 
The Only Ones

Copyright 2015 Taylor Evans

Published by Taylor Evans at Smashwords

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For The Crew

(And all of the fishes in the world, you fish.)

Warning! This eBook Contains Unreasonable Stupidity Among Five Lifelong Friends Who Have No Idea On How To Act Their Age. The Bond Between These Fishes Are Dramatically Upsetting. If You Have a Fan Girl Issue With ANY Member of The Crew You May Want To Consider Avoiding Reading Passed This Message. Then Again, I'm Just Words In The Beginning Of This Ebook.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Enjoy Only If You Dare!
Chapter 1

"It's been two days and I still ain't telling you shit!" I spit blood at the men.

They had taken me at my home two days ago. Asking questions about some group called The Crew. Like I know a group of hit men, let alone ones that would refer to themselves as The Crew. What kind of name is that? Sounds like they were stuck up little assholes that called themselves hit men.

"I am not playing with you," the skinny guy in front of me asked, "Where is The Crew?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? Who the hell is The Crew, anyway? Who the _hell_ are you? _Why the hell_ am I here?" I yelled to them.

The guy in front of me balled his fist and hit me in the face, "Your time is running out! Now, _where is The Crew_?"

I sighed and shook my head, "I want to talk to your boss. Let me see him, _now_. Tell him that he's got the wrong guy! I don't know any Crew."

The guy turned to three men behind him, "Tell the boss to get in here."

They left and he turned and looked at me, "You'll like him. He's the leader of all this."

"No shit..." I mumbled.

The three guys returned and held the door for a fourth guy who looked like a preppy college student. The guy in front of me went up to him and they whispered something then all of them turned to me.

"What do you want?" the boss asked me.

I sighed, "Untie me. Let me go. You have the wrong person!"

They laughed and he looked at me, "You are Sam, correct?"

I nodded, "Yeah, but, there are thousands of Sam's. How do you know you have the right one?"

He smiled and stepped closer, "I am looking for my team. I think you know them, they go by The Crew. But their real names are: Kenneth Meginley, Joey Walker, Derek Johnson, and Sean Williams. Have you seen them?"

I looked him in the eye, "Who are you?"

He straightened himself, "The name is Ryan Barson."

I nodded, "Okay, Mr. Barson. Why am I here? I have no idea who the Crew is."

"Oh but I think you do, Sam. I think you're lying to me. Now, do you know what I do to liars?" he asked backing up.

I looked down and closed my eyes, "I am telling you the truth!"

Ryan turned to the guy behind him, "Do it. Don't make a mess."

I watched him as he left, "Do what? Hello? Do _what_?"

The guy took out a switch blade and as he came towards me an explosion was heard.

"Oh shit!" someone screamed.

The guy in front of me turned and I kicked him in the leg. The blade fell and I kicked it away as I pushed myself backwards to break the wooden chair. The top broke off and my hands were almost free. I laid there as the three guys came at me. I kicked one of them in the gut and he backed up as the other two came at me and picked me up then got me against the wall, picked up the blade and came towards me.

"Wait! No, wait!" I yelled.

The door busted open and a masked man came in with a silenced pistol aimed at the guys who had me.

"Drop the knife." he ordered.

"Nice to see you here." the guy with the blade smiled.

"Let him go." the masked man ordered.

The guy sucked his teeth, "I can't. And I have to kill you."

The man cocked his head, "If so."

He pulled the trigger and the guy dropped to the floor. The ones who had me held their grips.

"One..." the masked man raised the gun to the guy on the right of me.

"Two..."

I flinched as he pulled the trigger twice more. The last two guys fell down and the man came up to me with a the blade.

"Don't hurt me." I pleaded.

"Hurt? Man, I just saved your ass." he laughed.

He cut the rope around my wrists and then backed up, "Use the stair case at the end of the hall to escape. You go right, I'll be going left. The second to last level is the exit. Take care of yourself, man."

He turned and I called, "Wait! Who are you?"

He faced me, "Captain Bob."

I watched him as he left the room then I followed him out and we went our separate ways.

Chapter 2

After I left the building I had to go home to let my family know that I was alright. It was a long walk and the fact that I had no shoes, sucked. Every car that went by made me aware of the fact that there were people after me. The building was big. The sign outside of it said: _Triton Co._

I walked up to my front door just as my wife came out.

I smiled, "Hey babe."

Justice's eyes widened, "Oh my god."

She smiled and ran to hug me.

"I missed you." I smiled as she backed away.

"Where were you? Its been two days." she looked at me.

"I'm sorry, I will tell you everything once we're inside. Where is Casey?" I asked walking passed her.

"He's in his room, but Sam, wait."

I went inside and walked towards my son's room. Music blared as I knocked. When he didn't hear me, I banged harder. The music got turned off and his door swung open.

"Wow, if it isn't the deadbeat dad of the year." Casey pushed passed me.

"Excuse me?" I asked turning around.

Justice came up to me, "He's a little mad."

"Mad? It's been two days." I followed Casey into the kitchen.

"In just two days a lot of shit happened." he huffed.

"Watch your mouth." I spit.

He laughed and shook his head, "Do you have any clue what you missed? Those two days were important to some of us. What even happened? What do you have another family?"

"No."

"You have an affair?"

"What? No."

"Then what happened? Huh? What made you leave us?" he asked.

"I was kidnapped, okay? Some people took me and beat me up. See the marks on my face?"

He looked down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen..." I sighed, "But we have to get out of here. It's not safe."

"Yeah, the kidnappers will come back for you," Casey shook his head, "That's the oldest excuse in the book, Sam."

I looked at him, "You better watch your mouth."

He laughed, "Or what?"

The doorbell rung twice.

"I'll get it." Justice sighed as she turned and started towards the front door.

I looked at Casey, "I'm sorry for not being there."

"For which time?"

I sighed and looked down, "Casey, I don't think this will mean anything, but, I am so sorry."

A bang and a crash made me look up.

"Justice? Everything alright?" I called.

"What was that?"

I looked at him, "Stay here."

I walked into the living room and looked around. Another crash made me jump.

"Justice?" I called again.

"Justice can't get to the phone right now," a voice said behind me, "Please feel free to leave a message."

I turned and was hit in the face with something hard. I fell to the ground screamed my son's name, "Casey! Run!"

Footsteps stumbled and there was a crashing sound of glass.

"No!" I screamed as I was pulled up.

The guy in front of me smiled, "My name is Kyle, I believe you escaped from my building a couple hours ago. Now, pick one, your wife, or, your son."

"Go to hell!" I spit.

He laughed, "Oh, I've been there. And you're about to go too. Bring them out!"

Four guys dragged my family out from the kitchen.

"You never answered my question. But I believe I already know the answer." the kid whipped out a silenced pistol and started towards Justice.

"No! You son of a bitch. Don't touch her!" I yelled.

He faced me, "Why would I touch her? It would leave my finger prints." he turned to Justice, "I am going to shoot her. That way, no prints are left."

He put the gun to her head and I yelled his name, "Kyle! Wait, no!"

He pulled the trigger and I flinched.

"Mom!" Casey cried.

"You son of a bitch! I swear I will kill you all!" I struggled as tears ran down my face.

"Now, what about your son?" Kyle went up to Casey.

"Dad!"

"Leave him alone! What the hell do you want from me?" I screamed.

Kyle looked at me, "The Crew, where are they?"

"I have no idea, like I said when you kidnapped me. I do not know who they are."

"That's funny, because from what I recall, one of them saved you at the agency. Now, I am not going to ask you again." he placed the gun on Casey's head.

I looked down then back up at Kyle.

"Fine. I'll take you to them. Just, let my son go." I said.

He shook his head, "Once I see them for myself, then I will let him go. As for you. I have something else in mind."

He nodded to the guy behind me. The guy yanked me up the same time another picked Casey up.

"Take them to the car." Kyle ordered.

I was first, the guy behind me had a gun to my head as he pushed me towards the front door. I opened the door and a familiar voice softly spoke.

"Get down."

I ducked down and the masked man came down from the roof with a silenced pistol. He pulled the trigger twice and shot two guys. I stood up as the man came in front of me.

"Hold your fire!" Kyle commanded.

The masked man held his weapon to Kyle's head.

He smiled, "Which one are you?"

The man reached up and pulled off his mask, "Hey ya kiddo."

