Chapter 24

By the grace of God, Brian found himself near the door. The seconds stretched out into an eternity, and it seemed like forever before he actually reached it. He threw himself through it, and breathed deeply the fresh air that surrounded him. How had he managed to get Lila out with him was beyond him. It was amazing what adrenaline could do. His wounded arm did little to help carry her, although he tried to put it to some use. As soon as his feet hit the concrete, he could no longer support himself or the weight of a second person. He fell down to his knees, fighting for breath. He couldn’t think, he couldn‘t breathe. All that mattered was that he was no longer in that building.

He never heard Kevin yelling for him. All he knew was that all of a sudden a strong set of arms had wrapped themselves around him. Panic closed over his throat and engulfed him in a terror unlike anything he had ever known. He screamed aloud, a terrible sound that shook Kevin to the very core, and tried to push him away. All he wanted was to be out of danger. He held Lila tighter to him, for his instincts told him he had to protect her no matter what the cost. He didn’t know what made him so desperate to save her, but it was something he could not ignore.

Kevin couldn’t believe the sight that greeted his eyes. Brian looked like the walking dead. He was covered in blood, absolutely covered. He was white with fear, and his deep blue eyes seemed to bulge out of his head, filled with wild desperation, blotting out the rest of his face.

“Brian!” Kevin cried, trying to bring him back to reality. He had never seen anyone this afraid in his entire life. “Oh, God, Brian it’s me. It’s Kevin. Brian, answer me, oh God, please. Not this. Brian!”

Brian looked up into his cousin’s eyes, and registered what was happening. He leaned hard into the embrace Kevin offered, unable to return it with his own arms.

“Kevin, it’s really you. Thank God, thank God…”

Nick rushed breathlessly up beside them, and joined the hug. Tears streamed down his face at the joy of seeing his best friend.

“Brian,” he said, his voice breaking. “Brian.” It was all he could say, no other words would form on his lips.

“Nicky,” Brian whispered, closing his eyes and reveling in the sudden security that surrounded him. It didn’t last long.

Howie also appeared beside them, shedding tears of joy and relief. Becca and Marie followed close behind, but their excitement was short lived.

“Lila!” Marie screeched. “Lila!”

Becca fought through the mass of arms that surrounded Brian and got to her best friend. Brian shrugged free of the embrace, as much as it killed him to do so.

“She needs help. She’s dying. We need help, right now. Please help her!” The urgency in his voice was strong and powerful. He scooped her up again and crawled to his feet. As he did so, a crowd of policemen surrounded him, and one took Lila from him.

“You have to help her. She can’t die. I promised her I wouldn’t let her die.”

Marie darted off after the man who carried her, with Ellie and Lila hot on her heels. Becca lingered for a moment, staring at Brian, who did a double take. She looked so much like Lila it was frightening. They had to be sisters. The expression of gratitude in her eyes beat through his, and he nodded at her.

“Thank you,” was all she said, and then took off for her friend.

“You need to see the paramedics,” one of the officers told him.

“No fucking shit!” Nick said angrily. “Christ, Brian, you’re bleeding from all over.” His eyes fell on the fresh blood that flowed freely from his arm. “Oh God, you’ve been shot,” his voice trailed off, and his eyes were wide with concern. He and Kevin slid their arms around him to support him.

“Brian, are you ok?” Howie asked. “What did they do to you?”

“A.J.,” he said brokenly, staring back at the exit from which he’d come. The surrounding cops exchanged glances.

“I have to get A.J. He’s still in there. I can’t leave him.”

“They’re trying to get him,” Howie tried to soothe him. “They’ll get him. We need to get you to an ambulance.”

“No!” he shrieked. He ripped away from his friends and made a run back for the building.

“Brian, no!” Kevin cried out after him.

Brian never heard him. Every fiber in his being told him he had to reach A.J. He had to get him out, he had to help him. He couldn’t leave him alone like that, he couldn’t. He would never be able to live with himself if A.J. died because he’d left him alone to save himself.

