Forever and Always

Chapter 25: The Forcing

28 seconds.

Bex warmed up while Grant cracked his knuckles. Liz and Jonas loosened up security and strengthened it around town. Molly was our only close neighbor and we had our suspicions about her, so Liz double checked with Zach. "What should we do about Molly?"

"Secure her house."

"So, you're sure she's just another civilian?"

"Did I say that?" Ugh.

24 seconds.

Liz and Jonas were going to stay in the building contacting the CIA while Macey and Preston stayed on sit, ready for Liz and Jonas's signal. The rest of us were stalling until the back-up we called for arrived. If anything went wrong, we'd wing it.

18 seconds.

Images went through my mind as we all set up stations, cursed at Joe for not picking up, pulled out safety gear which none of us put on, and avoided guns but got armed anyway. Images of seeing seven of the people I loved most get hurt, or worse, die.

14 seconds.

A car, no, two cars revved up the street, almost silent, yet so loud that I nearly became deaf. I pictured the men, tall and burly, and thinking that they were no match for Gallagher Girls brought comfort to me. But I silently vowed that if any of my friends get caught in a mess, I'd surrender.

8 seconds.

Zach squeezed my hand and smiled reassuringly before rubbing his hands together. Waiting. Watching. Waiting.

6 seconds.

I felt numb. I wished that no one else had gotten involved.

3 seconds.

I stretched. It didn't help.

1 second.

A gunshot to pronounce their arrival was all we needed.

The next few seconds was a blur, as both sides pronounced themselves. Dodging kicks, punching, dodging punches, kicking. That's when it happened.

I realized that their Phyllis Cavan was not on the site. It took me off guard for a reason and I backed away. No one noticed. I took the chance to take in my surroundings. There were fourteen men. Two of them were driving. Two more were in the cars, the doors wide open, leering out. That made ten. Three men were already unconscious, courtesy of Bex Baxter and Grant Newman. They were now numbered seven to six. Zach noticed this and knocked another one out with hardly any trouble.

I moved my eyes and I now had my eyes on a man who was talking into his comms unit. He smiled, which scared me, and turned to the others. Morse code, I realized was how they were talking. Before I could decipher what they had said, they had guns out, each pointing at one of us. The man himself pointed at me.

That brought me over the edge. I had a plan, but I needed everyone to get it. I told Zach first, avoiding Morse code, but gesturing behind my back. The leader spoke.

"Morgan, get in the car and I'll leave your petty friends alone."

Half of me wanted to walk over and get in the car, leaving the rest of them safe, but the other half knew that I was a Morgan. And Morgan's never surrender.

It was a move we had learned in our freshman year. I told Zach my plan, gesturing wildly behind my back with my eye on the gun pointed at me, and waited for his nod before turning back to the man, stalling while the message was passed around.

"How do I know you aren't lying?" It just came out. I had no control over it.

He chuckled. I clenched my fists. "You're so much like your pathetic father. You aren't in a position to question us Morgan. Just walk over, put whatever weapons you have down and come with us." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw everyone moving slowly so that they were standing in a circle with their attackers in the center. They moved forwards slowly until the attackers were nearly back to back. Their eyes widened but they didn't consider it as a threat. Oh, were they wrong.

Zach caught my eye and gestured that they were ready. I moved my ring finger-gesturing that we would move on three. He nodded slightly.

"You say that I'm like my father?" I said, holding back tears. "Well then you'll know that he'd do anything to save his loved ones. And here I am," I raised my hands, in a false sign of defeat, bending my index finger to signal "1" to my friends. "here I am, in the same situation. Convince me that you'll leave them untouched and I'll come quietly." I could've sworn Zach winced. Everyone lowered their guns hesitantly and I bent my middle finger to signal "2".

My attacker glared at me but said, "Guns down" to his companions nonetheless, never noticing their position behind him. "Chameleon, in the car." I stepped forward, forcing him to step back. "Hey…" he said when I kicked him and grabbed the gun, pointing it at him on the ground. His followers were caught off guard. Perfect.

"Three!" I yelled out loud. The attackers stared at me, bewildered for a fraction of a second but it was just enough. I shot the man beneath me out of true anger.

My friends dove to the person diagonal to them, kicking them down and leaving their own attacker to be tended by the person next to them. One swift movement and the attackers were at our mercy. I looked up at Zach and he shook his head.

"We have no choice Cam. Liz and Jonas still haven't tracked anyone down. Kill them." Bex, Grant and Zach had no problem killing them. Preston hesitated for a while before shooting the man he was on top of. We had five people dead, four who had already fled and one left when Macey shook her head, her face white, and threw her gun down. Preston moved ever so carefully and pointed his gun at Macey's hostage when his gun clicked. No bullets.

His eyes widened and he dove for the gun Macey had thrown down when the attacker, the only one left alive, reached it before him and stood up. We were frozen and Zach was the only one who ran towards the attacker, but he was late. The attackers white teeth glistened triumphantly before he was shot in the back. But his hand had already been on the trigger.

I heard another bullet echo through the night. Preston fell.

A/N: Yeah, er, don't kill me, please. The next one's a cliffy…sorry? If you're having trouble understanding what Cammie's plan was, then picture it like this:

………………………………….Cammie………………………………………

………………………………….Attacker……………………………………...

………Zach…….Attacker…………………………………..Attacker…Bex…..

………Grant……Attacker…………………………………..Attacker…Macey..

……………………………………Attacker……………………………………

……………………………………Preston……………………………………..

They arranged it somewhat like this and after Cammie held her own attacker hostage, Zach went for Grant's attacker, Grant went for Preston's, and Preston went for Macey's and so on. Hope it helps. Oh, and never fear, Molly IS in the next chapter, she's a pretty big part of the story, actually. Sorta. Review please! OH, AND NO! ZACH IS NOT BAD!

-LeSaz