I heard the gunshots halfway into the path, it just made me run faster. My heart was twisting in my chest and I could barely breathe. I didn't care for all the cuts and bruises the thorny trees were leaving on me. I just kept running, until I saw the path end.
I stood at the outline of the trees, and ahead of me was a huge deserted pad. I could see a jet standing in the middle, a few leaps away from me.
And all around the jet there was grand commotion. Gunshots, and grounds of bullets and screams. It was an open war.
I could see Ghost aiming at something, I could see John and Willow. What was she doing here?
If Ghost was here, AJ must be too. I thought, taking a deep breath of relief. At least I'm not late.
But I had spoken too soon. For at that moment I saw him.
I saw his gold hair first, glimmering in the harsh sunlight. I saw him leap towards G. And tackle him away. He was shielding him from-
From Ghost, Ghost was aiming at G! No. No.
I was about to run, I was so frazzled. Then I heard the bullet leave the gun.
AJ's body was pushed more into G and all the colour from the world drained away as all the colour from AJ washed away.
He looked at G and then-then he looked at me, straight into my eyes, I could see him smile. He must think I'm a dream.
He must think he's seeing things.
He collapsed, and G moved him behind the jet. I started running, John saw me and covered for me. But I didn't care. AJ was shot. He could die. It was like my worst nightmare was coming true. My chest was aching uncontrollably. And I could feel the tears streaming past my face as I ran.
G started shooting again, just as I reached and fell down next to AJ.
He was lying on the ground, eyes closed. I pulled his head into my lap and touched his face.
"AJ please open your eyes. Where are you hit?" I cried. What am I doing? I should be looking for blood, for a pulse?
I gained ground and turned him to a side. He was hit on the right side of his back. Just a few inches from the lungs. Oh God, there was so much blood. He was losing too much blood.
He had a pulse. But he needed medical attention, right now.
"John!" I screamed into the sky.
I knew he must have heard me. AJ was not responding, he was unconscious and he must be in pain. I needed him to know I was here. I needed him to know I was okay and I needed him to fight. Fight for his life.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see a disheveled John.
"Lilah, there's too many of them. The three redheads have come too. We can't fight them. Not unless we want to lose more-" he stopped.
"Lose more? AJ is not dead. And I need you to get him to a hospital. Right now John. Or we will lose him." I told him trying to control my voice.
"Delilah there's no way, how we will we explain a bullet in his-" he stopped again, but this time it seemed like he had a plan.
"Okay, I know where I can take him. But if I go and I need someone with me. Then who will hold off everything here?"
-
-
"Irene, she's not far. Call her. She'll meet you at the hospital. She'll help you out with AJ. And about here. Don't worry. I have a plan." I told him but he didn't seem convinced.
"Delilah-" he tried.
"John, you listen to me," I cried and put my hand on his chest.
"I love him. I can't lose him too. I'll not- I'll not be able to come back. Please John, take him. Please."
"He'll be fine Lilah. Be careful. I don't know how you intend to hold it off here. I love you Delilah. I always have." He said and went to get a car from behind the jet.
I could hear the gunshots again. And I knew what to do. If the red heads were here, then he had to be too.
I tried peeking from beneath the plane, I could see three cars standing, one was the red heads. One was Ghosts and Sergei's. And one was Gokor's and his.
"Mmmmm.....mmmm," AJ groaned.
He started to move his legs.
I shifted back towards him and brushed his face gently. I bent down and kissed his eyes, leaving light pecks on them. My tears were falling on his face. Making him blink.
"De-li-lah....is that-" he tried to say but started coughing instead.
"Shush babe, you're badly wounded. I don't know how bad medically. John will take you to the hospital. Try to stay still, okay?" I whispered softly to him.
He stared at me then, green-gold eyes wide and worried.
"You can't let John take me. They'll shoot the crew. It's-too-dangerous." He said clearly piecing all of it together.
"You should not be speaking, and don't worry AJ. I have a plan. I wil-" I was saying when he interjected me.
"You are not- doing- anything. Are- you crazy? Their are bullets flying everywhere. What if you- get hurt? You've never held a- gun before. Delilah you can't-" he was mumbling on.
"Oh but I have to babe. I'll be fine. Just do what John says. Stay alive AJ. I need you too live. Please just do this for me." I said tearing up again.