Kyle smirked, "I'm not a kid anymore, Joey. Where is the rest of your team?"

"We're not a team anymore Kyle. You should know that," Joey said, "Let the kid go. You're not a murderer."

Kyle nodded to the guy who had Casey and the guy let him go. Casey ran into my arms.

"Now, we're going to go. Those of you who think otherwise, will drown in the river Styx."

I knit my eyes in confusion.

"Sam, there is a black van across the street. Go get in it." Joey ordered.

I took Casey's hand and we ran over to the van that was parked across the street.

I opened the passenger door and Casey refused to get in.

"How do you know you can trust this guy?" he cried.

"He saved me," I said, "Now get in the car."

He shook his head but got in. I jumped in after him and Joey ran towards us and hopped in.

"We have five seconds to go before they come after us." he said starting the car and speeding off.

Chapter 3

"Where are we going, mister?" Casey asked as we drove down the street.

"To meet someone who can help with your situation," Joey informed, "And my name is Joey."

"Thank you," I said, "For saving us. I mean."

"No problem, Sam. And I'm sorry about your wife. I should have gotten there sooner." he sighed.

I looked down then back up at the road.

"This is downtown, where exactly are we going?" I asked him.

"I have to ask an old friend something. He lives around here." he made a right turn.

He then parked the van out front of a trailer home and got out.

"Wait here, I'll be back. Don't touch anything." he hit the side of the van then turned and walked up to the trailer.

"Just for that, I'm going to touch everything," Casey sighed and leaned back, "The least he could do is put the radio on, jerk."

I looked at him, "Don't you understand what is happening? There are people after us and your mother's dead."

"I understand what's happening. You left for two days and bring back a murderous man who killed mom, and you ain't even half bit of sad. It's your fault she died, if you just told them where to find the people mom would still be alive!" he cried.

I looked down and closed my eyes, "You're right. If I'd had just known where the hell they were, she would still be here. But, I have _no clue_ who they are," I turned to the trailer house as Joey and another man came out, "But I just might have an idea."

Joey and the other man came up to my window.

"You must be Sam," the man smiled, "My name is Cole."

He put his hand inside the van and we shook.

"This is my son, Casey," I told him.

He nodded, "Nice to meet you, kid."

Joey looked at him, "We should get going. Cole, get in the back. We have to get to the safe house."

Cole nodded and walked to the back as Joey came to the drivers side.

"Wait," Casey smiled, "A safe house? Like, your safe house? Oh my god, are you spies?"

Joey and Cole both slammed the door and looked at him, then each other and then the both of them laughed.

"So, you're not spies? But what about the pistol you had? You shot those guys." Casey looked at Joey.

"Casey," I warned.

Joey held up his hand, "No, no, it's fine. Kid, you want the truth?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Are you a spy?"

Joey looked at him, "If I tell you... I am going to have to kill you."

"And your father will have to die too, because, ya know, he overheard us tell you." Cole added.

Joey nodded and looked at him, "Cole's right, kid. I don't want to have to kill you two. I like you both."

Casey smiled and looked at me, "I knew it."

Joey started the car and drove off as Cole laughed and made a gun out of his hand, "Ah! He knows too much, kill him!"

I laughed and looked out the window. I thought about the guy who had taken me and the other one who had killed my wife. I looked down then over at Joey.

"Who are they?" I asked him.

He looked at me, "Who?"

"The men who took me, murdered my wife. The ones who you saved me from, twice. Do you know them?"

His focus was on the road, "Yeah, I know them."

"Who are they?" I asked again.

He sighed, "They're both leaders of a hit man agency."

"Why are they after me and my family?"

He looked at me, "That is what we have to figure out."

He turned left and continued down a path.

"How did you get this place?" Cole asked Joey.

Joey laughed, "I have connections, Boss."

He parked outside of a building. The building was run down, but it looked brand new. It had two floors, and three of the windows were busted. As we got out of the van a teen came running out of the building.

"Hey, whats up Vince." Joey smiled and went up to him.

"Not much, Jay, what are you doing? I thought you weren't coming back till Friday." the kid had a Russian accent.

"Who's this?" Cole asked.

"Vincent Killer." Vince held out his hand and Cole took it and they shook.

"Killer? Is James Killer your brother?" Cole asked him.

He laughed and shook his head, "No, he's my fat her."

"Fat her?" I asked the same time Cole did.

Vince laughed, "Yeah, fat her."

Cole looked at him and knit his eyes.

"Father." Joey informed.

"Ah," Cole nodded, "I see. Nice Joke."

"Should we get inside?" Vince asked, "The others are waiting."

_Others?_ I thought.

Joey nodded and waved for us to follow him inside the building. We went inside and there were two guys sitting on the couch. One of the guy's had hair down to his neck, the other had glasses and they both smiled and came up to us.

"Captain Bob never retired, huh?" the one with long hair hugged Joey.

"Nice to see ya, Ken. How have you been?" Joey backed away and smiled at him.

"Ah ya know. Same old, same old." Ken announced.

The guy next to him shook his head and came up to hug Joey, "Actually, Mr. Meginley is getting married."

"Holy shit, no way." Cole laughed coming up to them.

Ken looked down and smiled, "She's the love of my life."

"I'm happy for you." Joey patted him on the back.

"Guys, we should talk about what we're doing here." Vince said.

Joey nodded and introduced us, "Sam, Casey, meet my old friends, Ken and Derek."

We shook hands with them.

"Are you guys spies too?" Casey asked them.

I looked at him, "Casey..."

Ken placed his arm over his shoulder, "Kid... do I look like a spy?"

Casey turned and faced him, "Actually, yes. Except for him." he pointed to the guy with glasses.

"Why because I have glasses?" Derek asked, "Ugh, that's rude."

"Where's Sean?" Ken asked Joey and Cole.

They looked down then Joey looked back up at them.

"That's why we're here. He's dead..." he said, "And I think I know who killed him."

"What are you talking about?" Derek took his glasses off, "Sean's dead? How? Why?"

Joey sighed, "That's what we have to figure out."

"You said you might know who killed him. Who?" Ken asked.

"Alan."

"Whoa, whoa, wait. What do you mean? Alan killed Sean? Who told you this?" Derek looked at them.

Joey sat down on the couch, "Kyle told me."

"And you believe him?" Ken snapped.

"When exactly is the last time you spoke with Sean?" Joey asked, "Any of us. When was the last time we saw Sean alive?"

They looked at him and he sighed, "Exactly. So, we have no choice but to believe him."

I looked at each of them, "So, you guys are The Crew."

They looked at each other then over at me.

"Not anymore we're not." Ken spoke up.

"How did he know?" Derek pointed to me.

"Kyle told me," I informed him, "And this Ryan guy."

"Ryan _and_ Kyle?" Ken and Derek synchronized.

I nodded, "Yeah, they took me to some place called _Triton Co._ "

"The Triton Agency," Joey informed me, "Its a hit man agency."

"What did they want?" Cole asked.

I sighed and looked at Casey then at him, "They kept asking me about you guys. And at the time, I had no clue who you were."

"But why did they ask you? If you truly didn't know?" Derek asked.

I shrugged and looked at him, "I don't know."

"Well I guess its time to get back at it. Sam we will drop you and your son off at a safe location with some friends." Cole nodded to Joey.

"Actually, I'd like to help." I suggested.

Ken laughed, "What could you possibly bring to this team?"

"I am a Marine, I know how to fight and use weapons." I told him.

"Oh, you're a Marine? What else don't we know? You probably knew all about us. Just didn't tell Kyle and Ryan. Hell, you probably working for them! Just to get us all together so you could kill us." he came in my face, "Is that what you're doing, Sam? Because I am just dying to put a bullet in your ass if you are."

"Ken, knock it off!" Cole yelled, pulling him back.

"Maybe _he's_ the one who killed Sean!" he cried as Cole held him back.

"Ken, he's..." Joey looked down as Ken dropped to the ground in tears.

"Out of everything: the drug dealers, the agency, the bikers... _everything_. Alan was the one who killed him? I don't believe it. Not for a second. Alan wouldn't betray us. Not after everything we've done for him." Ken sniffled.

"Joey and I will go talk to Alan. Ken and Derek you two find a way to talk to Kyle and or Ryan. _Do not_ go to the agency or meet up with them. Not alone," Cole looked at me, "And Sam, you and Casey will stay here with Vince. Keep him company."

