Title: Zero Degrees
Chapter 3 – A False Sense of Security?
All of them hear the first shot ring out.
Casey watching in horror and then yelling out as Severide's stance falters as he starts to fall to his knees.
"No! Kelly!" Benny's voice is heard shouting in the muted distance as he looks at his son in horror.
Mere seconds later all of them hear the second shot ring out. Ron had taken advantage of Benny's momentary distraction and gotten himself out of the line of fire, firing off a shot at Benny, but missing just as Benny's frame moved behind another tree. However, with Ron behind him and Marcus in front…he was now trapped and unable to get to his son.
Casey doesn't wait to see who fired the second shot; his body tells him he's not hit and to get to his friend's side and see how bad he's hit.
"Kelly!" Casey gasps as he quickly rushes back a few feet to Severide's side, dropping to his knees as Marcus charges toward them. "Where are…"
"It's not that b…Matt look out!" is all Severide manages before Marcus grabs the hood of Casey's jacket and gives it a good tug backward; forcing the two friends to separate. Severide's bloody fingers frantically try to find the gun as Casey twists around in Marcus's grasp, trying to escape; Benny unable to fire off a shot from his location in fear of hitting Casey and being held back from charging Marcus due to Ron watching him closely.
Foregoing the gun, Severide's hands quickly reach out to grab Casey's boot, yanking it toward him and uttering an angry gasp as the fresh wound on his leg reminds him he needs medical attention right now. But thanks to the shooting pains his arms fail him and Casey is pulled away from his grasp.
"Matt!" Severide growls as he tries to get to his knees and then find the gun; his lips gasping as some of the icy snow and hard dirt teases his angry wound.
Casey feels himself slipping on the cold surface as he tries to get himself free of Marcus's grasp; not wanting to be a hostage in an angry and somewhat pointless standoff. Marcus kicks out, thankfully missing Casey's chest but forcing Casey to stumble as they near a large tree. Casey's hands claw at the Marcus's legs, wanting to trip him down long enough for Severide to find the gun.
"Get over…here…" Marcus snaps as he tugs the hood on Casey's jacket once more, pulling him closer toward the tree and further away from Severide.
Marcus fires off a shot that nearly misses Severide's arm as he tries for the gun; Benny firing off a shot close to Marcus forcing him to miss his son; Casey's struggling frame, however, in the way of Marcus's frame and not allowing Benny to take any kind of shot.
With time against him, Severide bites back another painful gasp as his open flesh pulls a bit further at he stretches to get the gun. But just as his fingers reach the weapon, another shot is heard; the bullet striking the earth a few feet from Severide's hand and making him pull back. A third shooter had re-entered the game; forcing all five current participants to stop and frantically search for the new player.
The distraction allows Marcus to pull Casey's flailing frame behind the tree; allowing Benny to dart behind a tree closer to Ron but not allow Severide to get the gun, the mysterious shooter making sure he remained unarmed.
Scrambling to get to safety himself, Severide leaves a small trail of blood droplets in the fresh snow as he manages to get behind a tree, press his back up against it and clench down tight on his jaw as he wraps his scarf around the open wound to stop the blood flow.
"Looks like you and your boys are in trouble!" Marcus shouts at Benny as he tries to keep Casey in check.
Knowing that if he didn't get away there was a good chance he could die, Casey lands a hard elbow to Marcus's stomach, forcing his angry captor's body to double forward. Severide takes a deep breath, pushes himself upright and bolts in Casey's direction; Benny watching frantically as another shot keeps Ron pinned behind his tree.
"Who the hell…" Benny growls in frustration.
Marcus hits Casey in the temple with the butt end of his gun, temporarily dazing the struggling Lieutenant and forcing him to sag to his knees; Severide pouncing from behind. Severide's hands frantically grab at the gun, another shot adding to the audible grunts and piercing a piece of wood a foot over the top of Severide and Marcus's head; both of them ducking instinctively.
