One More Troubled Soul

Nineteen-Time Hasn't Told Anyone Else Yet

Courtney's P.O.V.

I woke up shaking on the floor of my destroyed office. I wasn't sure how long I was out. I stayed curled on the floor, trying to get the feeling of his hands around my throat out of my head.

I reached up and ran my fingers across the tender skin, knowing there'll be some nice bruises. I shuddered and slowly uncurled into a sitting position. I groaned as pain seemed to run through my entire body. But I didn't have time to assess any other injuries I may be sporting, because there was a scream from the hallway.

I recognized Adira and gasped, struggling painfully to my feet. Did she get out some how? My desk had been knocked across room with its bottom facing away to the wall. I hobbled over as pain seemed to make up my very being, gasping when reaching around seemed impossible to get the gun I had strapped to the bottom of the desk.

I couldn't help the soft moans as I pulled back, my arms burning and my back screaming. I bit my lip and checked to see if the weapon was loaded. I had a full round. Perfect.

The hall was uneasily silent after painfully staggering to the door and pressing my ear to the wood. I could hear voices, but they were simple drones of noise. I eased it open and carefully peeked out, looking down the hall a few doors down to see Jade gripping a case. The case. I felt a rush of anger and betrayal, which didn't make sense because I knew full well she would turn traitor.

A demon stood next to Jade and another, the leader, stood in front of the pair. Facing them was the entire of Fall Out Boy. Andy held out a gun while Patrick stood with his hand on his shoulder. "Andy." He was saying, starting hard at the tattooed drummer. "The gun. Put it down."

Andy didn't seem to want to listen. I crept up silently, biting my cheek to keep from voicing the pain I was in. Pete did the same and whispered in Andy's ear. I raised my gun and aimed, and met his gaze.

He seemed just a tad surprised, and I nodded. He looked quickly away and said something else. Andy glanced at him, then sighed and clicked a button on the gun, crouching to place it on the tiles.

"Wonderful." Its voice will forever give me goose bumps. I could hear the smile on its face and felt a cold feeling seep into my bones. It wasn't fear. Oh no. This was more like anger, fury.

I aimed again, and pulled the trigger. I let out a cry as the backfire jerked my sore arms, but the shot hit true. The leader jolted forward as the bullet smacked its head. I shot again, hitting the second demon in the same spot. I wasn't sure if it was enough to kill, but it would slow them down. They sprawled across the floor face first, unmoving. I guess even demons are vulnerable to modern weapons.

The boys stared in disbelief as I brought the gun up one last time to Jade. I was breathing hard at this point and everything about me screamed pain. "The case." I gasped. "I want the case, Jade."

Jade watched me back with complete hatred. But I had the upper hand. She knew this. She didn't say a word, her lip curled in anger and her eyes glittering. She laid the case on the tiles and set a foot on top to kick it over.

As soon as her boot left the silver case, I pulled the trigger one last time. I didn't want to see this bitch live. She gasped and pressed her hands to her stomach, curling over and dropping to her knees. It'd be slow and painful, but she'll eventually bleed out.

The case slid to a stop at my feet. I still held the gun high, my gaze locked on the band members across the hall. Pete watched the gun nervously, and I noticed Andy had his back now, crouched on a knee with it aiming up at me. Patrick held his hands by his face and Joe had his in the same manner. An idea was coming, and I didn't agree with it at all.

It's the only way, whispered a voice in the back of my head. It's the only way to keep her safe.

Joe's P.O.V.

She seemed to have come from literally no where. One second, the hall was empty, the next she was there firing lead into everyone. There were three bodies on the ground by the time I processed what was happening.

That woman who had been in the room with Patrick when he was strapped to the chair stood in place of the others. She had blood smeared all across her face and clothes. Her chest rose in quick breathes and her face showed she was in pain. But her eyes shone bright with anger. The case with Adira sat by her feet.

No one was moving. She held the gun out at us, and Andy was on his knee with his own weapon. Patrick had his hands raised and I slowly raised mine. I didn't know how this would end. From the looks of it, someone was firing.

"Patrick." She said suggestively.

Patrick jumped a bit, then shook his head and glared at her. "Courtney." He nearly growled.

I watched in surprise as she lowered her gun, sticking it in the waistband of her jeans before picking up the silver prison. She ran her fingers along the clasp, a look of guilt and regret clouding her features. The next time she looked up, her green eyes were watery. She took a painful step forward.

"Don't take another step." Andy threatened, his voice hard as his grip tightened on the gun again. She blinked in surprise and met Patrick's gaze pleadingly, so different from the psychotic fury I had seen when Patrick was in the chair. "Please." She whispered, holding out the case stiffly. "Take it. Take her. Keep her safe."

I crossed my arms over my chest and watched as she put the case back on the tiles and pushed it over, the blood on the floor making it difficult to slide. We all shared looks of unease and confusion. First she wanted to kill us and keep Adira for herself, and now she wants us to go and keep her safe.

Patrick met my gaze last. His was questioning. Do we trust her. And I honestly didn't know. But if she truly wanted us dead, she would have let those demons do what they wanted. I looked back at Courtney, her head bowed in defeat as she stared unseeing at her hands. I nodded. "Yes." I said softly.

Pete seemed unwilling still, raising a hand to make a point. But Patrick was already reaching for the case and pulling it to us, his eyes filling with his own tears when he stood back up. Pete's words were, for once, left unspoken as we watched Courtney break down.

Her shoulders shook and she buried her face in her hands. "Go." I heard faintly through her sobs. As a collective group, we leaned closer only to leap back when she threw her head up, screaming, "GO!! GET OUT, YOU BASTARDS!!" She drew her gun and fired a shot in the ceiling above us. We all scrambled back, adrenaline rushing through my veins. "LEAVE!! DON'T YOU FUCKING COME BACK!!"

And leave we did. We high tailed it out of there, racing through the warehouse 'till we found a van and clambered in. It took awhile to calm down enough for Pete to hot wire the car, but the engine caught and we were soon racing through the streets of a city to who the fuck knows where. As long as it's far from that warehouse.

Patrick clutched the suitcase close in the back, softly singing something I couldn't place exactly. It sounded like a lullabye, then I realized it was the lullabye. The one Pete wrote for his kids.

Don't worry your head
Just go to sleep

It doesn't matter how you feel
Life is just a ferris a wheel
It's always up and down
Don't make a sound

When you wake up
The world will come around

When you wake up
The world will come around

When you wake up, the world will come around, I thought as I stared up at the dull stars barely shining through the filth of the city.