Do not trust Captain Anderson. I'm on the floor. Do not trust Captain Anderson. Why am I not hearing anything anymore? Do not trust Captain Anderson. What is going on? Do not trust Captain Anderson. I shouldn't trust Captain Anderson. Do not trust anyone. Shouldn't I trust someone? You are not listening. I am listening. Then don't trust anyone until all is done. Then how can I trust you? You can't. So, I have to bet on it I guess? Smart girl. So what now? A second chance.

"Hey, rookie, did you hear what I said?" I heard her say beside me. I turned my head, and I saw Jane. She's alive? "Not in the mood for work today? I get you. I'm not going to add anything to your paperwork. We'll take it easy today. It is your last day on probation, after all," she said as she started the engine.

"Am I dead?"

"You're bound to be, but not yet, unfortunately," Jane said as she drove us out of the station garage. "What's the matter with you, did you take a sniff at that evidence room hash?" she asked.

"No..."

I am alive. How? Don't ask questions. Who are you? Are you stupid? I said no questions. I don't know anymore. It was the same as before. Grandma fighting over a cod. Jane is going to die today. It is almost the end of the shift.

"Available units, bank alarm reported at Key Bank, Alemont Avenue. Requesting immediate response. over." the radio buzzed.

"Roger that, 8182 we'll be taking that call dispatch, out," Jane replied. "God I hope it's not a false alarm," she mumbled.

She's gonna die if I don't stop her. I grabbed her forearm and she immediately stopped the car.

"What the fuck was that for?" she cussed.

"I have a bad feeling about it, we should park a bit further and approach on foot," she looked at my face and perhaps she saw something, she nodded and the moment we got to the road, she parked it at the entrance to the street. I grabbed the shotgun and she had the rifle.

Slowly, we approached the bank, it was quiet, no pedestrians on the streets. It was empty.

"8182, requesting backup at Key Bank, Alemont Avenue, armed robbery on the scene, over," Jane said into her walkie. She moved forward and just as we got by an arm's length from the bank window. It shattered. Bullets rained out of the bank. We took cover behind a car and there they came out. Three men with automatic weapons. 2 of them took cover at the bank entrance, and the other was standing out, shooting at us. The moment he stopped firing, I stood up and shot my shotgun and it nicked one of the idiot's thighs. He fell.

"Put the fucking gun down!" I yelled. He didn't, he was trying to reload, so I placed another shot to his skull, and it shattered. "Jane, are you alright?" I asked Jane as I went back behind cover.

"I'm good, I got nicked in the chest and arm," she showed me her right arm, blood stained her blue uniform sleeve, but the chest shot was caught by the vest. I gulped, I can't let her die.

"Stay here," I said.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Jane asked. I stood up, my shotgun aimed at the entrance. "Luna don't be a fucking hero! Get back here!" it was too late, I was back where we first got shot at.

"Put the guns down, and I won't scatter your brain on the curb like your buddy there," I said calmly. They are still behind the entrance alcove. One guy stepped out, his gun aimed at me, finger off the trigger. Not even a second later, it went for the trigger, I shot him first and he fell on the ground, lifeless and headless. "I told you, it doesn't have to end like this, we can all live to die another day," I said. I rocked the shotgun and I went closer. Jane is still yelling for me to come back. "Put the gun down, last warning,"

Maybe a stroke of sanity hit him, he threw the gun down. He stepped out with his hands up. Just as I was about to order him to turn around and put his hands behind his head, he lunged at me with his knife, the knife went through my neck, it didn't go through my throat, it didn't hit my spine, it just went in my neck. We both fell down and in that moment of panic, in one quick motion, I shot him in the guts with the shotgun. It was a fountain of guts. He died.

"Luna, fuck!" Jane cussed as she got to me. She pulled the guy off me and she dragged me behind cover. "Holy fuck, how are you not dead?" she applied pressure on my neck.

Wait, where's the other guy? Weren't there supposed to be four of them?

"There's another one," I blurted out. My neck hurts.

"Shut the fuck up Luna, I need to fix you up," She cussed before calling for backup. I could see another car arrive, backup. I stood up slowly, Jane wanted me to sit back down, but I couldn't, there was another one. "Luna sit the fuck down,"

"There's another one," I blurted again, barely making a sound, the knife was stuck.

