Chapter 1

The city was still bustling with activity even though it was late at night as John Norris and his twin brother, Michael Garrison made their way to a local bar. Today was the three year anniversary of them finding out about each other. For most of their lives they never knew that either one existed. That is until both, who were United States Marines wound up at the same base together. Ever since then they have become inseparable.

Micheal pulled his coat tighter to his body, his head going lower into the warm fabric.

"I didn't know Texas got this cold."

John chuckled as he took a look around at the bars lining the street.

"So, do you want grudge, edge or country?"

Michael paused for a minute before answering. "Let's do edge."

Both began to make their way across the street when movement in an alley, just to their right caught their attention. A woman's blood curdling scream made the twins sprint into action.

John made it into the alley just as a group of teen boys ran out. He quickly spun around hoping to catch at least one of them. After a quick run John eventually managed to tackle a young man to the ground.

"I'm sorry! I was paid to do it!" Yelled the teen as he fought against John's grip. "Please, I had to do it! I had no other choice!"

Without warning John was hit square in the back, sending him flying forward onto the pavement. Before he could recover from the fall he could hear as both assailants ran away.

"John! You're needed in the alley!" Michael helped his brother up then pointed to his left. "It's bad."

John quickly made his way down the alley, his mind instinctively switching to medic mode. He soon spotted a man sprawled on his back near a dimly lit door. There was a considerable amount of blood pooling under the victim's head telling John there was a serious head injury.

As he knelt down John saw right away the man's face had obvious multiple fractures. There was also a deep cut from the tip of the nose to below the left eye distorting his facial features even more.

A whimper made John look over his shoulder to see a young girl, no older than fourteen cowering behind a dumpster.

"Ma'am, are you okay?"

The girl shook her head. "I didn't want to do it!" She cried out. "I didn't mean for this to happen!"

Mike knelt in front of her, concern on his face. "What happened?"

She wiped an arm across her face and took a deep breath. "This gang wanted me to lure this man into the alleyway and if I didn't do it I would have been raped. So I screamed and he came to help me." Her voice was shaking as sobs wracked her body "The gang just swarmed him… He...he didn't stand a chance."

John let out a few curses knowing this man needed immediate medical attention. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed 911.

Michael knelt down and shook his head. "Is it bad?"

"Yeah, it's definitely not good." The man began to choke, his whole body going into convulsions. "Mike, help me roll him over on his side." When they did blood and possibly teeth came out of the man's mouth. "Ma'am, how much longer until an ambulance gets here? Why?" John glanced up at the sky as the light snow began to turn into sleet. "Damn it! This man isn't going to make it!"

"Jesus Christ, why would any one do this to someone? I've been in a war zone…."

"Mike, get a piece of wood from that pallet." John said to help his brother refocus on the task at hand. "We need to put a splint on that arm." As he was telling this to Michael he could hear the operator scolding him in his ear. "Listen, ma'am I can meet the ambulance. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." He took his belt off so he could use it to strap the board down on the man's arm. "Ma'am, please calm down. Where is the ambulance coming from?"

After the operator told him John nodded to Mike who started to splint up the man's badly damaged right arm. Once both picked the man up, John at the head and his brother the feet. They just reached the sidewalk when the man went into convulsions once again.

The brother's slowly put the man down so John could check the man's pulse. It was then that John saw the man's breathing and pulse was very weak. Worried he quickly took out his pocket knife and carefully sliced open the man's shirt. Once he pulled the fabric back he saw deep bruising on the man's right side along with a slight bump indicating a badly broken rib.

"Michael, let me see your lighter and pen." When Michael handed the items to John, the latter began to heat the blade of his knife. As he did so a small crowd began to form around them. "Get these people away from here!"

Quickly Michael did just that, waving his arms at the crowd to give John more room. Meanwhile, John got the pen ready to use as a makeshift chest tube. He then took a deep breath as he slowly cut between two ribs on the right side of the man's chest. The man let out a loud grunt as John very slowly worked the thin tube through the cut. Blood began to come out of the chest tube and John could see the man visibly relaxing.

Michael ran up to John, frustration on his face. "I don't hear any sirens yet! What are we going to do?"

An older man ran up to them, his thumb pointing over his shoulder. "If you're willing, I got a truck. We can take him to the hospital!"

John nodded as he again checked the man's vitals. "Where is your truck?"

"Right there!" The gentleman pointed to a full size pickup parked a few yards away. "Come on! It's getting slick out there!"

After the man was placed inside the bed of the pickup the driver pulled a few blankets from the cab. He then took off his coat and put it under the man's head.

"Get him comfortable! I'll try to take it easy!"

After the blankets were covering the man John once again dialed 911.

"Yes, I'm the caller that came upon the badly beaten man. I know they're on their way, sir but it's taking too long! We're going to go in a blue pickup. I know it's dangerous but what…" John paused to listen to the frantic operator. "Sir, we cannot wait fifteen more minutes!"

On the way to the hospital John couldn't help but to check on the man again and again. Was it the right decision to not wait for the ambulance? Then came a large bump that made the man moan in pain.

A smile spread across John's face when the man winced at another bump. The man has now shown pain recognition several times now which was a good sign. John quickly took hold of the man's left hand and could almost feel as the latter squeezed back.

After about five minutes of breaking every road law they finally arrived at the hospital. John quickly jumped out of the pickup's bed, pulled the tailgate down then helped Michael pull the blankets off of the man.

A group of medical staff came rushing out of the emergency room doors, a gurney between them. They began to help the twins get the man gently out of the bed and onto a stretcher.

"All right, we can take it from here." The doctor's voice trailed off as his attention went to the pen sticking out of the man's chest. "What is that?"

"He was having trouble breathing so I inserted a chest tube."

The doctor nodded as he gave John's shoulder a pat. "You two just might have saved this man's life."

John watched as the man was pushed through the doors and out of their lives. In the raining sleet John squatted down, mentally exhausted at what just occurred. Being a combat medic in the Marines he had seen much worse injuries but for some reason this man hit him hard. Why was that?

He took a deep breath, looked at his bloody hands then at Michael. "I'm going to wash up."