"He shot at you too!" Severide shouts as Casey's arms wrap around Marcus's legs. However, the actions cause Marcus to stumble forward; Casey's face automatically cringing as Severide yells in pain as Marcus's boot lands on his open wound.
With his grasp off the gun, Severide steps back, clutching his leg and breathing hard; Marcus regrouping and yanking Casey backward with him.
"Get up already!" Marcus hisses at Casey as he pulls him upright, Casey's head pounding from the hit; his arms slow to come up and try to pull himself free. He aims the gun at Severide, prompting the rescue squad Lieutenant to halt in his tracks.
"I'm taking him with me…you try anything and I'll kill him!" Marcus states angrily as he pushes the gun into Casey's neck, his lips offering an angry snarl at Severide's concerned gaze.
"Look…it's over…" Severide pants as he tries to steady his wobbly stance, his hands held slightly upright in mid-air. "Let him go."
"He's coming with me. I'll call you and tell you where the body is!" Marcus counters in a gruff tone as he takes another step to the left. Telling himself that the man with the high powered sniper rifle was on his side – the fourth man they were supposed to meet up here; that he can take his hostage and now he'd have his back covered, Marcus prepares to move.
Marcus's hand had grabbed the back of the tea towel still wrapped around Casey's neck from earlier and starts to tug; Casey instantly feeling his oxygen being cut off and his lungs gasping for air.
"Can't…breathe…"
"Stop it!" Severide shouts; Benny picking up the anxiety in his son's voice but cursing the fact he can't fully see what's happening due to the large trees in the way.
"Kelly! What's going on?"
"He's choking Matt!"
Marcus pulls back with Casey's struggling frame in his grasp; his body finally stepping out from behind the tree and allowing the hidden sniper to finally make a move.
"Can't…breathe…" Casey begs in a tormented whisper as Marcus offers one last evil glare at a helpless Severide.
"Say…goodbye."
*bang*
"NO!" Severide shouts as he watches in horror as both Marcus's and Casey's frame fall to the ground; his feet unable to get to his friend's side fast enough. "Casey!" He states frantically as he grabs the gun from Marcus's limp hand and tosses it behind him; kneeling at Casey's side in hopes of untangling him from his captor's grasp.
"Kelly…" Casey sputters.
"Yeah hold on…" Severide replies as he finally pulls him free, allowing Casey to roll onto his side and greedily suck in a few mouthfuls of fresh air, coughing heavily after each one. "Just breathe…" he gently pats him on the back.
"I'm…okay," Casey offers a hoarse whisper as he looks at Severide, now on his butt and then the thigh wound. "Here…" he tells him as he undoes the tea towel from around his neck and hands it to Severide, allowing him to wrap it tightly around his leg to stem the blood flow.
"Trust me its not bad…just looks worse from the fight. What the hell was that all about? Can you see anyone?"
Casey looks in the direction the sniper bullet had come, pulling back with a head shake. "Nothing."
"He stopped me from getting the gun but then shot Marcus?"
"I don't get it either," Casey states as he grabs the gun that Marcus had used earlier. "Stay here…"
"Matt…"
"I gotta help your dad."
"Okay be careful…who knows who's out there or who's side he's on."
"I will."
Casey looks around the other side of the tree and spies Benny and tries to get his attention. He picks up a rock and tosses it toward him, quickly ducking back as the noise draws out Ron; firing off a shot in his direction.
"That was close," Severide groans as Casey purse his lips and frowns. "I'm a better shot."
"We have to draw out Ron."
"I'll try to make a break…"
"Kelly, you're shot and…a better shot," Casey hands him the gun. "I'll make the break for it and draw out Ron. If you see him…just don't miss."
"On three…" Severide instructs as Casey nods and prepares to run; hoping to draw Ron out from behind the tree to fire and enable either Benny or Kelly or both to fire a shot and end the deadly hunting game for good.
