Rivals

Chapter 21

"Vince & Isabel"

     Why didn't I do it? Why didn't I... arrest him? My mind is clouded with disappointment. And bitter disbelief.

After all this time. There he was, finally in front of me as I held up my gun. I aimed it at him.

But in the end, nothing happened.

I'm well aware that I am drowning in my own deadly thoughts, yet I don't avoid them.

As I clutch onto the collar of a gang member's shirt, I don't hesitate to retract back a clenched fist of mine, before slamming it against his bearded jaw.

Mindlessly watching the criminal then fall onto his stomach, after he diffuses a low grunt from my punch, I hurriedly reach down and cuff his hands behind his back.

I could've stopped him... stopped him from running this dangerous business any longer...

"I've got one over here!" I shout over my shoulder, quickly standing upright again to continue taking down as many criminals as I possibly can in the dimly lit, invaded Compass Global building.

I briefly glance back to see one of our officers approach and take up the cuffed member, beginning to lead him outside.

Lethal and alerting gunshots still perniciously echo within the building.

Already proceeding in determined tracks, I note Vince follows into step next to me - before he's fast to aim his gun at another gang member approaching us.

Vince warns him to stand down, as the armed criminal - inevitably known as one of Rio's men - takes sudden grasp of a pistol from the front rim of his jeans.

And watching the portrayal of a certain lethal glare begin to flash across his unrecognizable green irises, as he merely showcases no mercy - I decide to act fast.

I abruptly take a swift step to shove the weapon from his hands, and claim a firm, tight grip on his wrists, before twisting.
The man sounds a pained groan before me, while I hear Vince take down another guy behind my standing frame.

And as I twist his arm behind his own back until he reaches immense discomfort, the flooding anger I gathered from encountering Rio just seconds ago washes over me.

It's overwhelming, strong.

He was right there. So close. Yet I stood in anger, and though delivering a cold punch to his smug face, I didn't arrest him.

I twist harder.

And I surely didn't pull the trigger.

Deep down, very deep down, I think I knew I wouldn't of done it the second I aimed my gun at him.

...But why?

The gang member releases another grunt against my firm grip.

Because pulling that trigger, as it was heartlessly cold beneath my fingertips, wouldn't of been... me.

As much as I've been striving to hurt Rio, I couldn't shoot him.

Somewhere behind me, it sounds like Vince eventually captures the guy he was going against, as I hear the familiar click of handcuffs become bound to someone's wrists.