He softened. I knew he was in pain, he couldn't move much, barely even speak. Wincing everytime he opened his mouth. Even the slightest movements must be like needles. But he reached out nevertheless and touched my face, wiping my tears away.
"Bend down a bit." He asked, voice quivering.
And I did, I bent down to his face. Letting our lips meet. Moving together in gentle and delicate unison.
-
-
"I love you," he said just as John came back with a car. He was rushing us. Screaming. The others caught on and were firing crazily towards the car. Ghost was yelling madly.
But G and Jesse held them off. Just long enough for me to get AJ in the car.
"Stay alive....You come back to me." I told him giving him a last peck on the cheek.
"You come back to me," he said back, coughing frantically.
"Take them-down okay?"
"Oh easy peasy. Remember? I can take hulk down." I whispered as John drove off as fast as he could taking a bleeding and wounded AJ with him.
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AJ's pov:
"John why did you-" I tried asking him. But he cut me off.
"Don't talk AJ, we need you to live man. What made you jump in front of G? Are you crazy? I thought you died. I-I was terrified man," he finished.
"I'm sorry. I-" but I started coughing again.
"Don't talk AJ, it's okay. The hospitals not far away. And I've already called Irene. She'll be there."
"How do intend on explaining the bullet in my body to the doctor?" I asked.
"No worries, she won't ask." He said back with small smirk.
I smiled too and put my head back on the car seat.
"Delilah will be fine right?" He asked me.
"Yeah she should be alright. She's extremely stubborn. She'll be fine." I told him.
"She was broken over you AJ. You should have see her, when you were unconscious. She was breaking in front of me."
"Even if I did die. Or do die. She'll be fine John. She's stronger than she thinks. And she has you right?" I barely said. "Always?"
"Yes, always."
We had an understanding. I knew he loved her. But I just don't know how much. I remember thinking I was dead when I saw her. Thinking there's no way she'd actually be there.
I remember getting lost in dark oblivion. Knowing it was the end. With searing, uncontrollable pain. And then out of the darkness I heard her. Cliché? I know. But there she was. I felt her tears, he lips, her touch. The tickle of her hair. And I knew. I knew I'd live.
"What about the money John? What after the duel ends?" I asked him.
"You just worry about staying alive man." He said and turned into the hospital parking.
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Delilah's pov:
I took my gun out and started looking around. G was right beside me. Shooting furiously.
He came down next to me once.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Fine," I said back.
"What's the status?"
"Two dead. Ghost is hiding and the triplets are booming. And Gokor is hell bent on killing Jesse." He finished.
"Jake and Lily?" I asked.
He looked sad, "No where to be seen."
"I-" but I was cut off by a voice calling my name.
"Leila?" He called.
G got all ready to shoot. But I lowered his gun down.
"It's okay," I told him.
"Right here Sammy," I said.
G's eyes grew wide. As he came, wearing the same dark clothes and mask as a covering. He ducked next to us and revealed his face.
His blue eyes were alert and alive. And he'd never looked so excited before.
He wasn't the same Sam I used to know. He was different.
"Jake and Lily are fine, they'll be here soon. From the back way." He said first and foremost. G slumped back then.
"What are you doing here in the first place?" G asked him for me.
"I was undercover with Leila, for Ghost. I was to take her out if she goes anywhere. But-" he stopped.
"But what? I went a lot of places. And AJ came to pick me up that day. Didn't that seem dangerous to you?" I asked.
"I couldn't Leila. I came to love you and Willow. And-" he looked sad now.
"Irene." I said looking at him.
"Yeah Rene, I fell in love with her. And I liked the course I was studying. I just-i wanted to belong. With you guys, it was just so simple. And it seemed like it mattered. You know?" He said.
"How do you know Ghost?" I questioned.
"I actually knew your brother, James. He used to be nice to me. Taught me tricks. I'm an orphan. Ghost must have seen me with him. Then when I was about to look for colleges, that the orphanage would no longer support. I was looking for a job. And Ghost came up with this very enticing opportunity. Of course, I didn't know I'd have to kill anybody. But it kept building up. His list," He seemed tired.
"We'll get you out of this Sammy. I promise." I told him.
