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It all happened so quickly that Gil barely had time to react. One second they were knocking at the suspect’s door, and the next, he was on the floor as the guy in question ran into him on his way out.
“NYPD! Stop!” Bright was right at his heels.
Gil got up and followed. It was not uncommon for suspects to run — actually, this happened more often than not. Yet this man, this suspect, was gliding over the stairs with such ease and dexterity that even Malcolm couldn’t keep up with him.
Then it hit him.
“David Yates is a Parkour enthusiast,” He remembered Dani mentioning at one point during the investigation. “It’s how we believe he was able to access the victim’s room. The murderer climbed through the window. It was a 9 feet jump!”
As Gil watched Yates jump down the fire exit stairs from a height of 4 feet and then back up again on the adjacent buildings’ stairs, he realized that they sure had their man. The prints, the footage, and now the live demonstration.
In a three-piece suit and Gucci loafers, Gil was surprised Malcolm could keep up. But he had learned long ago that there were no surprises when it came to the Whitlys. The kid was chasing the man with no thought for his own safety.
Gil did not follow Yates and Bright. He was already winded from his fast descent… there was no way he could run up the stairs once more. It was in moments like those when Gil mourned his youth the most.
Yet that did not mean he couldn’t help. Gil radioed in for backup, explaining the situation with bated breath.
His radio immediately came to life and a voice asked. “Lieutenant, we're in the area, what are your exact coordinates?”
Gil quickly explained where they were as he strained his neck back to follow the chase. It seemed like both men were on the third floor. Bright looked like he managed to grab Yates and they were both engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Unable to get the full picture, Gil couldn’t decipher who was winning.
“NYPD! Stop!” He yelled the commands once more, hoping for Yates to consider his situation and surrender.
A cry answered him, and the next thing Gil watched as Bright’s figure flew over the rail.
His heart stopped as panic gripped every fiber of his soul. Malcolm was falling.
“BRIGHT!” He shouted, mirroring the kid’s scream, but he didn’t know what else to do.
Gil was transfixed, his eyes following Malcolm and nothing else. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t act — as if he was a deer caught in the headlight.
Horrendous seconds felt like an eternity, as time ceased to flow.
Then in an agonizing conclusion, Malcolm landed in the open dumpster bin. Gil hadn’t noticed its presence before, and judging by the sound it made as Malcolm fell into it, Gil assumed it was full. Which meant that it could have acted as a good cushion for the kid.
It was only then that Gil felt in control of his body again. The suspect was completely forgotten in light of these events, and Gil ran to where Malcolm fell.
“Bright!” He called, only wishing, scared of hoping. Then into his radio. “I need a medical team, Now!”
“Gil! M’here,” a pained voice answered him. “Yates…”
“Forget about him!” Gil brushed, all but rolling his eyes. Malcolm was sprawled in the bin, one leg bending weirdly under him and his right arm cradled to his chest. “Bright, how bad is it? Can you move?”
Malcolm attempted to get up but his face contorted in pain and a curse broke from his lips. He clenched his teeth and relaxed back onto his back, choosing to stare at the sky above.
A shy look crept over his face. “No… don’t think I can.” His eyes moved towards his leg. “It’s my leg.”
Gil surveyed Malcolm closely, and he sucked in a shaky breath. The kid’s leg was bleeding, and Gil could swear he saw his bones protruding.
“It’s broken,” he told Malcolm. “Just hang tight. Medics are on their way.”
Malcolm closed his eyes as another wave of pain engulfed him. “Not going …” he gasped. “Anywhere.”
Gil reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “Thought I lost you back there.”
“M’still here,” Malcolm repeated, a ghost of a smile hovering over his face. “We only lost Yates.”
“Next time, we’ll get him,” Gil promised.