Chapter 153 Jason?
Third person pv
Let the darkness take him.
He’d done what he needed to do.
Burned the empire. Saved Melissa. Gotten everyone out.
The rest… the rest could wait.
Behind them, inside the compound, Jason slid down the column until he was sitting.
The knife still in his chest. Blood spreading.
Sophia knelt beside him. Her broken hand was forgotten. Tears streamed down her face.
“Jason, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I wasn’t trying to…”
“I know.” His voice was barely a whisper. “You were aiming for him. Not me.”
“We can get help. We can…”
“Malissa.” Jason’s eyes were closing.
Sophia took his good hand. Held it as his breathing slowed.
As the life drained out of him.
Outside, the vehicles pulled away.Carrying the survivors.
Carrying the people who’d walked through hell and somehow made it out the other side.
Leaving behind the burning compound.
Kane held Aria in the back of the vehicle. The medic worked frantically around him…IV lines, oxygen mask, checking vitals.
But Kane couldn’t look away from her face. She looked so bruised and bloodied. He couldn’t stop looking at what they’d done to her.
What he’d failed to prevent.
“Sir, I need space to…” the medic started.
Kane ignored him and leaned down. He pressed his lips gently to Aria’s forehead. Then her cheek.
Then, carefully avoiding her split lip, the corner of her mouth.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered against her skin. “I’m so sorry, mia dea.”
Her breathing was steady. The monitors beeped rhythmically.
She was alive.
She would survive this.
But Kane would never forget. Would never forgive himself for leaving her unprotected.
For not seeing this coming. He pulled back and let the medic work.
Then he looked at Gavin in the front vehicle. Being worked on by another team. Melissa was beside him, her good hand gripping his.
Everyone was accounted for.
Everyone was safe. Almost everyone.
Kane’s jaw clenched.
“Stop the vehicle,” he said suddenly.
The driver looked at him in the rearview mirror. “Sir?”
“Stop. Now.”
The vehicle pulled to a halt. The others behind them stopped as well.
Kane carefully transferred Aria to the medic’s care. Made sure she was secure.
Then he opened the door and stepped out.
Gavin’s eyes opened in the lead vehicle. Tracked Kane’s movement.
“Kane,” he called out. His voice was weak. “What are you…”
“I’ll be right back,” Kane said.
Then he turned.
And walked back toward the burning compound.
“Kane!” Melissa’s voice. “Where are you going?”
He didn’t answer. Just kept walking.
Back through the gates. Back into the smoke and flames and ruins.
Back to where he knew Jason would be.
The hall was empty now except for two figures.
Jason, slumped against the column. Eyes closed. The knife was still protruding from his chest.
And Sophia, kneeling beside him. Holding his hand. Crying.
Kane approached slowly.
Sophia looked up. Her face was destroyed. Tear-streaked. Her broken hand cradled against her chest.
“Is he gone?” she whispered. “He’s… he’s gone isn’t he.”
Kane knelt and looked at Sophia. “You should leave. Before the authorities arrive.”
“Where would I go?” Her voice was hollow. “Everything is gone..”
“That’s not my problem.” Kane’s voice was flat. “But if you’re still here in five minutes, you’ll be arrested. Your choice.”
He reached down. Slid his arms under Jason’s body.
Lifted him.
The young man’s head lolled. Arms hanging limp. Blood dripping.
But Kane carried him.
Out of the hall. Through the corridors. Past the fires still burning.
Into the night.
Sophia watched him go. Then slowly…painfully…she stood.
Looked around at the ruins of everything she’d known.
And walked away.
Into the darkness.
Into nothing.
Outside, the team saw Kane emerge from the compound.
Carrying Jason’s body.
Gavin tried to sit up. “Jason…”
Kane shook his head.
——
Malissa pov
My consciousness came back slowly.
Like swimming up through dark water. It felt heavy and disorienting.
Melissa’s eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. She tried to open them and failed. So she tried again.
Finally, they cracked open. Bright light flooded in immediately.
She blinked against it. Once. Twice then three times.
Slowly, shapes began to form.she could finally see the white ceiling and hear the beeping sounds.
She was in a hospital.
Her memory crashed back in fragments. Like jagged pieces that didn’t quite fit together yet.
The compound. The blood. Sophia. Jason. The knife. Kane carrying Aria. Gavin…
Gavin.
Melissa tried to sit up. Her body immediately protested. Everything ached. It was like a deep bone ache
Her arm. Her broken arm was in a proper cast now. She was alive.
The battle was over. They’d survived.
Tears started streaming down her face before she even realized she was crying.
She cried in relief from grief. Exhaustion. Trauma. Everything she’d been holding back, holding in, holding together.
All of it pouring out at once.
“Don’t cry, piccola.”
The voice came from her right. Melissa’s head snapped toward it. Her breath caught in her throat.
Gavin.
He was sitting in a chair pulled up beside her bed. But “sitting” was generous. More like propped up. Slouched. Like he’d collapsed there and hadn’t moved since.
And he looked…
Oh God.
He looked like a mummy.
Bandages were wrapped everywhere. Wrapped around his shoulder. His chest. His leg. White gauze covering what seemed like half his body.
His face was pale. It was obviously because of all the blood loss he suffered.
Dark circles were under his eyes. Hollow cheeks. His hair was a mess. He looked like a ghost.
A beautiful, broken ghost who shouldn’t be out of bed.
“Gavin?” Melissa’s voice cracked. “You’re…you look…”
“Terrible. I know.” His lips curved into a small smile. “You should see the other guy.”
“You shouldn’t be…” Melissa tried to gesture but her broken arm made the movement awkward. “You should be in bed. You should be…”
The door burst open.
A young nurse rushed in. Looking frantic. Her eyes landed on Gavin and her expression shifted from concern to exasperation.
“Sir!” She threw her hands up. “Sir, at this rate you are going to die!”
Gavin didn’t even look at her. Just kept his eyes on Melissa.
“Your case is worse than hers,” the nurse continued. She walked over. Started checking the monitors connected to Gavin. “Much worse. You lost more blood. You have two gunshot wounds. You’re supposed to be on bed rest for at least another forty-eight hours. And yet…”
She gestured dramatically at him sitting in the chair.