Page 93 of The Rookie's Second Chance

"Let go!" I screamed, my voice hoarse with fear and determination.

But Mandy was relentless, her eyes wild with madness. For a moment, it seemed like she might overpower me. Then, with a twist and a sharp jerk, I managed to wrench the gun free. But in the chaos, my finger slipped. The gun went off with a deafening bang.

"Jake!" The name escaped my lips in a horrified gasp as I spun around. He was clutching his arm, pain etched on his face. My heart plummeted. "Oh God, no," I whispered, aghast.

Mandy was shrieking now, a manic gleam in her eyes. "You shot him!" she screamed, her voice laced with a twisted sense of triumph.

"You're fucking insane!" I retorted, my voice trembling as I pointed the gun at her, my finger trembling on the trigger. I was ready to shoot if she moved.

Just as Mandy seemed poised to lunge at me, the door burst open. Another officer, gun drawn, took in the scene in an instant. Before Mandy could react, he deployed his taser. The electrodes hit her, sending her convulsing to the floor in a heap.

My breath came in ragged gasps as the tension broke. The gun felt like a lead weight in my hand, its cold metal a stark contrast to the warm rush of relief flooding through me. I lowered it slowly, my gaze fixed on Jake, who was still gripping his arm, his face contorted in pain.

"Jake, I'm so sorry," I stammered, my voice breaking with relief and fear.

The officer was already radioing for backup and medical assistance. I rushed to Jake's side, my hands shaking as I tried to assess his wound. The sight of blood, his blood, was a visceral punch to the gut.

"It's okay, Kayla," Jake managed through gritted teeth, his eyes meeting mine with a look that held a world of understanding and forgiveness.

As the cabin filled with the sounds of approaching sirens and shouting officers, I realized the nightmare was finally over. Mandy was down, incapacitated by the taser. Jake was hurt but alive. And I, despite everything, was still standing.

Mandy's eyes fluttered open, confusion etched across her face as she tried to orient herself. The arresting officer, standing firm and composed, began the familiar protocol.

"Mandy Pennington, you are under arrest," he stated, his voice steady. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

Mandy's face crumpled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, no, you don't understand," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "My dad will fix this. He always does."

The officer, unfazed by her emotional outburst, continued to secure the handcuffs around her wrists. He looked at her with a mixture of pity and sternness.

“Officer Kilkenny?" he asked, his tone softening. "They found his body, Mandy. Along with your mother and cousin. I don't think he'll be fixing anything for you ever again."

Mandy's sobs intensified, her body shaking as the full weight of the officer's words hit her. Her cries echoed through the cabin, a sound of despair and realization that her world, the one she thought she controlled, had irrevocably shattered.

Lexi and Luke burst into the cabin. Lexi immediately knelt beside Jake, her hands gently assessing his wound.

"Jake, are you okay?" she asked, her voice thick with worry.

"I'll be fine," Jake managed, wincing as Lexi prodded gently at his arm.

Turning her attention to Mandy, Lexi's face hardened. The officer holding Mandy started to lead her away, but I intervened. "Wait, let her have a moment," I said, my voice firm despite the lump in my throat.

Lexi stepped closer to Mandy, her eyes blazing with anger and disbelief. "I can't believe I ever trusted you," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "You were like a sister to me."

Mandy's eyes, now clear and lucid, met Lexi's. "I did it all for you... for Jake. I love you both. I just wanted to be with you," she said, her voice a desperate, twisted plea.

Lexi shook her head. "Then you should have just been yourself, Mandy. You shouldn't have ever hurt anyone. The minute you did, you lost me—lost all of us."

Mandy's face crumpled, a sob escaping her lips as the reality of her actions and their consequences finally seemed to hit her. But there was no sympathy in my heart for her, only relief that her reign of terror was over.

The officer tugged gently at Mandy's arm, signaling it was time to leave. As Mandy was led out of the cabin, her sobs fading into the distance, I turned back to Jake. His eyes met mine, filled with pain and gratitude.

"We did it, Kayla," he whispered, reaching for my hand.

I squeezed his hand tightly, nodding. "We did," I agreed.

The ride to the hospital was a blur of sirens and flashing lights, but all I could focus on was Jake, sitting beside me, his face etched with pain. Every time the ambulance jolted, he winced, and I tightened my grip on his hand, trying to offer some comfort.

When we arrived at the hospital, the medical staff swarmed around us. A nurse tried to usher me away for a check-up, but I refused, adamant about staying by Jake's side.

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