Cross Fire

Chapter One: The Blood - Red Rose

the puzzle of the young woman's murder. Rose stood near Aiden, her eyes focused on the screen as he scrolled through traffic camera footage from around the park.

"Got something!" Aiden's voice cut through the quiet murmur of the bullpen, drawing everyone's attention. His fingers danced across the keyboard, enlarging a frame on the screen. "Traffic cam near the park picked up a car speeding away around the time of the murder."

Rose leaned in, her eyes narrowing as she studied the grainy image. The car was a dark sedan, its license plate barely visible through the fog. "Can we get a plate?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement. This was the break they needed.

Aiden nodded, typing rapidly. A few moments later, the license plate number flashed on the screen. "Got it. Registered to a Mark Daniels. Ring any bells?"

Marcus, who had been standing off to the side, straightened up. "Daniels... Wasn't he picked up last year for assault?"

"Yeah, but charges were dropped," Phoenix replied, his tone darkening. He turned to Rose, his gaze intense. "This could be our guy."

Before Rose could respond, the door to Sergeant Daniels' office swung open. He walked over to the group, his face set in a stern expression. "If he is, bring him in. No mistakes," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Rose felt a surge of adrenaline as the team moved into action. Marcus grabbed his jacket, heading toward the elevator with a determined stride. Lily quickly finished her call with forensics and joined him, her usual calm replaced by a sense of urgency. Aiden was already pulling up additional information on Mark Daniels, his eyes flicking between the screen and his phone as he coordinated with patrol units.

As Rose and Phoenix prepared to leave, Phoenix pulled Rose aside, his expression unreadable. "This is where it gets real," he said quietly, his voice low enough that only she could hear. "You ready?"

Rose met his gaze, her heart pounding. This was what she had trained for, what she had worked so hard to achieve. She couldn't afford to doubt herself now. "I was born ready," she replied, her voice steady.

Phoenix's lips curled into a smirk, a glint of something almost like approval in his eyes. "We'll see," he said, before turning and leading the way out of the bullpen.

---

**The Interrogation**

The precinct's interrogation room was dimly lit, the harsh fluorescent lights casting a cold glow over the sterile, gray walls. Mark Daniels, the suspect, sat across the table from Rose and Phoenix, his hands cuffed and resting on the metal surface. His eyes were bloodshot, darting nervously around the room as if looking for an escape.

Phoenix leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest, studying Daniels with a cold, calculating gaze. "We know you were in the park that morning," he began, his voice dangerously calm. "Why don't you save us all some time and tell us what happened?"

Daniels shifted in his seat, his face slick with sweat. "I don't know what you're talking about!" he protested, his voice cracking. "I didn't do anything!"

Rose leaned forward, her tone gentler but no less determined. "Mark, the evidence is piling up," she said, her eyes locking onto his. "You don't have to go down for this. Tell us who you're protecting."

For a moment, Daniels seemed to falter, his eyes flicking to the mirror on the wall behind them, as if wondering who else was watching. His breath hitched, and he licked his lips nervously. "I didn't kill her! I was just supposed to scare her, that's all!" he blurted out, panic seeping into his voice.