The alleyway was illuminated in red and blue strobing lights.

Four dead. Two Citizens, a Squad Sergeant, and one Agent. The EB recovered and taken away.

Agent Williams took in the scene, calculating the probable scenario, although each Agent's coms would provide a 3D record of the catastrophic events.

But still, it was good for her professional growth to work these scenes manually, before viewing the recordings, kept her sharp.

Kept her sharp? Jeez, she'd only been a fully-fledged Agent for eighteen months!

In the roadway, an adult female, late thirties, dressed in nightwear, pyjama top tattered and bloodstained. Entry wound from shotgun.

Three yards behind. Said shotgun on the floor beside the deceased Sergeant. Face up, exit wound from single shot taking most of the lower jaw.

Close behind. The deceased Agent, slumped on her knees, hands still holding onto the wound that had spilled her life out onto the pavement. Service pistol at her side, unfired.

Adult male, wearing only underwear, face down, multiple gunshot wounds to head and torso.

Semi-automatic pistol gripped in his left hand, spent shells all around.

Three shocked looking Squad members being debriefed in the doorway of the apartment.

Weapons being checked, magazines now empty.

So….Emma closed her eyes rewinding the scene in her mind's eye.

Standard callout. First floor apartment. Emotionally Deranged Parents (one or both? Probably both) refusing to hand over EB.

Father physically obstructs Agent and Squad whilst mother flees with baby in arms.

Maybe a brief struggle (she'd have to check for signs inside the building).

Mother makes it outside, closely followed by the Squad Sgt. (Agent possibly still locked in struggle with father?)

Warning issued, as standard operating practice, but mother keeps running and refuses to stop.

Sergeant fires a single shot, catching her in the back, death probably instantaneous.

Then, behind the Sergeant, the Agent emerges, providing backup, sidearm drawn.

Then the father, avoiding the rest of the Squad, firing as he witnessed the shooting of his wife, catching the Sergeant in the back of the head (possible firearms trained, check records for gun club membership etc).

Agent turns towards the shot.

She is hit by a round to the stomach, slumps to the ground as the rest of Squad enter the alley and open fire, cutting the father down in a volley of unrestrained fire.

Needless carnage.

Emma hadn't witnessed this kind of Mental Instability before. Knew there would be grieving and angry families, friends, and colleagues that night.

But her eyes strayed to the mother. Simply trying to save her child's life.

Unarmed, desperate, and so very, very frightened, as that shot ended her life.

Did she have a chance to realize all their efforts were in vain? Did she die knowing her baby (and husband) were soon to join her in whatever afterlife she may have believed in? CoDE, beseeching Mother with her final breath?

Maybe that had gave her some small comfort?

Emma hoped so as she pulled her thoughts back to the scene, and the Fatal Incident Report she'd have to file.

She'd also have to fill in a Personnel Request too, hopefully getting a seasoned Agent to replace their loss, she could not bear to train a newbie, not after this.

Three weeks later, the young Tech smiled a good morning to her, adding, 'Oh, and Agent Williams?'

'Yes, Alan?'

He was thrilled the Agent had actually known his name and beamed at her.

'Just a heads up, your new Agent arrived this morning, he's waiting in your office for you.'

'Thanks, took them long enough!'

She rolled her eyes dramatically, signalling their joint frustrations with the bureaucracy of the Agency.

She paused at her office door, smoothing her lapels, taking a breath, composing herself just in case there was a fresh-faced recruit awaiting her inside.

She opened the door.

Sitting at her desk, feet up like he owned the place, was the replacement Agent, leaning back, hands behind his head, he smiled as she entered.

'Suppose this means you'll have to marry me now?'

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