A picture of Padme…
“Me” Cody’s voice had all heads turning the marshall commander knew it wasn’t him but no one exactly knew that, no one but Asajj who punched him in the head. Cody grimaced in pain, but still didn’t say anything.
“Who was it?!” Asajj snarled, looking at Cody who spat up at her, she slammed her hand into his neck and he almost threw up. Obi-wan winced watching the one he loved take a beating.
“It was the driver hired by me to drive her to the airport. A car hit her’s, the car was military. It was Quinlan Vos” Mace answered, Asajj nodded, gripping the back of Cody’s neck violently as another image appeared.
Sheila’s husband
“Me” Crosshair spoke up, his tone bored.
Images continued to pop up of many different people including several strangers no one recognised but they all fell back to the military. Cody took the violent hits watching the others admit to the truth including when Kix popped up and Jesse admitted to pulling the trigger years ago, something that had been a dark secret between Rex and Jesse was exposed to do with Wolffe and his former wife. Wolffe never said a word but didn’t blame the brothers.
Finally after an hour and almost everyone was in tears, an image popped up on screen and it was Cody with Crosshair tucked under his arm. It confused them all until Asajj placed a pistol to the back of Cody’s head.
“Now, here’s the deal I was offered by the man who wants both of you killed. I can kill either you or Crosshair but then the other is killed by the man who wants you dead” Asajj muttered, Cody remained silent while Crosshair coughed which had Asajj’s attention drawn to him while Fives managed to untie Jesse’s hands, the two of them working together to escape.
“Do you have something to say?” Asajj asked.
“Yeah, your plan and the military plans are terrible” Crosshair challenged, not caring that the gun was aimed straight at him.
“Do you want to say that again with a pistol aimed at your head?” Asajj snarled, Crosshair smirked, “Your plans are terrible, one because the pistol isn’t loaded. Two because you are just a pawn on the chessboard the same as us, Asajj” Crosshair spoke calmly back, Asajj froze, taking notice of her gun being blank. She wore a look of confusion which turned into wonder.
“How did you know that?” Asajj asked, Crosshair only tilted his head at the pistol, “It’s fake. Looks like he played you too” Crosshair continued, Hunter smiled from his place at his husband who held too much knowledge for weapons that it shouldn’t have been possible.
“He wouldn’t…he loves me” Asajj muttered not realising she had said that outloud.
“Sure he does which is why he has you occupying us while he rigs the door with explosives” Cody said in a tone almost like it was obvious.
“No! He wouldn’t! How would you know that?!” Asajj asked, only for Cody to smirk, “Because it’s something I would do to get rid of something that should have stayed a secret. I’m gathering your husband is General Grievous?” Cody exclaimed, his tone showing he had worked out who it was ages ago, looking straight at Mace confirmed it. Yep, Grievous was the one who had been after Crosshair, the brother who held a grudge to his younger brother Senator Bail Organa. It all made sense now.
“It would seem someone read the instruction manual on the sarcasm of life, welcome back Cody Kenobi, do I dare ask how you worked out who was after the Senator’s son?”
The tone was dark and hoarse over the speakers attached to each corner of the room but Cody could only recognise the voice as the one who he had worked with in the past, the traitor to the secret gangs in the military.
“More like who didn’t train the Senator’s son” Cody pointed out, Asajj violently grabbed his neck when he shifted in his chair.
“Well played Cody, it would seem you still know the old tricks. Now, let’s see if you remember this one”
Cody rolled his eyes until he found himself unable to breathe as some mask was forced on his face and he tried to shove the individual away from him but several individuals grabbed him. He heard the screams of his name as his head was dunked into water, he found himself unable to hold his breath from the cloth held tightly to his head.
“LEAVE HIM! WE DELIVERED IS THAT NOT ENOUGH!” Obi-wan yelled, all head’s turned to the man who had admitted the truth. Thankfully he wasn’t alone.
“You have Crosshair like you asked. Now please let us go! Let him go!” Mace shouted, he couldn’t watch the torture Cody was forced into, waterboarding.
A man in a striking suit walking into the room, he held his head up high as he walked over to Crosshair who tried not to feel intimidated while Tech glared at the man, “Indeed I do have the man I have wanted for a while but first I must see to the fact that commander’s disrespectful attitude is dealt with before I let any of you go” Grievous said with a smirk, ignoring the shouting he gestured for his men to bring Cody out of the water. The cloth, mask and bag was violently taken from his head as Cody’s chin was lifted up and he faced the one and only powerful man.
“Say I do let you go, would you walk away from this voluntarily or would you have to be dragged away?” Grievous asked, Cody only glared, his head being yanked back revealing his neck, Cody never moved which only had Grievous smirking.
“Grab one of the older children” his order had the others yelling until Amber was pulled from the cage, she screamed as she was yanked until she was forced to kneel in front of Cody who blinked.
“Do you know this girl?”
