Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 52
Brady pried the boards loose from the windows and peered inside. He could see into what looked to be a dimly lit living room. The light came from an adjoining room where there was small emergency lamp. He looked through the window for a sign of Chloe. He saw her in the lamp lit room.
And his heart stopped.
She was half naked. Her face was swollen and puffy, and blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. There looked to be deep slashes on one ankle and on her wrists. He noticed that she clutched her sides. Then he saw the large red splotch on the side of her chest on her ribcage. His stomach twisted at the sight of her wounds. She was hurting.
He pushed her pain out of his mind. Brady had called his father on the way here on his cell phone. They were on their way here but Brady knew it could be a while before they arrived. So it was up to him to save Chloe. {Where's Moore?} he thought.
Then he saw him, just behind her. Brady wondered at his wounds, he seemed to be hurt himself. Had Chloe done that? Brady watched Moore sneer at Chloe and then pull a gun out from behind his back and point it at her. {No!} He leapt through the previously broken window and ran through the living room as Moore cocked the hammer. Brady entered the dining room as he took aim. Brady jumped into the air as Moore pulled the trigger.
Time had stopped for Chloe when Moore pulled out the gun and pointed it at her. So many thoughts ran through her mind as he cocked the gun.
Regrets. Wishes. Memories.
He took aim at her heart.
Friends. Family.
He pulled the trigger.
Love.
She saw Brady out of the corner of her eye, flying slow motion through the air on a collision course with Moore.
Indescribable happiness flooded her at the sight.
{Brady! He came for me!}
Brady slammed full force into him, knocking off his aim just as the bullet was leaving the barrel, changing its course by only a few degrees.
But it was enough. Instead of ripping through her heart, the bullet tore through her shoulder.
Chloe saw the bullet heading toward her, frozen in shock. Pain seared her shoulder as the bullet punched into it. The bone shattered as the bullet tore through it. Then the bullet ripped through the other side and became embedded in the wall behind her.
Chloe stood in a foggy haze. She looked over at her left shoulder, at the gaping wound. She was fascinated to see muscle tissue and bone fragments. Blood gushed from both wounds, front and back. She looked at her shoulder. {Huh, I've been shot.}
Brady slammed into Moore and they both crashed to the ground. The gun flew from Moore's grasp and slid across the wooden floor, far from anyone's reach. Brady landed on top and pounded on him. "You f*cking bastard!" He threw a vicious right jab at his already broken nose.
Moore rolled and threw Brady off of him. Both men jumped to their feet and circled each other wearily. Moore attacked with a verbal thrust designed to enrage Brady. He was counting on Brady being hot-tempered, impairing his ability to fight. He taunted Brady, "If you want, you can have her when I'm done with her." He laughed cruelly.
It didn't work. True, Brady got hot when he was a little angry, frustrated or annoyed. But when he was really angry, like someone is threatening someone he loves angry, then he doesn't get hot. He gets cold. Like ice.
Brady's icy exterior deflected the jab, while he studied his opponent for weaknesses, taking note of his wounds.
After sizing each other up, at an unspoken signal, they attacked. Brady sidestepped Moore's punch and grabbed his wrist. Moore's momentum was turned against him as Brady twisted his arm up and around. Brady struck the back of Moore's elbow with the palm of his hand and smiled in satisfaction when the joint dislocated.
Moore yelled out in pain and launched himself at Brady. Brady rolled with the attack and again let his opponent's momentum carry them to the ground. He continued rolling and kicked Moore up onto his back. Brady landed on top, his thighs straddling Moore's chest.
{Looks like all those Karate lessons Dad made me take are beginning to pay off.} Brady thought. He took a quick second to glance at Chloe. She was standing in shock looking at her shoulder. That's when he saw the blood pouring from the hole in her shoulder.
"No! Chloe!" he cried.
{Huh, I've been shot.} She stared at her shoulder in shock, oblivious to the battle raging around her. Soon though, the pain in her shoulder broke through her daze. {I've been shot!} She suddenly realized. She ripped off a few more scraps from her skirt and pressed them against the wounds, trying to slow the flow of blood. She already felt dizzy and lightheaded, from loss of blood, combined with the score of other injuries she had already sustained. Using her teeth and her hands, she tied the scraps tightly around her shoulder. {That should do it until we get to a hospital. Of course, if we don't stop that monster soon, it won't matter.} She looked back at the men, racking her brain for a way to help.