"Aw, I can't go?" Vince jumped up and down.

Joey shook his head, "Your father would be mad."

He shrugged, "My father's a fat her."

"I can call him, if you want?" Joey pointed over his shoulder.

Vince sighed and plopped down on the couch.

"Okay," Cole looked at his Crew, "Y'all ready?"

Chapter 4

When Joey and the others left, there was nothing to do. I had to sit with my son and this bad ass kid. Casey and Vince were getting along, they were talking about games and girls they liked. They seemed to look over at me once and a while to see if I were listening. I knew something was up, just didn't know what.

"So Ms. Clark, huh?" I said, "She's what, your old biology teacher?"

They looked at me.

"I know you guys aren't talking about girls, whats up?" I added.

They laughed and Casey looked down, "Fine. Dad, uh, you were never a Marine."

I laughed, "And they'll never find that out."

"Why didn't you tell them the truth?" Vince asked.

I shrugged, "They weren't telling me anything they knew. Why should I tell them about me?"

"Because they're spies, and they'll kill you if you don't." Casey said.

Vince laughed, "Actually it is best to tell them the truth. They might be mad, but they'll never hurt you. Unless you betray them, that is."

I nodded, "Okay then. I will keep that in mind."

He smiled and looked down.

"Something wrong kid?" I asked.

He shook his head and looked up at me, "No, why?"

I shrugged, "Nothing. Just wondering."

"You think they should be back by now?" Casey asked.

"What time is it?" I asked him.

He looked at his phone, "Almost nine thirty."

"They've been gone for three and a half hours." Vince said.

"Do you have Joey's number, Vince?" I stood up and ran my hand through my hair.

He nodded and took out his phone then placed it against his ear. I watched him as it rung.

"Who is this?" he knit his eyes and looked at me, "He's right here."

He took the phone from his ear and handed it to me. I took it, looked at him then placed the phone to my ear.

"Hello? Who is this?" I asked.

"Listen carefully, Sam. I have what you just might want. But, I need something from you." the voice didn't sound familiar.

"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is seeing the man who helped you out from a death spot twice. Now, am I talking business?" he asked.

"I'm listening..."

"There is an old building by Kolas. You know it?"

I paused.

"You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. What about it?" I asked looking around.

"Meet me there in ten minutes. Come alone. I have business to discuss." he hung up.

I looked at Casey and Vince and sighed, "I think someone has Joey."

"Wait, what do you mean? Who?" Vince asked.

I shrugged, "I have to meet him."

"Where?" Casey looked at me.

"The building by Kolas?" I sat and put my hands on my head, "I can't do this..."

"I can help you." Vince said.

I looked at him, "No, stay here. I have to meet him now." I stood up and faced him, "Promise me you and him will stay here. Okay? _Promise_ me."

He nodded, "Okay. I promise. Be careful. Take this."

He turned and grabbed something from inside the couch. Casey stepped back as I took the gun Vince was handing me.

"You know how to use it?" he asked.

I nodded and stuffed the weapon in the back of my pants, "Can't be too hard, right?"

"Don't hold it close to your face. Hold it tightly and don't face it towards you. Unless you want to die." he informed.

I nodded, "Lock the door. I'll be back."

I turned to Casey then started towards the front door.

"Dad!" Casey called.

I turned to him.

"Be careful, dad." he cried.

"I love you, son." I half smiled then turned and walked out the door.

I stopped and looked around then looked at my watch. I sighed and continued down the steps and out of the lot. The building he was talking about was about three to four blocks away. I had seven minutes to get there. So I ran.

When I got to the corner, I crossed the street and turned then continued to run. Cars beeped as I ran in front of them. The pistol in the back of my pants moved and suddenly dropped out. I stopped and looked around then quickly picked it up and put it back in my pants.

_I can't run there_ , I thought.

I sighed and started to walk fast for the last two blocks. I looked behind me every now and again to make sure I wasn't being followed. I finally came across the building and it looked worse then the safe house Joey had. It looked ready to crumble at any second but I went in anyway. I went up the stairs and through the door. Inside there was a couch, and a stand where a TV were to be.

"Sam, glad to see you came. And a minute to spare." the man was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed.

"Where is Joey? Who are you?" I asked him.

He stood up and crossed his arms over his chest, "My name is Felix. I assume you know Joey and the others."

"Where are they? What have you done to them?"

"I didn't do anything to them. They're my friends. Kyle and Ryan took them and I need your help to get them back." he informed.

I nodded, "What'd you say your name was?"

"Felix. Now, do you understand?"

"How'd you find me?" I asked him.

He smiled, "I know you. Know your story."

"You don't know shit." I snapped.

"Actually, I do." he stepped towards me, "I know what happened to you in Iraq years ago. So does Joey."

"How?"

"Vern Matthews, remember him? He was an old friend."

I looked at him, "Was?"

He put his head down, "When Ryan found out that The Crew disappeared, he took Vern and tried to get answers from him. Because he had worked with The Crew to destroy the Triton Agency years ago. When Vern didn't tell him what he wanted to hear – "

"He killed him." I finished his words.

He nodded, "Yeah. And I am afraid he was going to do the same to you. That's why Joey helped you escape."

"Where do they have them?" I asked.

"Heartbreak Prison."

I sighed and shook my head, "And you want me to do what exactly?"

"Break them out. They are all doing serious time. They're innocent, you know that. And they need your help busting out."

"I can't do that. Do you understand how much work that would take? The attention that it would draw? The entire world will be after our asses." I said.

He nodded and looked down, "They're good men. They save people. They... they don't deserve anything that they are getting. I hate Ryan and Kyle! The sons of bitches set them up," he looked at me, "You don't know me to well, and I don't blame you if you don't trust me. But Joey and the guys need your help. You know them, don't you?"

"It's suicide. I mean, that place, its the worst of the worst."

He nodded, "I know. And we will help you along the way, I promise. We just need you to plan their escape, and help us get them out. Need money? Not a problem. But you're in this just as deep as we are. You gotta want to kill Kyle and Ryan just as much as we do. They took you and hit you, man, I understand what that's like."

I nodded and sighed, "If I do this, who is going to help me on the outside?"

"There are only a couple people who I can trust. One is an ex-spy. James Killer, you heard of him?" he asked.

"Vince Killer's dad?" I questioned.

He nodded, "Yes, James is the one who helped Joey and the others out a lot of times when they were in trouble."

"Who else?"

"Josh Walker. He's Joey's older brother. Cop." he informed.

"Can we trust him? I mean, he's a cop after all."

"We can trust him. Now, are we able to trust you?" he looked at me.

"Hey, you're the one who hired me to bust out of the prison in the first place."

He nodded, "You have a few days to plan the escape, they don't arrive in the prison till the 6th."

"That's in a couple days. Do they have a court date?" I asked.

He nodded, "Its tomorrow. None of us can go. Its a 100% chance they'll be guilty. Remember its two high powered agencies that are framing them."

"What are they being charged for?"

He sighed, "Murder."

"Of who?"

"Does it matter? They've killed a lot of people as hit men."

I nodded, "Yeah, _as hit men_. They were certified hit men, they were taking bad guys off the streets. The court should understand."

"I wish it was that simple, Sam." he sighed.

I looked at him, "I'm going to need everything you have on the prison. And I'm going to need them soon. We have lives to save."

Chapter 5

"This is all we have on Heartbreak Prison." Felix laid out blue prints on the kitchen counter of the building we were in.

"Has anyone ever escaped?" I asked him.

He shook his head, "Not from what I learned. But anyone who has ever went in Heartbreak Prisons, never makes it out, alive."

I nodded and studied the blueprints, "Time to change that. What else do you have for me?"

He handed me an envelope and laughed, "Seems like you've done this before."

I looked at him, "You know what happened to me in Iraq, right?"

"Yeah, I know. You were top of your game."

"What exactly is my game?" I asked.

"Breakouts, scheming, planning. Ya know, the usual."

I smiled at him, "What am I going to do to get in there?"

"That's up to you." he said.

I nodded and looked at the blueprints, "I don't want a lot of heat after me. What can you do to make sure the search for us doesn't reach the world?"

" _I_ can't do anything. But you can. You can breakout undetected."

"How am I supposed to do that?" I questioned.

He looked at the blueprints and knit his eyes, "Do you see anything? All I see is lines."