“Yes”
“Good, if you do not answer my first question in the way I want you too, I will kill her and make her parent’s watch me pull her heart from her body while she is still alive and…”
“I suggest you think your next sentence very carefully”
A cold tone had heads turning to face the door where an individual leaned against the doorframe, Grievous went to smile when his face dropped seeing who it was. There in the doorway was Quinlan Vos, a man thought to have died years ago. Hunter and Wrecker grinned seeing their father.
“Or what?” Grievous asked only to stop when a gun was placed straight against Crosshairs head, Hunter froze sharing a look with Fives who reassured him with a smile. Fives had Jeremy untying Hunter who tried not to move much.
“Or I take what you have always wanted” Quinlan said with a wink, Grievous glared letting go of Amber who scrambled for Cody, the marshall commander curled his aching body around her. He would protect her with his own life.
“Okay, you have made your point. What next?” Grievous turned to Quinlan who could only grin as he pulled the trigger.
“CROSSHAIR!” Hunter’s shout was louder than the rest of them but the silver haired man was frozen on the spot, he hadn’t been shot. Nope the individual yanking at Cody’s neck had been killed, the body slumping to the ground.
“That was a little bit rude” Asajj said, backing away from Cody as did the two individual’s who had been holding him.
“No, it was a warning. Now, I suggest you let my friends go” Quinlan suggested with a smile. Grievous could only nod, opening the cages with both the children and adults in. Hunter glared when Asajj let him down under the fact she was aimed at by Mace who had picked up a gun.
Many of them left with the children but those who stayed included Hunter, Fives, Echo, Jesse, Obi-wan, Mace and Quinlan. All seven of them were staring at their loved ones who were being helped out of their chairs. Kix had been reunited with Jesse who held him close while he glared at the rest of the room, Crosshair was in both Hunter and Fives arms while Echo held Tech. The only one not to be in any arms was Cody who still had Amber in his lap, the young girl clinging to him out of fear. Rex had left with Ahsoka by helping Omega out with the kids, he trusted Fives to get their daughter back safely.
“Now, let him go and turn around” Quinlan snarled out, Grievous only glared keeping his knife held at Cody’s throat, the former marshall commander noticed the flicker of silent communication in between the two men.
“Fine, you win this time Vos”
As soon as he said that, Grievous let Cody go. The marshall commander let go of Amber who ran for Fives, the man scooping her up with ease. Echo smiled until he took notice of Cody’s eyes widening at something. Cody had barely made his way to his feet when he was grabbed violently, he choked by the hand lifting him off his feet. Grievous was stronger than he looked, he was almost Wrecker’s build.
“Cody!” Tech cried out seeing his big brother who was struggling for air.
“Now, this is how it’s going to go. I kill Cody or I kill one of you…it’s your choice…I would suggest you choose quickly because it would seem the commander's body can’t take much more of…ack!” Grievous never finished as a gunshot went off, Quinlan gasped, turning around only to see a military individual standing in the doorway.
“You called for some backup?” Hound’s voice had Kix grinning. Cody suddenly kicked Grievous away from him and stumbled backwards.
“Get out of here! We will cover you!” Hound yelled, those in the room could only run for the exits as the room filled up with bullets and shouting. Hunter gasped seeing his old pals from the military days, he ran with Crosshair by his side while Fives covered Amber’s smaller body with his own. They barely made it out of the building before they were yanked into cover by Rex who took his daughter with thanks.
“Mother!” Omega’s shout had all three parents turning to see her and Jeremy who was holding their son. Hunter and Fives immediately ran over with Crosshair following at a slower pace, he barely reached them when someone grabbed his attention.
“STAY IN COVER! YOU ARE SO IMPORTANT IN WINNING THIS!” Mace couldn’t help but yell, Crosshair frowned, he wasn’t happy to learn he was a pawn on the battlefield. As he really didn’t have a choice and with his stress levels being so high, his heart monitor was going crazy, his vitals dropped dramatically as Tech looked over at him with fear in his eyes.
Looking around Crosshair could only see a battlefield full of civilians and those who had lied to him, he was so done with the military fully when this was over with but something caught his eye and it was something that actually made him smile. Shoving off Mace’s hand, he sprinted over to a very familiar car which had been stolen when they had been kidnapped, with ease he accessed the boot and removed the bottom of it. Pulling out something he loved, he was quick to slip on a bullet proof layer while he lifted the rifle which had saved his life longer than his children had been alive. He built it with accuracy that shouldn’t have been possible and took a perch on a nearby building. He had disappeared out of sight of almost everyone, he could see the panic in some of their eyes as he lay down and aimed down the scope for the one who had caused all of this pain and suffering. He would take them down even if it cost him his life. This is where life would come to an end, his children and his husbands were safe. Something rattled in his handle, he removed it seeing the needle, one that he had kept safe and sound for years. He knew one thing, this would prevent him from ever meeting his biological parents but at least, he would do one more good deed before his time was up.
