Scars of the past

Salvation

"Stop, hands up, Police."

He froze, dropped the bat and turned around, suddenly the room was full of police, the entire tactical team was there.

I could see Bruce coming in, and making his arrest, until I heard a familiar voice yelling.

"Get out of the way. Where is she?"

George emerged from the midst of those cops, he was panting, eyes wide and bloodshot, and his expression of horror was replaced by relief when he saw me.

He ran towards me and bent down to where I was, he hugged me tight, but I couldn't help but moan at the pains in my stomach and leg. He stopped and looked at my leg.

"I can't believe this bastard broke your leg."

By then, the tacticians had already taken the Serial Killer out of there, and George got up and wanted to go confront him.

"No George, no."

I held his arm tighter than I imagined it would be, he looked at me, and in that moment I felt like a helpless child, it was very rare to feel that way. But with all that context I just wanted George with me, I wanted to feel him and hold him, I wanted to feel safe again. I believe he realized that.

He looked at me with compassion, sighed, bent down and picked me up, careful not to hurt my leg, but I left a moan when he put his arms under my knee to lift me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and snuggled into him, my face rested on his strong chest and I finally felt safe again, after all that horror. I took a deep breath and just enjoyed that moment.

We left the room and I looked up, I saw that it was a big abandoned shed, the room was probably an old office. All the staff was outside. They looked at me with weak smiles, not knowing how to react to the situation. Special crimes were also there. There was an ambulance too and George went towards it, I saw a face stand out, it was Grasser that came towards us.

"How are you Detective Colin?"

"Broken leg and belly injury, but I'll be fine."

"This ambulance will take you straight to the hospital. And we were very grateful for your service, we arrested a Serial Killer."

Before I could respond George snorted.

"Thankful for the service? Are you serious? Could she have died?"

"I'm your superior detective Winter, you can't talk to me like that, if you continue I can suspend you. Miss Colin, knew the risk when she offered, the kidnapping was not supposed to have taken place, but the mission was a success and we found him and made the arrest. Your reaction is completely unnecessary, but I know why. When we get back to the police station we need to have a conversation."

The atmosphere was tense, the two were looking at each other, and I knew that George wouldn't apologize, he was too stubborn, and would take a warning for it. The fact that Grasser said he knew the reason made me even more nervous, he could suspend us or fire me for dating a co-worker, at the moment my broken leg wasn't my biggest problem. But I chose to ignore that fact, at first, at least.

"I'm glad we've arrested yet another killer. I'll be fine."

The paramedics were putting me on the stretcher and immobilizing my leg, and it was impossible not to grimace in pain as they worked on my broken leg.

"I'll go with her in the ambulance."

George told Grasser, but now his tone was subservient, not to make the same mistake again.

"Okay, update us, then we meet at the hospital, the team stays here until the forensics gather all the evidence and we finish the case. First an Interpol fugitive and now a Serial Killer, your resume is looking great, Miss Colin."

After Grasser's speech, I smiled a little crookedly, with pain, and actually with concern about the repercussions this could have, that had crossed my mind before.

The ambulance doors closed with me and George inside, we went to the hospital, he didn't leave my side. I had an X-ray and my tibia and fibula were broken but it wouldn't need surgery, they wanted to do an MRI to make sure my belly wound didn't have any other injuries or bleeding, I knew it was overkill and just they offered to do it because I was a cop who played heroin and also knew I couldn't do an MRI because of the bullet I've been lodged in my abdomen. I said I didn't want to do the MRI because I'm claustrophobic, and I was grateful when they decided to do the ultrasound just to prove that I didn't have any internal bleeding.

During the ultrasound the doctor detected that my internal bleeding was controlled, but to make my heart race and my fear come true, the bullet that I had lodged in the right side of the abdomen was visible in the images, I didn't want George to see it, and he didn't leave my side, like a good companion. The doctor was also surprised and had to ask:

"You know of the existence of this right?"

"Yes, it's a projectile, it's lodged and with fibrosis already."

I replied, almost in a whisper, but George's look of confusion was already over my head, I could feel it.

My brain did a few turns and I managed to come up with a story that would be reasonable, but far from the truth.

"I was shot by a colleague at the academy, during training, before we finished getting dressed, I was still without the vest."

"You never told me that."

George asked still a little confused, but he was falling for my story, it hurt me so much to have to lie to him.

"It's been a long time."

After the ultrasound, they gave me pain medication, put me in a cast and I slept for I don't know how long.