Brady was on top of Moore, looking at Chloe, concerned to see her frozen in shock, blood pouring from the gunshot wound on her shoulder. Moore lay underneath Brady, noticing his inattention. {The kid knows a few tricks, huh?} Unfortunately, he had a few tricks of his own. He rocked back on his shoulder blades and threw his legs up in the air. He brought them around and forward, knocking Brady in the chest. He knocked Brady off him and staggered to his feet.
Brady jumped to his feet and whirled to face Moore. Chloe stood there and watched the two men battle each other with everything they had. Vicious blows were exchanged; neither side giving quarter. She cringed when Moore landed a swift kick squarely in Brady's ribs. Brady just shook it off. He focused on only one thing: the bastard in front of him. He ducked beneath Moore's punch and took his legs out beneath him with a sweeping kick. Dr. Moore landed hard on his back, but rolled quickly, avoiding Brady's punch. He jumped back up on his legs just in time to be clocked across the temple by Brady's roundhouse kick. The heel of Brady's shoe sliced at his head, and blood poured freely from the wound. He staggered under the onslaught of Brady's relentless attack, reeling from repeated blows.
Dr. Moore was quickly learning that unlike Chloe, this kid knew how to fight, and inflict serious damage. He groaned when Brady punched him in the kidneys. {I've got to end this now.} He blocked Brady's blows and searched for the gun that had been knocked from his hand earlier. He saw it on the floor and scrambled to it. Brady tried to stop him but he was too late as Moore brought the gun up and aimed it at Brady.
Chloe stood frozen in horror. Moore had broken away from Brady's attack and was now pointing a gun at him. Why does this seem so familiar? Suddenly a vision rocked through her mind.
She looked down at the babe in her arm and smiled wryly. {This kid can sleep through anything.} Anything being their mad escape through the twisting tunnels beneath Cassidy Keep. Her other hand clutched tightly to her husband's, her love's. He smiled his reassurance at her. She was hit by an overwhelming feeling of love for the man at her side. She couldn't remember her life before him. She couldn't imagine it without him.
He squeezed her hand. "We're almost there, m'love. Almost free." She looked behind her. Her brother and his wife were behind them, protecting their backs while they escaped.
They rounded the last bend and stopped cold. He was in front of them, laughing mockingly at them. His deep voice rang through the stone tunnels. "Did you really think you could escape me, Brady?"
Her husband boldly stepped in front of her, shielding her and their baby. She saw the blinding flash and tried to save him but she was too late. She felt it in her soul. Her soul mate, her missing half was dead, dead before his body even hit the cold ground.
She felt her heart being ripped in two, her soul torn in half. As his soul departed she called for him. "Sheamus!"
With a start, Chloe came back to herself. {What the hell was that?} She saw Moore aim a gun at Brady. {NO! Not again! I have to save him!} She felt behind her and brushed against the glass shard that she had tucked into her skirt earlier. She slowly removed it and held it ready in her hand. She advanced on Moore, careful not to attract his attention.
Fortunately, his back was to her. He cocked the hammer back and Chloe acted. She drove the glass deep in the flesh of his lower back and twisted it viciously. As Moore reacted to this new attack, Brady spun and kicked the gun out of his hand. It flew across the room.
"No!" Dr. Moore screamed and lunged for the gun. Chloe watched as both men scrambled for the gun. She felt herself growing weaker, as her countless injuries took their toll.
Moore made it first, snatching the gun and bringing it to bear on Chloe. He didn't hesitate as he yelled, "Die Bitch!" and fired.
Brady had seconds to act. He was too far away from either Chloe or Moore, so he did the only thing he could.
Chloe watched in stunned silence as her love jumped up into the path of her bullet, taking it in his body. He dropped to the ground, and didn't move.
{no. NO!} her soul screamed in silence. She knelt and cradled Brady's motionless body, bathing his face with her tears. She pleaded with him to come back to her. {I lost you once, my love. I can't lose you again.} She caressed his beautiful face lovingly. She cried in panic and despair as his color paled, his life's blood rushing from his body. {No.} She looked up at Moore, a white-hot murderous fire burning in her.
Moore sneered at her. "Stupid kid. Now you're both going to die." He aimed the gun at her and fired.
The bullet never reached her. The fire burning in her had exploded in fury. A primal scream of rage erupted from her throat with the force of a shock wave. Her scream pulverized the bullet into a small pile of metallic ash. Moore didn't have a chance to process what he saw as the force wave slammed into him, picking him up off his feet and throwing him through the wall behind him. He fell to the floor in a boneless heap.
