The Lost and Hidden Years

Chapter Eleven

"Hey, step back. I can't let you go in there," the lieutenant pulled Björn by the arm, and turned around continuing to push him back with her hand on Björn's chest.

"You have to save her! What are you waiting for?" He raised his voice angry and frustrated with them just waiting for his next move. "He has a gun pointed to her head."

"Take it easy. You're already closer than you should be in this case."

Gert saw the sight of Björn and grew more irritated. He immediately pulled the arm of Agnetha and held her to him.

"We're leaving. Let's go."

"Gert, they have the building surrounded," she let out. "It's over. We won't make it!"

"Watch me," he pointed the gun into her side again and pushed her to walk down the stairs to find an exit cops were not surrounding.

Björn couldn't stay put any longer. He slowly backed away while the detectives, and the lieutenant communicated. He walked to the side of the building finding an officer at the door ready to enter, only waiting for the word from his boss.

Björn waited for him to move so he could easily sneak in, but it was impossible. Moments passed, Björn stood finding the officer had stepped back to exchange word with the second officer, both of them distracted enough to not notice Björn slipping through the doors.

Gert knew his place around the building well. He was prepared with an alternative escape plan and he hoped his best the police didn't know of it. He pushed Agnetha to go through the door first.

Björn saw them and immediately with no hesitation ran from behind Gert to attack. He hit him enough to weaken him then knocked the gun out of his hold to a few feet away. Agnetha's eyes quickly were drawn to the gun.

Gert, who was on the floor knew her thoughts. He held her foot while she tried to crawl to it, to trip her and hold her back. There wasn't a way he'd let them win. She reached for it with her hand, but Gert kept pulling at her foot. Björn threw punches over and over again, hitting him as hard as he could.

Agnetha grabbed the gun and pulled Björn off of Gert. He lied there groaning in pain. His face red, eyes shut tight and nose bleeding. He was defeated enough for them to make their run. She looked at Björn who snatched the gun from her hand, cocking it, then pointing it at Gert who laid helplessly on the ground.

"Björn, no!" She held his hand, trying to hold it away in fear of him committing the crime. "You're not a murderer. Please, don't."

He moved his angry eyes away from Gert's disgusting sight and found her blue eyes. Her face was tired, overwhelmed, and dirty. She had lost so much weight. His heart clenched from the pain of seeing her. He couldn't do it to her. He couldn't let her see it. Björn listened and took her hand to lead Agnetha away.

Making their way into the distance away from Gert, they looked at each other both relieved and exhausted that finally it was over. They were together. Agnetha was no longer in danger and they were going to be home soon at last. Björn and Agnetha embraced, their hug was the only relief they had felt in days, in weeks. Putting his forehead to hers, he held her close to comfort her.

He pulled back to look at her. His eyes began examining her features, while hands went up to hold her face, but before he had the chance to a gunshot was fired. Agnetha and Björn looked at each other confused and terrified, not sure what had just happened. Agnetha's hand was at Björn's back, and her teary blue eyes watched him relax.

"Björn?" Agnetha's voice spoke, cracking up all together.

"If I can't have her, you can't either ," Gert said to himself. Although Agnetha and Björn felt safe standing from a distance Gert had gotten back up to his feet. He had a spare pistol he kept on him from Sheriff Nilson's belt.

"Shh... you're safe now," Björn told her as he began to fall in her arms. Both sunk to the floor as she held him.

This isn't happening. This can't happen. This isn't how it ends, she thought.

"N-no! No, no, no!" Agnetha's tears had puddled, her vision blurring completely. "Björn," she cried, stroking his face. She shook him afraid he'd slip from her. In the same moment they had found each other, both knew they were losing each other once again. They couldn't believe their fate.

"You're safe. T-the cops are gonna take care of you. It's over," he breathed.

"Please, don't leave me, Björn. Please, please– I can't," she shook her head. "I can't live without you," she sobbed, holding on to him tight.

"I love you, Agnetha. Everything will be fine." Björn held her hand and kissed while his eyes were shutting. She moved her hand quickly to his side in search of the wound and held it tight, knowing she should apply pressure. Her hands quickly felt of wetness of blood leaking through her fingers.

"Please, stay with me. Please, Björn," she begged as she saw her world come crashing down. Thinking it could never get worse, it suddenly had. It was the worst thing she could ever experience. The love of her life was in her arms falling apart and barely holding onto his life.

"Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid," Gert paced with his hands holding his head listening to the team from inside the building and the helicopter hovering over the building. Agnetha's sobs filled the open space, yelling helplessly and hopelessly.

Gert dropped the secondary gun he had snatched from Sheriff Nilsson as multiple men dressed in heavy gear holding their weapons approached him. He surrendered to half while the detectives rushed to Björn and Agnetha.

Agnetha rocked herself with Björn in her arms unable to stop crying, unable to move or think. She cared for nothing. She only wanted Björn. This is all my fault, she thought. It should be me, not you, Björn. The detectives hurried to them, trying to pull her away from him but she refused. Their attempts were failed, until she found Mona there, too.

The paramedics came rushing to them to see they were not alright. Björn was shot and fading away while Agnetha held onto the detectives and her sister who helped her, crying to them and feeling that this was it. There was no light to see now. Everything had gone to pitch black darkness.