Avenge Thy Brother

Chapter 8: Request Mercy

            Randall Williams was pronounced dead just thirty minutes after we'd gotten him to the nearest hospital. The doctors who tended to him upon arrival told us he never regained consciousness although I had been successful in resuscitating him on the scene. They didn't have to tell us but I knew his cause of death would be the same as the others: sudden cardiac death. He'd most likely been given tiny amounts of the diluted hydrofluoric acid and potassium compound over the course of his captivity. He'd been starved and beaten for months, only given scraps of food to keep him alive. As upset as I was over his death, I was further assured that Kemari Whitlock was still alive and in a better condition.

"I'm very sorry," I told Randall's family and other loved ones in the waiting room of the hospital. "I carried Randall out of that hellhole in my arms and I resuscitated him. I did everything I could and so did this hospital. Randall was a fighter. He didn't give up. He left that house alive, even if it was only for half an hour. He made it out of that place."

After speaking individually with them and answering as many questions as I could, I stepped out of the hospital and rejoined Karen, Cox, and Saunders. Karen looked at me and asked, "How did they take the news?"

"They're managing," I told her.

She balled her fists and angrily admitted, "I'm mad as fuck right now. The things they did to that young man..." She shook her head and walked away from us.

"I'm gonna go talk to her," said Cox as she walked off in the same direction as Karen.

Saunders stood beside me and asked, "This day went from difficult to horrific, huh?"

I looked at him and told him, "I'm gonna need for you to write the report about all of this since you decided to be the hero and run inside that house before backup could arrive."

"What?"

"You heard me. What in the fuck were you thinking, man?"

"That Nazi motherfucker shot at Cox! He shot at all of us! I don't know how you FBI suits handle business but..."

"You listen to me you inexperienced hothead! Don't you ever do that again in my presence! You wait until we come up with a strategic plan to enter a dangerous situation! You don't just selfishly run in by yourself and ask us to cover you!"

"This is my case, Rowell. I don't give a fuck how you feel about it. When some redneck tries to take my head off, I'm gonna put an end to his ass! And I'm not gonna wait for you to give me permission either!"

"You idiot, what kind of information can we get out of him now? He's dead! Do you know how much of a setback this is? We were close to a breakthrough and you just ruined that by being hotheaded!"

He got in my face and said, "Call me a hothead again, man."

I stared into his eyes and taunted, "And what in the fuck are you gonna do about it? Stop and ask yourself what kind of training I went through to get to the rank I am in the FBI within three years. I can end you with one move if I wanted to. Just give me a fucking reason!"

"Alright, that's enough," Cox said as she and Karen separated us.

"We need to get some rest," said Karen. "Come on, Rowell. I'm driving." When I wouldn't stop looking at Saunders, she pulled me and said, "Rowell, come on!"

As we were making our way to the car, Evan Murphy approached us and asked, "Is it true that victim Randall Williams is in that hospital fighting for his life right now?"