Shields

Chapter 5: Assassin

I pulled off my sweat soaked shirt and collapsed into bed, exhausted. I'd run all the way home the long way because I didn't want to go back to HQ and get my car. Narian had promised to bring it to me, and that had been all I needed to send me off.

Alven would be fine, the doctors had said. The wound hadn't been deep, and as long as he didn't do anything to irritate it, nothing would happen. I wondered if being helpless in a hospital bed would make Alven as restless as even thinking about it made me.

I leaned down and unlaced my jet black sneakers, dropping them underneath my bed and collapsing. Thomas knocked on the door and I opened it, letting him in. "Hey bud. What's up?" I asked.

"Some strangers are downstairs," Thomas said. "They wanted to come in, so I told them to wait in the foyer. They said it was important." Thomas looked a bit worried. "They're huge and strong and they aren't very nice either."

I fought back a grin. Since my parents had died when I was ten, I'd raised Thomas since he was five. The one thing I'd always drilled into his head throughout the years up to his twelfth birthday was that it was important to be nice to people. Especially if you had just knocked on their door.

"It's okay buddy. Nothing's wrong. I'll just go talk to them and you can stay here, alright?" I grinned and gave Thomas a hug. "Just stay up here. I'll be back in a minute."

There was no doubt in my mind that these people weren't here to chat about my neighbor's missing car. Oh no. They definitely wanted me for another reason.

I walked down the stairs and looked around cautiously. They weren't there. The first thought that came to my mind was that they had left, but that didn't make sense, because they were clearly looking for me and Thomas had told them I was home.

I looked around and noticed the door to the broom closet was ajar. It'd been closed when I walked in. It moved slightly. So they were hiding. I could play this game. I moved out of their range of vision and into the living room.

I peeked around the corner. The broom closet was fully open now. Now where are you? I wondered.

All too suddenly, Hamilton's head popped into view. He'd changed since I last saw him. His hair was longer, pulled back into a messy brown ponytail. His eyes were glassy and held no recognition of me at all. There were scars all over his face and his nose was bent out of shape slightly. He looked like he was in a trance almost.

I stumbled back, lashing out as I did so and breaking Hamilton's nose. He didn't clutch it or act like most people would, though, he just kept coming.

I backed away, unwilling to hurt him. I came up against the empty wood stove and placed my palms onto it. Hamilton raised his fists. Why didn't he bring a gun? I wondered. Then I thought about it. We're in the suburbs. If someone heard a gunshot, they'd be all over us. Of course, the police might not do anything, but they don't want their assassins exposed yet. Or they still want me alive.

Hamilton's next move answered that question. He grabbed for my throat. I pushed off of the fireplace and snatched his hands, pinning them to his side. This isn't gonna work. He's too strong... I thought. Hamilton yanked his hands away from me and came at me again.

I grabbed his shoulder and pushed off of it, flipping over him. It was a move I had never quite been able to get when Brikan was teaching me, but I executed it perfectly.

I need a better strategy and more space. I thought.

I headed for the basement. With only a treadmill and a bench press, it was empty. I used it as my own private training room and since it was so big, it was perfect for this.

"Stay upstairs Thomas!" I ran past the stairs and grinned at him. He was staring at me with wide eyes. "I'll explain later," I added, jumping down the basement stairs three at a time.

Don't let him trap you. I reminded myself. Hamilton skidded to a stop at the bottom of the stairs and faced me with a frown.

"Give up, Hamilton. You could never defeat me before, you still can't now. I don't care what they gave you, you just aren't good enough." I wasn't trying to gloat, it was the simple truth.

Hamilton ignored me, but I kept talking. Kept his attention divided. "I have whatever they gave you to. Maybe not as much, but if you have it, you can bet I have it to." Okay, that may not have been true, but who cares, really? "I don't want to hurt you, Jake." It was true, and I was hoping that using his first name would help him come to his senses. It didn't.

He attacked again, punching at me with incredible force. I ducked his blow and grabbed his arm, spinning him around. "Come on, Hamilton. Give it up already." I begged him. He was a friend and I really didn't want to hurt him.

Hamilton shook his hand free and threw me across the room. I hit the wall hard and Hamilton drew a gun out of a belt strapped across him chest. So that's where that was.

I rolled over and got up. My side hurt and fire lanced through my body. Guess I hit it too hard. I thought, grimacing.

I faced Hamilton and crossed my arms over my chest. He pointed the gun at me. "So that's it then? You're just going to shoot me? We were friends for years Jack." I pointed out. I guess I didn't really think he'd pull the trigger, because I put my arms out and gave him a clear shot.

His finger tightened and I gritted my teeth. He's not gonna shoot me. I thought. He's got to be in there still. They can't have wiped out all of him.

I glimpsed Thomas barreling down the stairs. I was about to call out for him to stop when a gunshot rang out.

Thomas grabbed Hamilton's arm as he shot and it probably saved me from being immediately killed.

The bullet lodged in my stomach and fiery pain lanced through my entire body. I cried out, half from the pain and half from the shock of knowing that Hamilton really wasn't in control of himself anymore.

My vision blurred and just before I collapsed I managed to text Narian two words. Come now.

My knees buckled and I collapsed against the wall. Thomas was busy running away from Hamilton and my mind was screaming out against the pain shooting through my body.

My phone beeped and I grabbed for it. The text came up on the screen. Give me two minutes. Narian replied.

I forced myself to move despite the pain. Just keep him from hurting Thomas. I thought.

I took a shaky step and had to grab the bench press to support myself. "Thomas." I murmured quietly.

I heard him shout dimly in pain or fear, but it sounded like I was underwater. My entire body shook from pain. I took a step into the middle of the empty room and my legs shook from the effort it took just to stand.

Blood was coming freely from my wound and I knew that if it wasn't cared for very soon, I'd end up dead. I also knew that if I didn't help Thomas immediately, he'd end up hurt or dead and I couldn't lose him.

A gunshot rang out and I tensed. When I heard Narian's familiar shout, I relaxed and let myself drift into oblivion. There isn't anything I can do now anyway. I thought just before my knees buckled and I collapsed from blood loss and pain.