Chapter 72: Casey's life on the line

Brax ran frantically down the streets calling and searching for his brother, Heath followed close behind. "You don't even know where he could be Brax."

"I don't care! I have to find him!" Brax yelled back, but Heath heard the worry in his brother's voice.

Brax was starting to feel guilty for maybe being too harsh with Casey. They ran up and down the beach for what felt like hours. "Any sign of him?" Heath asked.

Brax puffed as he reached his brother at the top of the beach. "Nup."

"How do you know the kid's not just doing this to get attention, I mean he knew how mad we were, maybe he's just trying to manipulate us into feeling guilty. He's probably gone back home already."

Brax raised his eyebrows. "I'm not taking that chance."

It was now 7:30pm and dark. Brax stared out into the distance. "Casey where are you?" He yelled out distressed.

"Brax, it's dark, we're never gonna find him out here. He could be anywhere by now. Let's just go home and check, you know Casey, he doesn't like being out this late in the dark."

Brax sighed. "I'm not giving up on him Heath. I know he's out here somewhere. If only I hadn't yelled at him."

"Brax this isn't your fault! Casey shouldn't have been so stupid!" Heath snapped.

Brax sighed. "Maybe you're right. Maybe ee won't find him out this late. Come on." Brax started walking away from the beach and took one more look around. "Casey please come home." He whispered.

As the brothers started to walk towards home, Brax felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Brax pulled his phone out and noticed he was receiving a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?" Brax heard heavy breathing. "Hello...Is anyone there?" He asked again.

"Allo Darryl."

"Jake? What do you want? I'm not in the mood for your crap right now."

Jake laughed. "I think you will be."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, Darryl, you see, your family took something from me, and now it's my turn to take something from you."

Brax thought, he had nothing that Jake could destroy. "Your threats don't scare me Jake! You couldn't possibly have anything of real importance to me."

Jake laughed. "And here I was thinkin' family meant everything to you."

"What are you talking about?" Brax became concerned.

"Nah, I don't think I should tell ya now."

"Tell me what? Jake don't you dare threaten my family!" Brax yelled.

Jake gave an evil laugh. "Jake stop screwing with me and tell me what you mean!"

"Alright, I'll tell you, but you have to get me $2500 by the end of the night. "

"Stuff that. I ain't making any deal like that with you."

"Very well, then I guess you'll be saying goodbye to your younger brother."

Brax turned to Heath, he wasn't going to let Jake near him surely he was just bluffing.

Jake continued, "Or should I say baby brother." Jake laughed and the realization finally hit Brax, Jake had Casey.

"Casey? What have you done with Casey? If you hurt him Jake, I swear I will kill you!"

"Relax, it seems he lost his way while running away from you and it was just a good thing I was there to help him out."

"Jake I mean it! Don't you touch him!" Brax threatened.

Jake gave his evil laugh. "Get me the money Darryl then we'll see...Unless I can't wait that long."

Brax heard a dead tone. "Jake! Jake!" Brax slammed his phone down.

"What's going on?" Heath asked, obviously hearing his brother's distressed call.

"Jake's got Casey. We have to get to him before he hurts him. He won't let him go unless we come up with $2500 by tonight."

"Brax where are we gonna get that kind of money?"

"I don't know Heath, but I have to try!"

Brax and Heath raced home and grabbed whatever cash they had lying around and stuffed it into a large bag, but it was nowhere near the amount Jake had asked for, but there was no time.

Brax grabbed some papers and disguised them with the money. "Do you really believe that is going to fool him Brax?"

Brax shrugged. "I don't care. It just has to work long enough for us to get Casey out of there."

Brax and Heath pulled up outside Jake's hang out. "How do you even know he's got Casey? It might just be a trick."

"I'm not taking my chance. I won't risk Casey's life." Brax replied.

"Surely he wouldn't hurt a kid?" Heath stated.

"Heath are you just gonna sit there asking questions and being angry or are you coming with me to get Casey back before he gets killed?"

"Yeah I'm coming. You know I would never let anything bad happen to Case."

"Well come on then."

Brax and Heath waited outside the building and it wasn't long when they heard the familiar voice.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to show. I guess family does mean something to you after all. Where's the money?" Jake ordered.

Brax tossed the bag on the floor and Jake quickly looked inside. "Where's Casey?" Brax demanded.