"Look at it carefully." I said.

He nodded, "I mean, I see it. But I don't see a way out."

"I have to see it for myself to decide a way out."

"Like, go in the prison? You will, man. But you need a plan first, or you may never make it back out alive." he looked at me.

I sighed, "I know. Its just, I've never broken out of a prison before, especially one like this."

"And we're going to help you along the way. Just trust us, okay?"

"Alright. If we do get out and it ain't stealthily, what are we to do?" I asked him.

"You leave that to us. Just focus on the escape, that's the most important part."

I looked at him, "Promise me something. Promise me that you and them will look after my son."

He nodded, "Yeah, of course. Whats his name?"

"Casey. He's with Vince at Joey's safe house." I informed.

"We'll take care of him, I promise."

I smiled, "Thanks. Now, shall I go get arrested?"

Chapter 6

I entered the prison in cuffs. As the guards dragged me to the yard I looked around at the inmates who were trying to intimidate me. The guards took the cuffs off me and locked the gate behind me as I walked out on the grass.

"Fresh meat." a voice croaked.

I sighed and looked around for any familiar faces.

"Hey you," a man came up behind me, "Whatcha in for?"

I turned and smiled, "Murder. What about you?"

"Rape and attempting to kill a man." the man's smile was yellow.

I nodded, "Sounds like you kept busy."

He laughed, "I like you, your name?"

"Sam." I held out my hand.

He smiled and held out his, "Issac. Nice to meet ya."

"Say, did any new inmates arrive today?" I asked looking around.

A familiar face caught my eye and I smiled, "Actually, never mind. I found him."

I started towards Joey but a hand stopped me and pushed me back.

"Can I help you?" I looked at Issac.

"Actually, yes." he balled his fist and hit me in the face.

I stumbled backwards and he hit me once more.

"Let me guess, wrong button?" I spit.

He came in my face, "I don't like the way you look, fish."

"Fish?" I looked up at him and he hooked me once more.

"Hey!" a voice called and footsteps approached us, "What do you think you're doing? Leave him alone."

"I was here first, Ken." Issac said.

"You wanna go, asshole?" I looked up to see Ken with his arms crossed.

Issac looked at me and snorted, "This ain't over, fish."

He turned and walked away as Ken came over to me.

"You okay?" he asked as I rubbed my jaw.

I nodded and looked at him, "Yeah thanks."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, "I didn't know you were a wanted man."

"I'm here to bust you guys out. Felix, Dane, James and Josh sent me." I said.

He nodded, "Okay. I understand. How exactly are we doing this?"

"I need to talk to Joey and the others. Where are they?"

"Come with me." he turned and started away.

I looked around then followed him.

"I'm guessing you guys are comfortable here?" I assumed.

"Not all of us are comfortable with it. Cole and I may be the only ones. Joey, Derek, and Sean not so much." he said.

"Who is Sean?" I looked at him.

"Remember the guy we thought was dead?"

"The one you accused me of killing?" I asked.

He nodded, "Turns out Kyle and Ryan threw his weak ass in here. Poor bastard."

"Is he dead?"

He shook his head, "No, we took care of the guy who hurt him."

"You didn't kill the guy did you?"

He stopped and looked at me, "What do you take me for? A murderer?"

"What're you doing here?" Joey and the others came up to me.

"I supposedly killed a man." I laughed.

"They got you too?" he asked, "Dammit."

I looked at him, "No, Felix sent me."

"Felix?" the guy behind Joey looked at me with his bruised eye and cut lip.

"Yeah, you must be Sean. Good to finally meet ya." I nodded.

"Who are you?" he looked to Derek, "Who is he?"

"The name is Sam. I'm here to get you guys out." I said.

Cole knit his eyes, "In case you don't know. This place is crazy. No one gets out alive."

"Exactly." I smiled.

They studied me.

"You have a plan I assume?" Joey looked around.

I nodded, "Lets just say this isn't my first time escaping from somewhere."

"What about a prison?" Derek asked.

I looked at him, "This may be my first. But don't worry, I have it covered. I have help."

"Who?" Cole asked.

"They're friends of yours. James, Dane, and your brother." I nodded to Joey.

"Josh? He's helping?" Joey knit his eyes.

"Why wouldn't he?" Cole looked at him.

He shrugged, "No reason. Okay, when do we get started?"

"As soon as possible." I looked around.

"I need to get out of here." Sean pointed to the ground, "Now."

"And you will. But that ain't going to happen any time soon." I told him.

Joey looked around then back at me, "If you have a plan. Please make it soon and so it succeeds. I hate it here. Nothing but scum who murder and rape."

"Looks like I've made a new friend." I said looking at Issac who was watching me.

"Be careful, Sam. These people aren't one to mess with." Cole said.

"The guards either. One of them freaking punched me in the face when I got here." Derek huffed.

"This entire place is a nightmare." Joey shook his head.

"That's why Kyle and Ryan put you here. To make you suffer." I said to him, "Show them. Show them that you're not weak. All of you."

"I know I'm not weak." Ken snapped.

I nodded, "None of you are. Now prove that to them."

"Lets go ladies!" a guard called.

As they started their way back inside, Joey turned to me.

"I hope for all our sake you know what you're doing." he patted me on my shoulder and walked off.

I sighed and followed him.

Chapter 7

We went back to our cells in B block. I was cell 27.

The guard threw me in and smiled as the cell doors closed. I rolled my eyes and turned to face my cell mate. As I turned something hit me in the face and I was slammed up against the cell bars.

"Hello Sammy." Issac's yellow smile made me gag.

"You're my cell mate?" I spoke.

He looked me up and down, "You got a problem with that?"

I shook my head and pushed him off me, "Actually, yeah. I don't like rapists."

He pushed me back against the bars, "Well I ain't too fond of you either."

"Get off me."

"Or what?" he asked, "You're going to sick Ken on me? Doggy can't get me in here, fish. And the guards work for me, I pay better than their jobs ever do."

"What do you want?" I looked at him.

"Your ass man." he smiled.

I knit my eyes and he backed away, "What do you take me for?"

"What?"

"I didn't mean that literally, fish." he spit.

"Okay, I know. I just thought, since we're in prison..."

"What? No! No one does that anymore." he looked at me.

I nodded and came off the bars. He pinned me against them and came in my face.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

I pointed to the bed, "I was gonna lay down."

He shook his head and nodded to someone behind me, "This is my cell."

Then he grabbed my hand and forced it through the cell and a guard handcuffed me to the cell door. Issac then backed away.

"What the hell?" I yelled.

"You sleep there," he smiled and got up to the top bunk and laid down, "Night, fish."

I pulled on the cuffs and growled, "Why did you do this?"

"Better get used to it, fish." he laughed.

"Would you stop calling me that?" I spit.

He quickly sat up and looked at me, "I don't know who you think you're talking to. But watch it."

I turned away and he laid back down. I sat down next to the cell door and looked at the cells across from me. They were all laying down as the lights dimmed. I put my head against the cell bars and shook my head. Looks like I wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

Chapter 8

After the night of not being able to sleep, Issac took the cuffs off me and the guards led us to the eating area. I got my food and sat down next to Joey and Ken as Derek, Sean, and Cole got their food.

"You look tired." Joey looked at me.

I nodded and stuffed my mouth with mashed potatoes, "Didn't get any sleep."

"Aw, poor guy got scared his first night." Ken laughed.

"Actually, I was handcuffed to the cell door all night. Thanks to my new cell mate." I spit.

Derek, Sean, and Cole sat down with us.

"What happened?" Cole asked.

"My new cell mate had a guard handcuff me to my cell door. So, I got no sleep." I rubbed my head.

"What about the plan?" Sean leaned into the table.

"What about it?" I snapped and hissed, "It'll still happen."

"You need to sleep. I can do something about your cell mate, who is it?" Ken asked.

"Hey ya, fish." Issac walked passed us with his yellow smile.

Sean looked down and Ken stood up.

"Speak of the devil." I smirked.

"Oh, you're going to act tough when your boy is around? I see, I see. Just wait till we're in our cell. Ooh, baby." Issac laughed.

"Keep moving, Issac. Or do you want another hit in the face?" Ken spit.

Issac nodded and pointed to me, "Next time."

Ken sat down as he left. I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"It'll be okay. We'll all be okay." Cole sympathized.

