The Way Of The Mandalore

The silence was so tense it felt like the smothering weight of a wet blanket. They’d heard one or two more shots about thirty minutes ago but then all had been still. Steve kept shooting nervous glances at Javier trying to gauge how he was doing and mentally trying to take vitals or assess his wound. 

“Murphy, if you look at me one more time I’ll-I’ll make it my per-personal mission to kiss your wife,” Javier forced out as he squeezed his eyes closed. 

“Murphy? And here I thought we were becoming friends and you were gonna start calling me Steve.” Steve normally wouldn’t engage when Javier made such comments but it felt better to hear his partner talk, even if it sounded weaker and more strained than usual. 

“I’m serious, m-man,” Javier retorted. “You’re dame’s a dime piece.” 

“Too bad she’s not into sleazy, dark-haired detective types.” 

He waited for Javier to respond and when he didn’t he risked another glance and saw his partner leaning in his chair again with his eyes scrunched closed and his hand pressed to his chest. The man’s skin was starting to look like the same lifeless gray rug beneath their feet. 

“You sure you don’t want me to get someone, man?” Steve asked in a low voice. 

Javier shook his head and swallowed as he mentally prepared himself for the task of speaking. “I’m fine. Just give me a sec and it’ll pass,” he said in a tight voice. 

Steve resumed picking his nail nervously as he sat on the desk. The skin was becoming raw and he hoped they would hear an update too. Sure, Escobar had an army, but they did too…didn’t they?

*******************

“H-Hey, Steve…” 

Steve’s head snapped up so quick it sent a twinge of pain down the back of his neck. He and Javier hadn’t spoken in almost twenty minutes and the stress had riled him up so tightly his body felt completely drained and he couldn’t fight the nap that had folded over him in the dim office. 

Now he was wide awake and at his partner’s side in an instant. Javier was nearly folded in half and his skin almost looked white. But worst of all, heavy gasps pulled themselves from his lips. 

“Javi,” Steve said quietly, crouching beside him. “Talk to me. You still with me?”

Javier’s lips parted, but the sound was barely a whisper. “Can’t… can’t breathe. S-Something’s not right.”

Steve's heart twisted in his chest. “What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

“G-Get Car-Carillo,” Javier rasped out as he grabbed onto his shirt like it was the thing choking him. 

Steve felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. It must be serious if Javier was breaking his code of silence. “Shit. Alright, okay. Just stay calm, alright? I’m getting Carillo.”

“D-Don’t l-let anyone else know,” he choked out, eyes wide with alarm. 

Steve nodded and patted Javier’s hand before moving swiftly across the room to Carillo’s office where the Colonel was currently taking shelter and knocked on the door softly. 

“Peña if it’s you, get away from my door. I don’t have an update yet,” came the irritated reply. 

“It’s Murphy. We’ve got a situation,” Steve said softly and the door to the office opened. 

“What’s going on?” Carillo asked, taking in Steve’s concerned expression. 

Steve gestured for Carillo to follow him back to his and Javier’s desk clump and Carillo’s eyes when wide with shock. 

“Damn it! When did this happen?” he demanded as he moved to Javier’s side to assess him. 

“When he saved Kimberly. He didn’t want to scare anyone. He said he was fine,” Steve reported as Carillo pulled off Javier’s jacket so he could watch him breathe for a moment. 

“Peña, hey, Peña, you with me?” Carillo coaxed as he tried to get Javier’s unfocused eyes to settle on him. He was gasping like a fish out of water and his lips were starting to take on a bluish tinge. 

“C-Can’t breathe,” Javier gasped breathlessly. 

“Help me lay him down,” Carillo ordered Steve. “Slow and easy.”

Javier groaned as they moved him, the sound raw and agonized. Carillo steadied his head with one hand and gripped his shoulder with the other.

“You’re okay, Peña. We’ve been through worse.” His voice was calm but had a hard edge, the kind of command that only comes from years of leading men under fire.

“What’s wrong?” Steve asked.

“His lung’s collapsed,” Carillo said tightly. “He’s got a full-blown pneumothorax. Air is trapped in his chest. We need to relieve the pressure.”

Steve’s blood turned to ice. He recalled distant days of field training. Long dormant memories about decompression kits and incisions. It wasn’t a pretty business but he also remembered that if they didn’t do something quick Javier would die. 