The scream faded into the distance. Her fire burned low, extinguished by her renewed despair. She looked down at Brady's pale face, feeling weariness overtake her. She kissed his lips softly, tears dropping on his closed eyelids. Her strength fled from her; her vision blurred and grew dark. {I will see you soon, my love. We'll be together again.} She kissed him once more and faded into the darkness.
"John! Over here!" John ran toward Roman's voice. Roman and Bo had arrived just scant seconds earlier. "Here. Through this window." The four Salem men plus a few Chicago officers climbed through the window. They looked around cautiously.
"It's quiet in here. I don't like it." Roman commented. He headed toward the light coming from the next room. All the officers had guns drawn at the ready.
They froze in shock upon entering the dining room. Chloe and Brady were lying in a bloody pile on the floor, covered in wounds. The opposite wall looked like a wrecking ball had smashed into it. They could not see Moore's broken body for all the wreckage of the wall.
John ran over to Chloe and Brady. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he felt their pulses. "They're still alive, but just barely. Call Craig and have him meet us at the closest hospital. We have to get these two there, now!"
John carefully pulled Brady up on his feet, supporting his weight with his shoulder. Brady groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
"Brady! Son, can you here me? Are you okay?"
"Dad?" He tried to focus against the shooting pain in his lower back. He snapped his head up. "Chloe! Where is she?" He saw Bo carrying her and limped painfully to her. He grabbed her hand. "Chloe, come on. Be okay. Please?"
Abe had gone to call Craig, and the Chicago men were notifying the hospital of their impending arrival. Bo was leaving with Chloe, leaving John, Brady and Roman in the rear. The men jumped as they heard a sound behind them. They turned to see Dr. Moore standing there pointing a gun at Brady.
Moore was on his last legs. He was dying, and he knew it. But he would not die before he got his revenge. He smiled insanely, remembering Chloe's heartbreak when she believed Brady dead. If he couldn't kill her, then he'd do the next best thing. He began to pull the trigger.
Roman was faster. His bullet ripped through Moore's brain before the doctor could pull the trigger. He fell to the ground. Dead. Roman checked his pulse to be sure.
Brady nodded his thanks to Roman and the three men wordlessly left the building.
Chapter 52
Brady pried the boards loose from the windows and peered inside. He could see into what looked to be a dimly lit living room. The light came from an adjoining room where there was small emergency lamp. He looked through the window for a sign of Chloe. He saw her in the lamp lit room.
And his heart stopped.
She was half naked. Her face was swollen and puffy, and blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. There looked to be deep slashes on one ankle and on her wrists. He noticed that she clutched her sides. Then he saw the large red splotch on the side of her chest on her ribcage. His stomach twisted at the sight of her wounds. She was hurting.
He pushed her pain out of his mind. Brady had called his father on the way here on his cell phone. They were on their way here but Brady knew it could be a while before they arrived. So it was up to him to save Chloe. {Where's Moore?} he thought.
Then he saw him, just behind her. Brady wondered at his wounds, he seemed to be hurt himself. Had Chloe done that? Brady watched Moore sneer at Chloe and then pull a gun out from behind his back and point it at her. {No!} He leapt through the previously broken window and ran through the living room as Moore cocked the hammer. Brady entered the dining room as he took aim. Brady jumped into the air as Moore pulled the trigger.
Time had stopped for Chloe when Moore pulled out the gun and pointed it at her. So many thoughts ran through her mind as he cocked the gun.
Regrets. Wishes. Memories.
He took aim at her heart.
Friends. Family.
He pulled the trigger.
Love.
She saw Brady out of the corner of her eye, flying slow motion through the air on a collision course with Moore.
Indescribable happiness flooded her at the sight.
{Brady! He came for me!}
Brady slammed full force into him, knocking off his aim just as the bullet was leaving the barrel, changing its course by only a few degrees.
But it was enough. Instead of ripping through her heart, the bullet tore through her shoulder.
Chloe saw the bullet heading toward her, frozen in shock. Pain seared her shoulder as the bullet punched into it. The bone shattered as the bullet tore through it. Then the bullet ripped through the other side and became embedded in the wall behind her.
Chloe stood in a foggy haze. She looked over at her left shoulder, at the gaping wound. She was fascinated to see muscle tissue and bone fragments. Blood gushed from both wounds, front and back. She looked at her shoulder. {Huh, I've been shot.}
Brady slammed into Moore and they both crashed to the ground. The gun flew from Moore's grasp and slid across the wooden floor, far from anyone's reach. Brady landed on top and pounded on him. "You f*cking bastard!" He threw a vicious right jab at his already broken nose.
