threats.

A lifeless body lay to the left of Steve and two in front of him. But she registered no weapons, no danger, no imminent threats.

So, her eyes once again fell upon her leader. His posture was noticeably hunched and guarded but he stood still, stunned. A stream of crimson blood originating from his brow starkly stood out as all other color had drained from his face. His look of utter disbelief signaled to Kono that something was terribly wrong.

She started to move toward him but suddenly his trance was broken and he was moving. She did a double take, her gaze following along with Steve's movement.

Suddenly, the scene hit her like a punch.

Danny!

The figure lying on the floor before Steve was Danny. Blood pooled beneath him, and the sickening sight of it made Kono's stomach drop.

Chin pushed past her and quickly moved to pull the other body away, clearing space around Danny as Steve moved in to his partner's side

"Chin," Steve breathed, looking up with desperation in his eyes. "He's hurt bad."

Steve's attention was immediately drawn back to the holes in Danny's side. They pulsed blood, creating a rapidly spreading pool of slick red. Steve pressed his hands over the wound, trying desperately to stop Danny's life from flowing through his fingers.

"Scene is all clear, paramedics are two minutes out, boss," Kono assured as she knelt by Danny's head. She gently cradled it and gingerly tapped his pale battered cheeks. "Danny" she murmured trying to rouse her friend.

"C'mon, Danny, stay with us," Steve was more frantic, urging his partner when there was no response to Kono's attempt.

Reaching up, he pressed his fingers against Danny's throat. The beats were fast and faint, but still there. "Danny... Danny, c'mon..."

Steve pressed harder, looking more panicked by the minute. The blood wasn't stopping...

"Danno, stay with me, okay, please..."

"Steve... " The word, slurred and breathy, was like music to Steve's ears and he felt his heart thud hard in his chest.

"I'm dying" Danny croaked

"Nah, man, 'course not! It's gonna be fine. You gotta stay with me, buddy."

"I ... I don't think I can"

Kono looked up, her eyes filling at Danny's words. He sounded so weak, Steve shook his head and leaned closer to his partner.

"Danny, listen to me, okay? You're gonna be alright... you just need to keep breathing, focus on my voice, stay with me," he said firmly, gently palming Danny's face when his eyes fell shut. "Stay with me, Danno..."

He could hear the paramedics through the radio and silently hurried them along as his guts twisted when he recognized all too well the unmistakable signs of someone fading fast. "Hey, open your eyes, stay with me... paramedics are nearly here... Danny! You don't get to do this, c'mon! I still have to be mad at you. Open your damn eyes!" Dull blue eyes fluttered open,

"You... you rescued me, I knew you would. Survive until rescue." He repeated the mantra that had kept him going. "I did it" he smiled almost serenely, lips split and stained with red.

"Yeah, man, you did" Steve nodded, looking right into Danny's eyes, patting his cheek when they rolled and threatened again to slide closed. Danny grimaced when a wave of pain flared through his body.

"I'm ... I'm sorr..." a gasping breath "sorry I'm not going to mak..." he mostly slurred the words as his head slumped to the side and he stopped breathing. Kono looked up alarmed, but Steve immediately jumped into action urging Kono back he pulled Chin in.

"Chin, here—press down hard," Steve instructed, guiding Chin's hands to the bleeding wound on Danny's side. Then he leaned over Danny, fingers searching frantically for a pulse.

Nothing.

His heart hammered in his chest. Without hesitation he jumped into action, lacing his hands together over Danny's chest he started compressions.

"Danny, don't do this... stay with me," he panted, counting the compressions in his head, trying desperately not to notice the unnatural grinding of broken ribs beneath his hands.

When he reached thirty, Steve bent down, sealed his mouth over Danny's, and breathed twice, pushing air into his partner's lungs. He checked for a pulse again—still nothing. He immediately resumed compressions, his breaths coming in harsh pants as the weight of every second without a pulse crushed him.

Thankfully, EMT's arrived and decisively took control, releasing Steve from his life saving efforts. Steve staggered back, chest heaving, wide-eyed as EMTs swiftly tore open Danny's shirt and placed the gel pads on his chest.

Steve could still taste Danny's blood on his lips. He wiped his mouth with the back of his arm and moved closer to Kono, eyes never leaving Danny. He watched as an EMT forced oxygen into Danny's lungs waiting for the defibrillator to charge.

"V-fib," one of the EMTs called out. "Charged to 200. Clear!" Danny's body jolted violently, his hands twitching before falling limp once more.

"Still in V-fib," came the next report. "Charging to 300. Clear!"
Again, Danny's body seized under the shock before collapsing back into stillness. Steve's breath hitched, his heart pounding in his ears.

"Come on, Danny," he murmured. "Come on..."

After what felt like an eternity, the EMT finally spoke again, this time with a note of hope.

"Normal sinus rhythm. Fast, but steady."

Steve exhaled, the suffocating weight that had been crushing his chest lifted ever so slightly. The EMTs worked quickly, hooking Danny up to monitors, starting IVs to replace the blood he had lost. Within moments, Danny was strapped to the gurney, ready to be loaded into the ambulance.

Steve followed closely behind taking his seat next to Danny and holding on to his partner's too cold hand.

*** To Be Continued ***


Sorry Marian another cliffe, hope you enjoyed the chapter anyways, I enjoy your reviews. Thanks

Thanks to all reviewers and those of you who are following. I'm glad you enjoy my writing, makes it worth sharing