Sirens from the Korean military vehicles echoed through the otherwise silent Spokane night. From one of the windows in a long abandoned apartment complex, Jed caught a glance of the empty street. No cars, no tanks, not even a soldier scuttling by. Just an empty street on all sides of them.
Empty for now. said a voice in his head. They would come after them, they always did. The Wolverines had dealt a devastating blow to the Koreans by stealing the radio. There would be retaliation against them, just as there was before. They would come at them hard and try and drive them out. But the Wolverines were strong, they would hold their ground. This was their home.
A burning pain passed through his shoulder as Jed climbed the stairs behind Matt, pushing his thoughts from the perimeter. Every step he took, every muscle twitch aggravated the gunshot wound Cho had dealt. Lucky for him the bullet had passed through his shoulder and missed the artery, but that didn't stop it from hurting like a son of a bitch. Jed grit his teeth tightly and charged up the last flight of stairs. He held his shoulder against his chest, keeping it still as much as possible.
Matt reached the apartment first and opened the door. Jed followed behind his brother and closed the door behind them. Erica, Robert, and Daryl stood in the remains of the kitchen. Daryl was hunched over the counter, just lowering his shirt. Tanner was sitting by the window closest to the door, watching the roads. He looked over his shoulder as Matt entered the apartment and smiled.
"Hey." Matt said, giving Tanner's hand a firm shake. He moved further in and caught sight of Erica.
Jed smirked as he watched his brother make a beeline for his girlfriend.
"You look like hell." Tanner said.
Jed chuckled. "You don't look much better."
Tanner smiled. "Good work, man."
Jed grasped Tanner's hand tightly. "You too." He looked up and caught sight of Toni in the next room over. Her hair was a mess, covered in dirt and dust, and she looked exhausted, but she was no worse for wear. Taking in the sight of her appearance flooded Jed with relief. He smiled at her, earning one in return.
Before he could make his way toward her, Robert intercepted him. Jed quickly gave Robert a shake before returning his attention back to Toni. As of late, he couldn't seem to get her off his mind. Even in the midst of the missions, her safety was the first thing he thought. Seeing her after every mission gave him comfort in knowing she was alright. Jed reached into the paper bag that lay near the door. He fished out two of the few remaining beers they had and walked into the room.
"Hey." she said. Her eyes gave him a quick once over for injuries. Jed watched as she spotted the tear in his sleeve. The relief shifted to concern as Toni reached out and touched the bloody tattered hole.
"I'm okay." Jed replied.
Toni looked back at him. Her eyes were full and set. There was no escaping what she was about to do. Her slender fingers slipped beneath his coat and touched his shoulder around the wound. Jed tried to hide his discomfort as she probed his shoulder with her fingers. Admittedly, it felt good to feel something cool against his wound, but that didn't take away the pain. Toni lowered her fingers from his body. "It's a through and through."
"I'm okay." he repeated.
Toni arched one of her slender brows, unintentionally adding to her badass beauty. Her sharp, brown eyes narrowed at him. There was no way he could talk himself out of anything.
Jed sighed in defeat. "Give me five minutes. I'll be right there and I won't resist."
Toni's hard glare almost instantaneously melted away into a smirk. She reached down and took one of the beers in his hand. "Collateral." She turned and walked out toward the hall.
Jed smiled as he watched her walk away. If Jed didn't already have pressing Matters, he would've kissed her right then and there, like he should've done sooner. Even back in the woods wasn't soon enough. He still couldn't understand how he let her slip through all those years ago. How had he been so blind? He turned from the hall and walked back into the kitchen. "Hey. Can I talk to you for a second?"
Matt stood up and nodded. "Yeah. Sure."
Jed turned and walked back into the room. He gripped the beer tightly as he walked toward the wall. How was he going to say this without sounding like a complete idiot. This was his brother for crying out loud.
"What's up?" Matt asked.
"Nothing." Jed replied quickly. "I uh...I was just thinking , you know, and..." he paused, unable to find the right words. He sighed, defeated once more. "I'm not very good at this, man."
Matt looked completely confused. "Good at what?"
" Uh..." Jed took a step back and sat down on the dresser against the wall. "Giving you props when you get it right.."
Matt nodded slowly, understanding what his brother was saying.