It was silent as we stuffed our faces.

"Ya know. In here, its kind of like school." Sean smiled.

Derek looked at him, "Its nothing like school, Sean."

"Maybe not your school," Sean sighed, "But its like my school."

They looked at each other as I looked around.

"Felix gave me two choices." I said.

They looked at me.

"What are they?" Joey asked me.

I leaned in, "To either break out stealthily or non stealthily."

"Which one are we doing?" Ken asked.

"We can't have a lot of attention on us so I was thinking of getting out stealthily." I said.

"How exactly are we to do that?" Cole tilted his head, "Can't even go to the bathroom without someone knowing."

I sighed, "I have no idea."

They put their heads down and a guy came up to us.

Sean smiled, "Hey ya, Jake."

"Can I sit with you?" Jake asked.

"Actually the table is full at the moment." Ken spit.

"No, no, sit." I pulled over a chair from another table.

"Thanks." Jake smiled.

"Who are you?" Cole asked.

"He's a guy I met in a holding cell a few years back." Sean informed.

"I drove a tank around the city." Jake smiled.

"A tank?" Derek gawked.

He nodded, "Yeah boy. She was my baby. The police took her when they arrested me."

"How the hell did you get a tank?" I asked.

"I took her from a military base. No one was there."

"No one saw you?" I asked.

He shook his head, "No one at all."

"That's sweet." Derek laughed.

"Yeah," Sean added as he smiled.

We looked at each other in silence as the guards called us to leave. We got up and started to leave the eating area when Issac grabbed my arm and pulled me over to him.

"I have something against you, fish." he mumbled.

I looked over at the guards who were leading the inmates outside.

"Oh don't worry, as long as you're on time they won't hurt you. Much." he said.

I turned to him, "I don't know what you want, Issac, but you best back the hell up."

He backed up and smiled then nodded. Two guards came up to me, one of them took out his nightstick and pointed it at me.

"This one's on you." he hit me in the stomach and I fell to the floor in pain.

Then the other guard took out his and hit me in the legs. I yelled out in pain and closed my eyes as they kept having at it.

"Leave him alone!" Joey yelled.

"You shut the hell up!" the guard above me yelled and pointed his nightstick at him.

They backed off and Issac came up to me.

"Sucker." he spat on the ground next to me.

The two guards yanked me up and dragged me out of the eating area.

Chapter 9

The guards threw me on the ground once we were outside. As they were leaving I stood up and held my stomach. I stood up straight and took a deep breath, taking the pain. Joey and the others ran up to me and I nearly fell. Joey and Cole grabbed me before I could hit the ground. I put my arms around their shoulders and they took me over to bleachers and sat me down.

"Are you alright, Sam?" Joey asked.

I cleared my throat and nodded. He sighed and looked to the side, "I am _so_ sorry I brought you into this... I always seem to mess up people's lives."

I looked at him, "My life was already a mess. You helped me by risking your life, and it's time for me to do the same."

"But you wouldn't be in here if it weren't for me."

"This was my choice, I chose to help you guys escape. And I am." I said.

He nodded, "I owe you. We all do."

I shook my head, "You guys don't owe me shit. We're still in hell."

"I ain't expecting anything from you Sam. If you can get us out, good. But if you can't, that's okay." Cole put his hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, "I'm getting you out. No matter what. Even if I have to blow a hole in the prison wall."

"Do you have a plan?" Derek asked me.

"I was thinking about having us transferred to another prison then faking our deaths. But, I don't think that would work." I said.

He nodded, "Faking our deaths sound good. How would we do that?"

"I've done it before." Ken laughed.

"Yeah," Cole said, "To become a drug dealer."

Ken looked at him, "It was a mistake."

"We could use pig meat." Sean suggested.

"Or someone else," I added, "Burn them to a crisp."

"That's just messed up." Ken laughed.

"But, how do we get six fake bodies?" asked Sean

"Maybe we don't need actual bodies." I took a deep breath.

"Yeah, bones would work. Lots of bones and six skulls," Joey stood up, "I'm going to call Felix, have him get the stuff."

He walked off and Ken faced me, "How are we going to fake our deaths with bones?"

"We need a fire," Cole sat up, "A big one. Like an explosion."

"How?" Derek asked.

"C4. And lots of it." Ken huffed.

"What do we blow up?" Sean questioned.

"The entire prison." I said.

"That would kill everyone inside." Cole looked at me.

"Good, let them die." I huffed.

"Oh, what're you a serial killer now?" Ken asked.

"No, I just," I sighed and flinched at the pain, "This place sucks and no one should ever have suffer here."

"Then why don't we get everyone out _before_ it goes boom?" Derek suggested.

"How?" Ken looked at him.

"Fire alarm," Sean looked up, "We could pull the fire alarm."

Cole nodded, "Good idea, Sean. Now, the tricky part, how do we get out?"

"I can figure that out. Just need time." I told them.

Joey ran up to us, "Guys, we got a problem."

"What's wrong?" Cole stood up.

"Dane's dead... Ryan and Kyle got to him." he bent over and ran his hand through his hair.

"Oh my god..." Cole closed his eyes and put his head down.

"That's not the worse of it..." Joey continued, "They know we're trying to escape and are after Felix, James, and Josh. Guys... We have to leave today."

Ken stood up, "Did you tell Felix what we needed?"

Joey nodded and looked at him.

"We're going to need some C4 also." Ken told him.

"How much?" Joey asked.

"Enough to..." Ken came off the bleachers and whispered, "Blow up the prison."

"What?" Joey backed up, "Guys I know we're desperate, but come on."

"Don't worry. As long as someone sets the fire alarm off, no lives should be lost." Cole assured.

Joey nodded, "I'll call him again." he ran off.

Cole sat down next to me, "Can you do it?"

"I know I can try." I admitted.

He nodded, "If you need anything. Just let me know."

I sighed and he got up and walked off the bleachers.

"Come on Ken." he and Ken walked off.

"I can't wait to get out of here." Sean smiled.

"Don't get your hopes up, cowboy." Derek said.

"I hate it here," Sean snapped, "They took my thing."

"Thing?" I looked over at them.

"Yeah, my _fish_ thing. That Issac guy called me that. And I got mad. And he beat me up." Sean looked down.

I looked up and across the field to the familiar face, Issac. He was laughing with his friends when he caught my eye and looked at me then smiled. I got up and started off the bleachers.

"Where you off too?" Sean called to me.

"Leave him alone, Sean." Derek said.

I started towards Issac when Jake stopped in front of me.

I looked up at him, "Yes?"

"You guys are thinking about escaping?" he asked.

I knit my eyes, "No."

"I know you are." he spit.

I pushed passed him, "You don't know shit, man."

He grabbed my arm, "I _know_ you are."

I looked at him and he let go.

"I'm sorry, I just. Need help."

"I can't help you." I started away.

"I was trying to escape for years," he blurted, "I made a way out... Just need help pulling it off."

"How?"

"Give me your word that you'll help me pull it off." he looked at me.

I nodded, "I give you my word."

"Okay," he came closer, "There is a box at the end of the prison that they put inmates that kill others. Its big enough for ten people. Behind one of the walls is a drop that is filled with water. A year ago some buddies of mine destroyed the wall. And when we had to go back and fix it we left an area where there is no five inch concrete, there's just plaster. If we can get to that room, we can just maybe get out of here."

"We're going to need a boat." I said.

He nodded, "That's where you guys come in."

I smiled, "I think I can get one. Thanks Jake. Go tell Sean, he's over there by the bleachers." I nodded behind me.

He nodded and walked passed me. I looked down and smiled. We finally had a way out. I looked up just as Issac came up to me.

"Whatcha grinning for, fish?" he spit.

My smile faded, "Nothing."

He nodded and studied me, "Can I ask you a question? Why is it that you're hanging around someone like Ken? I take it you like husky men."

I glared at him and he smiled.

"I like messing with you. You know why?" he asked.

I turned away but he got in my face again.

"Do you know why?" he spit.

I sighed, "Because you have nothing better to do?"

He smiled, "I don't know."

I nodded and backed away.

"But don't think for a second, you're home free. Because I will make your entire life here, hell. You got me?" he laughed.

I nodded, "I got ya."

I turned and walked back to the bleachers.

"Everything alright?" Ken looked behind me.

I nodded, "Yeah, where'd you guys go?"

