I'd like to thank all my readers for patiently or impatiently waiting so long for this chapter to be uploaded.
Enjoy reading :)
P.S Sorry about any spelling mistakes, I rushed the end because i'm going away tomorrow for a couple of days and I wanted to upload this tonight.
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I had no time to respond with a confused question because the metal door suddenly swung open and even though I was well away from it, the impact it made with the brick wall caused me to jump and feel like something hit me.
"What the hell?" Georgia cursed and sprung to her feet.
Three unknown men stood before us with serious faces. "We have to go, this place is about to blow"
My blood ran cold. "The boys and Gabby are still in there!" I gripped onto Georgia's arm as I helped myself stand up. I looked back at the door and it sounded like I could hear the countdown of an explosion.
One man slightly smiled at me. "They should be running out of the front exit now. We'll meet them there since the explosion should occur somewhere here at the back"
"Can you run?" Another man asked me.
"I can barely walk"
The same person that asked me the question walked over to me and scooped me up in his arms just like Caleb did. He nodded at the rest of them including Georgia and we all began to run, well I wasn't. I was currently being treated like some sort of princess but it was comforting and at the moment I didn't feel bad about it.
Jake actually managed to save Austin and I. We were alive, we all were and I thanked God for that. It wasn't like I had thought Jake would actually find and save us but my prayers were answered. We were almost out of the alley when I heard an explosion followed by the ground shaking. I screamed despite my complaining throat and felt the man struggle to keep me in his arms.
"That was bigger than I expected" Georgia stated once we all stopped. I looked behind us where the explosion took place and saw smoke and debris.
Bigger than we all expected.
"You can put me down" I said softly. The man looked at me for a second before slowly putting me on my feet. We were at the front of the building where I remembered walking in with Kale and the other bad guys.
"Avery! Are you alright?" I heard Jake yell.
My head quickly turned to the direction of the sound. Wow, I am so observant. Standing there were Jake and his gang, the rest of the other guys and Austin's gang-
"Where's Austin?" I almost stopped breathing.
Jake's face didn't even show signs of anger or frustration when I asked about Austin, instead he plastered on a frown. "We lost him on the way out"
"What?" I shrieked. I walked as fast as I possibly could to the doors that led back into the building. Another bomb or whatver thing that can explode went off inside and I was thrown back but luckily into who I later noticed was Jake's arms.
The front seemed to begin collapsing and more smoke and debris were appearing. We all had to run onto the other side of the street and painfully watch. I don't think this was how the planned the rescue mission because Jake wouldn't be this sloppy and obvious. People that were close by either in buildings beside it or that were on the street began either crowding around or running away. I saw a few people pull out their phones to call who I assumed were 911 even though they were probably already on the way.
"We have to get Austin!" I yelled and struggled against Jake's grip on my arms.
My body hurt a lot but it didn't stop me from wanting to run into the falling building and get Austin. I couldn't deal with what I was seeing because Austin wasn't next to me and I didn't know if he was okay. Why did something like this have to happen? Why did there have to be an almost happy ending? Why couldn't it just be a happy ending, full stop?
"No! It's too dangerous" Jake tried pulling me.
"I don't care" I said with my jaw clenched. I was going to make sure Austin was alive, and I did that by tugging as hard as I could and finally I escaped but not with my doing. Not with Austin's doing either, it was because of Derek. A gasp escaped my lips as I was forcefully thrown into his arms.
Jake immediately sprang forward to get me but someone behind him pulled him back. The others who had already made a move towards us, stopped when I felt cold metal pressed against my head. My breathing stopped and I wanted to pass out.
"Where is Austin?" Derek asked very slowly but harshly.
"He's still in there" Jake replied faster.
"I don't believe you"
"I'm not lying, he would be with us and would be doing anything to get Avery out of your dirty hands if he was here"
"True point Jake. I guess we'll just have to wait till he comes out"
"And if he doesnt?" I asked with a shaky tone. I didn't want to say anything that would provoke him to pull the trigger and kill me.
"You'll all die"
Kyle swore and I looked at him.
Oh, wonderful.
Jake didn't say anything. He just glared at Derek and tried to shrug away from his captor. The gun- that was still pressed to my head, felt like it was burning through my hair and skin. The endless anticipation lingered in the air on whether or not he was going to shoot me.
His grip tightened as his gaze darted from side to side. He was probably searching for Austin. I could be, if a gun wasn't resting on my head, but fate can be a real pain sometimes.
