By Chance

ch31

Gabriel

I bolt down the impossibly long corridor chasing after the scream, gun held out in front of me. When I turn I stop in my tacks. At the end of the hallway stands Cole and Raven. His arm across her throat and a gun pointing at me. She looks like she's about ready to punch his lights out, and I bet she would if he didn't have a gun to her head.

"Let her go." I growl. Cole laughs. "Oh, please, like I would come this far to do that." He says. Traitor.

"Why are you doing this?" I say my grip tightening on the gun. "Did you really think I could just flip a switch and be a good guy? No. I've been with the other side this whole time. Reporting your very move. Your strengths, your weaknesses. What your group has been planning." He says He says laughing mechanically.

"Why?" My breath becoming shallow. "I offered her a chance to run away. We would of been so happy together. But she said no, she was to close to you and her family to leave." He spits, his muscle flexing as his grip on Raven's throat tightens. She yelps and it takes all my self control not to lunge at him right then. "Who?" I say my hands shaking with rage. "Bethany, you idiot! I loved her! So I figure why not take her away and hurt the people keeping her from me? You and Raven! I watched you and suffer daily when she went missing, at school, home, both of you depressed. It was only incentive to keep going with the plan!" He shouts at me.

"You twisted bastard! Let Raven go!" I shout. "Or what you'll shoot me?" He says smirking. "See, that's your flaw. You seem so brave until it comes down to it and all you are is a coward! Afraid to take action even when it counts! I don't think you have the guts to do it." He says smugly.

Raven tries to kick him but when he moves the gun to her head she freezes. He face going pale despite the lack of oxygen. Her eyes plead with me. "Walk away and she dies or stay and I'll shoot you instead." He says. I take a step forward and his gun turns to me. Raven's eyes grow wide. "Don't, walk away, please don't." She whispers with little strength behind her voice. I take another step forward.

"Do it. I'd rather be sentenced to death than be the reason she dies." I say looking straight into Cole's emotionless eyes.

A shocked expression crosses his face but he hides it quickly. Raven squirms. "Stop moving girlie, or I'll make you pull the trigger." He says harshly into her ears. She keeps moving. He pushes her forward, keeping a grip on her arm. "Grab the gun." He says nodding to the familiar 9 ml of Raven's lying against the wall a couple feet. She shuffles a couple feet, and picks up the gun carefully to do exactly what he tells her to do. I try swallow the lump in my throat. "Shoot him or I'll shoot you." He says keeping the weapon aimed at her head.

She looks me dead in the eye. Determination replacing the fear that filled her eyes a couple seconds ago. Her breath is rigid. "No." She says more strongly than before. I shake my head. I think for a couple of seconds, before I raise my weapon to face Cole and Raven does the same understanding my point. He laughs. "You think you got it all figured out don't you, well wake up call, whoever doesn't shoot first dies. Meaning in trade for my life, I'll take one of yours." He says. Raven lowers her weapon. "That's what I thought." He says smirking. 'On the count of three, drop.' I mouth. She nods microscopically. I count off on my fingers. 1, 2, 3. Raven ducks and I fire. Cole falls.

I don't look where the bullet went, I know where it went. Exactly where I told it to, his head. I don't give the information time to sink in, I grab Raven's hand and start running.