"I'm sorry Delilah. I didn't mean to let you down. I do respect you. And you're my best friend." He smiled.
"You're my best friend too Sammy." I wasn't even mad at him. I was just so happy he was here.
"Yeah well you have to help us. I'm starting to hope again. With Sam and you. And Lily and Jake. Me, Jesse and Willow. Against, 4 Russians and Ghost." He said.
"Seems do-able," I said.
"Very very do-able," G said, looking ahead of me with a grin.
I looked to where he was looking and saw Jake and Lily's car burst through the forest path. Ready for revenge.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
"So have you ever used a gun before?" Sam asked me.
G, Jake and Lily and gone a little ahead. The bullets were loud and clear. The fight was back on. Jesse and Willow were trying to take down the Triplets, by hand. No guns.
"Nope never. Have you?" I was curious.
He chuckled, "Delilah we're not sitting in the park exchanging experiences. Come on this is how you do it."
He twisted back, hitched the gun, cocked it and pulled the trigger.
"Soo, you've obviously done that before," I said trying to mask all my nervous anxiety.
"Chill Leila, you'll be fine. I'm going to go help out with the Russians."
"Help them out? Or help out with them?" I confirmed.
He just winked and went away.
I was still behind the jet. Who was I kidding, I've never used a gun. How could I just use one by just looking at Sam shoot with it?
"Little cat! I've found you!" Called a voice from behind me. Suddenly I felt hands around my neck. Holding me and choking me. I started to gag.
"Sergei-you-just-keep-coming back don't you?" I managed. It made him chuckle, which loosened his grip a bit. I rammed my leg back hitting his thigh. Which made him lose control and buckle. But he was up before I know it. Gun getting ready.
Just as he tried to do so much as cock the gun I slammed mine on his head. Hard metal clashing on him. He fell instantly and his gun flew to the side. I took it and removed all the bullets.
He was totally knocked out.
I sighed in relief and touched my neck. If I can't use the gun as a gun. I sure as hell can use it as a good headbanger.
"No! Where the fuck do you think you're going?" I heard Ghost scream.
"It's too late Ghost, they know what's good for them." G said.
I realised the gunshots had stopped, it was suddenly all quiet.
I peeped to see what was happening.
Gokor was all bloody in the arm. He was clutching it, with his other hand. His face was all scrunched up in pain. The triplets were standing by him. One of them had a badly injured head. All blood inked with red hair. The other had a bloody leg and was leaning on the third.
They were all rushing towards the car. Trying to get away.
Sammy was standing next to Lily and Jake. He seemed pleased. He had warned the Russians about what was going to happen. That it'd be better for them to leave. Then face the music with Ghost. They were outnumbered anyway.
Jake was leaning into Lily. She looked okay, he looked bashed up. His clothes were bloody. But I couldn't make out any wounds.
Jesse and Willow were on either side of G. Jesse looked angry, he had a bruised face. Half of it was swollen. Willow's leg was bleeding, but it wasn't a bullet wound.
G looked beaten up aswell. But thankfully none of them had bullets embedded in them.
Ghost was standing directly infront of G a few paces ahead. He looked like hell. Clothes torn, face bloody, painfully defeated.
His gun was lying a little away from him, lost in battle I guessed. I stepped forward and stood next to Willow. Just as we all heard the tires of the getaway car grow louder and it disappear behind the trees surrounding the pad. I saw Ghost's eyes go wide as he saw me.
"I thought you'd be with your boy, Delilah? Don't care for him anymore," he said.
"He's a big boy, he can take care of himself. You cannot." I said back.
He started to grit his teeth. "You little-"
"There's no point now Ghost," said Sam.
"Inspector Jack is on his way. Waiting for you of course."
"Why would you call a police officer here? You realise you'll all go down with me right?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." Said Sam.
Ghost chuckled.
"You're idiots all of you. Backstabbing idiots."
Then he did something he shouldn't have he leapt for his gun. A quick long leap. He got it in time for all of us to realise what he was doing, but bullet flew.
Right in my direction.
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PS: please smash that star at the end to make my day better, it's a request. Y'all are the best 💞
I hope y'all are enjoying the book. Just a few more chaps left peeps. I'm so sad my books almost over. I've loved every moment of it and I hope you did too.
Xoxo babies
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