Two

"Duggan, Bailey! Armoury now!" Williams shouted to us from her office. Me and Leon both jumped up, grabbing our vests. It was barely nine in the morning and I looked at my full mug of coffee as we jogged to the armoury.

"Leon Bailey," Leon said as he got to the armoury window. I was behind him, looking at the door.

"What the fuck is going on?" I whispered to myself. Leon moved away from the window, putting his gun into his vest pocket.

"Lexie Duggan." I told the officer behind the window, tapping my foot as he got my gun and paperwork. I signed it quickly, putting my gun away too.

"Right guys," Williams poked her head in and started walking to the station's main entrance, me and Leon trailing behind. "Situation in an abandoned block of flats off Market Road. Shots fired, third floor, one suspect." She turned to us at the door. "Stuart is in occupational health. I don't have anyone else, it's just you two."

"Okay," Leon said casually.

"Just us? Just the two of us?" I asked, my mind going crazy. We had never done a job, just the two of us, and an armed man running free with a gun no less.

"I don't have a choice, Lexie. I'm trying to call for backup with another station but I need you both there now!" She shouted the last word, both of us nodding. We got into the closest police car, Leon driving with the lights on.

"Why do you gotta make it obvious to her you're scared?" He asked me. I could barely hear him over the sirens.

"What?!" I asked, irritated.

"Why do you gotta,"

"I heard you!" I shouted at him. "Why are you so fucking cool about this?" I was staring into the side of his face, it was serious, something I wasn't always used to.

"Because I've got you. We're the best fucking team Lex, come on. You've always got my back." He flicked his eyes over to me and I nodded, speaking into the radio.

"Unit forty five arriving at Market Road."

"Received." Came the reply. Leon stopped the car and we both jumped out, hands on our guns. There was only one tower block of flats on Market Road and we both slowly walked in. Me and Leon had been a team for five years, both of us starting as a specialist firearms officer at the same time. We had only worked with each other and he was right, we were a brilliant team. As usual he was in front, me behind. We climbed the stairs, my hand on my gun, walking backwards. As we got to the third we both got our guns out, pointing in front of us.

"Police! Armed police!" Leon shouted. My heart rate was through the roof, my adrenaline was on overdrive. The block was in complete disrepair, three homes on the third floor, no doors on any of them.

"Armed police!" I shouted as we went into one of the homes.

"Clear," Leon said walking out of a bedroom.

"Clear," I said as I walked out of the kitchen. Where the fuck was this guy? We walked into the next home, splitting up. I took the bedrooms, my gun pointed. I went into what used to be a bedroom anyway, the door was open and I went into the room, he clearly wasn't in here but there was some drug shit on the floor, some needles. I turned my back to the door for a second and I felt it in my back. A gun. An arm went around my neck, pushing my head up.

"Get your little friend in here then." The voice said in my ear, the body too close to mine for my liking.

"Leon!" I shouted, trying to not give away I was actually shitting myself. This had never happened to me in five years and I could feel my arm shaking. My gun was still in my hand but there was no way I could shoot it behind me.

"It's all clear Lex," Leon walked into the room, his gun coming up. "Let her go mate." Leon smiled, I closed my eyes, fuck this was bad I felt a tear drop down my cheek and I was pissed off with myself. I was glad it was only Leon standing there.

"Why should I!?" The man shouted, too close to my ear.

"Because either I'm going to kill you or arrest you. So I'm not sure what this is." Leon moved his gun up and down. "What are you after?" Leon's voice was so relaxed it irritated me slightly. Why did he have to be cool about everything all the flipping time!

"What if I kill her and then you kill me. No skin off my nose." The man was clearly high as a fucking kite and as he moved closer I smelled him, it made me gag. He smelt of shit and failure to shower.

"You aren't going to kill her," Leon chuckled.

"I fucking am!" He screamed, making me jump. Was this really how I was going to go out? Killed in the line of duty by a fucking druggie?

"Put the gun down," Leon said firmly. The man put his arm around my throat tighter, making me struggle for breath. I really was terrified now, my leg starting to shake.

"Put the gun down," Leon repeated.

"Nah," the man said, putting the gun to my temple. I swallowed hard, my eyes firmly shut. I threw my gun to the floor as I heard a shot come past me, the arm on my neck dropping. I put my hands to my ears, fuck that was loud. My eyes were still shut and I jumped as I heard Leon's voice.

"Lex you alright?" I opened my eyes to him inches from my face. I nodded, looking down. Leon had shot the man, square in the head.

"Unit forty five requesting backup, we have a suspect down, presumed dead." Leon said into his radio, holding my arm.

"Let's sit outside." His voice was calm, nothing like he had just shot someone. I nodded, grabbing his arm to steady me. I had a wicked headache and I felt like a bit of a dick. We sat on a step outside, Leon next to me. We didn't say anything for a while and two paramedics ran up to us.

"Third floor, second flat." Leon spoke quickly, his thumb towards the door. The paramedics ran past us, not really needed.

"Thanks," I whispered, Leon's head coming over to mine.

"For what?" He asked, confused.

"For saving my life," I attempted to chuckle.

"No big, you would have done the same for me. I wanted to shoot him earlier but you know we have to do the two chances to put their gun down." Leon rolled his eyes and I laughed, placing my head on his arm.

"Thank you anyway. I feel a bit like an idiot." I confessed.

"Why?" He chuckled.

"I put my back to him, for like a second." I looked up at Leon and he was nodding.

"We've all done that Lex, don't beat yourself up."

"Oh and you saw me cry, ewww." Leon laughed, putting his cheek on top of my head.

"I actually didn't but now I know you cried. Ha!" I sat up, pushing him.

"What happened?" We looked up at Stuart.

"Guy got hold of Lexie, put a gun to her head and I shot him." Leon shrugged, standing up.

"Oh fuck, Lexie you alright?" Stuart asked, fluffing his dark hair.

"I'm okay, I think."

"Get back and we will debrief. Also you might want to take a shower," Stuart smiled. I looked over at Leon who had a massive grin on his face.

"Why?" I asked, irritated.

"You're covered in so much blood!" Leon asked. "It's in that beautiful afro of yours!" He laughed, moving me towards the car.

"I don't have an afro, it's just really curly." I said, my arms crossed. "Also were you ever going to tell me I had blood everywhere?" I scoffed.

"No, I wasn't." He got into the car.