Reckless Surrender :: Chapter Forty Three

"Are you ready for this?" Bo asked quietly as he helped Hope secure a kevlar vest to her body.

She stared back at him. Her voice was eerily calm as she nodded in response, "Are you?"

Bo smiled at her, "You bet."

He helped her into a waterproof jacket. She gently caressed her gun and checked the safety before holstering it to her hip. Bo kissed her forehead.

"Let's do this," Hope announced.

They were back in the warehouse where it all began. Roman and Rafe were on the other side of the river. SWAT teams were on standby. Hope peered out the window. The sun was setting. Soon it would be dark, and their all black attire would help them blend into the night.

"I hope Victor stays away from this," Hope sighed as she watched the water below.

"Me too," Bo agreed, "Surely he knows better."

They stood in silence. Waiting. They both knew the deal wouldn't go down until after dark. Maybe later. There was tension between the two sides making the deal. They could be stuck there all night. The warehouse was barren and desolate. Silence haunted it. Still, they both found peace there.

Bo broke the silence with a whisper, "This place… Might be my new favorite place in town."

Hope's eyes slowly wandered over to meet his in a knowing gaze, "Me too."

Her voice was quiet. Reflective. Without the warehouse, they might not be where they were today. The same could be said for the case. A part of each of them mourned the idea of losing it. As much as they were both tired of the long, drawn out saga, they couldn't help but be thankful. It brought them back together and they both knew it.

"I love you," Bo replied. His voice was a whisper again.

"I love you too," Hope replied. She couldn't help but smile. This was the end of a chapter for them. Tomorrow would start a new one. She couldn't help but feel excited about the idea of it.

"Be careful tonight…?" Hope's voice was more of a begging question than a statement. Her eyes clouded with emotion. Nerves tugged at her gut.

Bo swallowed once, haunted by the all too recent memory of her being shot across the river. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her. He reached for her hand and squeezed it, "I will, if you will."

She nodded, "Deal."

Silence engulfed them once again. All they could do was wait. Their eyes repeatedly scanned the pier, the streets, and the surrounding buildings. Occasional communication was exchanged with Roman and Rafe. They had nothing. They could feel Abe's impatience lurking from miles away.

A little after midnight, Hope jumped at the sound of voices in the stairwell. She looked at Bo, who didn't miss the noise either.

"What was that?" Hope barely whispered.

Bo shrugged. They dove for separate hiding spots. Bo behind a door, and Hope behind discarded and empty wooden boxes. She was on the ground. Her heart pounded. The voices became louder as they entered the large room Bo and Hope had been hiding in. No one foresaw the deal going down in the warehouse. They always assumed it would happen on the pier.

Bo maintained visual contact with Hope. They listened carefully as the men exchanged words. There were only four of them this time. All four had been in the park the night before.

They talked money and gun shipment clearance, until Bo's phone began to vibrate. Hope's heart stopped. Bo scrambled to shut off the vibration, but he was too late. His presence was exposed.

"What was that?" One of the men questioned. Two of them rounded the corner with their guns drawn.

They found Bo with his hands up, attempting to look nonthreatening.

"COP!" Yelled the other man.

This sent one of the men who stayed behind running for the stairs. Hope knew he would be intercepted outside in the streets. SWAT was moving in. She let him go.

"Take it easy guys," Bo spoke calmly, "You have the upper hand here.

"Who knows you're in here?" The tall one asked.

Bo knew he wouldn't hesitate to shoot. He was the one who'd killed the man in the park the night before.

Before Bo could answer, Hope swung a broken 2x4 at the tall man's head. He fell to the floor, out cold. Bo took the opportunity to dive for the second man. As he wrestled him to the ground and cuffed him, a gunshot rang out. His ears rang, and his heart stomach twisted when he saw Hope fall to the ground.

"No." Bo barely spoke an audible sound, "No."

He punched the cuffed man in the face to shut him up and drew his gun. Hope was motionless on the ground. He scanned the room for the shooter. Two men were on the ground. One was on the loose. Everything in him wanted to go to her. He willed her chest to rise. As he rounded a corner, he felt a gun to the back of his head and the ominous clicking sound of a gun ready to be fired.

"Out of luck PoPo," The man laughed sarcastically.

"Wrong," Hope replied.

The man pulled Bo to his chest and held the gun to Bo's temple. The relief that washed over Bo at the sight of Hope on her feet erased the terror that he should have felt from the gun being held to the side of his face.

Hope felt nauseous. She held the criminal at gunpoint, but Bo was so close, "Let him go."

"The hell I will," The man replied, "He's getting me out of here."

"Take the shot," Bo ordered, "You can do it Hope."

Her heart screamed. The memory of pulling the gun on Bo at the shooting range haunted her once again. She didn't have time to freeze. She had to be quick. Her stomach ached. She swallowed once.

"Come on Hope," Bo urged. He trusted her. She was the best shooter they had. He saw the fear flash through her eyes.

"She fires that gun, she hits you too," The man argued, "No way she can make this shot."

"Don't listen to him," Bo shook his head.

Hope licked her lips once, "I'll give you one more chance. Let him go."

"And what?" The man laughed, "Get arrested? Fuck you. He's coming with me. Put your gun down or I'll kill him."

"Kill him, and you're dead in 2 seconds." Hope replied.

The man twisted the gun into the side of Bo's head. Hope pulled her trigger. She stopped breathing as the man fell to the floor in a pool of blood. A single bullet hole in his forehead stared back at her.

Bo ran to her, "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Hope finally breathed. She caressed his face, "You?"

"I wasn't scared."

Hope rolled her eyes, "Bo, that's not an easy shot. I could have hurt you."

"But, you didn't," Bo reassured, "Look at that kill shot… I told you, you could do it."

Hope rubbed her shoulder and rolled her neck. She still wasn't sold. She was just relieved Bo was safe.

"You sure you're okay?" Bo questioned. He watched her grimace.

Hope nodded and opened her jacket. Bo's eyes found a bullet in the left chest of her vest.

"Knocked the wind out of me," Hope replied, "Shoulder feels a little sore."

Bo's heart fell. Without the vest, he would be revisiting his nightmare from several months earlier all over again. He pulled her to his chest and kissed the crown of her head. Hope let herself be held. It was finally over.

"What do you say we book these bastards?" Bo questioned. Sirens could be heard outside. Red and Blue flashing lights illuminated the street below them. Roman, Rafe, and Abe would be there soon.

"Sounds like a wonderful idea," Hope nodded. They each forced one of the hand cuffed men to their feet.

Hope took one last glance at her kill shot. The dead man was motionless on the floor. She was sorry a man had to lose his life, but he was a reminder that she was a damn good cop.