Adopted By Michael Clifford {Book 1}

25- Rescued

Michael's POV

Today was the day we were going to get Maya back. The plan was to tell this lunatic - Dave - we were going to give him Luke and Ashton. Luke said that Dave kept people in the basement. While we talked to him, Nick would sneak in through the back door with the police. They'd get Maya and catch Dave off guard.

That was supposed to be the plan. I hoped it would work. We all did.

Maya's POV

I didn't know how long I'd been down in that basement. It could've been days, could've been weeks. I couldn't keep track. There was no window to see through to know if it was night or day.

The screen on the wall turned on, and my kidnapper's face showed up. He had taken his mask off. He had small, dark eyes that reminded me of a rat. His skin was sickly pale, and his white hair made him look like he belonged in a madhouse.

I'd never despised someone as much as I despised him.

"Looks like someone's finally coming to get you," he sneered.

"Who?" 

"Who do you think, you stupid girl? Who else would care enough to give up two of their friends for some pathetic, little orphan? Take a wild guess!" He screamed and paused for a second. "There's only one person who would do that for you. I finally get what I want and you can go back with your father."

"You actually think you'll get away with this?" I said.

"Oh, Maya. I know I will."

Calum's POV

We arrived at the location at exactly two in the afternoon. It was a small house near the edge of the woods. It looked like no one had been there for years.

Nick and about ten cops went around back and the rest went to the side. The guys and I walked up to the door. It opened just as I was about to knock.

We entered the pitch-black house and listened. My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I saw an outline of a door to my left. That's where he was keeping Maya. It had to be. I could've gone down there and rescued her and this would be over, but that would jeopardize the mission. I had to go according to plan if all of us were going to make it out alive.

A light turned on, and we followed it down a hallway. At the end was an office with nothing inside but a desk. A man was sitting behind it.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. The whole gang decided to show up. Luke, Ashton, it's good to see you again," he said and gave us a devilish grin.

"I wish I could say the same for you, but I'd be lying through my teeth," Ashton said.

"I missed having you as my assistant. It was fun," he said, chuckling to himself.

"Just get to the point," Michael said.

"Well, since you're so eager. Once you turn them over, they will work for me again. Doing my dirty work and other jobs I need to be done," he said.

"What kind of jobs?" Luke gulped.

"You'll find out soon enough. Now, if we're done here, I'll take these two, and you can get your daughter back. There's a door near the front. Only one goes," Dave said.

Michael practically ran out of the room.

"This worked out well. You can be on your way and-" he said but was stopped by my fist to his face and my foot to his ribcage.

Nick's POV

I waited behind the house for Calum's signal. After five minutes, the alarm in my hand went off.

"Go time," I said and kicked the door down.

There were no stairs. I peered over and saw it was a six-foot jump. I jumped and braced myself for the impact. Police followed behind me. I looked around and saw Maya on a bed in the corner. She sat up when she saw me.

"Nicky?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, it's me," I said. "We need to get you out of here. Come on."

There was one officer left with us when we ran upstairs. People were yelling and there were loud bangs. Luke ran towards us, his eyes full of fear.

"He has a gun. Run!" He yelled.

The three of us bolted to the front door. We barely made it a foot past the threshold when there was a gunshot, and pain tore through my chest.

Maya's POV

We ran outside when there was a loud bang, and Nick dropped to the floor.

"No!" I screamed, falling to the ground beside him.

I struggled to hold myself together when I realized he'd been shot. I pressed my hand against the wound to try to slow the bleeding, not caring that his blood covered my hands. Someone grabbed my wrists and pulled me away from Nick. A dark spot spread across his chest as he was put on a stretcher.

"Let me go!" I yelled, fighting against the person who held me back.

"Calm down. We'll meet him at the hospital. Don't worry. He'll be okay," Dad whispered in my ear.

We got in the car, and Dad placed me on his lap. I cried on his shoulder on the way to the hospital.

Nick was dying. I knew he was. He was dying and there was nothing I could do about it.

*~*

Finally, we made it to the hospital. Nick was rushed into surgery. they checked me to see if anything was broken or bruised, which nothing was.

Luke had brought me some fresh clothes, so I changed into them. I sat in the waiting room with Dad. I rubbed my eyes with my sweater paws and waited for news about Nick. The doctor finally came out and walked over to us.

"Nicholas is out of surgery. The anesthesia wore off. You may see him now," he said.

I jumped up and ran into the room. Nothing could've prepared me for what I saw. Nick was hooked up to a machine, many different tubes connected to his arms, and a bandage wrapped around his upper torso.

"Maya," he whispered. I ran to his side.

"Oh, god. This is all my fault. If I wasn't taken, none of this would've happened. It's all my fault," I cried.

"Don't say that. None of this is your fault. I knew the risks, but I helped anyway. I couldn't stand another minute without you," he said.

"Thank you for helping save me. I love you, Nicky. So much," I said and kissed him.

"I love you too, Maya," he said before his eyes fluttered shut and there was a long beep.

Nick's POV

I could feel myself slipping away, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to scare her. I knew there was no way to save me. I needed to tell her I loved her one last time.

With my final breath, I said, "I love you too, Maya."

Maya's POV

My heart shattered as I saw the straight line on the heart monitor.

I screamed. Not a scream as if something scared me. It was the kind of scream where your heart is being ripped out of your chest and your lungs aren't getting enough air. The scream your vocal cords release when your world falls apart in front of you.

Uncle Ash grabbed me and pulled me out of the room as it flooded with doctors and nurses. I fought against him. I pulled away and kicked, but his grip was too strong. My screams echoed off the walls. I tried to reach forward as if I could grab onto Nick, but I couldn't.

I sat down on a chair and cried. I clawed at my skin and rubbed my eyes. Small screams came out of my mouth and waterfalls of salty tears fell from my eyes.

The doctor came out of Nick's room and walked over to us. He gave me a sympathetic look and removed his glasses.

He said, "We did everything we could, but I'm afraid he's gone. I'm sorry for your loss."

He was gone. Nick. He was just gone.