In Death 14 - Reunion in Death

units in the vicinity, respond."
    She raced across the crosswalk, against the light, springing onto the hood of a sedan, then catapulting herself off. "In pursuit, damn it, of female suspect, blonde, thirty-four, five four, one hundred-fifteen, wearing red skin suit."
    She jammed the communicator away. Cursed the crowds of people that made it impossible to risk using her weapon. She holstered it, and dug for more speed.
    There was blood in her mouth, blood dribbling into her right eye. But she'd eaten up another five feet of Julianna's lead.
    Fast, Eve thought as the adrenaline hummed in her head. Got herself in shape, knows how to run.
    She could hear sirens scream in the distance, and bore down. She was only two body-lengths behind when Julianna flicked back a glance. And smirked.
    It took her out from behind, a low body slam that sent her flying up like a rock in a catapult. She had enough time to think, What the fuck? before she fell with a bone-rattling crash. The back of her head smacked smartly into the pavement, and turned her world into spinning stars. Voices came and went like the tide of the sea.
    She managed to roll over, retching, and gain her hands and knees.
    "Did I do it? Did I?" The bright, excited voice drilled into her spinning brain. She blinked up and stared into the freckled faces of two young boys. Another blink and the faces sucked into each other and became one.
    "It looked good, it looked real, right? Man, you flew." Clutching a fluorescent green airboard, he danced in place. "I slammed into you, just like I was supposed to."
    She made some sound, spat out blood, then pushed up to her knees.
    "Lieutenant! Dallas! God almighty." Thoroughly winded, Peabody pushed through the crowd. "She take you out?"
    "This little..." She couldn't think of a word. "I'm all right. Go! Go! She's heading north."
    With one fearful look at her lieutenant, Peabody took off.
    "You." Eve crooked a finger at the boy. "Come down here."
    "Boy, that blood looks real. That's iced."
    His face wavered and split again, so she snarled at both of him. "You little schmuck, you just assaulted a police officer in pursuit of a suspect."
    He hunkered down and lowered his voice. "Are we still on camera?"
    "Did you hear what I said?"
    "Where do you learn to do stunts like that anyway? How come you don't get hurt when you fall?"
    "I am hurt, you stupid little-" She bit off the rest, fought to keep her vision from going from wavey gray to solid black. He couldn't have been more than ten, and his cheerful face was beginning to show some fear and confusion.
    "Like for real hurt, or on the vid hurt?"
    "This isn't a video."
    "But she said it was a vid. And when you came running after her, I should slam right into you on my board. I got fifty dollars. And I get fifty more if I did a good job."
    Two uniforms pushed through the crowd, ordering people back. "You need medical attention, Lieutenant?"
    "Did you get her?"
    They looked at each other, then down at Eve. "Sorry, sir. We lost her. We've got foot and vehicular patrols doing a sweep. We may get her yet."
    "No." Eve dropped her head onto her knees as a vicious wave of nausea churned in her belly. "You won't."
    "Are you really a cop?" The kid tugged Eve gingerly on the sleeve. "Am I in trouble? Man, my mom's going to kill me."
    "Get a statement from this kid, then take him home." The sea rushed in again, ebbed again, but she got shakily to her feet.
    "Sir." Red-faced, sweaty, and panting like a dog, Peabody limped up. "I'm sorry. I never even caught sight of her. We've got a net out, but..."
    "Yeah, she's blown."
    "You better sit down." Peabody grabbed Eve's arm when she swayed. "I'll call the MTs."
    "I don't want the frigging MTs."
    "You're really banged up."
    "I said I don't want them. Back off." She started to pull free, watched Peabody's worried face turn to triplets. "Ah, shit," she managed, and actually felt her own eyes roll back in her head before she passed out.

CHAPTER 15
    The next thing she knew she was flat out on the sidewalk and a couple of medical technicians were hulking over her.
    "I said no."
    One ran a sensor wand over her face. "Didn't break the jaw or cheekbone. Lucky. Looks like she was hit in the face with a fistful of bricks."
    "Get away from me."
    They both ignored her, which concerned her a great deal. When she tried to sit up, she was held down easily.
    "Shoulder's sprained, ribs bruised. No cracks. Damn lucky. Lost a lot of skin, too. Good solid brain rattle