FF_992224_2030059662 4/27/2012
A/N: This story is completed. I will post a chapter a week until it's completed. It's eleven chapters, so I hope you enjoy.
Spoilers: Through Slow Burn
Disclaimer: I don't own Flashpoint or anyone you recognize within the story.
Toronto Police Strategic Response Unit Sniper Sam Braddock was on a mission. He'd needed to stop for gas in his truck. And when he went inside the station to pay for his gas purchase, he'd seen the candy displays and had a sudden thought. He knew his girlfriend and teammate Julianna "Jules" Callaghan loved peanut butter cups. So Sam became obsessed with finding them in the tiny convenience store. The box next to the cash register was empty, but the clerk had pointed out a display in the back that should have more.
Grinning at the clerk, Sam triumphantly held the candy up as he strode back to the register. He was chatting with the clerk when the door opened. Sam glanced over and then froze when he saw the gun in the hand of the man entering.
Pointing the gun at the clerk, the assailant growled, "Gimme the money!"
"No way," the clerk screeched. "I get docked for everything missing. I'm not givin' you anything!"
"Hey, guys, let's all just calm down," Sam began, trying to deescalate the situation.
"Shut up," the man with the gun snarled. He swept the gun at Sam and connected with his cheek.
Sam went down to one knee, fighting the pain and dizziness.
The gunman swung the gun back towards the clerk. "Give me the money, now! Or you'll be next!"
"No!" if anything the clerk was screeching louder.
"Look man," Sam said to the clerk. "Calm down. It's just money. Give him what he wants and we all get out of here ok."
"If I give him the money, my boss will fire me," the clerk muttered, sullenly. "I need this job."
"Fine," Sam snapped, "I'll give it to him." He put his hands up at shoulder level, and slowly got to his feet. He looked at the gunman. "Stay calm, man, I'm just going to go back there and get your money, ok?"
He waited until the gunman nodded and said, "Hurry it up! I don't have all day!"
Sam nodded and moved a little faster. Everything was going smoothly until Sam moved between the clerk and the gunman. The clerk shoved him forward and reached toward something under the counter. With his hands in the air, Sam lost his balance and fell straight into the gun. It went off into his right shoulder and Sam felt the red-hot fiery pain shoot through his body. He cried out and fell backwards, knocking the clerk down as well.
The gunman snarled and shot the clerk in the head. Sam clutched his bloody shoulder, watching helplessly as the gun turned back towards him. Before the gun finished leveling at him, both Sam and the gunman were distracted by the sirens pulling up outside. The gunman snarled again and rushed to the door. Quickly pulling down the shade, he locked the door. Turning back towards the register, he ordered, "Get up. Get out here. Get out here, now!"
"I'm coming," Sam forced out past the pain. He slowly struggled to his feet. "Give me a minute; I'm not moving so well." Pain shot through him with every movement. He swore silently as he realized that his collarbone was probably broken. When he was back on the outside of the counter, the gunman gestured for him to sit. Sam slowly slid down the counter, gasping with relief when he was finally still.
The gunman quickly moved through the convenience store, finding four more patrons hiding back by the restrooms: three women and a man. Ushering them back to the register, he ordered them to the floor next to Sam.
"Uh, hey, man," Sam said, tentatively. He froze as the gunman turned both his attention and gun towards him. "Can someone get me something to help stop the bleeding, please?"
The gunman stared intently at him for several long minutes. Finally he gestured towards one of the woman on the floor next to Sam. "Get paper towels and duct tape," he said, gruffly. He paced nervously while the woman moved tentatively through the store. When she scuttled back with the supplies, he waved the gun toward Sam. "Fix him up," was all he said.
He continued to pace, the gun clenched tightly in his hand, while the woman opened the paper towels and duct tape. Another of the women moved to help her without being told. Sam couldn't hold back his cry of pain when they eased his jacket off his wounded shoulder. He could feel the sweat running down his face, pain shuddering through him as they pressed the paper towels to both the entrance and exit wounds. He clenched his teeth tightly, doing his best to hold still as they wrapped the paper towels with duct tape.
"Thanks," he gasped when they were finished.
His eyes followed the gunman as he reached for and snagged Sam's jacket from the floor where the women had laid it. He swore silently, knowing the gunman was going to find his SRU ID in the inside pocket.
"You're a cop?" the gunman exclaimed, his gun again targeting Sam's forehead.
"I'm off duty," Sam said quickly. "I'm not armed. You can see I'm not armed." He met the gunman's eyes, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. "I just came in to pay for my gas and get some candy for my girlfriend." He held the gunman's gaze. "I swear; I'm just here to get gas and candy."
Sam did his best to hide his fear as the gunman gestured the other hostages away from him. He put up his hand, trying to forestall what he knew was coming. Sam cried out when the kick connected with his ribs. He curled up on his side as two more kicks slammed in to him.
A/N: Please review if you can! Thanks! :)