Okay, will Jack die? I really feel I should be true to the movie, but I love Jack too...

Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think?

Legal statement still applies...

Chapter 28: Gunfire

Craig lay in the bed for a while, staring at the ceiling. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to go to school. He wanted to be home when Jerry showed up. He wanted to know what was going on. Part of him thought that maybe if he was home, there was less of a chance of his brothers actually hurting each other. He couldn't lose any of them. The way it was looking he was about to lose Jerry. A nagging feeling in his gut told him that things were going to get worse, though he had no idea how they could. Of course that thought led his mind to start using its imagination and play the 'what if' game that it had always been so good at. What if Bobby really lost control and killed Jerry? What if Jack and Angel had to help him hide the body, and then they had to leave to run from the cops? What if they left him behind and he had to go back into the custody of the state? What if they didn't run, but they got caught and ended up going to prison, not able to get out on some technicality like his father had, and Craig still ended up in the system again, or having to go back to his father?

His mind ran through several scenarios before he managed to get himself worked up enough that he felt sick to his stomach. He got out of bed and went to the restroom. He still felt sluggish and tired, and he had that fear and aching eating away at his gut. He wanted Evelyn to be there to take it all away and do what she always did best, be a mother.

He didn't bother dressing before he went downstairs. There was yet to be any activity from his three brothers, and he wasn't sure if it was because they were sleeping or they just didn't want to get up to face the day yet. Jerry was supposed to be at the house first thing that morning. He went to the kitchen and readied a bowl of cereal. He carried it with him to the dining room and sat down with it. He wasn't hungry; he was just going through the motions. He did try to eat a few bites, but it didn't taste right, it didn't feel right when it hit his stomach. He lifted the bowl after a few bites and tried just drinking the milk out of it, and that still wasn't much use for his stomach. He carried the bowl back into the kitchen and carefully poured as much milk out of bowl as he could before he dumped the cereal into the trash can. He rinsed out the bowl and set it in the sink, then went upstairs to get a shower. He was sure his brothers would be up before he got out the shower. They were early risers, except maybe for Jack, who tended to sleep in. Besides, they would have to be up for when Jerry got there.

Craig got his clothes from his room and went to the restroom. He showered quickly, brushed his teeth, combed his hair and dressed before going back to his room. He put his sketchpad under the mattress of the bed, and then quickly made the bed neatly. He made sure his dresser was straightened up, that the radio was setting just right. He arranged the dirty clothes in the basket in the corner so that they weren't hanging over the rim of the basket. He did a quick inspection of the room to be sure everything was perfect, before going back downstairs.

He sat down on the couch and turned on the television, more to have some noise than anything. He didn't want to be alone in the quiet. The morning news was on. He looked at the time stamp at the bottom of the screen. It was fifteen minutes before eight. He didn't have to leave for school for another thirty minutes. He started flipping through the channels, a habit he never had until recently.

He was still flipping through the channels when Angel came downstairs. Angel went straight for the kitchen, not stopping in the living room to say good morning. Craig continued flipping the channels, not caring that Angel hadn't spoken. A few minutes later, Angel appeared in the doorway of the dining room holding the trash can. Craig looked up at him, thinking it was strange that the man would be carrying the trash around the house. Angel stared at him for a long moment without saying anything.

"What?" Craig asked, though he was sure he knew his brother was about to say something about the cereal resting in the bottom of the bag lining the can.

"You tossed your breakfast?" Angel asked.

"It didn't taste right. I think the milk might be bad." Craig looked back to the television. It wasn't a full lie, the milk had tasted bad, and so had the cereal. He knew the milk hadn't gone bad though, it was him. He just couldn't eat.

Angel gave him a look that told him he didn't believe him. "What did Bobby say about dumping food?"

Craig didn't look back at Angel. "The milk was bad." He muttered, not caring to argue about it with the man.

Angel turned and walked back into the kitchen.

Several minutes later Jack walked down the stairs, and Bobby was close behind him. Jack stopped in the doorway. "I'll walk you to school if you want." He offered.