Casey takes a deep breath and prepares to make a break for it; Severide lining up the area Ron is and preparing to fire. But just as Casey takes a step out from behind the tree; the fourth and final shot rings out.
*bang*
Three people hold their breath; one takes his last.
Casey turns and looks at Severide before both 51 Lieutenants turn to see Ron's body fall out from behind the tree a few yards from where Benny now comes out from hiding. However, not able to see who's there and if they were friend or foe; Benny ducks back behind his tree as do Casey and Severide.
"Who is that?"
"Damn I can't see anyone. Dad's okay though," Severide comments as he very cautiously peers out from behind the tree; squinting into the distance, but seeing nothing. "Whoever is out there is well hidden."
"And one hell of a shot," Casey adds. "He missed us on purpose."
"But he stopped me from getting the gun – twice."
"Maybe he didn't want you to kill anyone," Casey suggests with a heavy frown.
"Why because I'd take away his fun?" Severide retorts with a small wince.
"We need to get that leg looked at but if we dare to move…"
"We're dead," Severide adds heavily. "I won't bleed out. But we can't stay here. He moved to take out Ron…we could…" Severide stops and gasps just as Benny appears and crouches down beside them. "Dad!"
"Figured if he could get to Ron without us seeing, I'd be dead if he wanted me to be," Benny suggests in truth.
"Who are these guys?" Casey asks angrily.
"I don't know but you boys need to get inside, get warm and get fixed up."
"Think we can chance getting back to the cabin?"
"I'll help Kelly…you cover us," Casey suggests as he hands Benny Marcus's gun; Benny not having taken the chance to try to get Ron's.
"Let's go," Benny nods as he takes the gun in his left hand; Casey putting Severide's arm around his shoulder. His brain would push past his own throbbing chest aches in favor of getting to the cabin and getting inside.
"Ready," Casey asks quietly; getting a nod of approval from Severide to proceed. Casey peers out from behind the tree into the eerily quiet landscape before them and then nods to Severide that it was time to go; Benny right behind them and then on their side to cover their escape.
They near the cabin and all three stop behind the large debris pile.
"You okay?" Benny asks his son in concern.
"Yeah fine…just wanna put my leg up. Think we can make it?" Severide asks a little breathlessly.
"Think our guy has left yet?" Casey wonders the same time as Severide asks his question. The three of them start to scan the area behind them; but each knowing the skill of the man in the shadows, that if he so wanted, the three of them would have easily been picked off until all three were also dead; six bodies in total – not three.
"Think he's gone. Okay we go one at a time. Matt you go first," Benny directs as Casey and Severide finally detach. "Run and don't look back."
Casey nods before he turns, lines up the open front door in his sights and then starts out; his heart racing and head pounding but his brain urging him to run faster than he ever has and don't look back. He races up the two small steps and into the cabin, racing for his phone and placing another call for help.
"I need a drink…" Severide pants as Casey rushes to his friend's side to help him into a chair, away from any window; Benny enters last. But just before Benny can say anything, the air is once again punctuated with a 'cracking' sound, a bullet fired into the air and forcing all three to duck for cover; the front door slammed shut and bolted.
"I texted for help again," Casey tells them in a low tone as he and Severide crouch behind the two easy chairs; Benny hiding behind the door to the small entranceway closet.
"Damn I can't see where the shot came from," Benny huffs as he pulls away from the window. The three of them remain where they are for about twenty minutes until the silent area outside is once again shattered by an all too familiar sound.
"Sirens…" Severide breathes a sigh of relief as he finally allows himself to sag to the floor in a relaxed position. But the three of them remain hidden until they are told to come out; each of them coming out in turn, unarmed, the two guns left inside for the police to gather.
Benny talks to the police as Severide and Casey get tended to by the medics; none of them wanting to go to the hospital and arguing back that they had one more day to relax and had certainly earned it after all this.
