Outside of Fear

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Another gunshot rings, closer this time, and people start screaming. Two security guards try their best to keep the crowd under control, but to no avail.

"Listen up!" Meredith shouts, standing to her full height. Dressed in her Marine BDU, people instantly turn to her. "We don't know where the shooter is or what he's after, so we don't know how much time we have. Everyone needs to stay calm and find rooms without windows or with blinds you can close, and lockable doors." She lowers her voice once she has everyone's attention. "We can't be loud, stay organized, and move to safer places. Let's go."

Multiple more gunshots travel through the air, and Derek stands by in awe, watching as she walks into the middle of the room and directs the staff and patients away. She's moving rapidly, but also organized, keeping everything under control. Within a minute, the main floor is almost empty and she turns back to Derek.

"What the hell are you doing? Get somewhere safe!" She walks over to him, just in time to hear two more loud bangs. She doesn't have to look to know how close that was, so, on instinct, she throws herself at Derek taking him down with her behind the nurse's station.

Their bodies hit the floor with a thud, knocking the wind out of Derek and causing searing hot pain to spread to Meredith. She stifles a gasp in reaction to the feeling and bites her lip.

"Wha-" Derek tries to protest, but Meredith places a hand over his mouth. They both have to be quiet and stay behind the cover of the desk if they want to remain undetected.

Derek burns with a mix of emotions. This is definitely not how he pictured the first time Meredith would be on top of him.

Pain is throbbing through Meredith's core, but she moves off of Derek, oblivious to his embarrassment, and beckons him under the desk. Her entire focus is on the situation at hand. She holds her ground, ignoring the pain as she risks looking out over the desk.

The bodies of both security guards are on the ground. One only a few feet from her. A tall, angry-looking man stands in the middle of the room, looking around, a Beretta 92 clutched in his hands. He moved across the lobby, checking all the doors.

"Do the security guards have guns?" Meredith whispers urgently, ducking back under the cover next to Derek.

"What are you going to do?" His eyes go wide.

"Answer the question." She hisses. Derek nods, and a plan immediately comes together in Meredith's head. "Stay here and don't move. Wait for me."

"Meredith!"

She peeks up again, her heart pounding when he sees how close the shooter is getting to patient rooms. The doors don't lock on those.

Making a split-second decision, she army crawls around the desk towards the security guard body. The shooter is facing away from her, so she moves quickly. The pain in her back is getting stronger by the moment.

When she reaches the body, she moves quickly, knowing she doesn't have any time to spare. There's no pulse, so she goes for the 9mm strapped into its holster on the side of the body.

She hauls herself to her feet once the gun is securely in her possession. She checks the magazine, which makes a clicking noise and causes the shooter to whirl around and face her. He points his gun at her, and she raises hers as well.

The mag is full.

She switches the safety off.

"You really don't want to do that." Meredith's voice is calm and firm, making unwavering eye contact with the shooter.

Derek watches in horror. As soon as that man turned around the surgeon recognized him as Gary Clark, his husband of one of his old patients.

"Who are you? Put your gun down or-or I'll shoot!" Mr. Clark demands, but Meredith doesn't flinch.