***
"What is this place?" Alex asked as they exited the van and donned their gear.
"Former offices of Everett Enterprises,' Cody informed them. "Kara's stopped moving. The building only has four floors. I would guess they're on one of the upper floors."
"I agree," Donovan added. "We'll split up. Alex and Jake take the fourth floor. Cody, Farron, and I will start on the third." There was no need to wait for a response. As if reading the other's mind, they hurried into the building. Frank's group took the nearest stairwell, while Alex and Jake made their way to the one at the far end of the building. "Farron, back off," he barked in a low voice. Farron was without a weapon and if something went down, he had no way of protecting himself. Farron slowed up a bit, letting Frank pass him on the stairs before picking up his pace again.
***
"Shut up and join your goddamned brother," Brian ordered hatefully.
John spoke futilely against the duct tape that covered his mouth. He had been praying it was someone other than Brian when he heard movement in the nearby staircase. He had been elated when he saw his sister standing in the hallway and then totally devastated when she was launched through the doorway only to be followed in by the very person who had left him to rot in the abandoned building.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked in complete astonishment as she crawled to John's side. Thank the heavens you're alive! Her eyes seemed to tell him as they locked onto his. How was she going to get them out of this mess? "Brian...this is..." she trailed off as she began to work on John's bonds.
"Beyond your control, Kara. No...don't bother to untie him," he ordered and pulled the snub nose gun from his pocket. "I really wanted it to be different, Kara. You were meant to be mine. I knew that from the moment I saw you. You belonged to me and you fucked it up. Spread your whore legs for another man and fucked it up!" He aimed the gun at her head and pulled back the hammer.
John grunted and groaned as he struggled against his gag and bonds. Brian had really lost his mind. It was one thing to do what he had done for money, but to kill Kara... Dear God, Dad had not been lying. John had never wanted to believe what their father had told him, but it must have been true. His stomach rolled in revulsion. Jesus...
"I love him, Brian. I love him and he loves me."
"Like I care? No, not hardly." His face drew into a grotesque sneer as his finger pressed against the trigger. "Goodbye, Kara."
"Freeze, Everett!"
Kara's head whipped toward the doorway to see Frank and Cody leveling their guns at the back of Brian's head. They were joined just seconds later by Jake and Alex. She could see Farron moving just behind Frank. No, Farron, no! She prayed silently. If he sees you, he'll surely kill you.
"Give it up, Everett. It's not going to happen!" Frank commanded sternly.
Brian did not turn to face them. He knew there were several weapons trained on him. No! It was not supposed to end this way! His money was waiting for him at their lawyer's office. All he had left to do was to get rid of his sniveling brother and that whore of a sister. Damn them all! Everything had fallen apart before his very eyes!
While Brian hesitated, Farron crept around Frank and Cody intent on going after the stupid fuck that threatened his Shel. Frank had reached for his arm, but he shrugged him off. Nothing was going to stop him this time. When he had reached the doorway and saw that gun pointed at her head, he died a little inside. No, he would die before he let any harm come to her. He was close now; he could reach out and grab Everett by the shoulder. If he did, would the gun go off in reflex?
Closer still, he cleared his throat, starling Everett and causing him to turn in his direction. His fist snaked out, catching Everett's jaw, bringing him to his knees. If nothing else, Brian Everett could not take a punch. Fucking wimp! At the same time as he dropped to the floor, Farron grabbed at the gun and twisted it from his hand. He tossed it toward Frank, who caught it easily. He grabbed Everett by the collar and punched him repeatedly in the face until it was no more than a bloody pulp. He made good on his promises, and he had sworn if the stupid fuck touched Kara again nothing would save him. During the beating he took just a second to glance at Kara. She was not protesting and almost held a satisfied look on her face as she watched him delivering punishment to her stepbrother. It was Frank who stopped him this time, not Kara.
Frank laid a hand on Farron's shoulder. "Don't kill him. He's not worth going to jail over." When Farron looked up at him, his eyes fairly blazing with hatred, he continued, "Besides, I think you've beaten him beyond all recognition."
Farron released his hold on Everett's collar and slammed him to the floor. While he writhed in pain, Farron stepped over him, kicking him in the gut for good measure. If he had his way, the man would be dead; just so much more fertilizer for the world. He heard Frank give the command to Jake to secure the criminal bastard while he moved over to help Alex and Kara free John from his bonds.
