{Author's note: I apologize for not having this up sooner, but between medical problems, catching up on schoolwork I missed during said medical problems, writer's block, and getting a new idea on where to go with this...you understand, right? But, it shouldn't take me too long now to post the remaining 3 chapters (I think that's how many there will be) or so once I write them.}
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Chapter Sixteen: Hearts on Fire
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As his feet made contact with the factory floor, Ed put a hand on the ground to brace himself. It wasn't long before he was back on his feet, and sprinting towards the back door. Although the older man was feeling weak from being restrained and a lack of food, the thought of the dangers posed to his employees propelled him forward. Keller's greatest mistake had been to mess with them in the first place as they were like family to Ed. No one messed with Ed Deline's family, and lived to tell the tale!
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Feeling Mary's arms tremble against his back, the still hunched over Danny looked over at his best friend. Her eyes, which were focused on Keller, were as wide as the ex-Marine had ever seen them, and her closed lips were quivering as much as the rest of her body was. Not that Danny could blame her for being so terrified as she had never been in a situation even remotely like this before. Ignoring the various pains that were starting to reappear inside of him, Danny scowled and resumed his full height once more. He had to get Mary out of here!
"Danny?" the puzzled Mary said as McCoy placed himself in between her and Keller.
"Hide behind the jeep." Danny instructed firmly, not taking his eyes off Keller and the pistol that he still held.
"You're not the one giving orders around here, kid." Keller reminded, making sure his pistol was aimed at Danny.
"Neither are you." Danny smirked before tackling Keller to the ground.
"Danny!" Mary exclaimed as she watched the two men struggle on the asphalt in front of her. Danny managed to pin Keller to the ground momentarily, and he turned to look at Mary.
"Go!" he shouted, waving away from the two men.
Nodding to signal that she understood, Mary started running down the road towards the factory. She wasn't sure that Danny, who was still recovering from being mugged a day or so ago, could fight Keller off on his own, and her instincts told her that Ed Deline had to be inside. Also, if anything, she knew that worrying about her safety would only hinder McCoy further.
"Atta girl." Danny whispered to himself as he watched Mary run off. Taking advantage of his opponent being distracted, Keller pushed the younger man off of him. Landing on his side a foot or so away, Danny winced and immediately grabbed his abdomen, where the pain was becoming too severe to ignore…even in the heat of battle.
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Hearing footsteps fast approaching him, Ed turned his attention away from the fence in front of him and drew his pistol out once more. He knew that it could possibly be Danny or someone else on his side, but Deline wasn't about to take any chances with his life. Steadily, he aimed the gun at the corner the person would be coming around at any moment. Upon seeing a dark blonde woman come around the corner, he dropped the gun instantly, even though it took a moment for Deline's mind to register exactly who it was.
"Mary?" he asked, puzzled as to how Connell got there. Ed knew that, no matter how desperate he may have been, Danny would have never dragged his best friend into this mess.
"Danny's fighting Keller out front." Mary reported as she tried to catch her breath.
"What?" Ed exclaimed, looking in the direction Mary had just come from. He questioned what he should do now: go after the others (although he didn't know where they were), or help his protégé (who might be able to hold his own, even though he was injured)? His fierce, blue eyes met the anxious ones of Mary. Putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Ed nodded firmly. "Let's go."
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Getting to his knees, Danny still shielded his abdomen with one of his arms. An intense pain was filling him with every breath, and he wagered that a few of his bruised ribs were now broken. He looked over to see that Keller had just gotten to his feet. The dark haired man was being slowed by the amount of blood he had been losing via the wound in his arm. He aimed the pistol at Danny with his healthy arm, causing McCoy to pause in his tracks.
"Ed was right." Keller remarked, walking over and standing in front of Danny. The barrel of the pistol now rested on McCoy's forehead. "You've got a lot of heart, kid." He shrugged slightly. "Too bad it can't save you."
"Don't count me out yet." Danny warned before grabbing the pistol with both of his hands. He had barely moved it off his body when a bullet rocketed out of the barrel. The projectile hit a grassy spot nearby and kicked up dirt where it lodged itself. McCoy could feel Keller trying to move it back, and he fought with all of his might to keep the gun where it was.
"Are you always this much of a pain in the ass?" Keller asked as Danny felt the other man's foot collide with his stomach.
An intense surge of pain shot through him, causing Danny to cry out and grab his stomach. He knew in his mind that it was a stupid move to relinquish his hold on the gun, but his stomach was hurting him too much. As he coughed up blood, he could hear Keller chuckle quietly to himself and it wasn't long before Danny (who was looking at the ground) once again felt the barrel of the gun against the back of his head. Realizing that fighting back was nearly impossible at this point, Danny closed his eyes and prayed for miracle. If anything, he felt fortunate that none of the others, especially Mary, would be around to see his last moments.