Craig didn't take his attention from the television. "No thanks." He muttered. "You don't have to."

"I'd kind of like to." Jack shrugged his shoulders.

Craig still didn't look up. "Whatever." He continued changing the channels.

Bobby walked on through to the kitchen.

Jack waited a few seconds before turning away and following Bobby. Craig could hear his brothers' voices, but there were no audible words that he could make out. After several more minutes of channel surfing, Bobby walked in. He walked up to the television and turned it off.

Craig looked at Bobby as the man stepped to the middle of the room. "You dumped food?" He asked.

Craig swallowed hard. "It tasted bad." He muttered.

Bobby drew in a deep breath and shook his head. "Let me catch you doin' it again." He warned.

Craig let the remote drop on the couch next to him and crossed his arms over his stomach, avoiding looking at Bobby.

"You all ready for school?"Bobby asked.

Craig looked at the edge of the table. "I don't want to go." He muttered.

Bobby shook his head. "You can go to school. I need you to go to school today."

"I don't want to go." Craig spoke a little more forcefully. "I want to stay home."

"Kid, you need to try. You can't sit at home for the rest of your life. Ma sure as hell wouldn't want that." Bobby was sounding much calmer than he had the night before. "I need for you to be out of the house this morning. You don't need to be here for this." He shook his head.

"Don't I have a right to know what's going on?" Craig asked. "I have a right to be here."

"You might have a right, but I don't want you to go through any more shit. You understand? You're already dumping food again. You barely started eating, and now you're dumping fucking food in the trash. I should never have dragged your ass around with us for any of this shit. You're fucking fourteen years old, and I don't want to screw you up anymore than you are. You've got a lot of shit deal with already, you don't need any more. I thought it would be good for you to be a part of catching the scum that kill Ma, and hurt you, but I was wrong. I deal with shit different than you. You didn't need any more shit to deal with. I'm sorry for that. But I'm gonna change it, I'm not gonna drag you through anymore of this hell. You need to go to school and be with some friends, and have a chance to get your head straight, away from here." Bobby sounded so sincere that Craig almost believed him.

"But what about Jerry…" The boy started to ask.

"We'll have a discussion with Jerry, and we'll work it out." Bobby still remained calm.

"You don't have discussions." Craig muttered.

"I'm not gonna kill Jerry. I might want to if I don't like what the fuck he says, but I'm not gonna kill him." Bobby didn't sound quite so sure of his words that time.

"Bobby, I really don't want to go. I'll go upstairs and stay out of the way." Craig spoke weakly.

"You're fucking going to school. If you really can't deal with it, call home. But you need to give it a chance." Bobby drew in a deep breath. "You got any books upstairs that need you need to take?" He asked.

Craig shook his head slowly.

"You should probably head out soon?" Bobby asked.

"Not until fifteen after. Classes start at eight thirty." Craig felt the aching in his chest increase.

"Jack said he'd walk you?" He asked.

Craig nodded his head.

"Well, it's about eight now, why don't you go ahead and get your shit together?"

Craig drew in a deep breath. "There really isn't anything to get together." He muttered.

"What about lunch?" Bobby asked. "You need to pack a lunch. You got a backpack with your gym shorts and shirt? You need your shoes and socks on your feet?" Bobby pointed to the boy's bare feet. "Get to it." He ordered and walked back towards the kitchen.

Craig stood and went up to his room to put on his socks and shoes. He'd been counting on being able to stay home and had truly hoped he wouldn't have to put his shoes on.

While he sat on his bed tying his right shoe, he heard voices below, and Jerry's voice stood out among them. He quickly finished putting his shoes on and grabbed his backpack before heading down the stairs. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Sofi was standing in the doorway to the living room.

The boy stepped up next to her just as Bobby punched Jerry hard, sending him to the floor in front of the fireplace. "What are you hiding Jerry?" Bobby yelled at his brother, "Huh?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jerry cried out.

