Blood ties

Part 1: blood is thicker

Flashing blue and red lights filled the dimly lit street from top to bottom. Every police car in the town surrounded one house. Ryan sat in a armed police van on route to the house.
"What's the situation sir?" Ryan asked over the radio.
"Two armed men holding the family hostage on the top floor. We're only allowing low power pistols for this as to protect the family from harm."
Ryan nodded at his team as they pull up in-front of the house.

They slowly move to the back door and draw their pistols and flashlights. Ryan opens the sliding door slowly and moves in, securing the first area.
"Right everyone stay down here. I'm going to clear upstairs." He whispers.
Ryan moves slowly up the stairs, his heart beating slowly. As he approaches the door he hears people behind it moving around. He turns the flashlight and radio off. The footsteps behind the door come to a stop. Ryan kicks the door down and shoots both armed men in the legs, dropping them instantly. Both hostages scream behind the tape as gunshots ring through the house. Ryan turns his radio back on.
"Send the extraction team to secure them. My jobs done."
He picks up both of the armed men's guns before walking out.

As he returns to the car, walking past all of the police. looks at his phone and see's it's his mother.
"Mum why are you calling me on my phone for? You know I'm at work-"
He's cut off.
"You need to go somewhere quiet. It's important."
Sensing the distress in her voice, his heart rate begins to climb.
"Ryan I don't know how to explain this. Your dad was just killed in some shooting. It was over quickly so he didn't suffer and the police won't do fuck all. We need you back at home as soon as you can for the funeral. We understand that you may not want to come because of your career. I love you Ryan and I always will."

Ryan's heart sank. Not a single word left his mouth before he ended the call. Everything around him was lit up by the police lights. His mind kept racing over what she said. He walked over to the van he arrived in and was taken back to the station. No one spoke a word to him as he changed back into his normal clothes. Ryan drove to his house that night in complete silence. Nothing but the sound of the cars engine. Ryan's mind was in two places at once. On one hand he wanted to stay to protect those who couldn't protect them selves. But on the other he had to protect his family. He eventually placed his badge on his desk and booked tickets to Luton airport in london.

The following morning he got a taxi over to the airport. Once he boarded the flight he took his AirPods out and put on his usual playlist. After a while the sight of the london skyline accompanied with the grey clouds filled the window.
"Lovely weather as usual." He thought to himself.
Ryan took out his phone and texted his family letting them know he arrived safely and will be seeing them soon. A man wearing a black suit with a pink top caught Ryan's eye. He looked the man up and down before realising it was his brother.
"Long time no see brother." Max shouted over.
Ryan nodded at him and smiled.
"Not even a single word? Wow police work must of fucked you up. Come on we need to get going."
The two of them walk to max's car out of Luton.
"You know that is one shit hole of an airport." Ryan laughs.

Max turns on the engine and begins driving down the highway. The air runs through the open roof car into Ryan's hair.
"So tell me. Done anything interesting recently Ryan?" Max shouts over the wind.
"Not really. Shot two guys last night but it's usually just petty stuff. Not like the shit I got into."
Max looks forward and gives an approving nod.
"What about you then max? Kept up the usual stuff or are you a hardcore drug dealer now, like you told everyone back in high school"
Max laughs lightly.
"Oh fuck off Ryan. Back five minutes and you're already starting your shit."

Max and Ryan pull up into a garage. Max steps out of the car and Ryan follows. Both of them walk into lift and go up.
"I've been meaning to ask. What's with the outfit? Why pink?" Ryan whispers.
Max slaps Ryan's leg before the door opens into a white room. The smell of cleaner entered Ryan's nose before he walks forward. A smaller women walks out and stops in her tracks as she sees Ryan. She runs forward and hugs him.
"Hey calm down mum, it's gonna be okay." He speaks softly.
She breaks off from hugging him and wipes the tears from her eyes.
"I missed you so much. This means so much to me. Thank you for coming Ryan."
Even Ryan starts tearing up slightly, hearing those words again.