"Run" Liam yelled as he looked at me.
How the hell was- Derek's body slammed into the back of mine after I heard a gun shot. I didn't let my body go into shock, instead I moved as quickly as I could away from Derek and the gun. To my surprise, I managed to get away without being killed and saw as Derek's face met the ground. So that's what Liam meant by run.
Derek was dead. Finally after everything that has happened. He was dead. A few bricks were lifted from myself and I felt safer than ever.
I looked from Derek's motionless and bloody splattered body to the person who shot him. Standing only a few metres away, was Austin and in his hand was a gun. When I was about to run over and give him the biggest hug I could, I heard police sirens.
Disappointment filled me and I turned around to face Jake. It seemed as though while I was staring with awe at Austin, Jake had managed to free himself from the guy that was holding him and I saw him get knocked out, cold.
"Now, it's your turn to run" I said. "All of you need to go, now"
Jake looked at me. "You're coming with us"
"No, if you leave me, I can buy you time and they'll have to deal with two things instead of one" I shook my head. "Go. Now"
"She's right" Gabby grabbed onto Jake's arm. "See you soon Avery" She looked at me before forcefully towing my brother away.
"I'll be home by the time you get back to Miami!" Jake yelled over his shoulder.
I watched them all run in the direction opposite to the sirens before turning to where Austin was. I frowned when I saw he was still there. "You need to leave" I would of ran over and hugged him at that moment but it would only mean he would stay longer and that would give the police more of a chance to catch him.
But, Austin decided to do exactly that. He walked -sort of, it was more of a limp- over and pulled me towards him in a tight embrace. My arms went around his neck and like I already knew, I didn't want to let him go. I felt his hot breath on my neck and knew he would be able to feel my racing heart against his chest.
Our moment was cut short when I heard loud revving. My first thought was that the police were here but then I thought some more and realised police don't rev their engines. I reluctantly let go of Austin and faced the person in the Camaro. Joel.
"Go" I whispered to Austin.
He nodded. "I love you"
"I love you too"
I watched painfully as Austin got in the car and Joel floored it. However, just as they left, the police came into view and two of them started chasing after them. I couldn't move. All I did was stand there and wait for them to tell me to put my hands up and get on the ground till they realise I was the one kidnapped. When Jake and Austin left it was like my heart went with them. I knew I wouldn't be home for a while, especially with the amount of questioning and investigating people here in Hawaii are going to have to do.
-
"I'm going to ask you again Avery" Detective Forbs sat in front of me. We were both seated at a metal table in one of those interrogation rooms with the mirror window. I knew the other detectives were staring at us or writing things in their notebooks. "Do you know where Jake Collins and Austin Gray are?"
Yeah the FBI were in on this now but it hadn't made the news- well the building exploding did but no other information was given to the public. I wasn't exactly chained up or in hand cuffs but I couldn't leave, which I expected. My parents were on the phone by the time I got back to the station and they were the total opposite to happy. Well they were happy I was safe but that was the only thing they were happy about.
I shook my head for what felt was the tenth time but honestly was the third. "No Detective I don't"
"You do realise that if we find out you're lying, you'd be committng a felony and can get arrested" As he said that, I looked at the other detective in the corner.
"Yes. You told me that at the beginning of this session" I sighed.
"Now isn't the time to play smart Miss Collins" The detective in the corner spoke up.
"What was your name again?" I asked him.
"Detective Ellis"
"Well Detective Ellis, you and your partner are wasting your time on someone who doesn't know anything"
"You were a victim and an eye witness to Derek Johnson"
"Exactly. I was a victim and Derek's dead" I refrained myself from saying the words 'thank god'.
"Who killed Derek?" Detective Ellis walked over to the table and stood next to Detective Forbs.
"I don't know" I lied.
"Witnesses say it was someone from outside the building where the explosion takes place. You and I both know you know who the shooter was"
"There was too much smoke and I was in shock after it happened" Keeping a straight face was surprisingly hard in these situations. What with two detectives staring at you- it was pretty intimidating.
Detective Forbs nodded his head and stood up. "That's it for today. Unfortunately you cannot leave till further notice so you will be held in a cell in the station. We will inform your parents of this"
Two hours later, I was sitting on a small and uncomfortable bed. I was enclosed in a small room with 4 walls one of which was a metal bar wall. It was night and I was in clear view of the guards on duty. One was sitting at a table with his feet up and three others were just walking around with their chins up.