"And letting you that I'm-I'm proud of you." Jed finished.
Matt looked at his brother for a moment before he started snickering. Jed followed close behind his brother. Matt shook his head. "Yeah. Yes. Jed that's not one of your strengths."
"No." Jed shook his head. "No, it's not."
Matt walked to the dresser and sat beside Jed. Jed glanced down the hall, finally content with everything. It felt strange to finally be on good terms with his brother. Strange...but good. He'd screwed up leaving six years ago, and it had taken the loss of their father, friends, and their home to finally get them back on to even ground. But Jed felt like some of it was worth it. He cleared his throat. "So, how bout that beer now?" He held out the green bottle toward his brother.
Matt reached out and took the bottle from his brother, tossing it up, before catching it in his right hand. He looked the bottle over and then back at his brother. "Wow. My first one."
Jed chuckled and nudged his brother. His shoulder ached from the action, but it was well worth it to see his brother smile.
"Uh, where's yours?" Matt asked, noticing his brother's hands were empty.
"Uh..."Jed looked down at his empty hands and then to the hallway. Matt followed his brothers gaze. "She stole it from me."
Toni stood in the hallway near the doorframe holding two beers and the first aid kit in her hands. She lowered her head, trying to hide her blush from the brothers.
"Well go get it." Matt said.
Jed looked at his brother and chuckled. He stood up from the dresser and walked toward Toni. Se smiled mischievously at him, telling him he was really in for it. But that didn't stop him from smiling.
"And if you're good you might even get a sticker!" Matt called joking.
A strange sound filled the air of the hall. Jed turned to look down the hall, catching sight of a small grenade rolling toward them. With only a split second, he pushed Toni back just before the wall beside him exploded in a bright and powerful explosion. The force sent Jed flying backwards, crashing into the dresser. The furniture crumbled under his weight, knocking the air from his lungs, and sending a wave a pain coursing through his body. The apartment was lost in a high pitch ringing and a massive cloud of smoke. Jed groaned in agony and opened his eyes. The smoke was so thick it clouded his already blurred vision. He could barely make out Matty kneeling beside him, trying to drag him to his feet. Jed blinked again, finally clearing his vision. He looked to the hall, or what remained of it, The entire wall had been destroyed, leaving a massive whole and weak point for the Koreans. The debris completely blocked the other end of the hall.
"Toni!" Jed called. Fear filled him when she didn't answer.
"Jed, we gotta go!" Matt yelled, dragging his brother to his feet.
Bullets ripped through the apartment, sending everyone for cover. Soldiers had taken up positions east and north of them, blocking off two of their four exits. Tanner burst into the room, pulling the brothers out into the back room. Daryl grabbed the radio switch and detonated the C4 traps. From down the halls, they could hear the C4 explode and several soldiers cry out. Matt and Jed grabbed their weapons and ran toward the front of kitchen, leading toward the hallway that had just been attacked.
"Robert, Smith, you got eyes on Toni?" Jed called. He slung his gun strap over his shoulder and reached the next door where Smith was located.
"Three yards behind us." Smith answered. He pulled inside the room as the bullets ripped through the wall. "Can't tell if she's alive."
"Toni!" Jed yelled. He desperately prayed for an answer, but only the ripping sounds of gunfire answered.
"Jed we need to move." Matt replied.
"I gotta know, Matty." Jed answered.
Matt nodded grimly. "Tanner! Cover us!"
They raced across the small hall, passing Smith and Robert into the next room. Matt pushed Robert and Erica toward the back of the room where it was easiest to escape from in case this situation came up. Jed slammed the door behind them and caught Smith doing the same.
"Robert, get Erica out of here!" Matt ordered.
"I'm not leaving without you!" Robert replied.
Matt grabbed the back of Robert's collar and dragged him to the back window. "God dammit Robert, do what I say! When you hit the deck you watch your ass!"
Robert climbed out the half open window, out onto the lower roof. Jed came around and slammed the butt of his rifle into the wall. His shoulder and body protested greatly, but he couldn't stop, not when Toni was still in the hot zone. He couldn't leave her without knowing for sure.
Erica reached the window and turned to Matt.
"I'll catch up, go!" Matt ordered.