“There’s a medical kit on the far wall,” Steve said, his voice full of dread at the idea of what they’d have to do. 

Carillo met his eyes and nodded. “Then get to it. Fast. He’s circling the drain.”

Steve ran to the med kit, sweat dripping from his brow as he fumbled for supplies. Thank goodness this kit was essentially a small medic badge and had decompression materials in it. It paid to have an army with all the attached equipment in your pocket. 

 Javier was gasping now, eyes wide with panic. Carillo leaned close to him. “Javier, listen to me. You’re going to be okay. Stay with us. Just focus on my voice.”

“Hurts…” Javier whispered, his voice raw.

“I know,” Carillo said firmly, gripping his shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere, Hermano. You stubborn bastard, if this is how you’re trying to get out of paperwork, I swear to God—”

That earned a flicker of a smirk from Javier, but it faded fast. His eyes rolled back and his chest stilled for a long, horrifying beat.

“Javi?” Steve’s voice cracked.

“He’s out!” Carillo snapped. “You have to move, now, Murphy!” He’s not breathing. He’s not breathing! Hurry, damn it!”

Steve raced back with the supplies in hand and knelt beside the unconscious agent. By now a small crowd had gathered to see what the commotion was all about, but thankfully had the good sense to keep their distance. 

“Murphy, you gotta move now!” 

“I know, I know! Just a second—” Steve’s hands shook as he cut through the skin just above the rib.

“You’ve got this,” Carillo said quickly, eyes darting between the procedure and Javier’s still form. “Come on, Steve. You can do this. He needs you.”

Steve found the right spot, inserted the tubing, and held his breath.

Then came the hiss.

The air rushed out, and Javier jolted with a ragged, awful gasp. His whole body shuddered as he coughed, blinking rapidly, eyes wide in pain and confusion.

“Easy, easy, you’re alright,” Steve said quickly, gripping his shoulder. “You’re okay, Javi. Just breathe. That’s it, that’s it. You’re alright now.”

Javier groaned again, trying to move, but Carillo pressed a firm hand to his chest. “Stay still, brother. You just scared the shit out of us.”

“Hurts like hell,” Javier panted, his voice hoarse and raw.

“Yeah, well, that means you’re alive,” Carillo said with a weak grin. “First time I’ve seen you shut up for more than two minutes since I met you. I might miss the peace and quiet.”

Javier was quiet for a moment as he sucked in hungry lung-fulls of air. Then, his head lolled to the side weakly as he looked at Steve. “Th-thank you.” 

Steve gave a shaky laugh and patted Javier’s shoulder. “You thought I was gonna let you off so easily? You still owe me a beer for every time you’ve been a pain in my ass.”

Javier managed a faint, pained smile. “Guess I owe you a case-full then,” he murmured weakly. 

Steve let himself breathe just a fraction. He knew Javier’s current calm state was due to the adrenalin rush and shock. But for now, they were out of immediate danger and they would bask in that no matter how short-lived it was. 

“Is he going to be ok?” The soft query made Steve tear his eyes from his partner and turn to see Kimberly, looking wide-eyed and frightened. 

Steve tried his best to look positive. “Yeah. He’s one tough son of a bitch. He’s gonna be just fine.”

Kimberly nodded before cautiously crouching beside Javier’s shuddering body. She gently placed her hand on his, causing his gaze to drift lazily over to her. 

“You saved me,” she said softly. 

Javier tried his best to give her his signature smirk, though it was only a fraction of what it normally was. “All in a day’s work, ma’am.” 

Kimberly bit her lip, then leaned in and kissed his forehead gently. “When you’re better, dinner’s on me. You earned it.”

Javier’s lips twitched, though his eyes were starting to drift closed again.

“Looking forward to it,” he murmured.

But Steve could feel it. Javier was fading again. The pain might be less intense now, but his skin was clammy, his pulse thready. He was still dying, just slower now.

Carillo stayed kneeling beside him; his face grim.

“He’s not out of the woods. Not even close,” he said quietly. “We need that backup now.”

Steve nodded tightly. “We just need to keep him alive and talking until they get here.”

Javier lay between them, silent now, but alive.