"If I find out you had something to do with happened to Ma, I swear to God Jerry, I'm gonna kill you right here and now!" Bobby was leaned over Jerry, holding him down, yelling in his face.

Craig felt his chest constrict with the aching he'd been fighting down, and he could feel tear trying to sting at his eyes.

"No Bobby no," Sofi cried out, putting an arm around the boy next to her.

Craig looked at Jack who was sitting on the couch, watching the whole thing like it was a bad movie. Angel stood behind Bobby, ready back him up. It was how they worked together, Bobby was the muscle, and Angel was the negotiator. Only this time it was Jerry they were using their skills on and it was causing a panic to rise inside of Craig. Bobby had said he didn't want him to be there for this, he'd wanted him out of the house. Apparently Jerry had shown up sooner than they had anticipated, and now, strangely enough, Craig was wishing he wasn't there to see it.

Bobby seemed to ignore all other people in the room. "Angel's gonna ask some questions, and brother, I shit you not, the time for lyin' is over."

Angel stepped up next to Bobby. "We know you're lyin' about your business and we know you got mixed up with some gangsters." He spat the words down at Jerry.

Jerry looked confused, and hurt. That was what Craig seen, and it was killing him to watch.

"Hold on man!" Jerry started to stand.

Bobby's right foot rose up and kicked the man back down to the floor hard. "Stay down!" He yelled at him.

"Y'all think I had something to do with Mom getting killed?" Jerry cried out, looking more hurt than before.

"You got a check for four hundred thousand that you just so happened to forget to mention, from Mom's life insurance." Angel threw the facts out there for Jerry to deal with.

"She took out the policy for the girls! Man, I ain't have nothin' to do with that! Come on." Jerry looked over at Jack. He didn't seem to understand how his brothers could come up with their conclusion, and at that moment, Craig knew Jerry hadn't done anything wrong. His brothers were wrong. They were wrong about everything they were thinking. He wanted to call out to Bobby and Angel to stop, but his voice couldn't make it out of his tightened throat.

"You made the payments." Jack called out from his place on the couch.

Bobby leaned back over Jerry again. "Good timin', Jerry!" He spoke with sarcasm. "Just when it seems like all is lost for you, Mom gets shot by some gangsters and now you hit the fucking lottery!" His voice rose in volume as he spoke.

"So y'all," Jerry seemed to be processing his brothers' words and actions, "Y'all are trippin' because I made insurance payment?" His own voice was taking on the tone of anger, and resentment. "What?" He pulled himself to his feet quickly, shoving Bobby hard in the chest, sending him back several feet, and then he turned to Angel and punched him in the face hard enough to send him crashing into the shelf on the wall, spilling the contents on the floor. "I paid all her bills!" He yelled at them. "Where the fuck were y'all? How many years did I have to take care of her and Craig my goddamn self? Y'all were around doin' nothin'! Bullshittin'! And you gonna tell me I killed her?" He looked more hurt than angry now. "Come on man."

"So why would you pay off a killer like Sweet? What the fuck did he do for you, Jerry?" Angel stepped up to Jerry, yelling in his face.

Craig felt as if he couldn't breathe in enough air at the moment. He needed to get out of there. Apparently Bobby was right, he didn't need to be there, and he didn't need this shit. He just wanted it all to go away. He pulled away from Sofi. "I'm going to school." He muttered. He could hear Jerry answering Angel's question, but tried to ignore the words. He walked out the door, onto the front porch, and moved outside quickly. He was down the front steps and headed for the corner before he felt a presence behind him. He thought it was Jack catching up to him to walk with him. Jack had said he would, and he hadn't looked very comfortable on the couch watching the argument that was taking place between the three oldest Mercers.