The sound of sirens could be heard approaching the building. "I'll meet the locals and direct the EMTs up here," Cody announced as he exited the room.
"Damn, this is gonna hurt," Alex informed John as she gripped the duct tape and gave it a firm yank.
"Sonofabitch," John hissed as the tape ripped a couple layers of skin from his lips. "Damn, that hurt." As soon as Alex had cut his arms free, he pulled Kara into a feeble hug. Days without food and water had left him extremely weak. "So good to see you, Kara Michelle," he sobbed happily.
"Are you alright? Oh, John...I've been so frightened," she cried and held him tightly.
Farron watched silently while the siblings shared their love, fear, and strength with each other. He was more than a little envious of that kind of brother/sister bond. Not of John and Kara, per se, but that he had allowed things to cloud his judgment in the past and had caused his twin so much grief. What Kara and John shared was something he strived to repair in his relationship with Frank. They had made great strides over the past few months and Farron could only pray that things would continue to head in that direction. He clapped Frank on the shoulder when he joined the group. "Thanks." Farron smiled when Frank only nodded.
"He really flipped, didn't he?" John asked quietly, watching Brian's prone form being placed none too gently on a stretcher and removed from the room.
"Seems so," Frank replied. "At first it was just the money. When he realized we had gotten involved, I think he grew more desperate and decided to get rid of any potential witnesses."
"Money. Damn it. I should have just given him the loan," John stated, shaking his head slightly.
"Loan?" Frank asked curiously.
"Yes. He put in for a company loan of $250,000. I refused after he never paid back his last loan."
"But..." Kara stammered.
John laughed pitifully. "I know you paid it back for him, Kara. Your intentions were good, but he always could play on your sympathy. You were always trying to make things up to him...for how terse Father always was with him." He cupped Kara's chin softly. "But you couldn't give him the kind of love he wanted from you."
"No," she whispered. All her life she had been blind to Brian's behavior, to everything that was right in front of her. She had only wanted to make him a part of their family. He had only wanted her. She felt the large, gentle hands on her shoulders and stood, easing into the comfort of Farron's embrace.
When she tilted her head upward, he lowered his and his lips captured hers in a tender caress. Oblivious to those nearby, he deepened the kiss and clung to her as she clung to him. When he broke the kiss, he found himself gazing into deep watery pools of blue and suddenly the thought of drowning in them sounded like heaven. "Almost lost you again, Shel."
"You always find me, darling Farron," she smiled up at him as she brushed a lock of hair from his cheek. "And just how did you find me?"
A chuckle was heard behind them and they turned to see Cody approach with the EMTs. "Not brawn, that's for sure. Call me a geek, will ya?" Cody questioned Farron jokingly and reached out for Kara's necklace. "Pretty necklace, don't ya think, guys?" He grinned as he flipped it over and removed the tiny tracking device. "Never leave home without 'em."
"Well, I don't know who you people are, but I will forever be in your debt," John Everett assured them as he was placed carefully onto a stretcher.
"John, This is Federal Agent Frank Donovan and his team, Jake, Alex, and Cody. And this..." she turned within Farron's arms to face him and smiled softly up at him.
"Has to be Farron," John finished for her and lifted a hand to shake Farron's. John smiled. "You aren't about to let go of her, are you?"
"Not on your life," Farron answered easily and tightened his grip on Kara's waist.
"As it should be," John stated firmly, holding up a hand to stop the EMTs from moving him. "From what Kara has told me, you are a good man, Mr. Donovan."
Good man? He did not think he would ever hear that term associated with his name. Farron smiled and pressed a tiny kiss to Kara's temple. "Your sister brings out the best in me," he admitted fondly.
"Oh, stop," Kara insisted. "Now, off with you, darling brother. Let's get you to a hospital. We'll be right behind you."
"You'd better be," he groaned tiredly as he was carried away to the waiting ambulance.
Frank watched Farron with Kara. He still found it hard to believe his philandering brother had actually found love. One just never knows.
***
Love allows one to see
With eyes wide shut to thee
And awakened in me
All that I dare to be
~finis~
THANK you all so much for taking the time to read this little mini-adventure, delving a little more into the world of Farron Donovan. I do hope you enjoyed it. I cannot thank Ardeth Saunders for her support and her gift in letting me have a bit of fun with her characters. I've thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you!!