"Why in such a rush Darryl? Don't you wanna stay and chat?"

"Cut the crap Jake! Where's Casey?" Brax yelled.

Jake nodded to his gang members and Brax and Heath watched two members descend into a back room and saw as they pulled out their baby brother. Brax could see the terrified look on his brother's face and his willingness not to cry.

"Casey!" Brax exclaimed and went to advance towards him but Jake stopped him.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not yet!" Jake teased.

"Let him go Jake!" Brax ordered. "You're a real low life scum! He's just a little kid!" Heath yelled.

"I'd be watching what you say to me Braxton." Jake walked over to Casey and grabbed him and held him tightly around his chest, restricting his movement as well as having perfect access to block Casey's airway.

"Brax," Casey choked out. "I'll get you out of this Case. Don't worry."

Jake tightened his grip on Casey, causing Casey to gag. "You see I believe in payback and those that meddle in my business have to pay for their crimes, so you see I was wrong about blaming you for ruining my cabin, when all along it was baby Braxton here...That's right the kid told me everything, even your plan to bust my drug raid." Jake turned to Heath.

"Casey! How could you?" Heath yelled.

Jake laughed. "You have a smart kid here, shame he can't learn to keep his mouth shut. Now he must pay for his crime and it's so good of you both to join me."

Jake whipped out a gun from the back of his pants and pressed it against Casey's head.

"Brax." Casey cried out and immediately began crying, trying to struggle free. Brax and Heath's eyes widened.

"Jake don't! Let him go! I'll do whatever you want! Just let him go!" Brax yelled he was terrified of Jake hurting his baby brother.

Jake laughed. "As tempting as that sounds Darryl, I can't let baby Braxton's little deed go unpunished."

"You rotten scum!" Heath yelled and went to lunge at Jake, only to be held back by Brax. As much as Brax wanted to lunge and kill Jake right then, he knew his brother's life was at stake if he made a move.

Brax's heart jumped when he saw Jake cock the gun after Heath's attempt to lunge at him. "Jake please just let him go! Take me instead. He's just a kid!" Brax was now pleading and slowly stepped forward.

"Make one move and your brother will be in pieces before you know it!" Jake yelled.

Brax immediately stopped. He could see Casey almost on the verge of a panic attack his breathing was heavy and he was crying hysterically.

"Shut up kid!" Jake roughly shoved Casey and pushed the gun harder against his head.

"Jake don't!" Brax yelled.

Brax saw Jake adjust his finger on the gun and in quick reflexes Brax lunged forward and wrestled the gun away from Casey and pushed it out of Jake's hand. The gun exploded as it hit the floor, causing rubble to fall from the roof. Brax threw Jake violently on the floor, where Heath took over and started punching him.

Brax turned back to Casey who had started to fall weak at the knees and collapse towards the floor. Brax grabbed him in his arms and slowly guided him towards the floor, holding him tightly.

"Brax." Casey choked out, he was hiccupping and shaking. Brax sat on the floor and rocked his baby brother in his arms. "Ssh. I got you mate. I got you."

Heath was still trying to fight off the gang members. The fight was broken up when one member came running in. "Hammer's been caught by the cops, we have to get out of here before they find out anything."

Heath punched Jake in the nose, breaking his cheek bone and causing blood to rush out at an alarming rate. "That's for my little brother!" Heath punched Jake again, this time in his eye, leaving a large bruise. "And that's from me!"

Jake stumbled to get up, holding his face and followed the rest of the gang out.

Heath turned to see his terrified baby brother with his arms wrapped tightly around his older brother, crying into Brax's chest and struggling to breathe. Heath ran his hands over his head what just happened scared the life out of him, but he couldn't admit he was scared, so instead became angry.

"Brax, I'm scared." Casey mumbled. Brax rocked him and wrapped his arms tighter around Casey's body.

"I'm here Case. I'm right here, you're safe now." Brax felt Casey gasp and cough and pulled him away from his chest.

"Hey easy. You're safe. Just try and breathe for me okay." Brax comforted.

Casey gently nodded and tried to slow his breathing as Brax pulled him back into a hug. Brax turned to Heath and sighed. Heath immediately turned away and avoided his brother's gaze he just could not admit his fear at how close he was to losing his baby brother.

When Casey finally settled a bit, Brax released him and helped him to stand, holding him up as he walked back to his car.