Cole waved me for me follow him and he walked off with me behind him. We walked along the fence and he nodded to four guards who were in a group talking to one another on the opposite side of the fence. Cole leaned on the fence and looked at me.

"You see them?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, what about them?"

"Two of them were the ones who hit you. The other two did the same thing to another cell mate who, so called, got out of line." he said.

"They can't do that."

He nodded and looked over at them, "If someone else found out, they would lose their jobs. Or maybe worse."

"What's this have to do with us getting out?" I asked him.

He looked at me, "Jake told us about that room. I was thinking about doing something to someone to get us put in there."

"We have to kill someone."

"But did you figure out who?" he tilted his head.

I shook my head, "Not yet. I was thinking about killing Issac."

He nodded, "There are seven of us. How the hell are we going to kill one person and get all of us in that box?"

I sighed, "True. What was your plan?"

He looked over to the four guards then back at me.

"You wanna kill the guards?" I whispered to him.

He shrugged, "Somewhat. There are seven of us and four of them."

I nodded, "We can't kill them, no mater how much they deserve to die. But, we can fight them."

He smiled and got off the fence, "Exactly. Now, all we gotta do is figure out the timing."

"We need a boat." I looked at him.

He nodded and walked passed me then patted me on the shoulder, "Joey's on it."

As he walked off, I sighed and looked at the four guards who were still talking.

"Hey, fish." Issac hit the fence next to me.

I rolled my eyes and faced him, "Can I help you, asshole?"

He smiled, "No. Not exactly."

I nodded and turned, "Bye."

He quickly got in front of me, "Where ya going?"

I looked at him, "Leave me be, will ya? I got a lot going on."

He nodded, "I see. Well, I hope this helps." he balled his fist and hit me in the face.

I backed up and looked at him as he smiled. I knit my eyes and turned away. He sighed, "Fine."

As I was walking away he pushed me. I turned to face him and he shoved me once more.

"Fight me." he ordered.

I gave him a confused look and he looked at me.

"Do you want something?" I asked.

He hit me in the face twice and then I caught him in the jaw.

"Hey!" one of the guards behind the fence yelled, "Knock it off!"

"He said he wanted to fight you guys." Issac smiled as he looked at me.

The four guards came to the fence and one of them took out his nightstick and pointed it at me.

"That the truth?" the guard looked at Issac.

He nodded, "Yeah sir! Might want to get in here to show him who's boss."

The guards looked at one another then started towards the gate door as one of them slid his nightstick along the fence.

I backed up and looked over at Cole and the others then back to the guards.

"You scared, fish?" Issac laughed.

Grass crunched behind me and I jumped and turned.

"We're here, okay?" Joey looked at me.

I nodded and turned to the guards who were making their way towards us. I looked up at the towers who were looking at us through their sniper scope. Both of them. I smiled as the four guards all had their weapons out.

"Back off." one of the guards nodded to Joey and the others behind me.

They stood their ground.

"Fine." the guard in front held up his hand and a gun shot was heard.

I flinched as Jake dropped to the ground. They still held their ground behind me. The guards studied us. I stepped forward and got in the guard's face.

"You just made a huge mistake." I kicked him in the kneecap as hard as I could and punched him in the face.

Joey and the others each doubled up on the other three guards while I kept hitting the last one in the face. A whistle blew and each of us backed off and got down on our knees and put our hands behind our heads.

Chapter 10

We were forcefully dragged and thrown into the box. Once the door slammed shut, I freaked out.

"What are we going to do now? What the hell are we going to do?" I yelled banging on the door, "They killed him! They shot him in the freaking head!"

"Calm down. We'll figure this out." Cole said.

"Guys, the boats not going to be here for another hour." Joey sighed.

"What? Why?" Cole looked at him.

"Is the C4 planted?" I looked among them.

"James is coming inside the prison to plant one somewhere. I have to call him in an hour to tell him when to come." Joey sat down on the metal bench.

"We'll be out by then, right?" Sean asked.

"Doesn't matter, the plan is screwed." I shook my head and sat down in a corner.

"Maybe we can wait an hour then jump, just to see if he's there." Sean suggested.

"And what if he's not?" Ken spit.

"Then we swim for it." I stood up, "Anyone have the time?"

I looked at each of them as they all shrugged and shook their heads. I nodded and went to the wall we were supposed to break open and knocked on different parts. Everywhere I knocked was solid, except for a place on the bottom in the very middle of the wall.

"We need to break it open here." I said tapping on the wall.

"How?" Sean asked.

"By kicking it in." Joey came up to me, "All of us."

Sean ran up to the wall and kicked it. Joey pushed him back and looked at him.

"What the hell are you doing? Not _now_ , you idiot." he spit.

He backed away and shrugged. I sighed and looked at them.

"Its going to be okay." Joey sympathized.

I nodded, "Guys, even if we jump, if the boats not there and if we swim, we might not make it."

"What kind of water is it?" Sean asked.

I looked at him and knit my eyes, "What?"

"What kind of water is down there?" he looked me in the eyes.

I looked to the side, "I don't know. Saltwater?"

"No, I mean, what type of water is it? Lake? Stream? River? Ocean?" he corrected.

I looked at him, "I don't know. Lake or ocean? Something big."

"Deep?" Sean cocked his head to the side.

I shrugged and he nodded and turned away.

"What are you getting at, Sean?" Derek asked him.

"If we jump and it's not deep, we could die." he warned.

"Finally something smart comes out of the fishes mouth!" Ken laughed.

Sean gave him the middle finger and he smiled and grabbed his privates.

"Guys, you're grown men, act like it." Cole shook his head.

"Shut up old man!" Ken spit.

Cole raised his eyebrows and came at him but Joey pushed him back.

"He's right, guys." Derek sighed.

Cole made a look and gave him the finger.

"No, not Ken," Derek shook his head, "Sean."

Sean nodded, "What did I say again? I forgot..."

Derek shook his head, "That if we jump and its not deep enough, we could die."

"Oh, now I remember." Sean laughed and then hiccuped, "Oh my god..." he laughed then hiccuped once more and laughed even harder.

I rubbed my forehead and mumbled, "I'm stuck in a room filled with kids."

"What was that?" Ken asked.

I shook my head and sat down on the floor then looked up at him, "I was just thinking aloud, what are we going to do if there is not enough water?"

"Jump." Ken spit.

"And die?" Derek looked to the side.

He shrugged, "It beats staying in here."

I shook my head and put my head in my hands, "I'll figure this out, guys. Just give me time."

"We don't have that much time!" Ken kicked the metal bench then sat down and rubbed both eyes with the palms of his hands.

"How much time do we have?" I looked up at them, "Seriously! Because I want to know. I wanna know what you expect of me. How much time do you guys expect to wait till you get out of here? You ungrateful bastards. I'm trying to do you a favor, because Joey saved my ass, not once, but twice."

They looked at me and each of them nodded.

"What do you want us to do?" Cole crossed his arms over his chest.

Chapter 11

As the fire alarm went off we kicked the wall in, picking off pieces of what was left behind. Then we looked through the hole in the wall to the outside. The box we were in seemed as if it was built on a cliff. And it probably was.

"Who's going first?" I asked.

They looked at each other then Ken stepped forward.

"I will." he said bending down to fit in the hole.

"Hey Ken, when you die, can I have your wife?" Sean smiled.

"Shut up, Sean." he spit then jumped.

We watched him hit the water then a few seconds later he resurfaced and gave the thumbs up.

"Okay, Joey," I turned to him, "Your turn."

He nodded then got in the hole and jumped.

"One after the other, Crew." Cole said.

"I'll wait till you guys are through." I informed.

He nodded and tapped Derek, "Go."

Derek crawled though the hole then got ready and jumped down to the ocean.

"Sean, go." Cole called to Sean who was by the door.

Sean turned to us with his eyes wide, "Someone's coming."

"Sean, go! Now!" I yelled to him.

He ran to us and crawled in the hole then jumped.

"Cole, hurry up and go." I said standing up.

"What about you?" he asked with a concerned look.

The door opened and a familiar face peeked in. Issac's eyes got wide when he saw the hole. I ran to him and pulled him inside then slammed the door shut. The fire alarm blared as we looked at each other. Issac stood up and got in my face.

"You trying to escape, fish?" he asked.