A.J. almost cried with relief when Brian disappeared from his vision. He couldn’t dwell on it long, however. He was caught fighting a knife and a gun, and he didn’t like the odds. A mad rage had enveloped him as visions of Brian whipping around as the bullet he had let escape tore through his flesh refused to subside. Just because he had run to the door didn’t mean he was still alive. He didn’t know the true extent of the injury that had been inflicted upon him.

He was going kill the bastard who’d shot Brian. He just needed to get the gun away from him. His own strength surprised him: he was not a big man, but furious drive and determination powered him on.

The cops inside with him fought to get a target, but with the two struggling the way they were, they couldn’t get a clear shot. Either of them was likely to hit A.J if they tried.

The struggle ensued, both fighting for their lives. A.J. had managed to get an arm free from his vise-like grip, and he used it to his full advantage. He swung it wildly, blocking the arm with the knife. By twisting cleverly, he managed to get access to the knife hand, and he knocked it away. He kicked out with his foot, and he got a satisfactory grunt in response. In return, A.J. received a heavy blow to the shoulder blades. It was enough. A.J. went down hard, gasping for breath, but if anything, his rage doubled. He was like a wounded animal, one that wouldn’t go quietly to death’s door. His tormentor slammed the gun barrel into his back, digging it painfully into his flesh. He heard the shuffle of the officers, who now had a clear shot.

“He’ll be dead before the bullet hits me, I swear to you.”

“Let him go.”

“I don’t think so.”

“A.J.!” A new voice, one full of torment and horror echoed in their eyes. A.J. looked in time to see Brian, who was no longer able to support himself, collapse down to the floor. Immediately he began dragging himself back to his feet, determined to do something to help his friend.

His entrance, horrific as it was, provided the distraction A.J. needed. With a howl that reached inhuman proportions, he flung his head and body up, praying that the thief’s finger wasn’t on the trigger. As he did this, he jabbed his elbow cruelly into the gut of his assailant. He somehow managed to shove the man off, and planted his hands on the floor as he rocked his body forward and leapt to his feet. God bless all the dancing, he thought.

Free now, his eyes frantically searched the room for the gun that had also been dropped during the struggle. Spying it a few feet away, he ducked and rolled to it, and quick as a cat, he pounded on the crook. He planted a foot harshly against his stomach, and leaned hard. He leveled the gun so it was lined up with his forehead.

“You son of a bitch.” The words were sharp as knives, and dripped with hate. He cocked the lever.

“AJ, don’t!” Brian cried.

“Why the hell not,” he said coldly.

“He’s not worth it. Let the police handle him.”

“He tried to kill you.” He spat the words out angrily.

“I know,” Brian said softly. He could see the terrible battle A.J. was fighting with himself. He also knew that the only reason he was so hell bent on pulling the trigger was because of him. He couldn’t let A.J. ruin his life for that.

“If you kill him, it will be everywhere. You know what that will do. It could ruin you.”

“What happens to me doesn’t matter,” he said flatly. “He tried to kill you.”

“But he didn’t. I’m still here. And what happens to you does matter. It matters to me, it matters to Nick, it matters to Kevin, and it matters to Howie. They’re waiting outside for us. They’re waiting for us to walk out of here.”

“Are they?” There was a hint of a quiver in his voice, and Brian exploited it.

“Yes. You know they are. They’re about to come unglued out there. Don’t put them through the pain of watching your name, your reputation, and yourself get trashed like this. All you have to do is put the gun down.”

The officers watched nervously. There wasn’t much they could to do interfere until he dropped the gun.

They marveled at the serenity and strength in the voice that was coming from a man who had just been shot and beaten to the point that he couldn’t stand alone. The rest of him looked ready to go at any second, but the soothing peace that resonated from his voice was spellbinding.

“Why did you come back,” A.J. whispered. “You got away. That’s what we planned. Why did you come back?”

Brian choked back tears. He couldn’t take much more of this.

“I came back for you. I couldn’t leave you here. I would never have left you here.”

A.J. said nothing for a moment, and then slowly turned his head to face his friend. Tears glistened in his eyes, and one fell gently down his cheek. As he did this, his victim seized the opportunity. He lurched forward, knocking A.J. off balance, who pitched forward, and lost his balance. As he was falling, one of the officers took his chance. He fired his weapon, praying that he did not hit the very one he was trying to protect.

***

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