Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
— Alec wrenches the long gun from Zander’s hands, and now he and Danny have the weapons pointed in the direction of the guys who are holding theirs on us.
— One of the half-dozen security types apparently has an itchy trigger finger, because one short burst goes off as Alec fires to cover me and Danny.
— And then Hell erupts.
Before I know what’s happening, Alec and Danny are spewing forth burning lead from the AKs in their hands. I have rolled out of the way and find myself next to Eliza as I cover my head and glance in the direction of the gunfire just in time to see the six paramilitary types fall to the ground almost as one. Alec dashes to the door, sliding the heavy locks in place and barring anyone else from being able to enter that way at least.
And on the other side of the room, Zander is using the body of the security guard Alec originally took the long gun from as a shield. Limping backward, dragging the guy with him, he’s trying to get up onto the stage and away. Zander pulls the guy’s sidearm from his holster, aims it in the general direction of us and fires off a couple of rounds indiscriminately. Who knows where the hell they land, but they don’t come close to hitting any of us. Thank the fucking universe.
“STOP!” Alec yells, raising the AK in his hands and pointing it at his dad and the bewildered-looking boy Zander is using as a human shield.
Zander doesn’t stop, assuming, I suppose, that we won’t fire on him while the young, unfortunate security kid who got roped into something he definitely now wishes he wasn’t a part of is still in the way.
It’s a correct assumption. Alec doesn’t shoot their way. Neither does Danny. Even though they just mowed down several of Zander’s men, there’s something tragic about the scared look on the kid’s face as Zander drags him along, uncaring about what might happen to him.
It’s not a fit of conscience exactly, I don’t imagine. It’s more like… recognition. Zander has dragged someone into a situation they would never opt for if given the choice and now their life hangs in the balance. It’s something I kind of think we all understand.
Whatever the reason, no one shoots. Alec just yells it again. “Stop! Dad, stop!” But, of course, Zander doesn’t stop. He keeps dragging the helpless young guy along, firing recklessly around the room, pausing only to force the kid to grab up the diamond and bring it with them.
“Pick it up! Pick it up, man!” Zander yells. The frightened-human-turned-body-armor does.
Alec lifts the rifle to try to get a bead on Zander’s head, trying to find any millimeter of exposed space where he can pop off a round and peel Zander’s cap back without harming the other guy. And then he lowers the barrel and lets them go.
I know there was a shot to be taken. As Zander got to the edge of the stage area, he exposed himself just enough for Alec to do what needed to be done, but for whatever reason, Alec chose not to. I imagine it has a lot to do with the fact that we still don’t have Andra and Theo back in hand and there’s no telling what kind of order might be in place if something happens to Alec’s dad, but there may be another reason at work too.
What that reason is is anyone’s guess and only Alec can know for sure. But now is not the time to start psycho-fucking-analyzing the situation.
Danny has rolled onto his back and is holding Liam’s gun on Liam, who looks like he’s about to pass out. Alec sprints over to me and Eliza in no more than four leaping steps and drops to his knees beside us.
“You all right?” he asks me, automatically feeling my head, my face, my shoulders, sides, back, all over me for anything resembling injury.
“I’m fine,” I tell him, clipped, turning my attention back to Eliza. Who is not.
“Danny?” Alec yells out.
“I’m aces, bro,” Danny says, strong, firm, and with a kind of resolve that lets the world know he is unkillable as he holds the AK on Liam, locking him in place.
Eliza’s bleeding out. I rip my jacket off and press it against her wound, but I already know that’s just for show. Alec looks at me and I shake my head at him to let him know the same thing. And Eliza speaks.
“Go,” she moans. Her voice is still strong despite the fact that her lifeblood is spilling out and her eyes are clouding over with darkness in real time.
“No, we have to—” Alec starts, before Eliza cuts him off.
“Alec, go. Get my daughter. Fucking now, please.” It is so incredibly Eliza-like in the face of what’s going on that it’s almost as if it’s someone doing an imitation of her.