Page 67 of Fight for Me

He gestures around to indicate that he checked the other rooms, and that they have to be in the one in front of us. I nod, and raise my hand for him to stay put on the other side of the doorway before I slowly turn the knob.

My nostrils flare, when I see what awaits me inside. Jenny kneels in the middle of the room, stripped to her underwear, with her hands clasped in front of her. On her left side there are pieces of a cut rope, and what’s left of her clothes. Behind her stands a ragged looking man with a rifle.

When the door creaks, she lifts her head, and one tear escapes her eye.

“No...” she says sadly. “No, please...”

I point the gun straight at David’s head, and seethe, “Let her go.”

“And what if I don’t want to do that?” Wallace laughs maliciously, not making any attempts to raise his arms.

I reposition my hands on the gun, and repeat more forcefully, “Let. Her. Go. Let her go or I’ll shoot.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He smiles, and I frown when Jen starts to sob. When I look back up, though, I get why.

David opens his unbuttoned shirt to reveal explosives strapped to his chest, then he lifts his hand to present a small device with a button.

“I thought it would give us a little more time to talk before your hotheadedness causes more inconveniences for us. Come on in, don’t be shy.” He waves his hand indicating a place on the floor next to Jenny.

“The moment I’m on him, you grab her and go,” I catch Robert saying from somewhere close, his words are barely audible.

I nod, making it seem like I’m responding to Wallace’s command, and put the gun away by the door before stepping fully into the room.

Purposefully, I'm moving further than he pointed, forcing him to turn his head a little in order to see me, in the hope it gives Robert a chance to sneak in.

The maniac doesn’t even notice, happy with the sight of me kneeling in front of him. I see the detective moving with the corner of my eye, so to cover the sounds of wood creaking under his feet, I decide to distract the crazy man hovering above me.

“So, this is what you need to do to feel important or relevant? Kidnap a woman and a defenseless child, then shoot a man behind his back?” I taunt, not even thinking about what I’m saying, and ignoring the sounds of Jen’s weeps. I just need to rile him up enough for him to drop his guard. “By the way, what did you promise to the idiot to get him on board with your crazy ass plan?”

Wallace throws his head back and laughs. “Man, that poor bastard. It was too easy, too fucking easy.” He shakes his head with a gleeful smile. “Can you believe that he actually thought I will help him ‘persuade Jennifer to come back to him’?” He makes the quote marks with his fingers, and I eye the detonator in his palm.

“Yeah, that’s hilarious. You’re the man,” I deadpan, and try not to react when I see Robert’s shadow in my peripheral. “A man who’s got nothing because you destroyed everything good you had going on in your life. And now you are just a shadow. A fucking husk of a person you wanted so persistently to be. No one will remember you, no one will mourn your death...” I tell him gravelly, and slowly stand up.

“No! Stay the fuck down! We’re not done!” David yells with his eyes bulged in fury. He pockets the detonator and makes a move to get his rifle, but before he can reach it, a body slams to his side, making them both drop to the floor.

“Go!” Robert screams, as he fumbles with the enemy.

I quickly grab Jen into my arms, and run toward the front door. We’re barely making it past the small porch, when the force of the exploding bomb throws us away. Instinctively, I curl my body around Jenny’s when I feel the heat of a fire touching my back, and the shards of glass flying everywhere. We land on the grass, with me on top, when I feel something slamming into the back of my thigh.

I yell out in pain but stay in my position until I feel it’s safe to lift my head. My ears are ringing, and my sight grows dim, but all I can focus on is the frail body under me.

Her eyes are shut tight, and she’s breathing very fast, so I lift my shaking hand to her face.

“Jen, please, tell me that you’re all right,” I beg her, aware of the fact I’m slurring my words.

“Yes, I think I am,” she answers and her eyes spring open. As soon as she focuses on me, her face pinches in worry. “Brody?”

I slide to the side, feeling like I’ve got no control over my limbs, and land ungracefully facing the ground. I feel my body being repositioned, so I lie on my back facing the sky. I can’t comprehend the sounds or movements around me as I blink slowly at the delicate cloud above me.

Then her face appears, backlit by the sunshine, making her look like an angel. The only thing wrong with the scenario are the tears streaming down from her widened eyes.

“I love you so much,” I mutter, but I’m not even sure I know how to pronounce words anymore.

“No, no, no, where is all this blood coming from?” Jen asks frantically, and her face disappears for a moment before I hear a loud curse. She comes back into the view, and I try to lift my hand, so I could touch her soft skin one more time before I go.

“Everything will be okay now.” I want to smile, yet I am unable to tell if my face is listening to my brain's commands. “You are safe, and Henry is safe...” My eyes close involuntarily.

“No, please, Brody. Don’t leave me. Please, I love you. Please don’t leave me. Don’t let go. Fight for me, please, please...Don’t give up,” her distraught voice turns more, and more distant as I start feeling lighter, and lighter.

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