Author note:

Hello, everyone. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and I look forward to hear from you again. All feedback are appreciated.

Have a nice day.

At times fear can switch off the rational part of our brain and put the survival part in charge.

"Follow me!" Magnum shouted grimly. He took the lead, knowing the boys would not be able to think straight to escape on their own. Dennis and Kale were already on the edge. Now that they are being chased by those stronger and in numbers, Magnum wondered what kind of emotional scars the kids will be left with at the end of the quest to bring justice for their friend's death.

Magnum turned and ran faster. The boys were keeping up to his speed. He took out his wallet and flashed his PI license as he started to cross the street. The fast-approaching cars slowed down, mistaking it for some kind of law enforcement identification card and allowed them to cross the street in an instant. Luckily, he was wearing long pants and a shirt, his usual short pants and Hawaiian shirt would have given him away. Magnum's brain was on a full-speed mode, focused on the escape they desperately needed.

Reaching to the other side, Magnum ran down a side street. He needed to find a safe spot to lay low and call for help. Thoughts were all over him, calculating possible scenarios for him, having Dennis and Kale's well-being as his priority.

Magnum stopped at the entrance of another alley and strained his hearing. The voices were faint but Magnum can roughly make a guess. The goons were closing in on them.

Flight, fight or freeze. Those were the only options his swirling mind could come up with.

Magnum turned to the boys' ashen face. Their eyes were wide, speaking volumes of fearfulness. "Okay. Time for a new plan. You two find help while I stall those guys."

"What? That's crazy, dude!"

"Those lunatics will kill you,"

The boys protested at the same time.

They were right. Magnum might end up dying even before they can get any help but he knew he has better chances of surviving the situation …alone. After all, Rick had always said he has nine lives. Maybe he will survive this.

"Look, I will be okay." Magnum continued quickly.

"But…that's not right." Dennis looked torn, helpless. He did not expect someone else to the price for their foolish actions.

"Dennis, I'm an ex-navy seal. I'm have handled this kind of situation before, okay? I will be fine, I promise but you need to get help, alright? Can you do that?" Magnum spoke in a rush. They didn't have much time left.

Magnum took out his phone and passed it to Kale. "Give me your phone."

"Why …"

"Just give him your damn phone!" Dennis urged.

Magnum took Kale's phone and quickly made a call to his phone. "Pick it up."

Kale clicked the answer button and the call was connected.

Magnum jammed Kale's phone in his pants. "Find a spot to hide. Call your dad. Get help. Listen to what's happening here and convey that, he will know what to do." Magnum instructed in a rush as he pushed the boys to his right, a turn which will take them out the alley.

"Go," He nudged the boys, forcing them to start running "GO!"

The boys ran and Dennis's last backward glance with his phone on his ears shook Magnum. If something were to happen to him, it will end up scarring the boys for life.

Two seconds later the boys were out of his sight. The voices he heard in the distances were getting louder. He turned backward, it was rather a shabby alley with a dead end, that was exactly what he needed.

He jogged to the end of the alley, turned around, and leaned on the wall. Magnum let out a slow controlled breath and attempted to loosen his anxious body movement. He gave his shoulder a wiggle hoping to release the tension that was building but his eyes were alert.

It was just a matter of time.

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind, he took out Kale's phone. The call was still connected. Things may get pretty rough and he didn't want the call to get disconnected by any means. He placed the phone on the ground and hid it under torn cardboards. He was back to his spot just in time when the two goons came running into the alley. They slowed only for one second before they picked up the speed when they saw the turning Magnum had urged the boys to take. They never saw him standing at the end on the other side.

"Yo!"

His call stopped them and they turned backward.

"Looking for me?" Magnum smirked as he took a step to the front.

The two goons shared a look before they walked towards Magnum. "Where are the boys?" One of them asked.

"It doesn't matter." Magnum shrugged.

"Oh yeah? What is that?"

"Because they don't have what you're looking for."