I punched him in the face and pushed him to the ground then got in his face, "Yeah asshole, I am. And you're not coming with me."

"What makes you think you can just get up and leave? Huh? That there wouldn't be lots of cops after your ass?" he spit.

"James is here." Cole informed.

"Good," I smiled, "Bring up the stuff."

Issac knit his eyes, "What's your plan?"

"I ain't telling you, you sick freak." I spit on the ground next to him.

He pushed me off him then got up and came in my face, "I don't want to hurt you. I want to help you."

I pushed him backwards as Cole caught a white bag that was thrown up from below.

"Got it," Cole stood up and went threw the bag.

Issac looked at him, "What's in it?"

I got in his face, "Nothing that concerns you."

He laughed and turned to me, "I don't need you, fish. What makes you think that I won't kill you right now?"

Cole came up to him, "Because if you touch him, I'll kill you. Scum."

Issac nodded and backed away.

Cole emptied the bag and started to make piles of bones.

"Bones?" Issac chirped, "What're you two faking your deaths? Ha! It'll never work. Bones? You two are the dumbest things ever."

I laughed and looked at Cole who smiled also.

"Cole, would you do the honors?" I asked.

He nodded and pulled out what looked like a bomb. The C4.

"What is that?" Issac cocked his head to the side.

"I'm guessing you'll never find out." I smiled and hit him in the face.

He stumbled backwards and looked at me.

"This is for Sean." I kicked him back and went up to him and hit him in the face four times before he was out cold.

I backed away as Cole set the C4 on the middle of the floor.

"You ready?" he asked me.

I nodded, "Lets get the hell out of here."

Cole crawled through the hole then stood up and jumped. I was next, I crawled through the hole and stood then looked down. The jumped seemed like a long way down. There was a boat Cole was swimming to that everyone was on. Once he was on board I got ready to jump. A sound made me look behind me. Issac managed to crawl through the hole. He pushed me and I started to slip.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I jumped off the cliff with Issac holding on to my waist.

We both fell into the water. Issac held on to me as I tried to fight his grip to get to the surface for air. He pulled me down by my shirt and I tried to kick him off me. I elbowed him in the face and he let go just enough for me to get away to the surface.

I resurfaced and caught my breath then started to swim towards the boat.

"You alright?" Joey asked as he and Ken helped me on board.

"Yeah," I sighed and looked back into the ocean, "Where's Issac?"

"Forget him, lets get out of here." Derek said sitting in the passenger seat of the boat.

The driver started the boat and sped away.

"Did he plant the bomb?" I asked.

Cole held up a remote, "Want to do the honors?"

I shook my head and he shrugged then flicked the switch and pressed the button. A few seconds later an explosion was heard. I looked back to the prison, which was entirely aflame, and smiled.

"We did it! Ha!" Ken rejoiced.

"All thanks to this guy." Joey playfully pushed me.

I smiled and looked at the driver, "You're James, am I correct?"

"Yeah, you must be Sam. Nice to meet ya." he held out his hand and we shook.

I nodded and sat down next to Joey who looked at me and smiled.

"You did good, man." he said.

"Thanks." I cracked my knuckles, "Did everyone make it out?"

He shrugged and turned to James, "Did everyone get out in time?"

"Yeah, they heard there was a rumor of a bomb. Everyone got out to wait for the bomb squad." he had a Russian accent.

"Good," Joey turned to me, "See? Nothing to worry about."

"Except Issac." I sighed and shook my head.

"He'll never make it out of the ocean," Ken informed me, "Trust me."

"We're almost there," James called, "There's a boat dock up ahead. We'll get off there and walk to the van."

"Got it." Cole messed with his hair.

"I'm done." Sean sighed and put his head down.

"With what?" Joey asked him.

"My _'Fish'_ thing," he said, "It means nothing anymore."

"Well then, if you think that its the best thing to do. You do it, you fish." Derek smiled.

"Shut up..." Sean put his head down.

"Yeah," Joey spoke up, "The best thing to do is to be a fish, are you a fish Sean?"

"Because fishes stop doing the thing that they created just because some asshole wannabe took it. I guess he is a fish, guys." Ken smiled.

Cole looked at them and put his arm around Sean, "Don't be a fish, you fish."

"Okay!" Sean pushed Cole's arm off and smiled, "I won't stop my thing. You guys are fishes, ya know?"

They laughed and Derek held out his fist.

"Fist it." he smiled.

And together they each placed their fists in front of Derek's then they all looked at me.

"Come on in, Sam." Cole looked at me.

I knit my eyes and put my fist next to Joey and Ken's.

"What are we going to all cheer? _The Crew!_ Woo!" I asked.

We backed away and they laughed as the boat stopped at the boat dock.

"Okay, all you gay boys get the hell off the boat." James ordered.

I looked at him and knit my eyes as everyone got off the boat and started up the dock with their stuff. I was the last one to get off. I stepped onto the dock when I heard James's Russian voice.

"Shit, my gun."

I turned to get back on the boat when a gun cocked in my face.

"Hello Sammy." Issac smiled.

He was wet from head-to-toe and had James's gun aimed at my head.

I knit my eyes, "We're you under the boat the entire time?"

"No talking," he ordered, "Get in the boat."

"For what?" I asked.

"Do it! Now." he spit.

"Lets just talk this out, Issac." Joey said as he and the others came up behind me.

Issac shook his head, "You left me to die in the middle of the ocean."

"It wasn't really the middle of the ocean. But, ya know, whatever floats your boat." I said.

"Shut the hell up!" he yelled and cocked the gun, "Get in the boat."

Ken started in front of me with his hands up, "You don't want to do that, man. Think before you pull the trigger."

"Shut up, Ken! Get back. Get back, now!" Issac raised the gun to Ken's head and Ken hit it out of his hand and turned the gun on him.

"What! Ooh, what!" Ken boasted, "Put yo stinking ass hands up!"

Issac backed up and put his hands in the air, "Who are you guys?"

"Well, I'm Sean, that's Ken. He's Joey. That's–"

"Shut up Sean!" Ken cut him off.

Issac nodded and sucked his teeth, "I see. I see. A bunch of freaks, huh?"

"Shut the hell up. You're nothing but scum!" Ken yelled.

"Guys," James said, "We have to go."

"What about him?" I asked.

James took out something and handed it to Ken, "Deal with it."

"What's that?" I asked.

"A silencer." James informed.

Ken twisted it on the tip of the gun and aimed it at Issac.

"Wait, what're you doing? No, no–"

Ken pulled the trigger and shot him in the head. James took out a block of C4 and handed it to me.

"Put it on the boat." he ordered.

I nodded and took it from his hand and went to the boat and got inside to put the C4 in the middle of the boat. Joey and Ken lifted Issac's body and threw him inside next to me.

"That's disgusting." I said looking at the blood.

"Whatcha never seen a dead body before?" Ken asked.

"Yeah, I thought you were a Marine." Derek added.

Joey snickered and put his head down.

Ken looked at him, "What, do you know something?"

Joey laughed and pointed to me, "He look like a Marine? Like, seriously?"

"How rude." I spit.

Ken knit his eyes, "Actually, yes. Yes, he does."

"He got those abs," Sean said, "And a nice butt."

"I feel slightly uncomfortable right now. Lets blow this boat and get out of here. Okay? I need to see my son." I said coming off the boat.

"Its funny because its not even a joke. We're actually blowing up a boat." Sean laughed.

Cole started the boat and quickly got off as it sped away in the direction of the prison.

"In about ten minutes press that button." Cole handed a remote to Joey.

We started up the dock and up the stairs when Joey lifted the remote and pressed the button. Three seconds later an explosion was heard and sirens blared in the distance.

"Lets get the hell out of here." I said.

"I've heard that before." Cole laughed, "Lets go, Crew."

Chapter 12

"Dad!" Casey ran into my arms. I hugged him tighter then I ever thought possible.

"Are you okay?" he had tears in his eyes, "James said that you were in jail? How did you get out?"

We were inside Joey's safe house.

I smiled, "I have my problems in life, but that prison wasn't one."

He looked at me, "What'd you do to get in there?"

"He killed a man," Felix spoke up, "Or so they thought."

I smiled and looked at him, "We did it."

"Nah, you did it." he corrected.

"We owe ya man," Sean came up to me, "We will do anything you ask. Just name it."

"All I want is to see Kyle and Ryan dead." I said.