"We found tracks by the road and up north. Guy was on foot but is gone. Looks like he made his way to the road and his tracks disappear. Obviously he had some mode of transport waiting. They ever say what they wanted?" The police officer wonders.
"Money, food and a getaway car. Who are they? Where did they come from?"
"Southeast as far as we can tell. But we also find it odd that they came up this way on foot. We ran the name of the first guy Marcus…seems to fit the description of Marcus Jones. Wanted on a several charges, including aggravated assault, illegal firearms possession, kidnapping and some minor stuff. Am sure the other two will come up with the same list of goodies on their resumes."
"We're just glad it's over and we survived," Casey states as he holds the medical icepack up to his throbbing forehead.
"Thanks, I'll be okay," Severide insists as he pulls away after the medic had finished cleaning and stitching up his leg.
"Yes he's always been stubborn."
"I learnt it from someone," Severide jokes with his father as Casey offers them a small strained smile.
"We'll be fine unless you need anything more from us," Benny mentions to the officer as both Casey and Severide turn to head back inside.
"We'll call you if we need anything else. This area though is still a crime scene so until the coroner and my team are finished you'll all have to stay inside."
"No arguments here," Severide offers a friendly slap to Casey's back as they both head into the cabin; Benny following behind and the door is closed once again.
XXXXXXXX
"How's the head?" Severide asks Casey some time later, after they had all cleaned up and changed in to drier clothes.
"Hard as ever," Casey huffs as he slumps down onto the couch a few feet from were Severide was sitting with his injured leg up and resting on the wooden coffee table. "How's the leg?"
"Won't be dancing anytime soon."
"You dance?" Casey wonders with a frown as he glances over at his friend.
"Uh…not really," Severide retorts with a small snicker. "Do you?"
"More of a watcher really."
"Ask my dad if he likes to dance," Severide suggests with a small smile; Benny outside talking to the last police officer before he leaves; the cabin and surrounding area once again belonging to them.
"Are you setting me up for a joke?" Casey inquires as Severide shakes his head. "Wonder how they got up here. Like the officer said…it's pretty remote and they were on foot."
"An odd place to be with their list of charges. Nothing to steal up here."
"Well aggravated assault fits if they didn't get what they wanted…which they didn't," Casey groans as his fingers gingerly touch his forehead as Severide twists his head to look at Casey a few seconds later after he had fallen silent. "'Glad your dad was here to help," Casey mentions with a small sigh.
"I heard what that creep Marcus said about you saying goodbye to your dad and all."
"It was…nothing."
"Can I ask how you and your dad…you know parted?"
"Was…well kinda special guess," Casey shrugs as he allows his mind to drift back in time, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Think we had made plans to go and see a ballgame or something. I remember him saying Christie was busy with her boyfriend, at the time, and it would just be the two of us. And then…" Casey pauses as his hands rub his face and he sinks a bit lower on the couch. "I went home…mom and dad had been arguing for the better part of the week over the phone and one time in person when he dropped by. Just stupid stuff really. I think he wanted the break – just the two of us."
"Woulda been fun."
"Yeah…it would have," Casey nods. "I came home in a rush…wanted to tell Christie which seats dad had got us to the game and…and left the damn key on the table. I just slapped it down in haste and never have before…he told me not to give it to her but…"
"Matt you can't blame yourself."
"I know," Casey replies back with a tight lipped smile. "Never got to that game. Yankees were in town. He always wanted to go see them but…never did," his tone dies out in misery as he takes a deep breath and then looks over at his friend. "I never got to say goodbye. Was just a normal conversation…left saying I'd see him on the weekend and that was it. Never got real closure."
"Sorry."
"It's over right?" Casey kinda brushes it off; his tone and subsequent question begging his friend to drop the subject. "So why should I ask your dad how come he likes to dance?"
But before Severide can add to his earlier comment, Benny comes through the door and looks at them both in suspect.
"What'd I miss?"
"Matt wants to know why you like to…"
"I do not," Casey interrupts with a groan as Severide snickers.
