Gabriel ducked behind the wall, reloading his new weapon which he had seized again. "Stay close," he instructed Zoe, his voice steady despite the tension.Zoe nodded, her eyes focused and determined. "I’ve got your back," she replied, ready to face whatever came next.As one of the three robbers fell, Gabriel and Zoe took a moment to catch their breath, the realization setting in that the worst was not over yet. They were now in control of the battlefield, but the head robber and the other two robbers still loomed ahead.Zoe’s gun clicked empty. “Damn it,” she groaned. The robber who had been lusting over her saw his chance and aimed for her heart. Gabriel, observing quickly, shielded Zoe and pushed her away, taking the bullet in his arm for her.“Gabriel!” Zoe screamed, grabbing his gun as she pulled him back to the wall they hid behind earlier. Blood was seeping from his arm, and Zoe ripped a piece of her shirt to tie around the wound, applying pressure to stem the bleeding.“You
As she pulled him to the surface, Zoe’s mind raced with a single thought: saving Gabriel. She couldn’t lose him, not after everything they’d been through. The weight of the situation pressed down on her, but her determination was unwavering.Breaking through the surface, she gasped for air, her grip on Gabriel tight. With all her strength, she swam to the edge of the pool, dragging him out of the water and laying him on the ground. The sight of his pale face and the blood seeping from his chest filled her with dread, but she refused to give in to despair.“Stay with me, Gabriel,” she whispered fiercely, beginning CPR. “You can’t leave me now.”As she worked to revive him, the world around her faded into a blur. Her entire focus was on Gabriel, willing him to breathe, to fight, to survive.Zoe bent forward, her hands trembling as she covered Gabriel’s mouth with hers, trying to get him to breathe while performing CPR. She interlaced her fingers and pressed down on his chest rhythmica
The inspector appeared, his face a mask of concern. “What’s the current state of things?” he asked, looking between Dan and Zoe.Dan explained what the doctor had said about Gabriel. “The doctor said he's stable now, but he's still unconscious.”The manager, not appeased, pointed at Zoe. “You didn’t do your job well. You ought to have protected him.”The inspector apologized for the situation and walked out with the manager, trying to calm him down. “We did everything we could under the circumstances, Mr. Harris. Gabriel's actions were his own choice.”Zoe sat down on an available bench, sighing deeply, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion.Again, Dan persisted, “Zoe, you need to change. You don't look appropriate in this wet uniform.”She shook her head, her tone final. “I don't care. I'm not leaving until he's awake.”Dan sighed, seeing there was no way he could persuade her. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “I will stay with you…”But the inspector’s voic
Anna's eyes widened, and she let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God you’re okay, Gabriel. That sounds terrifying."Zoe took out Gabriel’s phone from her pocket. "I had your car found and I took your phone."Gabriel gasped. "Goodness, Camella must have called me." He glanced worriedly at Anna and took the phone from Zoe.Zoe started to talk, "Gabriel, you shouldn't stress yourself. Just—"He cut in, agitated, "She must be so worried about me."Zoe got curious. "She is… uh…?"He interjected, "My wife."A flicker of surprise crossed Zoe's eyes, mingled with a bit of disappointment that Anna noticed before it disappeared. Zoe then nodded, feeling a bit lost. She didn't know he was married.Gabriel started talking worriedly as he went through his call log with one hand. "Goodness. It's past 8 PM. She has called me over a hundred times."Anna assured him, "Don't worry, she will understand."He shook his head. "I don't want her to be deeply worried about me. I don’t want her to know what happe
Gabriel couldn't restrain joking. “I guess you could say that. Comes in handy sometimes.”Zoe chuckled, “I can see that. Rest now, Gabriel. You deserve all the rest you can get.”Gabriel smiled, “Thanks, Zoe. But if you're staying over to watch me, it’s not necessary.”She dismissed his words. “It’s absolutely necessary, and that’s why I’m staying over.”He was about to respond when Dan walked in. Noticing Gabriel was awake, he gave him a stern expression as he walked and stood next to Zoe.“I see you’re awake. You’re lucky. You survived two bullets,” Dan said, then added sarcastically, “Must have a guardian angel or something.”Gabriel replied with equal sarcasm, “Yeah, maybe you can borrow my angel sometime. Could use the help with your aim.”Dan bluffed, “You got a taste of what you shouldn’t have, and that’s why you’re alive.”Gabriel was dazed, arching a brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”Dan muttered indirectly, “If it wasn’t for her trying to bring you to consciousness earli
Zoe watched him, curiosity piqued. She wondered what could have happened to change his demeanor so suddenly. But she decided to respect his privacy, giving him a reassuring smile instead.Gabriel ended the call and looked back at Zoe, his face softening once more. “Sorry about that. Work never stops, even in a hospital bed.”She chuckled, “I get it. But for now, let’s just focus on you getting better, okay?”He nodded, “Alright, Officer Zoe. I will try my best.”Then her curiosity got the best of her and she asked, “Uh, what are you, Gabriel?”Judging by her tone and expression, he could tell she was silently hoping he wasn’t into anything illegal. “Like I said, I run a local business,” he clarified.Not wanting to upset him or make him think she was being nosy, she simply nodded. Then he said with a more serious tone, “I want to be discharged tomorrow.”She was baffled. “You must be kidding. That won’t happen. You barely look like you can stand now.”He objected, “It’s necessary I
That morning, the manager of the bank came to see Gabriel. His eyes immediately darted to Zoe, a mix of anger and frustration in his gaze."I can't believe this happened, Gabriel. This officer should have—"Gabriel raised his hand to stop him. "Mr. Harris, enough. Zoe did everything she could to protect everyone."The manager looked taken aback. "But Gabriel, you were shot!"Gabriel nodded. "Yes, and I might not have survived if it wasn't for Zoe's quick actions. She saved lives yesterday."Mr. Harris sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Alright. I just worry about you, Gabriel."Just then, the inspector entered the room, followed by the woman whose kids Gabriel had saved and the old man he had helped. They showered him with appreciative words and praises."Thank you so much, young man," the old man said, his voice quivering with emotion. "You are a hero."The woman added, "You saved my children. I can never thank you enough."Gabriel smiled warmly. "I appreciate your kind words, but please,
Gabriel relaxed slightly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Good. I trust you’ll handle this swiftly."Louis leaned back, signaling to the bartender for another drink. "You know me, Gabriel. I never disappoint."They shared a silent understanding. Gabriel stood up, extending his hand. "Thanks, Louis. I appreciate it."Louis shook his hand firmly. "Anytime, Gabriel."Gabriel then leaned forward and asked, "How's the underworld doing?"Louis's expression shifted slightly. "It's fine. Nothing we can't handle."Gabriel nodded. "I trust you. I know you're handling it well."Louis gave a slight smile. "Thanks for giving me another chance to be the underworld boss."Gabriel was humble, shrugging off the compliment. "You've earned it."Louis's smile faded as he said, "I'm going to celebrate my wife's 90-day death anniversary soon."A brief silence hung between them before Gabriel spoke. "I'm sorry, Louis. I know it's been tough."Louis shrugged, though his eyes reflected deep sorrow. "I