Embers: The Light in Your Shadow

Eighteen

Officer Fernandez led me up the stairwell with 5 trained SWAT members. I was fitted with a bulletproof vest. Trying to run with it on was uncomfortable, but I pushed past it. Cesare and Lorenzo needed me.

Finally reaching the 12th floor, I took a minute to catch my breath. One of the SWAT members handed me 2 devices. "Place this on their bodies, and it will temporarily paralyze them."

How was I supposed to do that? If I tried to get close they would kill me. In spite of the odds stacked against me, I nodded my head willing to risk everything to save my family.

"YOU HAVE 1 MINUTE TO PRODUCE SAVANNAH, OR I WILL KILL THIS GIRL!" Armando yelled into a phone. He clocked his gun, taking the safety off, and Fernandez silently opened the door for me. Stepping out onto the floor, I took deep breaths and prayed the entire way.

"I'm here, Armando." I said getting everyone's attention. They had people tied up. I searched for Cesare and Lorenzo, but they weren't among the group. Hopefully they were hiding. His eyes found mine, causing him to throw the hostage to the ground. As he advanced on me, I put one of the devices in my hand.

Armando grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, dragging me to the window. I placed my hand on his shoulder to steady myself from falling, subtly placing the device on him. He never saw it coming. "This time I'll make sure die!" My back slammed against the glass with force repeatedly as Armando took out his anger on me.

"You have me... now let them go." For trying to persuade him, he smacked me. He clocked his gun and pointed it at the woman he had earlier. "Please, don't!" I pleaded with him. The gun had gone off, but he missed her on purpose.

"I make the demands... not you!" I cringed as his hand went around my waist. "I'm going to kill you..." His lips kissed my neck, and I let a tear slip down my cheek. "...but I'll let them go... I have who I really wanted..."

At his mercy, the hostages got up and ran down the hallway. Armando surprised me when his hand gripped my neck, and he slammed me to the ground. He crawled on top of me, and I tried to fight him off. That earned me a couple of punches to the face. "You remind me so much of her... It's hard to resist taking you."

My eyes widened as I realized he was talking about Sophia. He ripped my shirt as I tried to prevent him from strangling me to death. This only infuriated him as his eyes glazed over my bulletproof vest. He stripped me from it in no time, dislocating my shoulder in the process and picked up his gun.

Mustering up the courage, I kicked him in the stomach, ultimately sending the gun flying out of his hand. Once he was down, I made a break for the weapon, but he tackled me to the floor and punished me. "Sophia tried to fight me too... and look where that got her."

I couldn't stop the sobs that escaped my mouth. Just then, a door opened somewhere and in waltzed Isabella Flores with Cesare. His tied hands and feet prevented him from attacking the siblings. Our eyes found each other's, and he blazed with fury. I caught movement to the left of me, spotting Lorenzo out of the corner of my eye.

Isabella approached me and lost her footing as Armando tried to push her away. As she fell on me, I put the device on her back. Both devices beeped simultaneously sending an electric current through the siblings. They fell forward crushing me in the process. Cesare fought out of his restraints, and Lorenzo appeared from the shadows to help his brother.

The SWAT team and Fernandez rushed in and pulled the siblings off. Cesare picked me up and held me close. He took off his suit jacket and had me put it on as I gasped for air. Just as we thought the threat was contained both siblings rose up and started shooting. The SWAT team took them down with no casualties on their end.