DON
Chapter 26

Trixie saw Don. She waved. Then she heard his yell. She looked left and right wondering why he shouted to her because he was still a distance away . She saw him waving his arms frantically, and she saw a man coming for her. She screamed and ran the other direction.

"Hey! Hey!" Don shouted and ran after them.

At the next corner out of sight of Don, the man caught up with her and Trixie screamed again, "Don!"
The man grabbed her by the waist and ran off. Trixie screamed the loudest, and this alerted the group near the restaurant door.

Matthew and Chantal turn towards the sound, and he said, "That's Trixie!"

The group looked at each other. Colby and David ran after Matthew.
Megan took charge and told the rest of them to stay back and look after Chantal. She then took off too.

The restaurant was big, and the man held Trixie tightly even though she was struggling to get free. 'No, this time you will not get free easily, Missy.' he muttered.

She knew the place well and she knew he was pulling her towards the big kitchen, and as they passed the long table where the pot and pans were lined up neatly, she managed to stick her hand out and pull a few pots and pans to the floor as the man dragged her inwards.

The loud clatter of the pots and pans was heard, and it echoed towards the now almost empty restaurant.

Matthew shouted as he ran, "Kitchen!"

Don was very near the kitchen door. Matthew caught up with him.
Panting, Don asked him if there was another door. Matthew nodded and said, "Two that lead to the back lanes. They should be locked at this time."

They both ran into the kitchen, and at the far end, the man stood behind Trixie. He was holding a knife towards her neck.

Both men stood looking. Their hearts ran cold, and Matthew quickly said, "Do not hurt her. What do you want? Anything I will give."
Matthew was not prepared to let Trixie suffer again. He made up his mind to give whatever it takes to get Trixie back unharmed.

"You," he pointed to Don, "come here."

Matthew put a hand out to Don to stop him, "No, it's between me and you. You let go of my daughter. I'll give you any amount you want."

"No! I want him to come here." Logan shouted and held Trixie tighter, and Trixie screamed.

"No! No! Don't to that to her. You're hurting her!" Matthew screamed at him.

Don made up his mind, and he walked towards Logan with both his hands in the air.

By this time, Colby and David crept slowly towards the sounds in the kitchen. Megan came up and stopped them. "Careful. Don't let them know we are here. We could launch a surprise attack," Megan cautioned the two.

They kept to the door of kitchen and peeped inside. At the far end they saw a man whose face they cannot see holding Trixie tightly. He had a knife pointing to her throat.

Then, they saw Don walking towards them with his hands up in the air.

"What's he doing?" Megan whispered anxiously, "That's Logan holding Trixie!" Megan confirmed when she got a clearer look inside the kitchen.

"I'm here. You let her go."

"Stop there! Hands in the air where I can see them. Don't move. Any movement from you, Missy will have a nice souvenir on her face." He started to show what he can do by running the knife slowly on Trixie's face. Trixie cringed from the movement, and tears were running from her face.

"Pixie, keep very still. Be brave." Don said softly to her. She looked at Don, and she pursed her lips together to keep herself from crying.

"Aw… how sweet. Yes Pixie, keep very still, or this bad bad man gonna carve you up."

"What do you want?"

"I want money. The last time that stupid Freddy darling stopped me from getting it. Then you came along to stop me. Now, nobody is going to stop me. I want two million by the next three hours else Missy gets carved up slowly."

"Do you know what time is it? Do you think that the bank will open for withdrawals at 2am in the morning? Even if you kill her or kill me, you will not get a cent. My people will shoot you dead before you could escape." Don said.

"Then we wait." Logan said, and he pulled Trixie from his right to his left side, transferring the knife to his left hand. He pressed the knife against Trixie's stomach, and with his right hand, he started to pull something out from his inside pocket.

Don saw it was a packet and fearing the worst, he made contact with Trixie, and he tilted his head a bit.

Trixie saw Don's movement, and she gave a sigh and slumped against Logan.

Logan momentarily lost his balance when Trixie leaned against him, trapping his right hand inside his coat.

Don jumped the three feet that separated him from Trixie. He aimed for the knife which was pointing downwards. Logan lost out at that split second. Don managed to grab hold of the hand with the knife, "Run Pixie" Don yelled at her. Don used his body to shield her from Logan, and his right arm was pushing Logan against the wall.

Logan's right hand came loose and grabbed hold of Don's arm. It was a struggle of strength. Desperation made both masters of their strength. Don had the temporary upper hand when he pushed Logan's knife hand and hit it against the metal shelf. Matthew was at his side, wanting to help. "Trixie!" Don muttered through clenched teeth.

Trixie was watching while hugging the side of a metal shelf. Matthew quickly went to her.

"Hold it! drop the knife!"
Logan made sudden move as to relax his body, and Don fell for it, and he got slashed on the arm instead.
Logan slashed up and cut into Don's right arm. "Argh!" the cry came up involuntarily from Don.

By this time everyone had ran to the scene, Charlie came screaming "Don!" but was pulled back by Larry when Don's team took positions to help Don.

"I said drop the knife! " David was a few feet away holding a gun in both hands, pointing in their direction. Colby and Megan stood by ready for action. David was the only one holding a gun.