After a few hours Ryan, max and their mum are sat around a table with drinks.
"I'll just never understand why they shot him. We did fuck all against them. They had no right to." Max shouts out.
His mum just nods.
Ryan sits there staring at his hands. His mind racing a million miles an hour. Everything is going past like a blur to him. Days go by like they're nothing. Voices blend together as they all say the same generic thing about losing a loved one.

Eventually he's on the way to his fathers funeral with max next to him. Ryan's legs bouncing with anxiety.
"You good Ryan?" Max talks quietly.
Ryan looks over and nods. The car comes to a sudden halt before they're told to leave. The sky is filled with grey clouds and rain pouring down. Max pulls out an umbrella and leads Ryan to the grave. As they walk towards the grave Ryan hears a speaker talking to the crowd.
"Now he was no Angel I think we all know that. He always put what was important first. His family. Yes his life was filled with murder from the minute he was born to the moment he fell. His impact on this city will be felt for years to come. It breaks me what happened to him, no one deserved what happened to him."
The man speaking was a higher up in the gang he ran. His mum sat in the front with Ryan's sister. Both of them were crying as he was lowered into his grave. Ryan helped with the burial before saying his final goodbye. He placed his hand upon the headstone and cried silently. As Ryan stood up, he wiped the tears away before walking back to the car him and max arrived in. His mum and sister were sat in the car.

Ryan sits down in the car looking down. No one says a word before they arrive at the family home. Everyone steps out into the rain once again before entering the house. Ryan stays with his mum as max and his sister walk to their room.
"You know you meant the world to him right Ryan?" She whispers almost ethereally.
Sudden shock came over Ryan as he stares blankly.
"You really did. He was so proud of you even though you were on the wrong side."
His mum walks over to the bar and pours herself a drink.
"You look so similar to him now too." She began to tear up.

Suddenly his sister opens the door panicked.
"I just got a message off the gang that killed him."
Chills shuddered Ryan's spine and bones when he heard her say that.
"Nicole what the fuck are you on about?" His mum replies.
Nicole shuffled her phone out of her pocket and showed her mum.
Her face went as white as paper in shock as she read the text.
"They're threatening to take over."
Ryan's mind began racing once again. Nicole rushes out of the room into max's room. His mum just walks to hers. Ryan shakily walks back to his room and falls asleep.

The morning after Ryan starts planning on how to take this gang out. He locates a club on the outskirts of london.
"Hey max, check this out." He shouts over.
He shows max the plan for the attack.
"Look mate this isn't a good idea. You could get killed. Plus what would mum say?" Max questions.
"What would dad say max? If it was one of us who was shot, he wouldn't think any of that. This would all be done instantly."
Nicole walks in after hearing them shouting.
"So what you two up to then?" She asks with a bounce in her step.
"Ryan's planning on attacking a club owned by the gang and killing the leader there." Max explains
Nicole calls their mother in and tells her the entire plan.
"Ryan I'm not letting you get involved, you're a police officer for fuck sake." She explains.
"Then if anyone's trained enough for this it's me." Ryan reasons.
She sighs in disbelief.
"Fine then. Max Show him the safe house."

Max takes Ryan's hand.
"Come on Princess this way."
Ryan pulls his hand out of max's before following him. As they walk into an empty room, Max bangs on one of the wall panels and gun shelf's emerge from behind the empty walls.
"Take your pick sunshine." Max says while admiring all the weaponry.
Ryan takes a small pistol from the closest shelf.
"Is that all you're taking?" Max shouts over.
"Well I am going to a night club. Not invading a fucking country." Ryan shouts back.

Nicole walks into the room and places a blueprint of the club onto the desk in the middle.
"Right run me through this one more time Ryan." She speaks quickly.
"I enter through the front door. I order a drink. I look around to find him, I shoot him. I get the fuck out of there." He goes over.
Nicole nods while looking at the map.
"Niki if you're nervous about this you don't have to come you know." Max reassures.
She looks up at Max.
"You know I'm a better driver then you." She smiles.
Everyone walks towards Max's car before setting off for the club. The smell of fuel fill's Ryan's nose as Max turns on the engine.