Moore rolled and threw Brady off of him. Both men jumped to their feet and circled each other wearily. Moore attacked with a verbal thrust designed to enrage Brady. He was counting on Brady being hot-tempered, impairing his ability to fight. He taunted Brady, "If you want, you can have her when I'm done with her." He laughed cruelly.
It didn't work. True, Brady got hot when he was a little angry, frustrated or annoyed. But when he was really angry, like someone is threatening someone he loves angry, then he doesn't get hot. He gets cold. Like ice.
Brady's icy exterior deflected the jab, while he studied his opponent for weaknesses, taking note of his wounds.
After sizing each other up, at an unspoken signal, they attacked. Brady sidestepped Moore's punch and grabbed his wrist. Moore's momentum was turned against him as Brady twisted his arm up and around. Brady struck the back of Moore's elbow with the palm of his hand and smiled in satisfaction when the joint dislocated.
Moore yelled out in pain and launched himself at Brady. Brady rolled with the attack and again let his opponent's momentum carry them to the ground. He continued rolling and kicked Moore up onto his back. Brady landed on top, his thighs straddling Moore's chest.
{Looks like all those Karate lessons Dad made me take are beginning to pay off.} Brady thought. He took a quick second to glance at Chloe. She was standing in shock looking at her shoulder. That's when he saw the blood pouring from the hole in her shoulder.
"No! Chloe!" he cried.
{Huh, I've been shot.} She stared at her shoulder in shock, oblivious to the battle raging around her. Soon though, the pain in her shoulder broke through her daze. {I've been shot!} She suddenly realized. She ripped off a few more scraps from her skirt and pressed them against the wounds, trying to slow the flow of blood. She already felt dizzy and lightheaded, from loss of blood, combined with the score of other injuries she had already sustained. Using her teeth and her hands, she tied the scraps tightly around her shoulder. {That should do it until we get to a hospital. Of course, if we don't stop that monster soon, it won't matter.} She looked back at the men, racking her brain for a way to help.
Brady was on top of Moore, looking at Chloe, concerned to see her frozen in shock, blood pouring from the gunshot wound on her shoulder. Moore lay underneath Brady, noticing his inattention. {The kid knows a few tricks, huh?} Unfortunately, he had a few tricks of his own. He rocked back on his shoulder blades and threw his legs up in the air. He brought them around and forward, knocking Brady in the chest. He knocked Brady off him and staggered to his feet.
Brady jumped to his feet and whirled to face Moore. Chloe stood there and watched the two men battle each other with everything they had. Vicious blows were exchanged; neither side giving quarter. She cringed when Moore landed a swift kick squarely in Brady's ribs. Brady just shook it off. He focused on only one thing: the bastard in front of him. He ducked beneath Moore's punch and took his legs out beneath him with a sweeping kick. Dr. Moore landed hard on his back, but rolled quickly, avoiding Brady's punch. He jumped back up on his legs just in time to be clocked across the temple by Brady's roundhouse kick. The heel of Brady's shoe sliced at his head, and blood poured freely from the wound. He staggered under the onslaught of Brady's relentless attack, reeling from repeated blows.
Dr. Moore was quickly learning that unlike Chloe, this kid knew how to fight, and inflict serious damage. He groaned when Brady punched him in the kidneys. {I've got to end this now.} He blocked Brady's blows and searched for the gun that had been knocked from his hand earlier. He saw it on the floor and scrambled to it. Brady tried to stop him but he was too late as Moore brought the gun up and aimed it at Brady.
Chloe stood frozen in horror. Moore had broken away from Brady's attack and was now pointing a gun at him. Why does this seem so familiar? Suddenly a vision rocked through her mind.
She looked down at the babe in her arm and smiled wryly. {This kid can sleep through anything.} Anything being their mad escape through the twisting tunnels beneath Cassidy Keep. Her other hand clutched tightly to her husband's, her love's. He smiled his reassurance at her. She was hit by an overwhelming feeling of love for the man at her side. She couldn't remember her life before him. She couldn't imagine it without him.
He squeezed her hand. "We're almost there, m'love. Almost free." She looked behind her. Her brother and his wife were behind them, protecting their backs while they escaped.
They rounded the last bend and stopped cold. He was in front of them, laughing mockingly at them. His deep voice rang through the stone tunnels. "Did you really think you could escape me, Brady?"