Erica climbed out of the window and onto the roof. Matt watched them climb down the roof and hit the ground. Matt turned form the window ad came up alongside his brother. The combined force of the two brothers shattered the wall. The wood planks broke under the force, revealing the next room. Jed pushed his way into the roof, shoving the broken planks to the ground.
Toni was lying face down on the floor of the hall, barely out of the firing range, and covered in debris. Her hair covered part of her face while her arm obscured the rest. The beer bottles lay broken beside her. Beer and glass lay strewn across the floor. The first aid kit was halfway across the room. Jed made it to Toni's side in one step and knelt down by her head. He pushed back her hair, running his fingers into a warm patch of blood. A deep gash lay nestled in Toni's hair, just above her temple.
"Toni! Toni!" he pleaded. He gently shook her shoulders, trying desperately to wake. If she didn't then...
Toni groaned and opened her eyes. "Jed?" She tried to turn her head, but she stopped wincing in pain.
"Matty help me get her out!" Jed ordered. He grabbed the pieced of wood and debris and started pulling it from Toni. He tossed it across the room and grabbed the next chunk.
Matt moved from the wall and started pulling debris. Toni shook what she could from her back, but every motion caused her pain. She winced as she freed her back of debris. What held her down now was solely located over her legs. She pulled her left leg through some of the debris, hoping she could crawl out, but her right leg held firmly beneath the debris. Matt grabbed a smaller plank and pulled. Pain shot through Toni's leg, causing her to scream. Matt released the plank and pushed the boards from it. He looked down at the plank.
"Oh shit. Jed!"
Jed pulled the last of the debris from Toni and looked down at her leg. The plank that Matt had just attempted to remove was embedded deep into Toni's thigh. The plank had entered several inches above her knee from the force of the explosion and was driven up and out through the front of her thigh. The leg of her pants was already a dark crimson, as was the floor beneath her. "Oh god."
Toni put her weight on her left side and looked at her leg. She reached down for the plank. "You gotta pull it out."
Jed grabbed her hand, stopping her from grabbing the plank. "No, no! We pull it out, it'll do more damage. We gotta keep it in."
"We gotta move!" Tanner yelled. He shoved the debris from the hall.
"Jed, I got Toni, you cover our ass!" Matt called. He slung his rifle and carefully lifted Toni from the floor. Toni groaned in pain, but she stood with Matt.
"Can we get out your way?" Jed asked.
"Make it fast!" Tanner ordered.
"Matty go!" Jed said.
Matt moved first, carrying Toni with him. Toni limped painfully, crying out with every step, but she kept up with Matt. They moved through the debris, re-entering the previous apartment. Jed ran through after them, firing into the hall at the Koreans. Tanner pulled in once Jed had passed through. He grabbed the green case and followed them through their entrance.
"Smith!" Jed ordered.
Smith fired one last round and followed after Jed. They moved through the hall toward one of the back rooms. It was unlit and further from the gunfire. Tanner ripped the ragged curtain from its pole and shattered the glass. He jumped out onto the lower roof first. He pulled a grenade from his vest and pulled the pin, hurling it toward the gunfire down the block. The explosion paused the gunfire long enough and Tanner turned back toward the window. Matt eased Toni out onto the ledge, careful not the jostle the plank. Tanner took hold of Toni's legs and eased her down beside him. Toni leaned up against the wall until Matt jumped out and took her weight again. Jed jumped next and followed after them across the roof. Smith came out last, covering their asses. Tanner leapt from the roof onto the street. Jed took Toni hands, lowering her down to Matt. His shoulder burned in pain, but they couldn't stop. Matt caught Toni and eased her the rest of the way down. Jed and Smith leapt onto the street and took off running. The Korean gunfire picked up again, following them down the round.
They rounded the corner where Robert and Erica stood, pulling a tarp from the station wagon. Matt opened the hatchback and eased Toni into the back. He set his gun beside her legs, watching the plank. Erica climbed in beside Toni and closed the hatch. Robert, Tanner, Smith, and Daryl crammed into the back while Matt and Jed took the front. Matt started up the engine and peeled down the street just as Jed's door slammed shut.
tada! I never liked how Jed died right when he reached Toni. It made my heart break for her. course, here I've injured Toni. I'm so mean. next chapter will be uploaded soon.