Final Footsteps (Running Series Finale)

Chapter 51: Gunshots and Loud Bangs

Song for chapter is Survivin' (One Eyed Jack Sessions) by Bastille

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Keane's POV

A few weeks passed by and our tropical holiday, was well and truly in the past. Noah was back in the full swing of things at UCLA and really loving what he was learning about at the moment. He came back every evening and told us all about it.

Angelo had been working so much lately, doing double shifts here there and everywhere, both Noah and Arlo were worried about him. I mean we all were, but those two especially. Noah wanted us all to go out for a meal, a triple date, to treat Angelo and take his mind off of work, but trying to find a time when Angelo wasn't working was currently very difficult.

We'd seen Arii and Leo twice in three weeks, they'd been coming home Friday evening and leaving Sunday night. The one weekend they missed was because Leo had an athletics meet.

Tayte and I had been working at Corrigan's and I had looked into, for real this time, doing some online courses on a few things which I won't mention right now, in case nothing comes of them.

Dad was looking forward to us coming to stay in a weeks' time. Noah hopes Angelo will have changed his mind about coming with us, by then. He and Mum were talking all the time and I was really coming round to the idea of them actually getting back together.

Right now was a Wednesday, middle of the week, and Tayte and I were on a long shift until 6pm tonight, Noah was at college, Angelo working a shift and I think Arlo was meeting up with Mali at some point.

Angelo's POV

Despite everyone I know, worrying about how much and hard I was working. I was doing it because I loved my job and also because if any of my friends needed a couple of hours here or there covered due to family reasons or personal matters, I wasn't going to say no.

I was attending a pick up with a partner at a mansion east of Malibu. The young man had been shot in the leg and needed an ambulance escort to hospital, having finally given consent for his move to a hospital.

We didn't know how he'd managed to shoot himself and I wasn't so convinced that he actually did. And probably someone shot him and he was either too afraid to say anything, or it was gang related therefore couldn't say anything. There were gangs everywhere, even in Malibu. But it wasn't flagged at the hospital as dangerous and we weren't told to take precaution, so they sent us with no police back up.

We were wheeling him out on a gurney when we heard tyres screeching and then shouting, followed by gunshots. I should had trusted my gut and knew that something like this was going to happen. I should have insisted we had a police presence with us.

Shit!

Bullets came flying and I threw myself over the patient, whilst moving the gurney as fast as I could behind the ambulance, not even thinking about my own wellbeing. Then feeling guilty for not doing so. The bullets hit the side noisily. I felt pain slice across my shoulder once I'd stopped still for a second. Catching my breath.

"I'm going for the radio,"

"Angelo no, it's too risky, it's not worth it. We can wait it out," my partner for today called. He looked terrified and this made me want to get the radio even more. I ducked down and crept round the front of the ambulance. The bullets stopped briefly, probably reloading, or maybe they thought they'd shot us. I made my break, I jumped into the ambulance as a bullet flew passed me, or so I thought. I hissed. Radioing for help.

...

3 hours later.

I rang Arlo, he picked up after 3 rings.