There was someone alongside me, racing as fast, no, faster than I was.
Sean.
“Fuck,” he said, “where’s he gone?”
“Through there.” I pointed at a hole in the fence.
Sean ducked his head and sprinted, his long legs covering ground faster than I could.
But that didn’t stop me trying. I wouldn’t be beaten. I raced past a length of trellis, a couple of black trashcans, and two pushbikes each missing a wheel. A dog rushed towards me only to be halted in its tracks by a chain around its neck.
I was a split second behind Sean, who was only a few seconds behind our suspect as I ducked through the fence, dodging the razor-sharp lengths of cut wire which hung down like claws.
In front of us was a road, then an open park dotted with trees and members of the public.
A bullet hit the ground beside us.
“Jesus!” I dashed to the right and peered from behind a gnarled trunk, my gun aimed, the perp slipping in and out of my view. Sean sheltered behind me, his chest against my back and his gun held steadily next to mine.
“Shit! There’s too many people around.” As I’d spoken, a woman with a stroller had gotten between my sights and the perpetrator.
“I’ll get closer.” Sean took off after him.
“No, there’s no cover and too many…”
But he was gone, rushing over the road. There was a screech of tires. A big white sedan filled my vision.
Shit!
It didn’t hit Sean, not because it stopped in time, but because he slid over the bonnet on his ass and landed neatly on the other side. Then his legs were pounding the baked grass of the park.
The sedan sped off.
Sands turned again, fired.
Sean dodged to the right.
“Fuck!”
Members of the public were scattering now. Screaming, too. This situation had just gone to hell. And what was worse was one of my men was running towards the shit storm.
More bullets fired from near a crowd of people who appeared to be joggers panicking in the chaos. It was impossible to keep track of Sands between them.
Sean had no cover. He was completely out in the open. He stopped and raised his weapon.
I held my breath. It wasn’t a clear shot. No way. Surely he wouldn’t…
Suddenly he dropped his hand, weapon aimed at the ground. He stamped his foot and although he was far away, as he turned I could tell there were a whole load of curses spilling from his lips.
I released a breath even as anger swelled inside me. The guy was exactly as Jonathan had suspected… a loose cannon.
“What the hell?” Ricardo was at my side.
Jonathan and Balko were quick to follow.
“We lost him,” I said, ramming my hands on my hips and pacing left then right, scanning the perimeter of the park. “Damn it.”
“How the hell did that happen?” Ricardo asked.