Beyond the Shallow Waters ★ Maylor

Chapter 20

If there are any errors or grammar mistakes in this, please overlook them.
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When the unveiling finally began, Brian had to pull out some money. They had to pay to get inside which was a ridiculous price, but he figured that it was to keep it from getting overcrowded. Also, it was Prenter, a sleazy dirtbag.
     
It was easy to find the security guards inside. Chrissie was the one to come up with a plan. She would distract the guard while Brian would sneak up behind and steal the keycard.

"Right, here we go." Chrissie slipped away from Brian and started to strike up a conversation.

"Hi! I bet you don't get this a lot, but I appreciate what you do and your job is important! Do you like being a security guard?" Luckily for the two of them, this guy was kind of thick.

"Why thank you, miss. Ya know, I like being a security guard, but I always dreamt of being an actor. It was always my dream but my father kept me from it..." While the guard rambled on with his whole life story, Brian very gently took his keycard. He winked at Chrissie who nodded, finishing up her conversation before running after him. Once they found the guard room, they easily slipped inside.

"What now?" Chrissie inquired, watch Brian quickly slip into a uniform.

"Grab a few other things and that'll be it. Okay, how do I look?" He stood with his arms stretched out.

"You look fine. You look like a guard, but here." She laughed, tucking the rest of his head under his cap. They grabbed what they thought they'd need, nothing too big and too suspicious, then head back out. They went their separate ways for the meantime and spaced out.

"Hey, you!" The voice ran a chill down Brian's spine.

"Uh-yes?" Brian deepened his voice and keep his back turn to Prenter.

"We need an extra guard in the unveiling room. Get in there." Brian kept his head held low and walked in the exhibit room.

In the middle of the room, there was, what Brian was guessing, a tank. It was covered with a giant black sheet. Impossible for anyone to see in and impossible for anything to see out. Brian's Heart pounded. He knew Roger was in there and had to be absolutely terrified.

The once capacious room was now filled. Brian spotted John across the room and Chrissie was by his side. He's guessing she told him. Miami was barely seen but at his height, he spotted him.
    
The lights turned off and little lights, almost like the lights of a disco ball, moved around the room. They were blue to represent the ocean, Brian guesses. Another blue light, which was faint, could be seen shining under the sheet.
    
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Now the time has come to unveil my greatest discovery. It took me a week to capture it, but now I have. I'm surprised I even found it within a week. You will not believe your eyes when you see it. You will not believe it's real but I assured you, you'll believe it once you see him." Prenter grasper the sheet and with one swift jerk, it was pulled off. Gasps flooded the room.
    
"I give you a real living Merman!" Cameras began to flash and talking erupted. Brian's heart sank as he saw the look on Roger's face. He was terrified and moving quickly around in the limited space he had. He shielded his eyes from the flash and trying to cover his face.
    
"He's just a little shy, not having been around many people before. He's extremely friendly, well to me he was." Prenter's snarky comment made Brian's blood boiled. He was ready to mess up their whole plan and beat the hell out of the Irish man. A hand landing on his shoulder stopped him.
    
"Don't." Thank Jesus, it was only Miami. How did he sneak up on him like that?
    
"I'm trying."  It disgusted the brunette watching the scene unfold in front of him.
    
"Anyone have any questions?" Multiple hands flew up into the air.
    
"Yes?" Prenter asked pointing in the direction of the one.
    
"Does it have a name?" The middle-aged man asked. Roger is no IT. That pissed off Brian even more.
    
"Believe it or not, his name's Roger. I bet you were expecting something more exciting, huh?" That made most of the crowd break out in laughter, not helping Brian's temper.
    
A few more questions went by and then Brian saw Chrissie raise her hand.
    
"Yes?" Brian hopes that Chrissie gives him the worst thing ever.
    
"You took him by force, didn't you?" That grabbed Roger's attention, he turned to look at the girl. The guy next to her looked awfully familiar, but he couldn't place it.
     
"I'm sorry, excuse me?" The whole question had knocked the Irish man off guard.
    
"He didn't come willingly. The look on his face and his actions say it all." Brian could tell Prenter was getting aggravated.
    
"I don't know what you see, but he came willingly. He's just really shy." It was then Brian realized was Chris was doing; Chrissie was causing a distraction.
    
"Bullshit, Prenter! You're lying! You kidnapped him, took away from his home, and away from the one he loved! You're a sick man!"
    
"Get her out. GET HER OUT!" The three took this time to set their plan to action.
    
"ROGER TELL THEM!" Chrissie screamed out, being drag away. She broke free from the grasp.
    
"Tell them how Prenter hunted you down! Tell them all what he did to you! He took you right away from your friends!"
     
"I SAID GET HER OUT!!" While Chrissie had the other guards and Prenter distracted, John slipped up to the glass. Roger's eyes widened when he realized it was John. John spit his gum in his hand and took the diamond out of his pocket. God how ridiculous he was taking ideas from Moriarty in Sherlock.
    
He stuck the gum to the glass and place the diamond in it. He did it within a matter of seconds, Miami slipping up to him with a fire extinguisher.
    
John drew back and BAM! It didn't break yet, but it caught everyone's attention.
    
"What the fuck?!" Prenter spun around, now facing the tank. Another swift hit to the glass, cracking it even more.
    
"Stand back, Rog!" Deaky yelled at the blonde, swinging back once more, shattering the one side of the tank. Water poured out all over the floor. People were screaming and panicking.
    
Prenter, steaming, flipped on the lights. He was ready to kill a person. His prized trophy was being carefully picked up to avoid the glass. He finally realized who had ruined his night.

He started running through the crowd who were trying to escape. A quick punch to his head knocked him down for the meantime.

"Nice one, Jim!" Brian shouted, hurrying to get Roger to safety with John and Chrissie in tow.
    
Roger looked up at Brian in glee, happier than he'd ever been in his life.
    
"You came for me." Roger squeaked, feeling tears coming on. He wrapped his arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. The happiness wouldn't last long though.
    
"Of course, I would. You mean too much to me. You're safe now." Brian felt the tears prickle at his eyes too.
    
"Wait! What about Freddie?!" Roger threw his head back to look into Brian's eyes.
    
"Miami's looking for him. We'll find him, okay?" Roger nodded, wiping his tears, and smiling. 
  
They ran out through the back of the giant building, through the loading bay. Before they could get to the gate, someone cried out.
    
"STOP!!" They all turned, gasping. Prenter had a hold a Freddie by the throat, a gun to his head.
    
"One more step and he dies." Freddie was fighting the arm wrapped around his throat but couldn't get it pulled off. He was struggling to breathe, tears streaming down his face.
    
"KILL HIM AND IT'LL BE THE LAST THING YOU DO!" John screamed, Chrissie having to hold him back. John's murderous side was emerging from within him.
    
"John-" Freddie coughed, "J-John don't worry about me, d-darling. Just you three get Roger out of here."
    
"Aww Yes. You three get Roger out of here." Prenter gave a fake pout and pressed the gun harder into Freddie's midnight hair.
    
"Let him go, Prenter." Brian warned, Paul didn't listen.
    
"No! I will NOT! Give me Roger and nobody has to die. You'd like that, everyone lives. If you don't give me him when I count to ten, I will pull this trigger."
    
"Pull that trigger, see where it gets you." A whole other voice spoke.