"Is he causing trouble again?"
"Yes," Casey smirks.
"Matt wants to know why you like to dance so much."
"He does?" Benny arches his brows at Casey who shakes his head.
"I'm obviously on the bad end of a family joke here."
"Kelly says I look like an epileptic scarecrow," Benny replies to which Severide offers a hearty laugh. "But see he's only jealous because he can't dance at all."
"Won't is more like it," Severide grins in return.
"Course you know it is a matter of perspective and at least he tries," Casey looks over with a serious expression to Severide.
"Suck up."
"What?" Casey lightly argues back as Benny watches the two grown men bicker back and forth like two boys.
"I'd hit you with a pillow right now but your heads in the way," Severide remarks with a dry snicker as Casey just laughs and reaches for a small pillow, threatening to hit Severide for his lame comment. "You know you'd lose at wrestling so you resort to this?"
"Lose? I don't think so."
"Ah you truck guys," Severide boasts. "Even with this leg out of commission I could still pin you."
"I'm taking pity on you right now," Casey taunts back. "Truck's where it's at."
"Secretly you want to be squad," Severide throws back to which Casey deadpans.
"The secret is out," Casey stops before they both look up to see Benny watching in amusement. "I don't want to be squad," he reaffirms and the three of them laugh. "So what else did the police say?"
"He's changing the subject because he knows he'd lose," Severide snickers as Casey goes to protest, being verbally cut off by Benny.
"They still couldn't figure out how those three made their way up here as there are no other foot tracks around the area except ours and theirs," Benny informs them.
"So someone dropped them off and told them to find their own way back?" Casey ponders.
"And in doing so found us…" Benny suggests. "Or was told to come here specifically?"
"That's demented," Severide adds as Casey nods in agreement.
"Why here? None of us have ever seen any of them before," Casey states as Severide looks over and shrugs.
"Maybe it was because this place looked lived in? They saw the light…no others around for miles and figured why not those city slickers," Benny answers. "Just glad it ended when it did."
"But who do we thank? That mystery man split well before the cops showed up so it wasn't the sirens that chased him away," Severide muses.
"Maybe he figured if he stormed the place we'd be ready for him," Casey adds.
"Yeah…maybe," Severide agrees with a heavy frown. "Either way…glad it's over."
"Me too," Benny acknowledges firmly. "Okay…so who's up for a little snowball fight?" He teases as both boys look up and then at the same time each grab a small pillow and toss it at Benny and then give each other a high five. "I see how it works now."
"Well truck and squad do beat engine," Severide teases his father.
"You both started there don't you forget," Benny warns as he heads into the kitchen.
"Any chance they deliver pizza up here?" Casey inquires.
"Sniper pizza delivery service? You take your life in your hands ordering with us," Severide snickers as Casey shakes his head and Benny tosses both pillows back to Casey to hits Severide in the chest with one.
"Boy is he on."
"Can we blame the fresh air?" Casey counters as Severide offers a small snicker in return. "I don't mind making dinner."
"You two did most of the work last night…I'll prepare the last supper," Benny jokes, Severide looking in haste at Casey as he offers a small swallow and tight smile.
"What would you do for a week up here with no TV?" Severide quickly changes the subject; wanting to yell at his dad to not make anymore insensitive comments around Matt. But he knows inside that his father's lame jokes aren't offered maliciously and he wonders if his father would even remember that Matt's mother killed his father. He knew before…probably wouldn't put two and two together, Severide inwardly huffs.
"Read?" Casey suggests.
"You bond with nature," Benny tosses at them from the kitchen.
"What like hug a tree or something?"
"After you shoot a deer," Casey reminds Severide. "Ever killed a deer?"
"Shot at them a few times," Severide confesses in truth.
"Never killed?"
"Kelly can't kill Bambi."
"Dad…" Severide growls as Casey looks over in amusement.
"Bambi? As in the Disney cartoon?" Casey's turn to tease.
