RoboNomics

Chapter 97 - 2016

At the sound of the gunshot, I run towards Robert. I catch him as he staggers.

"I'm okay," he says as he pats over his chest and feels the side of his head quickly. "I'm okay."

We both look down. Chris has crumpled into a pile on the ground. Blood spreads out in a large stain across his chest. It begins to trickle onto the steps over which he's slumped.

"Oh my god," I say despite myself. My hand goes over my mouth. "Chris!"

Robert is there first. He gently slides his arm beneath Chris' shoulders, and lifts his son's head off of the pavement. 

"Oh my boy," he says, suddenly tender. "What have you done?"

"Oh my god," I say again, at a loss for words.

I whip my head around, spotting several ARs with mouths wide open, ogling the scene from the curb of the street.

"What are you doing?" I scream at them. "Call 91—what do we do here? Call emergency services! Call someone!"

When I look back, Chris is blinking slowly, as if he would fall asleep. He looks so helpless and vulnerable. I haven't seen him like that since the night we spent together in that chapel back in Toronto. I feel as if I'm intruding on a private moment...as if I should leave the son and the father alone.

But then he calls to me.

"Andrea," he says as he lies on the pavement. I immediately run to his other side, and falls to my knees to lean over him. "I'm sorry. For it all," he says.

I know at this point, the only thing I can do to give him peace is lie. "It's okay, you don't have to —"

"I never meant to hurt you. Forgive me."

"But you did," I say with a sudden flash of anger.

It looks as if the blue is draining from his eyes, leaving only grey.

"I have to tell you, Andrea. You have to know that..." He looks past me. "No. Not him. I won't let him."

I glance over my shoulder and see my husband jogging down the steps of the Forum, towards where Chris lies. A flash of light in my periphery warns me to look back, just in time to see Chris feebly raising his gun.

"No!" I scream.

I start to stand up, but it's all happening far too fast. There's a crowd of people here. Any one of them could help. But no one can do anything. I'm helpless. I can't outrun a bullet.

It happens in an instant. Another shot rings out, and suddenly Austin's down on the ground. But there's another body down with him. It's Rupert.

"Austin! Rupert!" I scream and I sob, drained from the emotions that overcome me. I can't lose my husband, and I can't lose Rupert. I turn back to Chris.

"What have you done?" I spit angrily.

Robert Newhouse, with tears in his eyes, shakes his head.

"He's gone."

It's such a simple way to put it. This man, this nemesis that entered my life nearly six years ago and has been inextricably linked to me ever since. I can't believe that this is it, that I'll have peace from him at last.

I know I should run to my husband. I know that I should see that he's safe. But Rupert's body is shielding Austin.

So instead, I go to Chris' body. I collapse on the ground next to him and place my head on his dripping chest. The wetness of my tears are indistinguishable from his blood. I can't lose them both. I don't want it to end this way.

"Chris, don't go. I'm the one who needs forgiveness. Please, come back. Please."

"Andrea." I hear the voice of my husband come from over my shoulder.

I lift my head, hair plastered to my face with the moisture of my tears and his blood. Then I straighten up, looking into Robert's eyes as I do. He's the only one who's heard what I said, and he looks at me knowingly. I quickly dry my eyes and get up. And then I turn around.

Austin is already standing. Rupert stands next to him.

"Are you okay?" I ask Austin as I approach them.

"Yeah, I'm...I'm perfect." He says with a tone of confusion. "But Rupert..." He looks over at the old man.

Standing next to my husband is the man who has been my adviser and my guardian for the past year. He's still clutching a gun, and I don't have to ask if that's the weapon that killed Chris.

But that's when I see it. Rupert's eyes are clouded and confused, and his empty hand grasps at a gaping wound on his side.

I suddenly realize that he was the one - he took a bullet for Austin. But there's something unusual about this injury.

He moves his hand away, and reveals a chunk of quantum chips and wires. There are circuits that dangle from his side where the bullet made its entry. His eyes roll back in his head and he collapses heavily onto the ground.

(Continued in the Epilogue...)

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I don't know how other authors do it! Even though he was a bad guy, killing off a character for the first time was emotionally exhausting!!