There were others here held in the cells like myself and I had the urge to ask what they were here for and how long they've been here. But, I didn't, because I didn't feel like striking a conversation with anyone and I didn't want the guards to yell at me.
When the police came they took me straight to a hospital so I could get treated. They even took a rape kit out and as uncomfortable as it was, they made sure I wasn't sexually assaulted- oh god, I forgot about Kale. I wonder what Austin and Jake did when they stayed their with Kale. There was that possibility that they killed him but I had a feeling they didn't. For reasons including the fact that Kale was a friend of Jake's. I wasn't sure how, but he was.
"Hawaii's police department. Officer Dallas speaking" I saw the guard that was sitting down, speak into a telephone.
"You have 5 minutes" He stood up and walked over to my cell.
My hopes were high when I put the phone to my ear. But I flinched when I heard them speak. "You're moving to New York with your father and I" My mum exclaimed.
"What about Jake?"
"He will no doubt be in prison" I doubt it.
"Mum. I'm sorry"
"I just can't believe I let this happen to you. I knew something would happen if I let you and your brother stay in Miami by yourself"
"We had Austin's parent's" I said softly.
"Don't" My mum stopped. "Don't you talk about Austin. He is a horrible boy and I don't want you speaking to him ever again"
At this point, my hands were shaking and I sat down on the bed again. I couldn't leave the life I had, not now, not ever. I couldn't leave my brother or Austin or the friends I had at school.
"See you soon. I love you" She spoke again and hung up the phone.
I breathed out a sigh and handed the phone back to the officer. This was it. I was going back to living with my parents and living a normal life. When I thought about it now, it seemed boring- to live a normal life. After only a few months, I'd used to being surrounded by adrenaline and dangerous people, I think that I'd just be attracted to danger wherever I went. My parents were safe, not knowing anything and staying away from everything. If Austin still had enemies chasing after him and were looking at kidnapping me, I don't think it would be a good idea if I went to live with my parents. It would only endager them.
But besides that, no matter how much I loved my parents, I didn't want to leave my new family. Jake's gang were guys I could hang out with. I might not be on the same 'cool' ladder as them but I was comfortable around them and they included me in their lives. Austin's gang- well I still had some things to clear out before I had a strong friendship with them but I had become pretty close with Ben and leaving him didn't sound good to me. Leaving any of the guys didn't sound good to me.
Let's just say, I wasn't okay with leaving Miami.
"Sir. You can't be here" The sound of an officers stern voice pulled me from my thinking.
I looked up and my mouth fell open. My questions were answered.
Kale pulled out a tranquiliser gun and shot all the officers before they could pull out their guns. I jumped at every shot he made. The other people in the cells immediately started hassling Kale to let them out but he didn't look at them for longer than two seconds.
"You're supposed to be dead" I whispered when he walked over. Okay that sounded harsher than I thought.
"Thanks" He said sarcastically and pulled out a set of keys. He unlocked the gate and stood aside for me to walk out. "Your brother made me promise that I protect you if we ever crossed paths.
"Uhm. I'm going to be let out like tomorrow. You don't have to do this" I laughed.
"Yes I do. The feds just pulled up footage from a building's camera and they will see that you know exactly who shot Derek. After you tell them that you still don't know, even though they know you know, you will be put in prison for whatever reasons they come up with. Once you're in prison, Jake and Austin will come for you and they would be falling straight into a trap. Would you like that to happen?"
My mouth fell open. He was coming to save me and stop Jake and Austin from going to prison even though they beat him up and left him for dead. I only assumed that because he looked pretty beaten up and had walked over with a limp like Austin had.
"Jake and Austin wouldn't-"
"I didn't think so" He cut me off and grabbed my arm. Despite his countless injuries, he managed to tow me out of the room.
I wonder how long the officers were going to be out for. When I was shot, I didn't pass out which meant that Kale shot them with something different, or it meant I had a better immunity system and better everything than those guys in the room. The latter would only occur in my dreams.
"Emily? Alec?" I said with surprise when we walked into the main area.
"Hey" Emily smiled.
I looked- wide eyed at the men and women knocked out and sprawled around on the floor. Oh wow. So their first task was the capture me and make me watch Austin being tortured. Their next task was to torture me to torture Austin and now they were rescuing me?
That hardly made sense.