BOND

51.

And I try to have a drink, toss it back, I don't wanna think

I really try not to miss you, but in the end

I do

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Joey was counting the seconds down to the two minutes that he had bet on when the swing door he knew was on the first floor, opened and closed with a louder thud. Michael had said that Reese would run down in five minutes after he saw any one of them. Nicholas had said three. Joey, a self-proclaimed higher intellectual, had said two and was currently winning by a mile.

So far so good.

They had made it to the place with no mishaps or major time delays. Maintaining an acceptable speed had been a challenge though. Alone, he would have gotten there at least half an hour early but with much less subtlety.

Michael had taken a little nap almost all of the journey. How, Joey had no idea. He had not been able to sit still, the excessive adrenaline in his system not allowing even a second of ease.

All the planning and talking and digging for information over the past thirty hours had been in build up for this moment.

He could hear bounding footsteps on the cemented steps.

Five more seconds. Tops. Maybe a couple extra if Reese tried to run to the other end of the alley. He would not go through with it, of course.

Joey had most if his guys over on that side. It was a busy street beyond them so Reese would prefer that side to be able to blend in. But there was no way he would get to it through a wall of five armed men.

Only one way left then and Joey had it covered.

He heard Reese round the corner and descend the last flight.

Four seconds.

He planted his feet wide and firmly in the middle of the passage. It was not very wide but it was enough for him to maneuver around comfortably and get a clean shot at Reese. He had a gun, digging into his waist, and he was completely prepared to use it.

Reese stumbled a little about halfway through. Now, Joey could hear Nicholas and Michael as well. It had been their plan. To drive Reese out of his apartment, let the chase heighten his paranoia and also because the body would be easier to deal with outside of a dingy old one bedroom flat.

Three seconds.

Joey snapped back to the memory of Elena in his arms a mere day ago. Promise me.

He had intended to keep it but ultimately his rage had proven to be too much. Over the duration of the drive over he had coerced his brain into thinking about the warehouse every time he thought of her. Not a difficult task a couple of days earlier but a gigantic exploit then, when all he could think of was how good it had felt to kiss her again.

The guilt of bending the promise went away slowly as he remembered the sight of her sobbing on the ground, caked with bruises and blood.

A groan from the other side of the door. Nicholas and Michael got to the top of the last staircase.

Two seconds.

Joey took in a deep breath, flexing his fingers to keep them from vibrating. He could feel the spare magazines in his back pocket, prodding into his hip bone.

He had no intention of using them unless absolutely necessary. But he could not stand back totally. Sorry Ellie, but one punch won't really hurt him.