And that would have to be enough for now.

The silence was so tense it felt like the smothering weight of a wet blanket. They’d heard one or two more shots about thirty minutes ago but then all had been still. Steve kept shooting nervous glances at Javier trying to gauge how he was doing and mentally trying to take vitals or assess his wound. 

“Murphy, if you look at me one more time I’ll-I’ll make it my per-personal mission to kiss your wife,” Javier forced out as he squeezed his eyes closed. 

“Murphy? And here I thought we were becoming friends and you were gonna start calling me Steve.” Steve normally wouldn’t engage when Javier made such comments but it felt better to hear his partner talk, even if it sounded weaker and more strained than usual. 

“I’m serious, m-man,” Javier retorted. “You’re dame’s a dime piece.” 

“Too bad she’s not into sleazy, dark-haired detective types.” 

He waited for Javier to respond and when he didn’t he risked another glance and saw his partner leaning in his chair again with his eyes scrunched closed and his hand pressed to his chest. The man’s skin was starting to look like the same lifeless gray rug beneath their feet. 

“You sure you don’t want me to get someone, man?” Steve asked in a low voice. 

Javier shook his head and swallowed as he mentally prepared himself for the task of speaking. “I’m fine. Just give me a sec and it’ll pass,” he said in a tight voice. 

Steve resumed picking his nail nervously as he sat on the desk. The skin was becoming raw and he hoped they would hear an update too. Sure, Escobar had an army, but they did too…didn’t they?

*******************

“H-Hey, Steve…” 

Steve’s head snapped up so quick it sent a twinge of pain down the back of his neck. He and Javier hadn’t spoken in almost twenty minutes and the stress had riled him up so tightly his body felt completely drained and he couldn’t fight the nap that had folded over him in the dim office. 

Now he was wide awake and at his partner’s side in an instant. Javier was nearly folded in half and his skin almost looked white. But worst of all, heavy gasps pulled themselves from his lips. 

“Javi,” Steve said quietly, crouching beside him. “Talk to me. You still with me?”

Javier’s lips parted, but the sound was barely a whisper. “Can’t… can’t breathe. S-Something’s not right.”

Steve's heart twisted in his chest. “What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

“G-Get Car-Carillo,” Javier rasped out as he grabbed onto his shirt like it was the thing choking him. 

Steve felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. It must be serious if Javier was breaking his code of silence. “Shit. Alright, okay. Just stay calm, alright? I’m getting Carillo.”

“D-Don’t l-let anyone else know,” he choked out, eyes wide with alarm. 

Steve nodded and patted Javier’s hand before moving swiftly across the room to Carillo’s office where the Colonel was currently taking shelter and knocked on the door softly. 

“Peña if it’s you, get away from my door. I don’t have an update yet,” came the irritated reply. 

“It’s Murphy. We’ve got a situation,” Steve said softly and the door to the office opened. 

“What’s going on?” Carillo asked, taking in Steve’s concerned expression. 

Steve gestured for Carillo to follow him back to his and Javier’s desk clump and Carillo’s eyes when wide with shock. 

“Damn it! When did this happen?” he demanded as he moved to Javier’s side to assess him. 

“When he saved Kimberly. He didn’t want to scare anyone. He said he was fine,” Steve reported as Carillo pulled off Javier’s jacket so he could watch him breathe for a moment. 

“Peña, hey, Peña, you with me?” Carillo coaxed as he tried to get Javier’s unfocused eyes to settle on him. He was gasping like a fish out of water and his lips were starting to take on a bluish tinge. 

“C-Can’t breathe,” Javier gasped breathlessly. 

“Help me lay him down,” Carillo ordered Steve. “Slow and easy.”

Javier groaned as they moved him, the sound raw and agonized. Carillo steadied his head with one hand and gripped his shoulder with the other.

“You’re okay, Peña. We’ve been through worse.” His voice was calm but had a hard edge, the kind of command that only comes from years of leading men under fire.

“What’s wrong?” Steve asked.

“His lung’s collapsed,” Carillo said tightly. “He’s got a full-blown pneumothorax. Air is trapped in his chest. We need to relieve the pressure.”

Steve’s blood turned to ice. He recalled distant days of field training. Long dormant memories about decompression kits and incisions. It wasn’t a pretty business but he also remembered that if they didn’t do something quick Javier would die. 

