Chapter 15- Car Bomb - #2

Joe turned around to face his father and brother as they exited the house. Joe had seen a strange man walk into a house across the street. Normally this wouldn't have bothered him, but something about the way this guy walked had made him nervous.

Since Joe had suspected the Assassins he was very cautious about his car. Making sure that the others were at least twenty feet away from the car, Joe used the sensor button on the key to unlock the door. Nothing happened. 'They're not that stupid,' he thought.

Joe quickened his pace so that he could assure himself he would reach the car well before his brother and father. He just hoped they weren't aware of his actions, but there was no way he was going to endanger a loved one again with a car bomb intended for him. 'I am getting paranoid here, but I don't care!' Joe placed his hand on the door handle and pulled. In one fluid motion, Joe threw himself towards the ground and away from the car. At some point his brain registered that there was indeed a loud explosion and a burst of heat as his body was hurled through the air.

Somewhere in all of that he heard his big brother's tortured scream "Joe! Nooooooooooo!"

Joe landed on the lawn in front of the neighbor's house. He lay face up in the grass looking like a discarded doll. Frank froze in terror as a similar scene played out in his mind from fourteen years ago. Frank was so paralyzed with fear that he didn't move. He didn't speak. His mind moved on though, it replayed that awful image from so long ago, only this time it wasn't Iola that was killed the car explosion; it was his baby brother.

Fenton ran immediately to his youngest and called out to him, "Joe! Joe! Son, can you hear me?" There was no response. With trembling hands Fenton checked for the beating of his son's heart. It was faint, but it was there. He almost collapsed on top of Joe with relief. He almost failed to notice that something still wasn't right. It all became painfully clear as he saw the bluish tinge starting to emerge on Joe's lips. 'Oh, God, how could I have forgotten to check his breathing!'

Sure enough, there was no movement in Joe's chest and when Fenton laid his cheek above Joe's face, he felt no air movement whatsoever. "Frank! Call 911! Hurry! He's not breathing!" Fenton wasted no time in tilting Joe's head back to begin rescue breathing. 'Come on, Son! Please, please, don't do this! We only just got you back, we all need you, your family needs you, please, Joe, please!'

Fenton continued to work on Joe, pleading with him both silently and out loud as he did. He didn't notice the tears streaming down his face as he worked. He didn't notice that his oldest son stood transfixed in the middle of the street either. Frank had not budged since the explosion and made no move to call 911.

It really wasn't necessary though as a car bomb on the quiet street had the phones ringing off the hook at the local police station. Laura, Callie, Kayley, and all the kids came tumbling out of the house as well. There was screaming and mayhem and then sirens approaching. Fenton heard none of it. He was solely focused on hearing the one thing his ears had yet to pick up on – the soft breaths of life from his youngest son.