The distant sound of sirens blended with the roar of an angry crowd. You and Lieutenant Carter stood shoulder to shoulder at the barricade, eyes locked on the shifting mass of protesters. Some held signs, others shouted, and a few clutched rocks in clenched fists.

"Orders?" Carter asked, voice steady but laced with tension.

"Hold position," you replied, scanning the rooftops for anything worse than projectiles. The last thing you needed was an ambush.

A bottle smashed near your feet, the liquid inside splattering across your boots. Carter barely flinched. "They're getting bold."

A surge in the crowd sent a wave of people pressing against the barricade. Riot shields buckled slightly as soldiers held firm. A man lunged forward, swinging a pipe. One of your privates stumbled back, his helmet cracking against the pavement.

Carter took a step forward, hand brushing his holster. "We need to push back—"

"Not yet." You shot him a warning glance.

A rock whizzed past your head. The mob was on the edge, and so was your unit. One wrong move, and this would turn into a battlefield.

Carter exhaled sharply. "If we wait too long, we’ll be the ones on the ground."

The radio crackled. "Lieutenants, prepare for dispersal measures."

You locked eyes with Carter. No turning back now.