Cry Thunder (Book I)

Chapter 5

NATHAN'S POV

I had this tremendous headache coming on. The whole day it was just a dull ache that he shook off as an aftermath of the extreme dosage of painkillers he was on. But this, no this was was much worse. I held my head in my hands, almost cradling it as if it was fragile and about to break. I fell on my knees, not able to bare the pain for longer. I held back a pain filled groan.

What is happening to me?

My vision began to blur and I felt dizzy; the world spun around me as if was to swallow me whole. I then let the darkness welcome me as I fell into an oblivious state.

3 hours later

I wake up with a gasp, I groaned as I stumbled up from the ground. I blinked rapidly to regain my focus on my vision. I then took a couple of moments to figure out what was going on. Erin. Right...

I looked at my phone and noted the time was 22:43

I googled the destination I was supposed to meet this guy at and sprinted towards it. The ache in my head was still there but faintly fading.

"You're just on time, Parker" he said as I came face to face with the man in the alley. "Where's Erin?!" I asked not in the mood for his games. He smirked sardonically, "Wait a minute, I thought we had a deal... You join us- and your girl stays safe. Unless you want her to come back with a few scars on her..." I growled in frustration. I made a move to attack him, but he saw it coming and I stopped in my tracks when he lifted his hand up.

Five armed guys came out of hiding. Another guy came up behind me. He dragged Erin along, keeping her in a headlock at gunpoint. She cried out in pain. Her tear stained cheeks were red and she looked miserable, it pained me. "Now to make sure you're not playing us, we have to get rid of all the distractions" He pulls out a gun from his belt and aim it at Erin. That's crossing the line. My mind went in overdrive as I thought of all possible escapes, but all options involve in someone getting shot, which means it'll be open fire.

I don't want Erin getting caught in a crossfire.

"Don't! Please I'll do anything, just don't" I beg with desperate tears in my eyes. I hate to submit to people. I absolutely hate to be vulnerable in front of others. But... if this is the way out...

I turn around as Erin's voice sounded behind me, "Nathan don't worry about me- don't join them. It's a tra- Ow!" Her voice wavered, as the guy holding her shoved her to shut her up. Jerk.

"Awwww how cute is this," the guy cooed, "Too bad I don't care"

He put his finger on the trigger and he added just a little pressure and that was enough to let out a loud bang.

"Nooooo!" I scream

But it's too late.

The sound echoes in my ears.

Erin shuts her eyes as she lays on the ground. She awaits the pain to explode somewhere in her body. But it doesn't come. Instead she slowly reopens her eyes and she registers that Nathan's body is on top of hers. He must've tackled her and jumped in front of the bullet.

A sinister laugh booms through the alley, "I knew it! I knew you felt something for her. I knew you turned soft. I knew you were weak! Get rid of him" The guy walks away with his nose too high in the air. Two armed guys neared us.

Suddenly a sharp pain errupted in my stomach. Another kick was thrown to my direction. I hear a whimper and just in time I witness the other guy backhanding Erin. After a few more hits, I'm blindfolded and thrown int a car, driving to the unknown...