Logan smiled and held up his hand, as if to surrender. Don, with blood dripping from his slashed arm, took the knife away from him, and he turned to David wanting to say something.

Quick as lightning, Logan's other hand snaked down, and he pulled another knife from his back and stabbed Don.

David looked in horror, and Don, in slow motion, looked at Logan who was smirking away when he pulled the knife out from Don's body.

He made the motion to stab at Don again, and a shot rang out. Both men dropped to the floor, and someone screamed his name. Trixie, who now being held tightly by her father, looked in horror as she saw Don fall.

All had anxious faces, and Chantal was screaming. Amita held on to her and pulled out a chair at the nearby table and told her to sit.

Colby, Megan and David jumped into action.

Charlie was already on his knees trying to pull Don away. "Charlie be careful!" David came near, his gun still pointing at Logan who had fallen next to Don.

'Thank goodness you brought your gun,' Megan whispered to David. She quickly checked on Don. She pulled up his shirt to check the side wound which was bleeding sluggishly. Charlie was holding on to Don's shoulders, and he noticed the blood on his arm. "Megan here, Don's bleeding here too." Megan quickly pulled off her long scarf and gave it to Charlie while she concentrated on his side wound .

"Anyone called 911?" Megan asked while someone pushed some towels into her hand.

"Done." Matthew's voice called out, "How's Don?"

Trixie was clinging to her father. Matthew slowly got up and handed Trixie to Chantal, "Darling, go and sit with your mother, I'll go and help Don, OK?"
Trixie nodded, and Matthew made eye contact with Chantal who now had tears in her eyes. Chantal gathered Trixie close to her.

Sirens were heard in the background and Ramon came running, "Mr. C, the police are here."

"So fast? I just called five minutes ago." Matthew turned round and queried Ramon.

"I took the liberty to call them, Sir, when I heard and saw the commotion in the kitchen." Ramon said looking inside the kitchen area.

"Good job Ramon. Send them in and get the ambulance people in here quick when they arrive."

"Yes Sir!" Ramon ran to the front door.

Two LAPD officers were at the door. Ramon quickly opened it. It was Officer Leslie and another, and they were directed to the kitchen area by Ramon. "Sirs, you go straight ahead. My boss Mr. Cameron and some FBI people are inside. I need to wait for the Medic."

"FBI, what's this?" the other LAPD officer queried.

"Come on Walters. Let's see what's happening.' Officer Leslie said following Ramon's instructions.

Colby had removed all the knives on the floor when he came to check on Logan. He saw that David had hit him high on his shoulder. "You should have aimed lower, David." Colby said, "Then we won't have any thing to do with him ever."

Colby went and took some towels from the nearby tables and held it again Logan's shoulder wound. Logan was still unconscious.

"David, come let's move this creep away from Don. Megan, how's Don doing?"

"Oh, he's coming round. Hey Don, how are you feeling?" Charlie asked. He was holding his brother off the floor, mindful of his injuries. Megan was still holding a towel to the cut which had stopped bleeding. Charlie had bound up the arm injury with Megan's scarf.

"Hey," Don opened his eyes and saw Charlie and Megan. He saw Colby and David beside the fallen Logan.
"He's dead?"
"Nah, David just hit him on the shoulders. How are you doing?" Colby asked.

Don didn't reply, but he turned his face and saw Trixie, who was with her mother, starring at him.

Megan followed his eyes and saw her. She said, "It's OK, honey, come here, see Don's alright. It's a flesh wound."

Trixie came nearer, "Don, I'm sorry!" She cried out and ran to her father who was standing next to them. She was crying now.

Don and Megan looked at each other. Don said softly, "Can you please talk to her, and tell her it's not her fault."

"Yes, I'll do that. How are you feeling?"

"Not too bad, pain at the side. Can you help me get up?" Don asked struggling to get up but was pinned back by Charlie and Megan.

"I think you'd better stay down. The bleeding's sluggish now."

The officers came upon the scene of several FBI personnel and two injured persons; one which Officer Leslie knew was FBI Agent Don Eppes.

Matthew and David explained the situation to both of them. Officer Leslie queried if that was the fugitive Logan and David affirmed it.

The Medics came, and Megan suggested that LAPD accompany Logan to the hospital. She formally charged him with attempted murder and a string of other offences. Officer Walters called in to his headquarters and reported the crime scene and the action they will be taking.

Since there was only one ambulance, Logan got to use it because he was still unconscious. The medics said he was not in life threatening situation and they could transport Don together with him.

Charlie protested saying what if he should wake up; he might still be a danger to Don.

Don was already sitting up and being patched up temporarily by the medic and, Megan suggested they take Don to the hospital.

Matthew offered to drive but Don objected, "No, you take your family home. There's enough excitement and it's very late. Come here Pixie."

Trixie slowly came up to Don, "Mm...Sorry …Don."

"No, Pixie, it's not your fault, you hear me. Now go home with your parents, I'll see you maybe in a day or two, alright?"

Trixie, eyes full of tears nodded, and she put both her hands round Don's neck. Matthew seeing Don's grimace, slowly pulled Trixie away, "Come on darling, Don needs to be in the hospital now."

My thanks to Newgirl. Thanks NG!.