Years of hardened training and experience had taught Ash Ketchum that fear was something he needed to suppress. Just the feeling of uneasiness was said to be the very beginning of a downfall.
Fear came naturally. Coming face to face with death many times, he had accepted it as just another thing for him to come on by.
Now staring at Harley with May in front, he felt even more helpless than before. How did he find her?
The fact dawned right on him. Harley had his men distract Ash and his team while he went out solo. She wasn't armed and was already terrified herself so she would be easy prey. Putting her as a hostage was the best way to get the JETS to lower their weapons.
Now Harley had just as quickly taken his attention off of her and pointed his own weapon at Ash. Right after he had disarmed himself.
When the shot rang out, the Commando braced himself for the inevitable red hot razor of a bullet slicing through his body, the second one today.
But it never came.
In a flash, a crimson bloom sprouted on Harley's shoulder and he immediately released May before crumpling to the ground.
Ash was still in shock when Jewell approached him from his left, her pistol was drawn and a barely visible trail of smoke curled from the barrel.
While Harley was focused on Ash, he paid much less attention to Damien and Jewell, the latter was still gripping her own weapon when he brought him in his sights. Before anyone else could blink, she drew her own weapon, firing dead center.
"Turn over," Damien growled, kicking the pistol away from Harley and flipping him on his back. A pair of cuffs were drawn and slipped right over his wrists.
"Get him to a paramedic and then to the interrogation chamber,"
"Got it." Both of his subordinates picked up Harley by a shoulder and escorted him to their car.
"You okay?" Ash breathlessly asked.
May nodded, "Thanks for saving my life again."
"You can thank Jewell for that one." He opened his arms up in an embrace, "Now how about we go see a doctor about that arm?"
Drew was sitting in his office with one of his associates when his cell began to ring. He looked at the ID, NORMAN.
"I need a few. Let's take a quick break."
His men nodded and departed his office. Making sure they were gone, he answered afterwards.
"This is Drew."
"Drew!" Norman sounded relieved, "Thank Arceus! Did you hear about May yet?"
May?
"Um no," He tried to sound convincing, "What's going on?"
"Harley of the Syndicate had taken May hostage, but he was shot. She's okay though."
Drew wasn't sure he should be relieved or worried beyond his mind. Was Harley dead, because if he wasn't; he could potentially tie them together and rat him out in exchange for a reduced sentence. For a man like that though, it was unlikely but the thought of him ordering the hit would also be enough to put him behind bars too.
"Is Harley dead?"
"I don't know. The report is saying that the gunshot was not lethal, although there's not much else from that."
"What about Ash? Is he involved?"
"They say he was involved in her rescue," Drew could hear the contempt dripping like rain in his voice, "And he says that we should be looking elsewhere for outside threats! The boy should be looking at himself!"
Drew nodded, playing along, "Yeah, I agree."
"They're taking May to the hospital, she has a broken arm. I'm on my way over there too. You should come, at least send to check if she's okay."
"Sure," Drew began to sweat out of desperation, "I may be a little late. Lots of paperwork to do."
"Do you want me to wait?"
He shook his head, "No, it's okay. I'll drop by later if I can." He had to make a stop first.
Ash was holding May's free hand as they sat together in silence. She was beginning to doze off thanks to the painkillers the doctors had given her. With luck, she could be released tomorrow morning.
The door opened and it revealed a furious Norman. As usual, he did not look the least bit pleased with Ash in his presence. Behind him, Max timidly trailed and he could see a lot of worry in his eyes. He wasn't sure if it was for him, May or both.
"You!" He obviously didn't care that she was sleeping and walked right over to Ash, jabbing a finger in his chest, "You see why I warned that nothing good would come out of you and May together?!"
"I'm sorry May," Ash bowed his head, ignoring Norman as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"You should be. You and your team continue to ask me on who would want to hurt May. I think you need to take another look at yourself Lieutenant! Now leave! I want to be alone with my son and daughter."
"When May wakes up," Ash glared back, "She's going to want to see me."
Norman was about to make a dismissal comment, but knew that he was right. Either way, he couldn't stop sending a glare of his own back at the man as he left.
"You look terrible," Brendan said as Ash emerged, "I saw Maple go in."
"Yeah," He nodded, "He blames me for it all,"
"Surprised?"
"No, but he's partially right. It is my fault."
"Dawn and I agree that you need something to eat, so she went to get takeout."
Ash sighed, "At least Harley can't hurt her anymore. How's he doing?"
"Shot went clean through. Damien and Jewell are transporting him to the interrogation room now. Zach and a team of CSIs are at your house and it seems like they entered after May left, which left the alarm disabled. "
"We're going to send him to prison for the rest of his life Brendan," Ash looked at his number two in the eye, "Find out who ordered the hit on May."