Craig turned to find see a large man in a black hooded sweatshirt, a ski mask covering his face. He didn't have the chance to yell out, or try to run before the man was grabbing him, and pressing a hand over his mouth. The assailant wrapped one hand around his waist and pressed hard on his mouth with the other hand, lifting him off the ground. Craig started hitting and kicking, and trying his best to scream out for his brothers, but it did not good. He could feel the man carrying him towards the opposite corner. He could see another man approaching the front door of the house and knocking on it. Moments later Jack was opening the door. Craig tried to scream out to Jack, was panicking inside as he watched the hoodlum throw a snowball at Jack. Jack was going after him ready to kick his ass and Craig felt terror take over him. He could see the man in the hockey mask pulling out a gun. He twisted his head from side to side; surprised when the hand over his mouth slipped enough that he could bite down on it hard. The hand pulled away, and Craig screamed as loud as he could. "Jack!" He let his voice ring out for a long moment, but it seemed to be too late. He could see Jack's attacker turn and aim at him, but the shot wasn't a loud blast, it was more like a loud fire cracker.

Craig was still kicking and hitting at the man hold him. He managed to get an elbow up far enough that he could crack it straight back into the face of the creep holding him. It was enough that the hold on him loosened and the boy twisted again, pulling free. "Jack!" He screamed again, running as fast as he could towards his brother, towards home. He could see Jack dropping to his knees in front of the shooter, and the gun pointing at Jack's head. "No!" Hot tears were burning down his cheeks now. He could see a van was parked on the street next to the house, and he could see another van coming up the street from the opposite direction.

"Jack!" Bobby's voice rang out from the front door. "Craig!" He ran out with his sawed off in his hands, Angel and Jerry were behind him, heading their way.

Bobby had covered half the distance to Jack when he stopped and aimed a gun at the armed man about to put a bullet into his brother. The shot hit the man in the chest, dropping him just as Craig reached Jack. Jack was able to get on his feet. He grabbed Craig's arm and pulled him around in front of him as the street seem to fill with masked men armed with automatics. The shots started riveting non-stop. Jack screamed out and dove into Craig from behind, landing on top of him in the snow bank next to the utility pole on the corner. Craig looked up to see the bullets hitting the house, bullets that had been aimed at his brothers. The three men were forced back inside.

"Bobby!" Jack screamed out as the blasts of the guns seemed to echo off the surrounding houses.

"Jack!" Bobby called out from the front porch.

Craig could feel Jack's warm blood soaking the back of his own shirt, and he felt himself freezing up on the inside. He could have sworn he could smell it. "Jack!" He cried out from under the man.

"It's okay." Jack rested his head down for a moment. "I'm right here." But his voice sounded strange to the boy. He raised his head back up again. "Bobby!" His voice sounded desperate now.

"Jack!" Bobby responded.

Craig could see Bobby rise up from behind the window of the front porch and fire back at the killers on their front lawn. Moments later more gunshots sounded from the house, and one of the men dropped into the snow. "Jack, hang on!" Bobby yelled.

Jack screamed out with no warning, and Craig felt his back exposed to the cold air. He felt arms grabbing at him and lifting him out of the snow. This time a hand didn't press over his mouth. Two men were dragging him away from the house by his arms. He couldn't get to his feet, he could only kick and scream out. They finally stopped, about the time that the gun fire seemed to silence. The gunshots only stopped for a moment, and it seemed as soon as they started again the men pulled the boy to his feet. One of them held him from behind, pinning his arms down. The second man stood in front of him, and though Craig tried to kick at him, it did no good. The man before him wore camouflage type clothes, and he held up a needle and syringe. The needle was thrust towards the boy. He felt a sharp stabbing pain in his left collarbone and realized the man had just jabbed the needle deep into him. He felt the liquid being plunged in, burning as it hit his tissue. He tried to fight, tried to get back to Jack, who had been rolled over onto his back.

