Always Faithful

Chapter 24: Two Strangers Learn to Fall in Love Again

Darkness shrouded over Bragnae as she crashed to the floor. Drake's body covered her own as she struggled to regain control of her breathing. Her eyes remained closed while Drake's hands frantically roamed her arms, chest and legs. The clanking sound of metal hit the ground a moment later.

"Bragnae! Are you with me? Are you hit?" Drake asked with worry.

"What have I done?" Constantine asked himself in a soft, shocked voice.

Stunned in her own right, she finally managed to open her eyes. Aside from the discomfort she received when her body connected suddenly with the floor, she felt no horrific pain contrary to what she prepared herself for. A second later, she heard labored breathing and groaning a few feet away from her.

"Drake, I'm fine. It... its Liam," she stammered.

As soon as Drake got off of her, Bragnae sat up to see Liam crumpled on the floor clutching his arm surrounded by a growing puddle of blood. Constantine stood with his mouth gaped open as he stared at his son whose natural color was quickly draining from his face.

"You bastard!" Drake screamed as he charged the General once more. Gripping Constantine's jacket in his tight fists, Drake threw him up against the nearest wall. "You shot your own son! How do you feel now, asshole?"

Bragnae immediately scooted herself over to Liam. She pulled off the sweatshirt she was wearing, and pushed it against his shoulder where the bullet had pierced his skin. A loud noise came from the back of the house as multiple footsteps stormed across the floor.

"Liam, stay with me now," Bragnae said calmly as she cradled his head in her lap. She lightly stroked the side of his face while she continued to apply pressure to his wound. "Can you talk to me?"

Liam's eyes squeezed shut as he cried out in pain. "Fucking... hurts," he moaned loudly.

"It's going to be okay, Liam. Just hold on for me. You're going to be okay," Bragnae reassured him – and herself.

Suddenly a loud commotion erupted into the room as four men tactically filed in. Bragnae looked up to see a man in a suit and three military police officers holding pistols in their hands. The man in the suit and one of the Marines rushed over to peel Drake off of Constantine as the others secured the discarded weapon and tended to her and Liam.

"Constantine Reese," the man in the suit began as one of the police officers cuffed the general's hands behind his back. "You're under arrest for the murder and attempted murder of two U.S. Marines, misuse of military equipment, and creating an Order outside of your jurisdiction that resulted in loss of life, and jeopardized a mission already in motion."

As his rights were read, one of the Marines called for an ambulance.

Drake looked to Liam again. "Bastien, he also tried to kill Bragnae, but shot Liam instead."

Bastien looked to Liam and back at Constantine, shaking his head. "Your list of criminal acts keeps growing, General."

"My son," Constantine whispered with a pained expression.

"Get him out of here," Bastien ordered.

Two of the officers escorted Constantine out of the house as he struggled to keep Liam in his view. "Liam! I'm sorry! Liam!"

Sirens sounded in the distance. Bragnae closed her eyes in relief as she gently rubbed a hand over his chest. Drake knelt down next to him as Bastien called someone on his phone.

"How you doing, Liam?" Drake asked, picking up his hand.

Liam took a few deep breaths. "Nothing... I can't... handle."