Protect me - Luke Hemmings Punk

3.4 - "Promise me, Luke."

Luke's P.O.V

.

.

Calum put on his black shirt with shaky arms. I couldn't blame him though. It was rather cold outside, it was wet and he had just used it to make his friend unconscious.

He stood up from the ground and ran his palms down the dried blood and sighed loudly. Without even looking at me, he began walking back from where we had come from, where Michael stood.

"You okay?" I asked and quickly caught up with his long steps.

"Yes."

"Calum. He's not gone. He's just asleep for a while. You know that." I said and placed my hand on his shoulder, but he suddenly turned around and faced me with a frustrated expression.

"Don't you think I know that! It's not about me choking a man, because I've done it a thousand times. I know they always wake up. It's because it was Ashton." He said as tears began to build up in his eyes.

"I know he's not gone, but in a certain way he is. You know damn well that I'm not okay, Luke."

I was about to fight back with some rude comment, but decided to close my mouth and press my lips together. No, Calum didn't need this. He had basically saved all of us.

"Come on." I muttered and nudged his arm gently before continuing to walking around the corner.

Once we had turn 90 degrees we saw Michael's hair light up just a few meters away. He stood relaxed against the wall with his foot in between the door and the hallway.

"What happened?" Michael asked once he saw our unreadable expressions.

Calum shoot him an angry glare before grabbing the door Michael held and pushed it open. With heavy steps he barged through it and disappeared into the dark room.

Michael looked at Michael and then back at me. I couldn't do anything but to shrug my shoulders and shook my head.

"Don't ask." I muttered with a clenched jaw and followed Calum through the door. I could only imagine what's going on inside of Calum's head. Hell, I wouldn't even want to know.

.

.

.

Once we all were inside the hallway a lamp began to light up, which made another one do the same, and another. It must've some kind of reaction lamp, those kind who shine when you move.

"Let's go."

With careful steps we began walking down the hallway. I moved my hand up Mysore and found one of my guns in my belt. I picked it up. Michael saw my gesture and did the same.

"The plan?" Calum asked and wiped away a single tear that was running down his face once again. I gulped hard and lowered my gun a bit.

"You two, go find Em and Jefer. I'll get the chip back." I muttered and nodded towards them, but they didn't look too happy.

"No, we should stay together."

"But we'll find them easier if we split up."

"But we won't find each other afterwards."

"Okay, let's say we meet up near the road, under the lampposts when we're done." I suggested and looked between Calum and Michael who kept on shaking their heads.

"No, it's not a good idea, Luke."

I rolled my eyes and continued to walk down the hallway with long steps as my eyes scanned up in search for cameras every now and then.

"You've got a better option? No? Exactly." I muttered and could practically hear Michaels eyes roll 360 degrees.

"Fine. You win, Hemmings."

.

.

I turned around nearest corner and came to a stairs, one that led up and one down. Em and Jenn would probably be up while the chip should be in the basement.

"Let's split here." I said and looked down the stairs and then back at Michael and Calum who followed my gesture.

"So this is basically it."

"What do you mean?" Calum asked and looked at his best friend with a concerned expression.

"This could possibly be the last time we see each other."

Michael's shaky voice made me gulp hard and turn fully around to face him. His eyes were locked at the white floor and refused to make eye contact with any of us.

"Michael. This is not the end of us. Yes, I remember saying this might be our last mission, but that doesn't mean it's the end of us."

He nodded his head slowly and took a deep breath.

"In 8 hours we'll all be heading home, hopefully with Ashton in the back of the car too. You, me, Calum, Ashton, Jennifer and Emmy."

"Okay. Just... Be careful, okay? I don't want to lose another family member." Michael said and took a step forward, opened up his arms and embraced me in a tight hug.

I did not hesitate to wrap my arms around his torso and pressed my face in the crock of his neck. Taking a deep breath I took in Michael's familiar smell.

"Promise me."

"Promise you what?

"Promise me that we'll be back home and quit all of this."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm tired of being haunted all the time. I just want a place to call home. A real place. I want to meet someone and fall in love, just like you with Em. I want to be free."

I closed my eyes and suddenly a flashback fly through my mind. From the very first moment till now, our last. I can't remember my life before this and I've always taken it as a sign. Maybe it's time to move on, create a safe home instead of a broken one.

I let out a sigh and nodded my head.

"I promise, Michael."

But deep in my mind I knew that once you got into this business, there was no getting out.

.
.

A/N

Holy fück chapter 1 reached over 1000 reads!!!

AND WE HIT 15k READS