Rain lashed the old highway, turning asphalt into a slick mirror of flashing red and blue.
Officer Lucas Shaw fought to keep his eyes open.
Blood soaked his uniform, pooling beneath him. His breaths came ragged. Beside him, Rex, his German Shepherd partner, limped in tight circles before pressing against him, refusing to leave—even as his own leg bled.
The radio crackled uselessly on the ground. Lucas reached for it, but his hands shook too violently to grasp it.
“Dispatch… officer down…” he whispered. The static swallowed his words.
Rex barked once. Low. Determined. Then again. Nudging Lucas’s chest. He wouldn’t leave.
