Falling Up

57. The Unknown

"Let's go," said Noah, pointing his gun in the direction of the hallway in which he came.

"But what about Jason?" asked Riley as she looked down the opposite direction, back where they left Jason and where Tyrus had already disappeared to.

"Tyrus will look after him," said Noah. "In the meantime, I need to get you both out of here. I need you safe."

"But..."

"It's what Jason would want."

Riley took another look down the corridor before Kain grabbed her hand. "I'm sure he'll be fine. My brother will make sure of it." Kain led Riley by the hand down the corridor. They took a right turn with Noah in front, gun at the ready.

It was odd seeing Noah like this. So sure of himself and focused. The way he took down Vincent, she still couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that he was finally dead. As much as she hated to see anyone killed, it lifted a tremendous weight from her shoulders that she didn't even realise she carried. Riley would no longer have to live in fear of Vincent.

As they went down the corridor, they came across only one random guard who Noah took down with ease, shooting him in the leg as he stumbled to the floor. Finally, they saw the end of the corridor in sight as the entrance widened and natural light poured into the corridor. Riley let out a breath of relief.

"We're almost there," said Noah.

However, before they could reach the end of the hallway, a man stepped into view, blocking their path. The man looked familiar to Riley, and it only took a second to realise where she had seen this man before. It was the same man that she saw when she was with Vincent. Older, mid-50s with grey streaks running through his hair and a cold deadly expression on his face. The same man that Vincent seemed so afraid of.

Noah stopped, almost frozen, as his gun hovered before him, shaking slightly before he lowered it completely. The next words out of his mouth were a shock to both him and Riley.

"Dad?"

"You know I hate it when you call me that," the old man said with a click of his tongue. The man walked forward, moving closer to them as Noah lifted his gun back up to full height, his arm straight and his gaze focused.

"Dad?" Riley whispered in confusion, looking between Noah and the old man who was tapping his gun on the side of his leg. He looked quite composed, considering the situation. His own son was pointing a gun at him and he just stood there, casually rolling up the sleeves on his tailored white shirt. Riley noticed the blood splatter on his shirt only once he came closer to her and she took a step back, behind Noah and Kain.

She had never really met her dad before. He had left when she was young and, after growing up without him, she never much thought about him. Noah and Jason didn't talk about him either, but she could tell there was a distaste in their mouths if he ever entered a conversation, which was rare. There was something hidden between the two of them that they never talked about. But seeing Noah with his gun pointed towards her father, she knew something bad must have happened in the past.

Her father's eyes landed on Riley, shifting his gaze up and down her body. He made her feel on edge, and she knew just by looking at him that he wasn't a good man. The way he just left his own daughter to that monster. He knew what Vincent was about to do to her, but all he did was stand there and watch. Stand and watch as she was about to be raped again by her step-father. She felt repulsed just looking at him but luckily his gaze shifted as Noah moved to stand in front of her.

"Get out of the way, Elias, before I shoot you," said Noah with his gun still drawn and at the ready.

The man let out a sadistic type of chuckle. One that sent shivers down her spine as she watched him clean the blood off his gun onto his white shirt. "I have no interest in you Noah, or her," he said, pointing his gun casually in the direction of Riley. "But what I do care about is you interfering in my shipment, taking down several of my men, and shutting down my operation. My operation that has just cost me over $100 million dollars."

Elias put his arm up so fast that she barely had time to register the gun firing straight towards Noah. It clipped him in the shoulder, sending half of his body flying backward as his gun flew out of his hand, landing in a thud on the floor behind him.

"I won't kill you this time," said Elias. "But don't think I won't hesitate to kill you if you interfere in any of my operations in the future."

Elias turned on his heel and disappeared out into the crowd of people and out of sight. Noah clutched his shoulder as he hissed in anger and pain before reaching back and picking up his gun in the opposite hand.

"Noah. Are you okay?" asked Riley as she approached him with caution.

"I'm fine," he seethed between his teeth. "Let's go."

Noah pushed past Riley, heading out into the field of chaos in the main section of the warehouse. The majority of the enemies had been captured and more police cars were arriving on the scene with sirens blaring in the background. She heard the distinct sounds of an ambulance pulling up in the distance.

That's when she saw it, from the corner of her eye. It was Tyrus, emerging from an opposite corridor with a stretcher and two paramedics. On top of the stretcher was Jason, and kneeling over the top of Jason was a paramedic, pumping his hands hard over Jason's chest. Tyrus and the other paramedic guided the stroller outside of the warehouse and into the back of the ambulance. At that moment, Riley broke down as tears escaped her eyes and she collapsed into Kain's arms. The sight of Jason being on the edge of death was something she never wanted to witness.

They watched from inside as Tyrus pushed Jason into the ambulance before exiting and closing the doors. He tapped his hand loudly on the outer edge of the ambulance and off it set. The ambulance disappeared, the siren's wailing, and in less than a moment, it was out of sight. Riley simply stood there and watched Tyrus, frozen in his spot long after the ambulance had well and truly exited from sight.

Kain was the first to move, pulling Riley along with him as he went outside to join Tyrus. He placed his hand on top of Tyrus's shoulder.

"You should go," said Kain.

There was a pause and in that moment, she could tell that Tyrus wanted nothing more than to be with Jason right now.

"I can't," said Tyrus, turning around to face Kain, showing the redness in his eyes that displayed sadness and tiredness, making it seem like he had aged decades in only a matter of days. "I have a duty here to see that things are cleaned up. We have the dead to take care of."

"But..." said Kain.

"I can't do anything for Jason right now. But what I can do is make sure everyone responsible is behind bars. Including Vincent."

Noah, at that point, chimed in. "No need. He's dead."

"Then my job here is easier. Get yourselves checked out. Especially you Noah," he pointed to the wound he was still cradling from his shoulder.

Tyrus grabbed Kain on the shoulder. "I'm glad you're okay." And with that last note, he disappeared back into the warehouse to deal with the fallout of the situation.

"Come on," said Kain, directing both of them to a nearby ambulance on the outskirts of the building.

Noah hopped into the ambulance first as they checked over his wound, applying pressure on the bullet wound. Riley got in next with the help of Kain, who lifted her into the back of the vehicle, despite the fact she could have easily got in herself. He waited on the outside, holding on to Riley's hand.

"Go," he said. "Get yourself and your brother looked at."

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll meet you at the hospital. I..." he turned, looking back towards the warehouse. "I need to make sure Tyrus is okay."

Riley nodded. She wasn't in any way eager to be rid of Kain, but she understood the need for him to check on his brother. Just as she was eager to check in on Jason. She didn't want to think about him like that. The way he looked as they wheeled him out was a terrifying sight. She couldn't lose her brother, especially not to Vincent. She just couldn't.

She watched Kain leave as he closed the ambulance door, and she sat down in the vehicle, not caring that a paramedic was trying to look at her neck, or tend to the scratch running down her leg. She only sat there and prayed. Prayed that Jason would be okay.