Always by your side

Ch 42 the longest shift

My blood ran cold. Without a second thought, we leave the position and run there. As we approach, we see someone escaping. It is Kenny.

Life can change in a split second.

Lan Zhan opens the door, and we see the older man lying on the floor in a pool of his blood. I approach Qiren, and Lan Zhan runs to catch Kenny.
While checking his wound, I noticed it missed vital organs just barely. He is semiconscious but mutters the word "Sanren".
Shit.
So the havoc of the last few days was a ruse to enter the station and ruin the trial. We even tightened the security towards Wen Lee immediately, but how could we have known.

I will call them immediately. No answer. Wen Ning enters the office. They have subdued most of the prisoners already. But three of them escaped. Lan Zhan calls. "Kenny got inside a vehicle and left."
I answer, "let him go pick me at the entrance. The target is Wen Lee'.
I run to the car.
Heart distressed. Sorry, father. I have to leave to save Sanren.
I try to contact someone in the house. We leave a message to everyone. Minutes pass, and I feel like my world is about to end each second. Lan Zhan, a hand holds mine from time to time to comfort me.

Finally, Ah-Qing picks up the phone. She cries and whispers, " Brother, come fast. There are men in the house". The call is cut.

The smoke and flames in the house of madam Sanren were visible from afar by the time we were closing in. I growl, and Lan Zhan accelerates.

When we were parking, two men fell from the second-floor fighting. "Xingchen!!" I yell and run towards him. The man below is already dead, and Xiao Xingchen has blood in his eyes. His body is full of cuts and minor burns. He is barely breathing but tries to speak anyway "Four armed men. Save them." He passes out—no fatal injuries. I send a message to Wen Ning. He replies, "Reinforcements will be there in ten". 

Ten minutes is too much sometimes. Lan Zhan and I nod at each other. We have to enter.

We can feel the miasma of death and resentful energy from the house entrance. The door is broken, and the living room windows show signs that some projectile was thrown inside, breaking the glass. The hallway is clear though the first body is in the stairs that lead to the second floor and the living room. The body of officer Wang is hanging in disarray as if falling from the second floor. Flames come from the living room. It seems that someone tried to create a diversion. We split. Lan Zhan goes to the second floor, and I go to the living room. We can go through this.
The sight in the living room makes my heart sink. Wen Lee and his wife are dead on the couch. He is shielding her, but a bullet has pierced her skull. The second officer in charge of protecting them is also there. More than five bullet holes can be seen in his hand, chest, and head.
We arrived too late.
A trail of blood from the kitchen leads me to the next area. The trail leads me to Kenny, who has a bullet in the stomach and another injury in his neck. Kenny' neck is gushing out blood, and madam Sanren is covered in blood, still holding a knife.
Kenny's gun was on the floor when I inspected his body. Sanren is unconscious, barely alive. I took her out of the house and left her next to her son.
Two men down. Two to go. Noises come from above. I run upstairs. Lan Zhan is wrestling against a third assailant to possess a gun and throw a bookcase. I join the freight. No one can hurt my husband or family and go unscathed. I kick him, but the assailant blocks it. Subduing this guy is difficult. I block his punch, and Lan Zhan punches him in the face. He winces and comes back at us. The former executive of Wen Ruohan's company is a pro at martial arts. Recognition in his face shows me he knows who I am, and I know who he is. He jumps in the air trying a double kick. We step back. While he is falling, I hold his feet. He kicks me out, but the time I bought to get him out of equilibrium pays off, and Lan Zhan punches him letting the guy unconscious. 

We finally got the guy that injured detective Luo. 

We enter Xue Yang's room. There is a fourth body in the entrance. The dead's man sy¿taters at the ceiling; his face is full of terror but has no injuries visible. Nevertheless, a trace of resentful energy reeks from the corpse.

Xue Yang is unconscious on the floor. Lan Zhan takes him in his arms and proceeds to leave, so I continue to look for Ah-Qing and baby Yuan.
I enter her room. "I call Ah-Qing sweetie. Where are you? It is over, and all the bad guys are gone. Would you please answer me? I hold my breath as I inspect the area".
Please, baby girl, please, baby boy. You have so much ahead. 

A low creek come from the closet. The two kids slowly open the door. Thank you, universe. I take the kids out of the mayhem, trying to cover their eyes.
When I am about to go down the stairs, Lan Zhan has returned and helps me carry Ah Qing.
I am crying. The fire has spread, and the smoke is covering everything. However, my tears are not just due to the smoke. 

When we check the state of the injured, the first vehicle arrives. It is Wen Qing and aunt Rui along with the officers that were acting as their protection. I am about to argue with the officers because they are putting our only witness at risk, but Lan Zhan stops me. We have a more important thing to do now. 

It takes the combined effort of all of us to stabilize the injured and calm the kids. 

Sirens are coming. "What now?" I ask Rui. She lowers her head. "The bad news is that the trial will be postponed; Qiren is in the hospital, and we lost a witness. Also, the defence can argue that evidence might be compromised. The good news is that we can also formulate more charges and get more witnesses. So, in summary, it will take some time to organize things again, but this time Ruohan and his henchmen will never get freed".

But at what cost?. Exposing Ah-Yuan, Ah-Qing, Xue Yang, Xiao Xingchen, Madam Sanren, Lan Zhan and me to the same danger?. If I let Wen Qing hide alone with Ah-Yuan, it will be too dangerous even if we get bodyguards. Witness protection failed once, and having them in this city failed too. 

A stupid idea started to form in my head. Lan Zhan will divorce me for this, but, Ah-Yuan is my responsibility, he once was. He still is our baby. I approach Lan Zhan and kiss him, not caring for the rest to see us. My husband is so sweet. His kisses are like balm and morning dew. But, when we separate, his eyes are full of mixed emotions. He knows. 

I said to the others, "I will hide Ah-Yuan until the time comes. Detective Luo and Detective Shen had returned to the frontier. I will hide there. Lan Zhan, I need that you protect Ah-Qing and the others. Buy us time. When the time comes, we will reunite again. Rui...". 

Words fail me. My mouth is usually blabbering faster than my brain, but this time. 

I can't believe I have to do this, but I do not want anyone to sacrifice again. I hold Ah-Yuan in my arms. Ah-Yuan... My baby boy, I will give my life for you.

I run to the car, not waiting for an answer. I cannot wait for it.

It takes me three blocks to notice that a passenger is in the back seat hiding. "Wen Qing?" I smile at her. "Ok. I need help with this plan. So it will be less suspicious. A man, a woman, and a child resettle far away". 

I head to the night, and I mutter, "Lan Zhan, we will meet again."

Present 

Lan Zhan POV

Wei Ying is sleeping in my arms again, but he seems to have nightmares. I caress his back. He muttered, "Lan Zhan, we will meet again" a moment ago. I smile and whisper, "Yes, we will, time and time again, during the rest of eternity". I fell asleep again, thinking about his smile. 

Author's note:

Hey, I told you I was writing. The next chapter has lots of fluff and shenanigans to compensate.