Chapter Sixteen: Free To Decide

Jasper was sitting on the balcony, huddled up and staring out through the railings. I chewed my lip, wondering whether going out there and talking to him would be a good idea or not. Still undecided, I stood slowly, my eyes fixed on Jasper's back.

'Don't even think about it,' Hex said suddenly, latching onto my arm. 'You're just asking for trouble.'

Well. That made my mind up for me.

'I think I'm old enough to make my own choices, Hex,' I snapped, shaking his hand off and starting for the door.

'Amber!' The panic in Hex's voice almost made me stop and turn around, but I wasn't going to give in. I'm nothing if not stubborn.

I bumped the glass door open and stepped out onto the balcony. As I turned to slide it shut again, I saw Li sitting next to Hex, watching him closely. I mentally thanked her and then glared at Hex, even though he wasn't looking at me. Of all the nerve…

'Hey.' I sat down next to Jasper and drew my knees up to my chest.

He looked sideways at me, not seeming surprised to find me sitting there. 'Hey.'

We sat in a silence that was neither comfortable nor awkward until I grew sick of it.

'Penny for your thoughts?'

Jasper didn't answer straight away, just kept staring out across the park and towards the flat blocks in the distance. 'Am I a bad person?'

'I don't know,' I said finally, after minutes of careful thought. 'I really don't know. You buy and sell drugs that ruin people's lives. You injure and kill people if they get in your way or you think they might be a threat. You killed my boss and you were thinking of doing the same to one of my best friends. You kidnapped me and ordered my murder. Do you think you're a bad person?'

There was a sigh and Jasper looked away. I could almost hear the clogs churning in his brain. For a little while we sat, just looking out at the mundane view. My head was just about empty of thoughts, but Jasper's obviously wasn't.

'Annie, you know how you keep telling me that what you did, what you're doing, it's you job? You're just doing your job?'

I nodded.

'I'm just doing my job too. We're not that different, you know.'

'Jasper… That- I'm working with the law to try and stop and people like you from-'

'But that's your opinion of the law. That's your opinion on what's right and what's wrong. If you had the same views as me, if you had the same upbringing as me, you'd think the same.'

'I would've thought that your upbringing, seeing the things you did and having to live through the things you did, you'd have seen sense, that maybe that isn't the right way of looking at life.' I shook my head in disbelief. 'You're out of your mind to even suggest that.'

'What gives you the right to dictate what the correct way to see life is, huh? As much as you'd like to think it, Annie, you're not the bloody leader of the universe. Why don't you stop thinking of yourself and start trying to see things from other people's perspectives.' Jasper got up angrily. He'd probably have walked away and that would've been the end of it, but no. I had to go and open my big mouth; I had to have the last word.

'You're the one who doesn't think of others, Jasper. You've killed how many people? Left how many families grief stricken? Even when you've experienced what having someone you love die at the hands of someone else is like.'

So quick I didn't even have time to register what was happening, Jasper had swung back around, grabbed the collar of my shirt and pushed me back against the railing. The top half of my body dangled over the edge, the only thing holding me back was Jasper's grip on my shirt. I heard a shout from inside the flat and people getting up, but the only thing I could see was Jasper's face, his expression murderous.

Harry's body was removed from the car park on a stretcher, his whole body covered in a blanket. Valerie stood with Nancy, holding her friend up as she wept. Mara trotted about, flitting around the low level, her eyes sweeping the ground for any clues, while Neil, his face thoughtful, stood in the shadows.

'Val.' Mara appeared at Valerie's elbow, Neil just a few paces behind. 'I think Price has the others.' She dangled a Swiss army knife in a plastic bag from her fingertips. 'Alex's. We found it down near where-'

'Yeah. Ok,' Valerie said hurriedly before Mara could mention Harry. 'But Alex wasn't Hex, Li, Paulo or Amber.'

'I just found a text on my phone.' Pulling her mobile out of her pocket, Mara flicked through the messages until she came to the relevant one. 'Sent about an hour ago. "Need backup. J lost it. New shops. Quick."'

Looking up, Mara handed the phone to Valerie. She quickly read the text and handed the phone back to Mara.

'But that doesn't explain where they are now or what Price is planning on doing with them. If he has lost it like Li says, they're in serious danger,' Valerie said, clicking her nails together anxiously.

Neil opened his mouth, but was cut of by a burst of radio chatter from a police officer standing nearby. As one, Neil, Mara and Valerie looked at the officer, then at each other. Maggie arrived and a still shaking Nancy was handed to her.

'Where're you lot going?' Maggie called as the three officers hurried for Neil's car.

'We know where they are,' Mara answered over her shoulder, adding under her breath, 'Please let us get there in time.'

The sliding door opened and Jasper panicked, his grip loosening on my collar.

'Get back,' he yelled. 'Come any closer and I'll drop her.'

'Jasper, please-' Li began.

I cut her off with a strangled, 'Now, Li.'

The sounds of them shuffling back made Jasper's grip on my collar tighten again and I started to breathe easier again. Judging by the lack of scraping sounds, they'd left the door open and I would have bet money on them not having retreated back too far. I wondered briefly where Shane was and then decided I didn't really care.

'Jasper,' I said slowly. 'Jasper listen to me.'

His eyes flickered to mine.

'You let go of me, I've just been proved right. You let go of me, your jail sentence will be increased even more.'

'I'm not going to jail.'

'Oh, wake up and smell the coffee,' I snapped. 'Of course you're going to jail. The police will find where we've gone and-'

Speak of the devil. The distant wail of sirens had been just about tuned out of my mind, but when the wails suddenly doubled in volume and cop cars squealed to a halt below us, their presence was pushed to the front of my brain again. I could hear yelling and doors slamming. Jasper whimpered and started to loosen his grip on me again.

'Jasper!' I yelped.

He grabbed me again, staring at me with wide, terrified eyes.

I stared back. 'It's over, Jasper.'

A/N One more chapter to go :( Don't expect anything exciting next chapter, but do expect a load of dialogue. I think there will also be quite a long author's note so you've got a lot to look forward to :) I'll try and get the chapter up soonish; it's about a quarter done already and I have a homework free week.

Emmalea xxx