Upon hearing a body fall to the ground, Danny opened his eyes once more and looked up. Keller had fallen unconscious to the ground in front of him, and Ed, who already held one pistol in his hand, was picking up Keller's.
"You okay, kid?" Ed asked as he stood up again.
"I've been better." Danny replied, still holding on to his stomach. His eyes fell upon the limp form of Keller. "Did you…"
"Nah." Ed shook his head, twirling his pistol. "I just clocked him one. Given time and good medical care, our friend here should be just fine." A smile crossed his face. "Speaking of friends…" Deline turned to the corner he had emerged from. "It's safe to come out now."
It seemed as if Mary traveled from where she was hiding to Danny's side in a blur. As she knelt down on the grass near her best friend, a look of concern fast appeared on Connell's features as she took in the extent of his injuries.
"It's not that bad, Mary." Danny said, trying to soothe her concerns. That, of course, was a lie as the adrenaline of the adventure was now wearing off and the pain was fast becoming unbearable. In addition to the pain, Danny suddenly felt a sick feeling in his stomach. He attributed it to the concussion he had suffered back in Vegas, which had probably also been worsened. He closed his eyes and prayed that the contents of his aching stomach would stay there.
"Liar." Mary said quietly as she wrapped her arms gently around the injured man. Careful not to touch him in any place that may cause him further pain, she slowly guided him into a laying position with his head resting sideways on her thighs. She smiled down at him, and he returned the gesture.
Two sounds were suddenly heard. One was Keller groaning back to life, and the other was some sort of motorcade approaching. After exchanging glances with Danny, Ed turned his attention to the road and readied the pistols in his hands. One was aimed at Keller, and the other was ready to be fired in any direction.
The motorcade suddenly became visible to Ed's eyes. Two ambulances made up the rear, two jeeps were placed in the middle, and another jeep, driven by one Luis Perez, was leading the pack. A look of elation appeared on Ed's face as he noticed the very much alive and healthy Nessa, Sam and Mike in the back of the jeep.
"Ed!" Danny called, suddenly jilting Ed from his happiness. He turned to see Keller sprinting for the nearby jungle, only hampered slightly by the pain his injured arm must be causing him. Growling, Ed tossed his extra pistol at Danny as he sprinted past McCoy and Connell and after Keller.
To be continued...
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Chapter Sixteen: Hearts on Fire
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As his feet made contact with the factory floor, Ed put a hand on the ground to brace himself. It wasn't long before he was back on his feet, and sprinting towards the back door. Although the older man was feeling weak from being restrained and a lack of food, the thought of the dangers posed to his employees propelled him forward. Keller's greatest mistake had been to mess with them in the first place as they were like family to Ed. No one messed with Ed Deline's family, and lived to tell the tale!
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Feeling Mary's arms tremble against his back, the still hunched over Danny looked over at his best friend. Her eyes, which were focused on Keller, were as wide as the ex-Marine had ever seen them, and her closed lips were quivering as much as the rest of her body was. Not that Danny could blame her for being so terrified as she had never been in a situation even remotely like this before. Ignoring the various pains that were starting to reappear inside of him, Danny scowled and resumed his full height once more. He had to get Mary out of here!
"Danny?" the puzzled Mary said as McCoy placed himself in between her and Keller.
"Hide behind the jeep." Danny instructed firmly, not taking his eyes off Keller and the pistol that he still held.
"You're not the one giving orders around here, kid." Keller reminded, making sure his pistol was aimed at Danny.
"Neither are you." Danny smirked before tackling Keller to the ground.
"Danny!" Mary exclaimed as she watched the two men struggle on the asphalt in front of her. Danny managed to pin Keller to the ground momentarily, and he turned to look at Mary.
"Go!" he shouted, waving away from the two men.
Nodding to signal that she understood, Mary started running down the road towards the factory. She wasn't sure that Danny, who was still recovering from being mugged a day or so ago, could fight Keller off on his own, and her instincts told her that Ed Deline had to be inside. Also, if anything, she knew that worrying about her safety would only hinder McCoy further.
"Atta girl." Danny whispered to himself as he watched Mary run off. Taking advantage of his opponent being distracted, Keller pushed the younger man off of him. Landing on his side a foot or so away, Danny winced and immediately grabbed his abdomen, where the pain was becoming too severe to ignore…even in the heat of battle.
