Chapter 7

Cooperation

John Donne wrote, "Sweetest love, I do not go for weariness of thee, nor in hope the world can show a fitter love for me; but I must die at last."

With shaking hands, Aaron laid Spencer's body down on the floor.

He didn't know how long Spencer had been dead. His body was warm and there were no signs of lividity. But it could be too late to save him now.

Aaron could see blood on Spencer's lips. He opened the young man's mouth and cleared it of clotting blood. He felt for a pulse, but he couldn't find one. He had to clear his airways.

Her knelt astride Spencer's hips and started chest compressions.

Come on, Sweetheart, come on. Don't die on me. Please, love, breathe!

Aaron's tears fell onto Spencer's chest in little round drops. Aaron looked at Spencer's eyes. He had lovely eyes. Huge and expressive; gold and hazel, reflecting a light from windows into his soul.

Now closed. Cut and swollen.

Aaron pressed down onto Spencer's body. His whole world was literarily lying here beneath him.

How long did Aaron sit there? It could have been seconds, or years. Time stopped for him. There were no terrorists; no hostages; nothing. Just this wonderful boy who he had to save; small and shy, but loved so much.

Please, Babe. Don't die. Let me die for you, Spence. Please, let it be me…..

Spencer coughed. Bloody fluid was expelled from his mouth. Aaron stopped pressing down on him. He felt the slim body move beneath him as he tried to take air into his lungs.

"Spence! Come on Spence!" Aaron knelt forwards and turned Spencer onto his side. He gently held his face, whispering encouragement.

Spencer coughed again, more vigorously this time. Aaron cleared his mouth of clotting blood and fluids. He felt Spencer's chest rise as he took a shuddering breath, and let out a cry as life returned to his body.

Aaron turned Spence onto his back and wrapped his arms around him and held him. He held Spencer against his chest, rocking, feeling his body move in rhythm with his own. He felt as if he would stay like this forever, he never wanted to let go. He wanted to protect him, keep him safe from anyone or anything that could hurt him.

Spencer was breathing, but he was not responding. His restrained arms hung loosely behind him, and his head fell back.

"Wake up, Sweetheart, Spencey, it's Aaron. I love you, Spence. Wake up now!"

Aaron felt a rush of fear. What if this was it? What if Spencer would never wake up?

"I am going to have to leave you, Sweetheart. But you will be safe here. I will come back for you." Aaron leaned over and softly kissed Spencer's eyes. "I love you."

Very carefully, Aaron laid Spencer down in the recovery position. He stroked his hair from his eyes and touched his lips.

Even in the beaten state he was in, he was still beautiful. Aaron blinked tears away, and thought of what he must do.

He needed to hide and restrain the two terrorists that were lying in the foyer.

He picked up one of the 1014's, and placed it under Spencer's arm. The other he took for himself. With a last glance at Spencer, he ran out to where the two men were lying.

Glancing around for a place to hide them, he lifted the legs on one of the terrorists, and dragged him behind the food bar. Then he went back for the other one.

He removed the belt from one of them, and laid him on his front. Using the belt, he tied the man's ankles and wrists together. Then he restrained the second man in the same way. He moved them apart from each other, and checked that they were both still breathing.

It wasn't exactly a hiding place, but they were hidden from immediate view.

Aaron sat next to them. If he had seen all the terrorists, that meant there was only one left.

That should be easy enough to deal with, except there were hostages that could be injured or killed in the cross fire. He needed the last UnSub to come away from the hostages.

Sooner or later he would come out to find his colleagues, but Aaron needed to get Spencer to a hospital now.

He pointed his gun at the ceiling and shot several rounds. He hoped that would bring him out.

There were several doors in and out of the theatre. Aaron didn't know which way the UnSub would come out.

Keeping low, he ran back towards the stand where Spencer was. He shot again. He knew that his ammunition was limited, but he had to get the UnSub away from the hostages.

He was about half way across the open space when the theatre door opened.

The UnSub stepped out into the corridor, holding a frightened woman hostage in front of him.

Aaron froze.

"Drop your weapon."

For the second tome that evening, Aaron let the shotgun fall to the floor, and he raised his hands.

"Walk towards me, slowly."

Aaron obeyed.

"I don't know what you have done to my colleagues, and for the moment, it doesn't matter." he said. "Killing your partner was a mistake. He was a weak pathetic man. But it looks as if you have kindly rectified that error." He indicated the theatre door. "Get in there, and don't try anything."

Aaron entered the theatre again in front of the UnSub.

The hostage was cuffed again onto the seat. Aaron was made to sit on the floor facing the hostages.

The UnSub looked at his watch. "Your unfortunate partner refused to cooperate, which is why he is now dead. I hope you can learn from his mistake, and do as you are told." he waved his gun towards the group of frightened people. "I will be making a call in three minutes. If they still refuse to negotiate, you will choose a number, and the hostage with that number will be sacrificed."

So Spencer had given his life for the hostages. Aaron felt a rush of pride for the young agent. His mind went back to the first time he had seen Spencer. He had looked like a child, scared and nervous, holding a messenger bag in front of him like a shield. When he commented in a meeting, he was almost apologetic in tone. Aaron had wondered how this kid would ever make it in the FBI.

But now, after only a few short years, Aaron trusted him with his life.

He looked at the terrorist who had all but killed the bravest man he knew.

The gun was pointing at his head, as the man made a call.

All Aaron had to do was choose a number. A hostage was going to die anyway, so what difference did it make?

Spencer had died rather than cooperate.

The UnSub closed the phone.

"No negotiation. So choose a number."

"No." Aaron closed his eyes, waiting.

The terrorist fired his gun.

A/N - I know that technically, Spencer would not have been saved. But this is fiction! And I could never kill him. He is loved way too much!

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