[graham eaton]
I nod to my Dad, my eyes red and burning as tears trail down my cheeks.
"You go, get him help right away. I'll be there as soon as I can." I say. "Mom is going to need you now more than ever."
He nods, his eyes dark, the bags already forming as he worries about the middle of his three children, the most considerate and easiest of the three. A boy named after one of the most famous lawyers the world has ever read about for his first name, and named after the man who saved our father's life for his middle name. A boy who has never said no to helping someone in need, and has always given everything from his wallet, plate, and heart to help others before himself. The boy so willing to help others first that he may die because of it.
"Your Uncle Zeke is in charge for me while I'm gone. Take any questions you have to him." He says. "I love you, Son. This isn't your fault."
I nod slowly and close the doors, watching as Hana and my father solemnly sit over the unconscious boy on the gurney, his chest wall being held closed by a plastic bag with a paper towel in it to provide stiffness and then was duct taped to his skin. The ambulance pulls away slowly, their sirens and lights at max brightness and volume, warning everyone to get out of their way... The boy on their gurney doesn't have long. I spin around, searching for Jolene and Jaxon. I approach Zeke, my chest heavy, the oxygen barely making it in before it comes out. He places a hand on my shoulder, feeling the affects Atticus's injuries have on me.
"Have you seen Jaxon and Jolene? I need to grab Jolene and head to the Hospital. I want to be there for Atticus." I say.
He points to the fire engine, an eyebrow raised.
"Last I saw, they were going to the truck to grab more oxygen." He says. "I haven't seen them since."
I approach the truck, searching for them. I can't see them. I climb in, gasping. Jaxon lay on the floor of the truck, his head bloody. I crouch down, spotting Jolene's sketchbook beside him. I shake him gently.
"Jax," I say. "Jax, wake up."
He groans, reaching for his head.
"Where's Jolene?" I ask.
He raises an eyebrow and looks around.
"No," He says weakly. "No, no. This can't be happening."
I raise an eyebrow and place a hand on his shoulder, staring at him.
"What's going on?" I ask.
He sits up and buries the balls of his palms into his eye-sockets, groaning out loudly.
"He was here, Graham." He says. "Ghost was here."
I go straight-faced as I look down at him.
"He got Jolene. He grabbed her and when I tried to stop him, he attacked me. Hit with with something hard--a baseball bat, I think." He says.
All emotion floods my expressions, but deep down, rage bubbles up in my chest. Ghost planned the attack. Atticus is dying because Ghost planned this attack perfectly. I'd be too pre-occupied with the fire to watch over Jolene. He knew I couldn't save everyone so he took her while my back was turned. I reach down and garb her sketchbook, watching as something falls out from between the pages. A piece of perfectly creased ivory paper with perfect handwriting. A letter, addressed to me.
"Graham, this letter is the easiest. No code to solve, especially now that your code-breaking sidekick is out of the running. I have to ask, do you even think he'll survive? A full thickness burn like that, bad enough to reach the lungs is intense, don't you think so? Jolene is fine, just so you know. I'll allow you time to mourn and grieve your brother but, eventually, you'll come running to find me. And I think you know where to look when you do."
I swallow harshly, terrified of how he knew about Atticus. He was here, moments ago. I missed him. He was here and I didn't see him. He took Jolene and I never noticed.
[tobias eaton]
I look down at Atticus, cupping his face with my hand. He's always helped others, even when he didn't want to, it was against every bone and muscle in his body to not help them. He had to help and he usually did. The ambulance parks, finally, after the slowest ambulance ride of my life. They couldn't drive too fast to avoid bumps to avoid causing him any more pain than what he is already in. Hana opens the doors and, with the assistance of the other paramedic and two nurses, they lift the stretcher down onto the ground. I jump down, following them as they roll him inside, urgently. Beatrice stands at the Nurse's station, her hair back in a bun as he signs notes and reads directives of care.
"Beatrice," I say weakly, the word barely passing my lips. "Beatrice."
This time, my words are louder and catch her attention. She stares at me and smiles, unaware of her son on the gurney.
"Tobias, I--" Her eye catches the gurney and her words hitch in her throat. "Is that...?"
I nod. He's wheeled into one of the many trauma rooms, nurses and other doctors immediately starting to initiate the diagnosing, treating, and healing processes.
"Atticus Eaton, 20-years-old, bradypnea and dyspnea as well as bradycardia in the field after falling two stories in and apartment fire from third to basement without any protection to prevent injury. In the fall, he sustained a full thickness burn to the chest cavity resulting in this..." One paramedic says, pulling back the duct tape and bag, revealing the wound to the care team.
His burn as well as his ribs and lung are exposed to the world, causing others to gasp as they look at it. Tris looks nauseated, scared, no--terrified, sad, angry, everything bad mixing into one singular action easily recognized. She screams, covering her mouth in fear as she stares at the unconscious boy. I run to her, taking her in my arms, trying to shield her sight from the boy as the team tries to fix him.
"He's in good hands now," I say, shushing her. "He's going to be okay."
She sobs into my arms, pleading with God to save him.
"That's my son!" She screams. "That's my boy!"
People in the ER, Patients, Doctors, Nurses, and other staff all stare in our direction. She collapses to her knees, hunching up against the wall.
"I wish it were me," A voice says behind us.
I spin around spotting Graham, staring in at his brother.
"That's supposed to be me on that table. From the day Atticus was born, it's been my job to keep him safe." He says. "Ghost was there. He started the fire and took Jolene while we weren't looking. He got Jolene."
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𝗣 𝗬 𝗥 𝗢 𝗠 𝗔 𝗡 𝗜 𝗔 | BOOK THREE
FanfictionBook three in the A Cut Above, Cold Hard Courage series! The sun may have set on Tobias and Beatrice's story, but with a new dawn brings new light to a new hero, Graham Eaton, son of our beloved protagonists from the two previous stories, now old en...