Her husband boldly stepped in front of her, shielding her and their baby. She saw the blinding flash and tried to save him but she was too late. She felt it in her soul. Her soul mate, her missing half was dead, dead before his body even hit the cold ground.
She felt her heart being ripped in two, her soul torn in half. As his soul departed she called for him. "Sheamus!"
With a start, Chloe came back to herself. {What the hell was that?} She saw Moore aim a gun at Brady. {NO! Not again! I have to save him!} She felt behind her and brushed against the glass shard that she had tucked into her skirt earlier. She slowly removed it and held it ready in her hand. She advanced on Moore, careful not to attract his attention.
Fortunately, his back was to her. He cocked the hammer back and Chloe acted. She drove the glass deep in the flesh of his lower back and twisted it viciously. As Moore reacted to this new attack, Brady spun and kicked the gun out of his hand. It flew across the room.
"No!" Dr. Moore screamed and lunged for the gun. Chloe watched as both men scrambled for the gun. She felt herself growing weaker, as her countless injuries took their toll.
Moore made it first, snatching the gun and bringing it to bear on Chloe. He didn't hesitate as he yelled, "Die Bitch!" and fired.
Brady had seconds to act. He was too far away from either Chloe or Moore, so he did the only thing he could.
Chloe watched in stunned silence as her love jumped up into the path of her bullet, taking it in his body. He dropped to the ground, and didn't move.
{no. NO!} her soul screamed in silence. She knelt and cradled Brady's motionless body, bathing his face with her tears. She pleaded with him to come back to her. {I lost you once, my love. I can't lose you again.} She caressed his beautiful face lovingly. She cried in panic and despair as his color paled, his life's blood rushing from his body. {No.} She looked up at Moore, a white-hot murderous fire burning in her.
Moore sneered at her. "Stupid kid. Now you're both going to die." He aimed the gun at her and fired.
The bullet never reached her. The fire burning in her had exploded in fury. A primal scream of rage erupted from her throat with the force of a shock wave. Her scream pulverized the bullet into a small pile of metallic ash. Moore didn't have a chance to process what he saw as the force wave slammed into him, picking him up off his feet and throwing him through the wall behind him. He fell to the floor in a boneless heap.
The scream faded into the distance. Her fire burned low, extinguished by her renewed despair. She looked down at Brady's pale face, feeling weariness overtake her. She kissed his lips softly, tears dropping on his closed eyelids. Her strength fled from her; her vision blurred and grew dark. {I will see you soon, my love. We'll be together again.} She kissed him once more and faded into the darkness.
"John! Over here!" John ran toward Roman's voice. Roman and Bo had arrived just scant seconds earlier. "Here. Through this window." The four Salem men plus a few Chicago officers climbed through the window. They looked around cautiously.
"It's quiet in here. I don't like it." Roman commented. He headed toward the light coming from the next room. All the officers had guns drawn at the ready.
They froze in shock upon entering the dining room. Chloe and Brady were lying in a bloody pile on the floor, covered in wounds. The opposite wall looked like a wrecking ball had smashed into it. They could not see Moore's broken body for all the wreckage of the wall.
John ran over to Chloe and Brady. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he felt their pulses. "They're still alive, but just barely. Call Craig and have him meet us at the closest hospital. We have to get these two there, now!"
John carefully pulled Brady up on his feet, supporting his weight with his shoulder. Brady groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
"Brady! Son, can you here me? Are you okay?"
"Dad?" He tried to focus against the shooting pain in his lower back. He snapped his head up. "Chloe! Where is she?" He saw Bo carrying her and limped painfully to her. He grabbed her hand. "Chloe, come on. Be okay. Please?"
Abe had gone to call Craig, and the Chicago men were notifying the hospital of their impending arrival. Bo was leaving with Chloe, leaving John, Brady and Roman in the rear. The men jumped as they heard a sound behind them. They turned to see Dr. Moore standing there pointing a gun at Brady.
Moore was on his last legs. He was dying, and he knew it. But he would not die before he got his revenge. He smiled insanely, remembering Chloe's heartbreak when she believed Brady dead. If he couldn't kill her, then he'd do the next best thing. He began to pull the trigger.
Roman was faster. His bullet ripped through Moore's brain before the doctor could pull the trigger. He fell to the ground. Dead. Roman checked his pulse to be sure.
Brady nodded his thanks to Roman and the three men wordlessly left the building.