Chapter 22 The Ruthless Bandits
Second floor, indoors.
Alexander had just shaken his head and climbed up from the ground when the headset crackled with a call from the second team outside. "Two people have run out of the slum house, heading towards Pine Street. We're a bit far. It's hard to chase."
"Are you sure there are only two people?" Alexander asked, his eyes red.
"Yes, only two."
"Everyone, move towards Pine Street," Alexander shouted through gritted teeth. "If there are casualties, make sure to pin down the main culprits, or this will all be for nothing."
"Roger that!" Urgent responses echoed through the walkie-talkie. Alexander pulled out his gun and immediately shouted, "Those uninjured, follow me downstairs, quick!"
In less than a minute, the group reached the ground floor. Alexander, leading the pack, yelled, "Second team, have you got eyes on them? Report the suspects' location."
"They've reached Pine Street and are still running, approaching the intersection with Sunset Boulevard," the second team leader responded quietly, "We see them, but we're a bit far behind, still chasing."
Alexander paused for a moment, instantly remembering that Eric was in that direction. He quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie and shouted, "Car 2, Car 2, do you copy?"
"Car 2, copy," Eric's voice came through.
"The suspects are heading your way," Alexander ordered rapidly， "There are two of them. Ensure your safety, but try to block them if you can. We have casualties. If you can hold them for just a few seconds, we'll be right there."
Eric was stunned.
"Did you hear me?" Alexander shouted again.
"Yes... I heard you," Eric replied nervously.
"Stay on the line. We're almost there," Alexander said as he rushed out of the alley and got into a police car with Andrew.
Meanwhile, Richard and two members of Andrew's team got into another car and headed straight for the intersection at Sunset Boulevard, less than 1500 feet away.
Inside the car, Andrew grabbed the walkie-talkie and shouted, "Eric, do you see anyone passing by?"
At the Sunset Boulevard intersection.
Eric had already gotten out of the car, so nervous that he forgot to bring the car radio. His hands shook as he drew his sidearm, hiding behind the car's front end, eyes fixed on the direction of Pine Street.
Yes, Eric had never imagined that these desperate criminals would run in his direction. He was nervous, recalling the explosion upstairs and the colleagues who had died in the chaos. He was scared, hiding behind the car, feeling like those few seconds lasted for years. Unlike the other officers, he had no thoughts of sacrificing himself for the public good, only a cowardly fear.
In the cold wind, Paul led his companion, striding over with a weapon in hand.
Inside the car, Andrew's voice kept coming through the walkie-talkie, "Eric, can you hear me? Have they passed by? Respond, respond..."
Sweat dripped from Eric's forehead as he stared in Paul's direction. After a long hesitation, he gritted his teeth and raised his gun, his voice trembling as he prepared to shout.
Under the dim light, Paul turned and asked his companion, "What did Steven say?"
"He's already here." the companion panted, pointing ahead. "He went through the houses up front."
"Don't move. There's a police car," Paul said, turning and noticing Eric's car at the intersection.
His companion, tense, turned and saw the police car. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger and shouted, "You go first."
Bullets sparked off the police car. Eric, hunched over behind the front end, didn't dare to show himself.
Inside the car, Andrew continued to shout through the walkie-talkie, "Eric, there's gunfire on your end. Have you encountered them?"
Eric vaguely heard the commotion inside the car and crawled to the passenger seat, reaching for the door handle.
On the roadside, Paul took advantage of his colleague's cover and ran frantically. He was heading diagonally across the street, aiming to enter the houses. At this point, he was less than 100 feet from Eric.
Eric reached for the car door handle. Just as he was about to pull it open, he turned and saw Paul trying to enter the alley. Forced, he raised his gun and opened his mouth to shout.
At the street corner, Paul, running, also kept an eye on the police car. As he turned, he locked eyes with Eric.
Both of them were stunned. Paul didn't hesitate and fired a shot at the car's front end.
The car's hood dented on impact, but Eric was frozen in place, unable to return fire.
At that moment, Richard's car sped over. He grabbed the walkie-talkie and ordered, "Eric, fire a shot, hold him off. He won't get away."
Eric remained behind the police car, eyes wide with fear, face pale.
Seeing Eric not responding, Richard immediately shouted, "Charge, there's only two of them."
The car sped past Eric's position in an instant.
Richard leaned out of the car and fired two shots at Paul's companion, who was changing magazines. Blood sprayed, and the man fell backward.
"It's all your fault for tailing us so tightly." Paul, eyes red, cursed. Turning and raising his gun, he pulled the trigger.
The police car's tire burst on the spot, crashing into a wall beside a store at the intersection. The front end crumpled, emitting white smoke.
Richard shook his head, pushed open the car door, and shouted, "He's alone. Go get him."
Hearing this, the group got out of the car, guns in hand, and rushed towards Paul's position.
On the snowy street, the sound of brakes echoed as four burly men got out of a car. Two of them held automatic rifles and began firing in Richard's direction.
On Sunset Boulevard, Alexander, who had just arrived at the scene, saw the men rushing to Paul's side and shouted into the walkie-talkie, "Richard, fall back. They have a backup."
It was too late for Richard to retreat. He had already gotten out of the car and charged forward, so when the bullets swept over, his only option was to hide at the store's entrance. But Paul, furious over his fallen comrade, ran up with his weapon and shouted, "Do you still want to chase?"
Richard pressed against the store's glass door and didn't dare to look outside. He fired a blind shot, but Paul, bold and ruthless, came up against the wall, shotgun pointed at Richard's head.
In a brief silence.
"Don't move!" The two officers behind Richard raised their guns to cover him.
Steven, holding an automatic rifle, suppressed the two officers back into cover.
Sweating, Richard trembled his thick lips."Don't... don't kill me... I..."
"Did you kill my man for nothing?" Paul roared.
A gunshot rang out, and Richard fell.
"Chase me again, and I'll send a grenade to your precinct every day," Paul said, lowering his gun and firing three shots into Richard's body before Steven pulled him away. They threw two grenades on the road to buy time and then disappeared into the night.
Behind the police car at the street corner, Eric watched Richard get shot, and the grenades blast two craters in the road. He stood motionless, like a statue.
The car came to a halt. Alexander rushed out, eyes wide, and grabbed Richard. "Richard, Richard... hold on..."
"It's better to die... Living is suffering..." Richard grabbed Alexander's wrist, his voice hoarse, "I... I have no family... I'm lonely... I fostered two kids from back home in New District... you... you give my pension to them."
Alexander clenched his fist and nodded firmly. "I will."
On the street.
Andrew, eyes blazing, jumped out of the car and rushed to Eric, reaching out and shouting, "Give me your gun."
Eric, with a vacant look, raised his head to look at Andrew.
"I said give me your gun!" Andrew shouted, snatching Eric's sidearm and expertly removing the magazine, stunned.
"Sorry..." Eric stammered.
Andrew, trembling with rage, pointed at the bullets in the magazine and shouted, "Didn't you fire a single shot? If you had fired, would Richard be dead? Would the suspects have escaped? You coward!"
The three people who had just died on the second floor were all members of Andrew's team. Though they weren't close friends, they were colleagues he saw every day.
He snapped, kicking Eric in the head. "Why didn't you shoot? Afraid of dying? If you're afraid, why are you a cop? I'll beat you to death, you coward..."
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