“There’s a medical kit on the far wall,” Steve said, his voice full of dread at the idea of what they’d have to do. 

Carillo met his eyes and nodded. “Then get to it. Fast. He’s circling the drain.”

Steve ran to the med kit, sweat dripping from his brow as he fumbled for supplies. Thank goodness this kit was essentially a small medic badge and had decompression materials in it. It paid to have an army with all the attached equipment in your pocket. 

 Javier was gasping now, eyes wide with panic. Carillo leaned close to him. “Javier, listen to me. You’re going to be okay. Stay with us. Just focus on my voice.”

“Hurts…” Javier whispered, his voice raw.

“I know,” Carillo said firmly, gripping his shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere, Hermano. You stubborn bastard, if this is how you’re trying to get out of paperwork, I swear to God—”

That earned a flicker of a smirk from Javier, but it faded fast. His eyes rolled back and his chest stilled for a long, horrifying beat.

“Javi?” Steve’s voice cracked.

“He’s out!” Carillo snapped. “You have to move, now, Murphy!” He’s not breathing. He’s not breathing! Hurry, damn it!”

Steve raced back with the supplies in hand and knelt beside the unconscious agent. By now a small crowd had gathered to see what the commotion was all about, but thankfully had the good sense to keep their distance. 

“Murphy, you gotta move now!” 

“I know, I know! Just a second—” Steve’s hands shook as he cut through the skin just above the rib.

“You’ve got this,” Carillo said quickly, eyes darting between the procedure and Javier’s still form. “Come on, Steve. You can do this. He needs you.”

Steve found the right spot, inserted the tubing, and held his breath.

Then came the hiss.

The air rushed out, and Javier jolted with a ragged, awful gasp. His whole body shuddered as he coughed, blinking rapidly, eyes wide in pain and confusion.

“Easy, easy, you’re alright,” Steve said quickly, gripping his shoulder. “You’re okay, Javi. Just breathe. That’s it, that’s it. You’re alright now.”

Javier groaned again, trying to move, but Carillo pressed a firm hand to his chest. “Stay still, brother. You just scared the shit out of us.”

“Hurts like hell,” Javier panted, his voice hoarse and raw.

“Yeah, well, that means you’re alive,” Carillo said with a weak grin. “First time I’ve seen you shut up for more than two minutes since I met you. I might miss the peace and quiet.”

Javier was quiet for a moment as he sucked in hungry lung-fulls of air. Then, his head lolled to the side weakly as he looked at Steve. “Th-thank you.” 

Steve gave a shaky laugh and patted Javier’s shoulder. “You thought I was gonna let you off so easily? You still owe me a beer for every time you’ve been a pain in my ass.”

Javier managed a faint, pained smile. “Guess I owe you a case-full then,” he murmured weakly. 

Steve let himself breathe just a fraction. He knew Javier’s current calm state was due to the adrenalin rush and shock. But for now, they were out of immediate danger and they would bask in that no matter how short-lived it was. 

“Is he going to be ok?” The soft query made Steve tear his eyes from his partner and turn to see Kimberly, looking wide-eyed and frightened. 

Steve tried his best to look positive. “Yeah. He’s one tough son of a bitch. He’s gonna be just fine.”

Kimberly nodded before cautiously crouching beside Javier’s shuddering body. She gently placed her hand on his, causing his gaze to drift lazily over to her. 

“You saved me,” she said softly. 

Javier tried his best to give her his signature smirk, though it was only a fraction of what it normally was. “All in a day’s work, ma’am.” 

Kimberly bit her lip, then leaned in and kissed his forehead gently. “When you’re better, dinner’s on me. You earned it.”

Javier’s lips twitched, though his eyes were starting to drift closed again.

“Looking forward to it,” he murmured.

But Steve could feel it. Javier was fading again. The pain might be less intense now, but his skin was clammy, his pulse thready. He was still dying, just slower now.

Carillo stayed kneeling beside him; his face grim.

“He’s not out of the woods. Not even close,” he said quietly. “We need that backup now.”

Steve nodded tightly. “We just need to keep him alive and talking until they get here.”

Javier lay between them, silent now, but alive.

And that would have to be enough for now.