"Harley did."
"He may have organized it, but he didn't order it. There's an entire regiment of his goons to do that work for him. It was a vendetta. Someone with personal connections to her."
"Are you saying that we do a background check on May?" Decker was appalled, "Ash, this is your future wife we're talking about here! Much of that information is Maple Software related too, do you really think Norman is just going to hand us the key?"
"He's not going to. Which is why Harley is our last vector on who did this."
Ash tightened his fist, a surge of anger coursing through his body, "We're going to find out who was responsible and put them away for a long, long time."
"Dad?" Max opened the door to May's room and saw him at her bedside.
"Max? What's wrong?" He was reluctant to talk, but just spending time with his daughter was enough to cool his anger at Ash.
"Ash was just talking to the other person involved in this," His eyes widened, "It was Mom!"
"What?!" Norman was just as surprised at the revelation. "Where is she?"
"Next door. She was very surprised to see me. Ash said that Harley's men went after her too."
He was about to say something genuinely nice, but held it back. The terms of their divorce were messy and since he was awarded the custody of the kids, the house and his company were also entitled to him. Caroline's lawyer didn't even stand a chance, even though it seemed the court was actually favoring her for May and Max.
He hadn't seen her in years, but granted that she still loved their kids, it would not be beneath him to avoid her like a plague.
Norman kissed a sleeping May on the forehead and left her room, heading right down to the one Max had pointed out.
"Stay here," Wordlessly Max obeyed.
Caroline was settling into a sleep when a light knock came at her door.
"Come in," She opened her eyes.
Norman softly opened it up and both of them were surprised at the sight.
His ex was wrapped in white sheets and quite pale from the blood loss she had sustained at her own house.
"Hi," The greeting was curt, without mention of how long they had gone without seeing one another. It was almost as if they were never married in the first place.
"Caroline," Norman started, but he couldn't find the words. "How are you?" He stammered.
"Feeling okay," She sighed, "How's May?"
"She suffered a broken arm, but the doctors hope she can be discharged tomorrow." At the sound of that, relief washed over her face.
"So glad our baby girl is safe."
"But it's all because of Ketchum! He's brought his world of violence and pain into May's and she's accepting it."
"Norman," Despite his stubbornness, Caroline was the only person who was capable of standing up to him and telling him where he was at fault. "Why do you continue to lash out at Ash? He's done nothing wrong."
"Except corrupt my children!" It did not escape her notice that he called both May and Max his.
"Norman," She sternly said, "When we were married, we promised that if one of us died or got divorced, that we would support May and Max's both interests at heart. It's truly sad to see that you've violated that promise."
"I…"
"Ash is not a bad person and he is in a situation not so different from you. You remember Saturday night thirty years ago? Junior prom?"
Norman couldn't help but curl his lips upward, "I remember coming to pick you up and there was a big argument with your father behind the screen door."
"Exactly. Now think of what you're putting Ash though."
Caroline's analogy made sense, he was being that overprotective father he had previously experienced, but it still didn't justify anything.
"Doesn't matter if it's Ash or a world famous actor. Nobody is going to hurt May or Max ever again. Caroline, you know this, she needs protection and safety."
"Who better to protect and be her guardian than Ash? What do you think would have happened with the Syndicate if she was still with Drew?" Norman knew she didn't care too much for him, "Drew is not a fighter himself, even though he sticks by her side. Ash is."
She was right. He did sort of double as both a partner and bodyguard. It was odd to see the things he flung at Ash during their confrontation earlier get turned around easily and used against him in an argument. Interestingly enough, Caroline was the only person capable of that.
Norman sat down at a seat opposite her bed, placing his head into his hands. He said nothing for the longest time, no doubt thoughts running in his head a thousand miles an hour. For years, he had guarded May and Max closely from enemies outside, believing them to be corrupting his children's lives
"I'm sorry Caroline. For everything."
"Don't apologize to me for all the damage you caused. Listen," She moved over to place a hand on her ex's, "I know it's your nature to judge, protect and be stubborn, but I know you. You want May and Max to be happy. So please, just for once, go and see how May and Ash are as a couple. You might be surprised at what you find."
She was right. Norman had never given Ash a single chance to explain himself. He had constantly reminded him that he was open to changing his ways to stay with her. Commitment was something he had failed to do with his own wife and here he was, trying to prevent his own daughter to succeed where he had failed.
"I messed up big time," A teardrop rolled down his fingers, "I don't even know if May will ever forgive me for my mistake."
"So, what are you going to do about it?"
This story is wrapping up, only a few more chapters to go!
Thank you for reading and reviewing, you give my writing purpose.