"No the stripper I had last night…course the Disney movie," Severide huffs as Benny smiles at them.
"So you were saying about you big bad squad guys?" Casey folds his arm over his chest and asks directly.
"Better sleep with one eye open tonight," Severide warns as Casey nods and smiles. "'sides it's harder than it looks. First you have to…" his voice trails off as he goes into his explanation about why he couldn't at the last minute kill the innocent deer looking back at him.
Supper is finally made and the three of them gather around the table to enjoy the meal, beer and to talk of course more about the harrowing day's events.
"Damn lighters," Casey grumbles as he puts one more log on the fire before him and Severide finally turn in, Benny already in bed snoring away.
"Not surprised they thought of this place with him sounding like that," Severide groans as they close the door to their bedroom as a sound buffer to Benny's snoring.
"Yeah I think…" Casey starts and then stops; silence building as he sits up and then starts to feel down toward the bottom of his sleeping bag. "You didn't…" he says as Severide utters a hearty laugh. "The fresh air has definitely affected you. What is it?"
"A rock…couldn't find a real frog."
"Funny. I will…get you back," Casey promises as he reaches for the small light to turn it off. But just before he does, his phone buzzes and he's quick to reach for it and pull up the message, Severide peering over the top in wonder.
"What is that?" Severide asks looking at the odd picture.
"It's…Otis's ice cubes," Casey snorts as he flips to the next picture which shows a less than amused Mouch with Otis standing behind him with an ice cube tray and two missing slots. The caption reading…'Otis 1 – refrigerator – 0.'
"Why are they kinda brown?" Severide queries.
"He used outside water," Casey replies dryly. "This is what they do on their downtime. Ruin perfectly good ice cube trays."
"So much for the cold weather only affecting me," Severide tosses at Casey.
"Just means we'll never hear the end of those damn cubes."
"Hey maybe Hermann can invest in Otis the human ice cube maker," Severide laughs; Casey joining in, the two of them offering snide comments about the lame attempt at making ice cubes outside and the even lamer notion that it actually worked.
"Don't suggest it, he actually might," Casey retorts as he places his phone back on the table and then turns off the light.
"So…think you'd come up here again?" Severide wonders as they both settle in for the night in the darkened room.
"Two conditions."
"Two? Wow kinda steep…okay what are they?" Severide ventures to ask.
"No hand guns…in fact no guns period."
"I'm not much of a hunter. And two?"
"You bring the movie Bambi," he chuckles.
"Here I thought you'd toss in a wrestling contest."
"No contest…you'd lose," Casey utters proudly.
"You better sleep with one eye open."
"Or what?" Casey goads. The two of them engage in a few more minutes of friendly banter before the very trying day finally beckons them to sleep; the two of them happily fading into darkness and worrying more about what they'd have for supper the following night than what the danger the next trip might hold out.
XXXXXXXX
But in the darkness…not to far away…a figure in black sits comfortably in a custom hide…his sharp vision watching the last light in the cabin go out. His skilled fingers reach for his phone, flipping a switch and bringing it to life.
'You sent three men to do my job and the score is Severide 1 – you 0. When you are done wasting money call me.'
He sends the text and then turns back to the cabin and narrows his gaze.
"Next time," he hisses in an undertone as the area around him fades to black.
A/N: *evil grin* muwhahhaha okay sorry blame the muse! I wasn't sure if I should just extend this story or bring back a sequel…SO I AM EXTENDING IT! lol okay that was the muse being excited and well we hope you all are also for a few more chappies! I wanted to throw in a bit of a loop so it wasn't just some random attack (well we know that but the boys don't hehe). So obviously the mysterious man knows Benny or was hired by someone who does and the boys weren't part of the deal – yet. *wink* so please do review and let me know what you thought (and if you even wanted it extended!) and thanks so much!
PS: Hope you are all still liking Hidden Agenda's last update (did Casey really quit? hmmm)