"Bobby!" Craig screamed out, just as his mind started to tingle. His fingers and feet seemed to start to turn numb. He could feel himself being dragged backwards towards the dark colored van closest to the house. He continuted to try to squirm and kick, but his efforts were growing weak as his body seemed to be turning numb and wouldn't respond. His gaze stayed fixed on the men moving towards the house, the gun fire, echoing in his brain. He was sure he seen Angel coming out of the top floor window, and Bobby was now out front beating the shit out of one guy with a rock. His mind started to close down on him, and he was losing the fight to stay alert. He felt his body hit the floor of the interior of the van, and he screamed out again. "Bobby!" The world around him was starting to spin, and dip, making him feel sick to his stomach.

A fist cracked down on his jaw, and stars started to shimmer in front of his eyes.

"What the fuck you think you doin'?" A disembodied voice somewhere above the boy spoke. "He said not to bruise him up."

Craig fell into blackness as the van lurched forward. The sudden movement brought him back to a semi-state of being awake, but only enough to comprehend the van was moving, and it felt as if it were moving fast. Then he was out cold.


Bobby didn't hear Angel yelling at him. He didn't hear Jack or Craig screaming any more, and the fear of what was happening to his family spurred him on, landing the brick into the face of the man on the ground under him.

"Bobby!" Angel was moving towards Bobby, as the second van was heading straight towards him at full speed. "Bobby! Bobby! The van, watch out!" He reached Bobby just as the van was about to take the eldest Mercer down. He was pulling Bobby out of the path of the vehicle when Jerry's Volvo slammed into the side of it, sending it in the other direction and slamming into the car parked across the street.

Bobby and Angel looked at each other for a moment before running over to Jack, who was lying on his back in the snow. "Jack, Jack, look at me." Bobby grabbed Jack's head in his hands. He looked into the eyes of his little brother and could feel his heart breaking. "Jack, you alright?"

Jack seemed to be fighting to breathe, but he managed to speak in a raspy voice. "Craig, they took Craig."

Bobby turned towards Sofi who was running their way. "We need an ambulance! Somebody help!" He turned back to Jack. "Come one man." He felt tears threatening, Jack didn't look good, but Bobby checked out his injury, and while there was blood, it didn't seem there was a lot of it. That thought gave him a sick feeling inside.

"Craig…" Jack gasped as Jeremiah ran up, sitting down next to the pole.

"You don't worry about Craig, we'll find Craig. Don't you die on me you little fairy. Come on, Jack. Please?" Bobby felt as if his heart were being ripped out of his chest at that moment. Craig he could get back, if Jack died he was gone forever. He didn't think he could live with that. "You gotta fucking breathe!"

A weak smile formed on Jack's face. "I'm not gonna die." He coughed up some blood. "I'm just freezing my balls off here." He coughed again. Both Angel and Jerry forced smiles at the younger man's joke.

Bobby felt tears rolling down his cheeks. "You better not." He felt an anger building up inside of him as he watched his brother struggling to suck in air. He finally looked at Angel and Jerry, "Keep him awake, and breathing. He looked behind him at the van still sitting in the street. He stood and headed around the back end of it, seeing a gun on the ground as he moved; he bent down and grabbed it. He walked up to the driver's door, to find the man still leaned over the steering wheel. He aimed the gun at the ski mask in front of him. "Who sent you? Victor Sweet?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah, it was Sweet." The man spoke weakly.

"Why did he take my little brother?" Bobby yelled at him.

"He was part of a deal. I don't know what." The man breathed heavily.

"Part of a deal with who?" Bobby still yelled.

"A guy he works with, his name is Macks," Was the quiet response.Bobby let the gun lower.

"Thank God." The driver sighed with relief.

"Thank God?" Bobby raised the gun again. "He killed my mother, maybe my little brother, and stole my baby brother. Thank Victor Sweet." Bobby fired a round into the man's head.

The sirens could now be heard. He moved back to where Jack was laying. He knelt down next to his brothers. Jack looked up at Bobby, "Craig. You gotta find him." He spoke weakly.

"Don't you worry Jack, we'll find him. You're gonna be fine, and we'll find Craig, and it's all gonna be good." Bobby drew in a deep breath as he looked at the street in front of the house littered with bodies. He was sure explaining this to the police would be interesting.