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Hearing footsteps fast approaching him, Ed turned his attention away from the fence in front of him and drew his pistol out once more. He knew that it could possibly be Danny or someone else on his side, but Deline wasn't about to take any chances with his life. Steadily, he aimed the gun at the corner the person would be coming around at any moment. Upon seeing a dark blonde woman come around the corner, he dropped the gun instantly, even though it took a moment for Deline's mind to register exactly who it was.
"Mary?" he asked, puzzled as to how Connell got there. Ed knew that, no matter how desperate he may have been, Danny would have never dragged his best friend into this mess.
"Danny's fighting Keller out front." Mary reported as she tried to catch her breath.
"What?" Ed exclaimed, looking in the direction Mary had just come from. He questioned what he should do now: go after the others (although he didn't know where they were), or help his protégé (who might be able to hold his own, even though he was injured)? His fierce, blue eyes met the anxious ones of Mary. Putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Ed nodded firmly. "Let's go."
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Getting to his knees, Danny still shielded his abdomen with one of his arms. An intense pain was filling him with every breath, and he wagered that a few of his bruised ribs were now broken. He looked over to see that Keller had just gotten to his feet. The dark haired man was being slowed by the amount of blood he had been losing via the wound in his arm. He aimed the pistol at Danny with his healthy arm, causing McCoy to pause in his tracks.
"Ed was right." Keller remarked, walking over and standing in front of Danny. The barrel of the pistol now rested on McCoy's forehead. "You've got a lot of heart, kid." He shrugged slightly. "Too bad it can't save you."
"Don't count me out yet." Danny warned before grabbing the pistol with both of his hands. He had barely moved it off his body when a bullet rocketed out of the barrel. The projectile hit a grassy spot nearby and kicked up dirt where it lodged itself. McCoy could feel Keller trying to move it back, and he fought with all of his might to keep the gun where it was.
"Are you always this much of a pain in the ass?" Keller asked as Danny felt the other man's foot collide with his stomach.
An intense surge of pain shot through him, causing Danny to cry out and grab his stomach. He knew in his mind that it was a stupid move to relinquish his hold on the gun, but his stomach was hurting him too much. As he coughed up blood, he could hear Keller chuckle quietly to himself and it wasn't long before Danny (who was looking at the ground) once again felt the barrel of the gun against the back of his head. Realizing that fighting back was nearly impossible at this point, Danny closed his eyes and prayed for miracle. If anything, he felt fortunate that none of the others, especially Mary, would be around to see his last moments.
Upon hearing a body fall to the ground, Danny opened his eyes once more and looked up. Keller had fallen unconscious to the ground in front of him, and Ed, who already held one pistol in his hand, was picking up Keller's.
"You okay, kid?" Ed asked as he stood up again.
"I've been better." Danny replied, still holding on to his stomach. His eyes fell upon the limp form of Keller. "Did you…"
"Nah." Ed shook his head, twirling his pistol. "I just clocked him one. Given time and good medical care, our friend here should be just fine." A smile crossed his face. "Speaking of friends…" Deline turned to the corner he had emerged from. "It's safe to come out now."
It seemed as if Mary traveled from where she was hiding to Danny's side in a blur. As she knelt down on the grass near her best friend, a look of concern fast appeared on Connell's features as she took in the extent of his injuries.
"It's not that bad, Mary." Danny said, trying to soothe her concerns. That, of course, was a lie as the adrenaline of the adventure was now wearing off and the pain was fast becoming unbearable. In addition to the pain, Danny suddenly felt a sick feeling in his stomach. He attributed it to the concussion he had suffered back in Vegas, which had probably also been worsened. He closed his eyes and prayed that the contents of his aching stomach would stay there.
"Liar." Mary said quietly as she wrapped her arms gently around the injured man. Careful not to touch him in any place that may cause him further pain, she slowly guided him into a laying position with his head resting sideways on her thighs. She smiled down at him, and he returned the gesture.
Two sounds were suddenly heard. One was Keller groaning back to life, and the other was some sort of motorcade approaching. After exchanging glances with Danny, Ed turned his attention to the road and readied the pistols in his hands. One was aimed at Keller, and the other was ready to be fired in any direction.
The motorcade suddenly became visible to Ed's eyes. Two ambulances made up the rear, two jeeps were placed in the middle, and another jeep, driven by one Luis Perez, was leading the pack. A look of elation appeared on Ed's face as he noticed the very much alive and healthy Nessa, Sam and Mike in the back of the jeep.
"Ed!" Danny called, suddenly jilting Ed from his happiness. He turned to see Keller sprinting for the nearby jungle, only hampered slightly by the pain his injured arm must be causing him. Growling, Ed tossed his extra pistol at Danny as he sprinted past McCoy and Connell and after Keller.
To be continued...