"What do you think we are looking for?"

"I don't know," Magnum gave his shoulder a half shrug. "Let me see," He scratched his chin. "How about the evidence of you two selling drugs to a bunch of school kids?"

A punch in the gut and Magnum doubled over, another one and he was on the ground. Magnum gasped for air and before he could recover, one of the goons grabbed his collar, pulled him up, and shoved him harshly against the wall.

"Check him,"

Magnum's vision blurred rather violently for one second. His head was struggling to recover, it did not take the sudden contact with the cement wall well.

Magnum could feel his wallet being pulled out. "You could h-have just asked." He slurred.

"He is a P.I"

The goon holding him let him lose and Magnum tumbled a little. His hand went quickly to the back of his head. He applied firm pressure on the area, he will not be surprised if a bruise formed soon.

"What are you doing, sneaking your nose in our business?"

Magnum looked up, the goon asking the question looked taller than the other, he seemed to the dominant one. Perhaps he was the leader.

"Since you asked so nicely..." Magnum started. "One of the students you guys sold those pills to, overdosed last month. I was asked to look into the matter, and here we are."

"And the boys running with you?"

"That's none of your concern because you should more be worried about me."

The dominant one took a step closer to Magnum in a threatening manner. "What you gonna do?" Without any warning, his fist edged closer to Magnum's face. It hit Magnum's jaw in such a force that he tasted his blood. "Rat us out to the cops?" Another punch. This time the goon's fist came straight to Magnum's nose and blood dripped from his nostrils.

Again, the goon gripped a fist of Magnum's shirt and pulled him closer to his face. "You think you got all sorted out, don't you?" He released Magnum's shirt in such a force that he stumbled backward and his back hit the wall again. The goons looked confident. Dennis and Kale were right. These guys must have someone inside HPD. "What makes you think your evidence will even reach HPD?"

"Who said…" Magnum coughed and spit out the blood. His left arm went around his abdomen and his right hand went to the wall. He needed something to hold him up straight. With all the pain, he was swaying on his feet. "Why would I w-want to go the cops?"

Magnum saw a genuinely confused look plastered all over the goons' face. Magnum smiled despite the waves of pain abusing his body. "I know you guys … have someone inside."

The smile on the goons' face faded and Magnum took it as a good sign. "I'm sure 99-street gang will be interested." Magnum supplied. "From what I know, they don't like people trespassing their territory." He finished with a smirk on his face.

The dominant one raised his gun, pointing straight to Magnum's face. "You will not be even alive to do that."

"You shoot me …" Magnum inhaled deeply. It was getting a little to breathe in with all the discomfort around his nose. He just hoped it was not broken. "and then what?"

"Then we will find those boys and put a bullet in them as well."

In the corner of his eyes, Magnum spotted the slight movements. Katsumoto and other HPD officers were closing in silently. He just has to hang on a bit longer. He decided to continue to make sure he has the goons' full concentration. He let a small laugh. "What makes you think you …can even get out of here?"

"Are you dumb or something? There two of us with guns and there's you …already gasping in pain." He mocked Magnum. "You're outnumbered, moron."

Magnum said nothing, he simply smirked. Katsumoto and the other two HPD officers were right behind the goons with the guns trained on them. "Hey, Gordy. Perfect timing."

The goons turned the head so fast that Magnum thought they would suffer from neck pain in the future.

"HPD," Katsumoto said. "Put down your gun. Lie down on the floor with your hands behind your back."

Every second seemed to pass by slowly. Katsumoto's eyes darted over to meet Magnum's and Magnum understood. The situation was still out of their control. The dominant goon's gun was still trained on him.

"Put. Down. Your Gun." Katsumoto repeated.

The goon lowered his hand. His lips were pressed together in a grim line and his dark eyes flickered. Almost robotically the goon held his hand up again.

Magnum held his breath.

Out of nowhere, the sound of two shots rang out loud, invading the silent alley.

Stay tuned for more. Tell me what you think.

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