"Shit," Jane cussed, "I'll go check," I need to stop her. But I couldn't raise my voice, nor am I strong enough to walk. She walked over the middle of the road, trying to see what was inside. Out of nowhere, a truck hit her from the other side. I saw her body launched back to where I was, the other two officers aimed their weapons at the truck, and it wasn't the fourth guy, it was a random person. I looked at the truck, and I saw Jane's face looking back at me, lifelessly. Her legs were bent, and her skull was cracked open. I didn't save her. Just as I was about to reach her, the fourth guy ran out of the bank, firing his gun at us. I returned fire. He hid behind the truck and I could hear him struggling to breathe.

"Put the gun down!" one of the other cops yelled. Then we all heard it, a singular gunshot, and then a flop. The man fell to the side, and blood rushed out of the hole through his skull. He took the easy way out. I looked back at Jane, her eyes were wide open. I dropped the shotgun and I placed my hand over my neck, blood was still pouring out. Like clockwork, I hit the floor and all that was left was darkness. Pitch-black darkness.

June 9th, 2023 ROYAL WOODS BULLETIN PAGE 1

POLICE ENGAGED IN FIREFIGHT WITH BANK ROBBERS

JUNE 7th, 5:01 PM. Police Corporal Jane O'Hara and Police Officer Luna Loud were patrolling the Royal Woods area when they were dispatched to Key Bank on Alemont Avenue due to a bank alarm going off. The two officers were met under heavy fire the moment they reached the bank's perimeter. From the body camera footage provided by the Royal Woods Police Department, Officer Luna Loud managed to shoot dead 3 of the armed robbers with the department-issued Mossberg 500. 4 armed robbers were found dead later, with three being shot by Officer Loud and the other committing suicide. During the chaos of the firefight, Officer O'Hara was hit by a fleeing pickup truck driver and was later pronounced dead. Both officers were transported to the Gunther Valley Memorial Hospital via ambulance. Officer O'Hara was pronounced dead at 7:43 PM and Officer Loud was reported to be in stable condition as of 10:38 PM.

The bodycam footage sparked anger among netizens towards the armed robbers, many of who wished the best of recovery for Officer Loud, and condolences towards the fallen officer.

I woke up and I saw the sterile ceiling of the hospital room, Pop-pop sitting beside my bed holding my hand with Luan and Lynn sleeping on the couch in front of me. It felt, surreal. I'm seeing this again. I squeezed his hand and he woke up. He looked at me and he smiled before pulling me into a very tight hug. "How long was I out?" I asked.

"You were out for 4 days dear," Pop-pop said. The same as last time. "How are you Luna, do you want some water?" he poured me a glass and gave it to me.

"Luna, why the hell do you have to scare us like that?!" Luan shouted as she hugged me.

"Fucking asshole, what the fuck are we supposed to do if you die?" Lynn cried as she hugged me too. "Don't you love us? Why didn't you save yourself? You could've died!"

"Luan, Lynn, please don't yell at your sister," Pop-pop said as he pulled them back. I could see them all crying. It's the same as before. "I'm gonna get the doctor, don't make Luna stressed alright?"

"Okay, Pop-pop." They both said in unison. Pop-pop got out of the room and I sat up on the bed. My neck hurt, but I didn't feel anything else. I look at the two of them. I smiled.

"Luna, can't you find a safer job? Please, Luna," Luan said as she sat down beside me, "We only have each other, we don't want to-" Lynn slapped Luan.

"We're not bringing that shit up ever again right?" Lynn cursed. "Can we not fucking mention ancient history?" Lynn asked rudely. "Why the fuck would you even mention that?!"

"AT LEAST I AM MENTIONING IT! I CAN'T SLEEP KNOWING MY FUCKIN' SISTER CAN DIE JUST LIKE THAT!"

"YOU WERE GOING TO MENTION MOM AND DAD, I KNOW IT! SO JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP LUAN, ALL THREE OF US KNOW WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED!"

"I DON'T WANT TO BURY ANOTHER SIBLING OF MINE!" Luan grabbed Lynn's shirt collar.

"THAT's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Lynn pushed her off.

"LYNN FUCK OFF! I CARE ABOUT LUNA AND I DON'T WANT HER TO FUCKING DIE LIKE THAT GIRL JANE!" Luan yelled back. "I RATHER WE ALL DIE OF CANCER THAN SEE THAT!"

"SHUT THE FUCK-" she didn't finish her sentence.

"I think I should quit..." I said with a smile on my face. A forced smile, but still a smile.