The kidnapper had sent their location to JJ who had text the evidence of the gun. The Pogues learned that Mira was being held at some sort of wharf.
As she grappled at the edge of what seemed to be a wharf, Mira felt a heavy weight come crashing down on her back.
"You sly little bitch," he hissed, wrapping his arms around her front, tugging her back into the garage.
Mira spun her elbow into his jaw and ran, only to be caught again when the man resumed his balance. He pushed her to the ground and sat on top of her, pulling her arms at an abnormal angle up her back. Mira screeched as he inflicted pain on her. He pulled the tape with his teeth then wrapped it around her wrists.
"There she is. There she fucking is." Rafe charged towards Mira, who was still a good hundred metres from him.
"No. Don't Rafe. Be smart," Kie warned.
Rafe snatched the gun JJ held in a cloth and sprinted, the Pogues following behind him.
"Rafe!" Sarah screamed after her brother.
The man grasped Mira by her arms bound behind her. He was headed back to the garage when he heard his yell.
"If you don't let her go right now, I'll fucking blow your brains out."
The man turned to see none other than Rafe Cameron.
The Pogues caught up to the Cameron boy who had his arm outstretched, finger on the trigger.
The man pulled a knife from his back pocket and pressed it against Mira's throat, carving a small etching into her skin, blood trickling from the fresh wound. "Give me the gun," the man growled.
Rafe pulled the trigger.
Nothing.
"I already used those bullets, boy," the man chastised.
Rafe tossed the gun and charged for the man who held the knife in front of him.
"Ut, tut, tut," the man scolded. "Give me the gun and you get the girl, simple."
JJ took the gun and slid it across the ground. The man gave another sinister laugh and shoved Mira to the ground behind him. He placed his foot on her side as she gripped onto the wooden barrier as much as she could to prevent herself from falling into the water.
"Stupid kids shouldn't play with guns," the man rolled Mira's limp body over the edge.
Kie and Sarah's screams were synchronised as they rushed to the side of the wharf. The man pulled a second gun and held it out as to threaten them, stopping them from diving in after Mira.
JJ and John B made a quick dive at the man, knowing Mira would drown. The mans' gun slid from his grasp as they knocked him, tussling with him on the ground.
Rafe took the opportunity and dived in after Mira who had been kicking in a failed attempt to push herself to the surface.
"Mira, Mira." Rafe slapped Mira's face but her head stayed limp in his arms as he treaded water. "Don't do this to me Keller." Rafe shook the girl waiting for her lifeless expression to change.
John B and JJ wrestled the man on the concrete of the garage, each hit sending their limbs into the solid floor. The man fidgeted with his pocket whilst dodging flying fists and pulled out 3 metallic palettes. He shoved them into the gun that had been previously too far from his reach and the clicking sound of it loading was familiar enough to JJ for him to freeze up.
"Yeah, that's right." The man fired the bullets directly at the pair,
1 shot.
2 shot.
And he rushed to the chevrolet parked just out of the garage to make his getaway.
JJ scanned his body for bullet wounds, pushing his hands to his torso. John B did the same and followed JJ when he ran to Mira who was being dragged from the water by Rafe.
Her skin was white with dappled blue patches, her once pink lips stained in a puce purple.
"She's not breathing," Kiara screeched over the top of sirens blaring closer to the group.
"Do something!" Sarah cried, fresh tears welling in her eyes as she looked at John B, agonised as she watched Rafe shake Mira.
Rafe leant over the girl, pinching her nose and pressing his lips into hers, something he never thought he'd have to do like this. He pushed air into her lungs and folded his hands ontop of one another, sending several hard and fast pushes into her chest.
"Wake up. Don't fucking do this to me," Rafe cried. "Wake up." He was absolutely hysterical.
The medics pushed him off of her, taking over CPR.
He fell backwards, wide eyed with a quivering lip. Kie fell into JJ's arms, Sarah into John B's. JJ pulled Pope into a tight squeeze and Rafe sat on the outskirts of it all.
He heard voices talking at him but none of them were hers. Kie pulled her arm out, pulling him towards her. He fell like a domino, collapsing numbly on her shoulder as they watched Mira be hauled into the ambulance.
"She'll be okay, right? She has to be," JJ choked.
The paramedics kept compressions going until they got to the hospital, Mira's friends crowded at the door.
The nurse touched the doctors arm. "She's flatlined. Compressions have lasted for over 40 minutes, she's-"
"She's too young," the doctor kept pumping force onto Mira's lifeless body.
"Angie, she's gone."
"No, look at that boy out there, her friends. They need her." She continued CPR.
"Ange," a second nurse gently took the doctor's hands, all their faces falling in a mournful, sardonic manner.
Rafe burst through the doors, followed by JJ, Sarah, Kiara, Pope and John B.
"Don't fucking stop!" Rafe demanded, his voice loud enough to shake the resus room. "Why are you stopping?" he sobbed.
He lept over to the girl, continuing compressions himself. JJ folded into Kiaras arms, the rest of the teens unable to cry due to the pure shock of such an event. They watched helplessly as Rafe pushed his hands on her chest, her body still limp and cold.
"She's gone, Rafe." Sarah put a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"No..." He breathed, collapsing on her chest.
I love you.
They were meant to be but they weren't meant to be forever. Even their love had limits.