Chapter 9 - The Aftermath
The sound of the gunshot was deafening.
For a split second, time seemed to stand completely still.
Then, Ethan collapsed backward.
He hit the concrete floor hard, clutching his right shoulder.
Blood rapidly soaked through the expensive white fabric of his shirt.
"Ethan!" Hannah shrieked, falling to her knees beside him.
Marcus recovered his balance and raised the gun to finish the job.
Before he could pull the trigger again, the warehouse doors blew completely off their hinges.
Richard Blackwood hadn't waited for the police.
He had called in his private tactical security team.
Ten heavily armed men flooded the room.
Red laser sights instantly painted Marcus's chest.
"Drop the weapon!" the lead security officer bellowed.
Marcus realized he was entirely outmatched.
He dropped the gun and fell to his knees, raising his hands in surrender.
Victoria screamed as rough hands pulled her up and slapped zip-ties on her wrists.
Hannah ignored all of the chaos.
She pressed both of her hands fiercely over the bullet wound on Ethan's shoulder.
Warm blood seeped through her fingers.
"Hold on, Ethan, please hold on," she cried, tears streaming down her face.
Ethan smiled weakly, his face growing dangerously pale.
He reached up with his good arm and wiped a tear from her cheek.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner."
Noah knelt on the other side of him, crying uncontrollably.
Ethan turned his head to look at the boy.
"You were very brave, buddy," Ethan choked out. "I'm so proud of you."
Paramedics burst through the door with a stretcher.
They pushed Hannah aside and began frantically packing the wound.
"His blood pressure is tanking!" a medic yelled.
They lifted Ethan onto the stretcher and sprinted toward the waiting ambulance.
Hannah grabbed Noah's hand and ran right behind them.
She climbed into the back of the ambulance as the doors slammed shut.
The siren wailed as the vehicle sped toward the hospital.
Hannah held Ethan’s cold hand, praying to any god that would listen.
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Suddenly, the monitors in the ambulance began to scream a flat, continuous tone.
"He's crashing!" the paramedic shouted, grabbing the defibrillator paddles.