He wanted to thank the universe he was looking down the scope when Obi-wan emerged from the building but he wore a terrified look. As Quinlan followed him but with a gun aimed straight at Cody’s head, it would seem the man the military had been after was the leader of spec-ops, Quinlan Vos was the man who wanted the death of Crosshair for purposes. Crosshair understood, Grievous and Quinlan were partners not in a relationship more like crime bosses. They worked together to become rich.
“Stand down! You are surrounded!” Mace ordered, he held a hand up to stop the military individuals from advancing. Those who were classed as civilians were hidden by cars including Howzer, Fox and Kix, both older brothers scolding their little brother but not exactly bothered because it turned out they knew as did Wolffe. For reasons against the black suns and their children. It took Hunter and Fives a minute to realise Crosshair wasn’t where Mace had him, the marksman was gone. Fives tried to not gasp out loud but Tech and Echo caught the noise, only to see the same issue, Crosshair had disappeared.
“I think not! Someone has to pay and if it isn’t the Senator’s son, the marshall commander will take his place” Quinlan yelled back forcing Cody to kneel, Obi-wan tried to keep his emotions in check as Grievous made him kneel beside his lover.
“Now you get to watch him die after feeding him lies for years and…ack!” Grievous never finished his sentence as a silent bullet flew through the air and shot him straight through the eye. He was dead before he even hit the ground.
“Who did that?!” Quinlan demanded to know only to gasp seeing someone had appeared out of the crowd. A particular marksman was stalking towards him, he didn’t seem to care as he passed many military individual’s including Mace Windu who yelled at the disappearing marksman to get back. Fives and Hunter shared a look especially when Quinlan violently hit Cody in the neck, the man’s body slumping forward slightly but not too far.
“Take another step towards me and I will kill him!” Quinlan threatened, Crosshair only rolled his eyes stopping barely six feet in front of him.
“Remove the bullet proof layer and throw it away!” Quinlan shouted, Crosshair did as he was told, removing it without hesitation.
“What’s he doing?” Fives turned to Hunter who shrugged his shoulders.
“He’s setting Quinlan up, he’s pulling the reverse card” Tech gasped out, tears slipping down his face.
“He’s setting up his death” Omega bluntly said, tears slipping down her own face mirroring her uncle who tried his hardest to smile. Hunter and Fives violently shook their heads not wanting to believe it when a gunshot turned all attention to Quinlan who had shot Crosshair in the shoulder, the man grunted in pain but barely moved.
“Good, now you can stand there and watch as I kill your precious older brother and then I will move onto…” Quinlan never managed to finish as Cody used the last of his pent up energy and shoved the man away from his body. There was a scuffle for the gun, Obi-wan moved forward to help when a gunshot did go off and someone cried out in pain.
Crosshair was left staring in utter shock only to see Cody’s body slump to the ground, he was holding his side in agony while Obi-wan had managed to secure Quinlan, bodies moved around Crosshair as Mace appeared threatening Crosshair, but he never heard a word as Cody climbed to his feet. He pushed into Crosshairs space holding tightly to him until he snapped out of his trance.
“Kote?”
“I’ve got you. Keep breathing for me, Tris…I don’t know what you have taken but this isn’t the way you go out” Cody’s worried tone had Crosshair confused until he realised he was lying on his back and medic’s had surrounded him.
“Tris…stay with me…”
“Not my name…apparently…”
“I don’t care, you're my baby brother” Cody grunted out, Crosshair barely nodded as he turned attention to the sky where two very worried individual’s stood over him. Fives and Hunter stood over him, both of them holding him tightly.
“Cody…let us look at you…your bleeding as well….”
“No, him first….” Cody muttered, he was holding tightly to Crosshairs hand as Tech tried to pull Cody away when the marshall commander admitted something that put a stop on everything.
“I match Crosshair, don’t let him die. Take my heart and reunite him with his parents…I took something back in the room which will conserve my body to make sure my brother lives…I signed my own death certificate and planned this out……..as it was only right, he deserves to live…I’m done officially, Anakin know’s he has the document, I’m not sorry for this…tell Anakin and the kids I love them as I love both Caleb and Tristan….” Cody gasped out, he moved his head to the side spitting blood as his heart continued to beat under his hand, the pulse strong but slowing down.
“Cody, you don’t mean…you…took the pill! Of course…you did….” Tech muttered, Cody only winked, his body collapsing on itself. Obi-wan lunged forward catching him with ease.
“Corey, stay with me, please….”
“I’m not sorry for this….just make sure my brother survives….I never told you but I have brain cancer and have had it for years….it’s spread almost everywhere so….I will be dead in a few months with it….so this was the only way. Even if I’m mad, I still love…you… Obi….”
Cody’s body began to seize, all of them could only watch as the medic’s in the area took over.
“Crosshair! Stay awake!” Hunter yelled just as the marksman's eyes shut with Cody’s following.
How's this going? Is anyone ready for the final chapters? :)
Update should be within the next two weeks! I will try and post it early but can't promise anything.
A new book will be published soon once this one is finished. Thank you for all votes/reads so far! Comments have made me smile with the variety of opinions! :-)