Chapter 7: Dead Revelations

Auric Waters stood in the dining room with a gun pointed to Caroline's head and seemed to have no reaction. The bearded, scruffy 46-year-old stood motionless, as if seeing Sonny and Rico meant nothing to him. Then he burst out laughing for a good minute. Sonny looked at Rico with a worried expression, thinking that this was worse than he thought.

"Sonny Sonny Sonny…I always knew you were a man of character…always holding your promises…very loyal to your…wife too." "Yeah, and you were always the opposite magnet…" Sonny mumbled under his breath. Rico piped up. "Better put that gun down man. Real fast. And no one gets hurt." He still had the gun pointed to Caroline, who was mumbling something intangible with the tape on her mouth. "Auric…you don't know what the hell you're doing man…come on now…put it down…"

"I don't know Sonny…maybe I should have had the gun to YOUR head when you decided to kick me out of your home, because I was 'clinically insane'…Sonny." Crockett could tell this wasn't going to end well with the way he was taking things. "Auric…. you don't understand do you…. just put it down. Come one man…all these years in the military, and now you stoop to this?" Auric grew mad. "All these years in the military and you can't keep your damn wife out of trouble?!"

Things were starting to heat up, and if someone didn't do something fast, it would sheer bloodshed everywhere. Then someone did do something. Switek had managed to get into the cockpit of the ship through a few nifty little tricks. He radioed back to Castillo, saying: "I'm in Lieutenant. Just let me work my magic now." He put down his radio and grabbed the steering wheel of the ship and gave it a sharp turn towards the left, rocking the whole ship violently.

Upstairs the sudden movement of the ship startled everybody onboard, giving Crockett and Tubbs a chance to move in. But not so easily. The ship rocked sideways and threw everyone's balance off, causing Auric to trip and slide towards the glass window and Sonny fell on top of him. This was their chance. Rico shot two of the guards standing in the back of the dining room and made his way over to untie Caroline. Sonny threw a punch at Auric, knocking the gun out of his hand.

He rolled over and threw one back at him. Chaos ensued on the ship at that point. They both rolled over outside to the deck, where Auric tried to choke Sonny with his bare hands. He didn't have much time to let him do it, so he kicked him square in the chest, throwing him backwards. The ship started rocking again with the sudden movement of the fighting. Sonny got up and grabbed him, lifting him upwards and throwing his against the guard railing. Suddenly Auric saw his gun lying on the floor and went for it, grabbing it quickly and aimed it at Sonny.

Suddenly it seemed as if Sonny had lost this one. But had he? "Too bad…Crockett. Best detective around here…eh? That's real funny Sonny. Who's gonna take your place when you're gone? Huh?" He chuckled. Sonny didn't. With blood running down his mouth and some bruises on his face, he put his hands up. "You don't have to do this man….I'm telling you…you don't have to do this…" Auric looked at his nails on his fingers. "Easy for you to say hotshot. Maybe you'll learn to live without taking your girls and cars for granted after some treatment…" Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, he saw Caroline being dragged away by Rico out the other side and swiftly turned his gun around.

And shot her.

"CAROLINE!" Sonny screamed with rage and jumped on Auric. Rico looked down just as he heard the gunshot and saw Caroline's bleeding arm. "Oh hell no…Switek! Switek get an ambulance NOW!" He ran down the stairs as fast as he could. Luckily for him, the boat swayed again but didn't throw off his balance. But just as Sonny leaped on Auric and threw the gun out of his hand, the boat shook again and they both lost their balance, throwing them both in the ocean. It was a silent dream that wasn't supposed to come true. They plummeted 20 feet from the deck and straight into the cold waters of the night, plunging with a splash.

Switek rushed to get Zito to call an ambulance and Castillo had ordered all units to move in on the ship. DEA teams were running towards the ship en masse and a helicopter was flying overhead. Most of the thugs had already been arrested, but there was no sign of Sonny and Auric. "Rico, where's Sonny?" As the ambulance approached and Caroline lay unconscious, he looked around. "I don't know man…he was just there when I saw him leap at Waters…" With not enough time to lose, they loaded Caroline on a stretcher and rushed her to the hospital.

Sonny was still alive and so was Auric. With clothes soaked and floating in the water, he grabbed Auric by the throat and made an attempt to drown him. Auric did the same and grabbed him back. The two men clenched each other throat's and fought to the very end for their survival. "I told you you'd never get away with this…Auric…" Sonny said, struggling for breath. Gasping for air, he replied. "Yeah? Well…it doesn't matter anymore now…does it?" He managed to make a weak smile.

Sonny decided he had no choice. Running short of breath in the rushing waves, he reached for his pistol strapped to his leg slowly, managed to pry it free, and just before he would have fallen unconscious, smacked Auric in the head with it. His hold on him was instantly gone and he fell back into the water, not knowing what had hit him. And never would. Sonny fell back too, but floated on his back, gasping to refill his air deprived lungs. He didn't think he'd make it this far. Then he remembered Caroline.

-24 Hours Later-

Sonny stood outside the glass pane in the hospital, looking at Caroline on her bed. She was still unconscious, but had managed to recover her vitals after the bullet from her arm had been removed. Rico came out from behind him. "Hey man…" He turned to look at him. "Hey…." Rico looked through the window. "Don't worry man…she'll be alright. Trust me." He tried to smile. "Yeah. I hope so too Rico. I hope so too." A nurse walked in the room. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over Mr. Crockett and Mr…" "Tubbs." She nodded. Sonny turned around and sauntered towards the exit in grim. He could only hope now that things would be okay.

It was 3 AM now. He got into his car and Rico got into the passenger seat. He stepped on the gas and made his way onto the ever-bustling streets of Miami. "Hey come on man…lighten up. She's going to be alright man." I know…I know Rico…it's just…." He grew curious. "Just what?" Sonny didn't seem to know what to say. "I don't know man…it's just one of those things I guess." Rico understood. He decided to turn the radio on and see what was playing. "The Fire Still Burns" came on just at the right time.

"Nothin' like a little Russ Ballard…am I right partner?" Sonny looked at him chuckled. "Nothin' like a little Russ Ballard…" Sonny suddenly remembered something. "The tape…Rico, did they find the tape?" Rico's smile vanished. "Yeah…they did. In the water." Sonny slumped into his seat. Nothing ever did go as planned anymore, did it?

With that, the Ferrari gleamed off into the night of the Miami heat, soaring as if nothing had ever even occurred that day. It truly had been a wild ride…

The end.