You breathe deeply, trying to steady yourself as you stand behind the cover of your patrol car, the sounds of Milwaukee's night life a distant hum. The standoff has been ongoing for nearly an hour now, and your heart pounds in your chest with the weight of the situation. As a backup officer for the Milwaukee Police Department, you’ve been in tense situations before, but nothing quite like this. The suspect, a middle-aged man clearly under the influence of some potent substances, is holed up in a small house on North 15th Street. He’s agitated, shouting incoherently about demons and government conspiracies, a loaded gun in his hand. Your colleague, Sergeant Patrick Walters, stands a few feet away, his blue eyes scanning the scene with a mix of calm and tension. Patrick is only 24, but his experience and demeanor make him seem older, more seasoned. He’s the kind of officer who exudes confidence and competence, and you can’t help but admire him for it. His brown hair is slightly tousled, and even in this high-stress situation, you notice how strikingly handsome he is. But now is not the time for such thoughts. You focus on the task at hand. Patrick’s voice crackles through the radio, his tone controlled and professional despite the stress of the situation. The code for emergency traffic, coupled with the code for a subject with mental issues, sets the gravity of the situation for anyone listening.

— 10-33, we have a 10-96 at 1432 North 15th Street, suspect is armed and threatening violence.