"Done." Sean placed his hands together and bowed.

I half smiled as Ken put his arm around my shoulder, "So, are you or are you not a Marine?"

"I'm not." I admitted.

"I should kill you for lying." he tightened his grip around my neck.

"Easy big guy." Cole warned.

"Are you a Marine?" I managed to ask.

He backed off and I regained my breath.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am, er, _was_." he said.

"What happened?" I asked him, "To make you stop, what happened?"

"Ah, I got captured by some guys. They killed my team and were ready to kill me when my friend Vern helped me. See, they didn't capture him so he came to help me. The guy saved my ass. He was a good guy." Ken sighed and put his head down.

"Yeah, he was." I shook my head.

Ken looked at me, "You knew him?"

"Yeah, he was my cousin." I informed.

"Cousin?" Ken gasped.

I nodded, "Yeah, why is that so surprising?"

"He's never talked about you." Derek said.

"We were close, until something happened..." I looked at them.

"What happened?" Cole asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it." I sighed.

Joey looked at me and knit his eyes. I bit at the side of my lip and leaned forward.

"I used to work for the Triton Agency." I blurted.

They looked at me and I sighed.

"I was a desk jockey. Didn't do much. Answered calls, filed papers. I figured something out, something that Jesse didn't want me to know. And he knew that I knew what he didn't want me to know." I smiled, amused by my little joke that no one seemed to get.

"What did you find out?" Joey asked, "I never figured that out."

"Well, Jesse knew that some of his agents were ready to turn on him. Kill him. He had to be one step ahead of everyone, because he trained them, ya know? I saw a fax to someone that had a plan on it." I said, "A plan that would change the way people look at Jesse Morris. The plan was simple. And from what I remember of it, it was the number of people who were in on it that shocked me."

They looked at me as I cleared my throat, "Jesse sent me to Iraq to meet someone. Little did I know, he had a trap waiting. I was captured for two weeks, all I could do was take the pain and wish I were dead. They tried to get me to tell them what I knew about the plan. I didn't budge. I planned my escape ever since I got there. Memorizing everything that went on each day. And I got out, alive. I've never broken out of a prison before today. But, yes, I've killed before."

Casey looked down.

"I have the papers, if you want to see the names of the people. I trust you enough to give them to you." I finished.

Joey looked at me, "What was the plan? We worked for the Triton Agency for some time. We were the one's who saw Jesse kill himself."

I sighed, "Everything you thought you knew was a lie. A cover up."

"What're you saying, Sam?" Ken knit his eyes.

I looked at them, "Jesse's not dead..."

Chapter 13

"Of course he is," James sat up, "We saw him kill himself. The _blood_ splattered in Cole's face. He died. There's no other way of explaining that."

"The plan said that he was going to fake his death. I don't know how, but he did." I said.

We were inside Joey's safe house. After I revealed what I knew, they all got on guard.

"How can you fake being shot in the head?" Joey asked.

I shrugged, "Maybe we need to find out. You guys have any ideas?"

"I saw what I saw," Ken spit, "Like James said, there's no other way of explaining that."

"Then we need to find Jesse, to prove that he is alive." I said.

"Kyle should know where to find him." Cole informed.

"Like he's going to tell us where to find his dad. He's going to say he's dead. Because he is." said Ken.

I shook my head, "I don't believe that. Not for a second. You didn't see the plan. I did! There's no way he's dead. The plan was too good."

"The freaking bullet came out the other side of his head. He's dead dammit!" Ken yelled.

I sighed and looked to the side, "Even if he is–"

"Holy shit, man, he is dead. There's no _if, and,_ or _buts_ about it. The guy shot himself in the head. You go shoot yourself in the head and see if you live to tell about it. Matter of fact, if you _do_ live, go ahead and pull the trigger once more, just to make sure."

I gave him the middle finger and he nodded.

"That's enough you two," Cole looked at us, "There is a 10% chance that Jesse is alive. I'll take that. We're going to go see Kyle. Derek, like always, use your computer to locate where he could be. And if you cannot, then send me his cell number, I'll call him."

Derek got up and went into the kitchen with his laptop in his hands.

"So, you think that he's alive?" I asked Cole.

He looked at me and nodded, "Knowing him, it's a possibility."

Ken laughed and shook his head as he was looking down to the ground.

"Whats funny?" Cole asked him.

He looked up at him, "The fact that we're back at it. Ya know? Blowing shit up, killing people. It's kinda funny. I always thought we'd end up back at it, but never thought it'd be like this. Never thought Joey would be the only one who stayed a hit men. And you're training James's son? How's that going?"

"Good, actually." Joey said.

Ken nodded, "Yeah? What's the kid's name? James Jr?"

Vince laughed, "God no. My name's Vince."

Ken nodded, "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Vince studied him.

"Boss, I got it." Derek called.

"Which one?" Cole asked.

"His number. I'm sent it to your cell." he told him.

"Got it," Cole had his cell in his hand and put a number in then put it against his ear.

"Speaker." Ken said.

Derek came to the couch and sat down as Cole put the call on speaker. It rung five times before he answered with a snappy voice.

"Enough with the prank calls, asshole!" Kyle spit.

Cole knit his eyes, "Kyle?"

"Who's this?"

"And you're the leader of a hit man agency?" Cole shook his head.

"Oh, its _you_. What do you want? How'd you get this number? Are you the one who keeps calling me about my penis?"

"I want to meet up."

"Where?" Kyle asked.

"The beach."

"Which one?"

"The closest one." Cole said.

"When?"

"Leave now." Cole looked to the ground.

Kyle laughed, "Okay, okay, okay. What for? There something I don't know?"

"Just do it." Cole hung up then looked at us, "Lets go for a drive."

Chapter 14

About an hour later Cole got off the phone with Kyle and we went to the beach to meet up with him. James stayed at the safe house with Casey and Vince. After we got there Cole told us to blend in by standing or sitting away from one another. I stood on the boardwalk by a couple who took photos of their children. Joey was the only one I saw, he was at a store across from me with sunglasses on as he read a paper.

I looked around to see any familiar faces. Kyle's in particular. I'd know his face anywhere. I'll never forget it.

"Don't look at me," a voice said behind me, "Keep doing what you're doing, I want to talk."

"Who are you?" I asked, not turning around.

"I'm just here to let you know something..." he said, "The people you are with aren't the people you think they are."

"What are you talking about?" I knit my eyes.

"Don't trust them for a second. They will kill you when given the chance. You're working for the wrong people."

"And what you want me to trust the guy who killed my wife?" I spit, "That ain't happening."

"I want you to make a choice between the good side and the bad side. And until you know which is which, trust no one."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"A friend." he responded.

Footsteps were heard and I turned to see him walking away. I never saw his face. I looked at Joey who was watching me and he nodded to the beach. We had to go. He started walking towards the steps as I followed behind him.

I didn't know who that guy was, but I knew damn well who the good guys were.

Joey and I walked onto the beach. By the shore Cole and the others stood face-to-face with some other guys who were behind Kyle. As soon as Kyle turned to me and smiled, I just lost it. I walked up to him and almost hit him, if it weren't for Cole holding me back.

"Sam, nice to see you." Kyle smiled.

"You killed my wife!" I hissed.

"It wasn't personal, just business." he said.

I backed away shaking my head and he turned to Cole.

"As I was saying, my father is dead. Just like your family." he said.

Cole put his head down, "You're lucky you have agents here, otherwise, I would shoot your ass."

"We both know you guys can't kill me. I'm what you call a kid. Ya know?" Kyle smiled.

"I have no problem killing your ass, kid." Ken spit.

"Lets talk business? Shall we? There are people watching, that why you picked the beach to meet, Cole?" Kyle asked.

Cole looked up at him, "I want to know where your dad is."

"That's messed up. You know he's dead, yet you ask me if I know where he is. Yeah, I do. Six feet under in a casket. Why do you ask?" he knit his eyes.

"We know he's alive." I blurted.

Kyle looked at me and smiled, "Do you?"

Joey nodded, "Yeah, kid, we do. We heard about his plan to fake his death."

"He never pulled it off. To save you the trouble, he's dead." he said, "But, I'll tell you this. Someone did take the plans and use them on himself. And it worked. Everyone believed he was dead."

"Who?" Cole asked.

"Can't tell you that." Kyle looked at him.

"So, your dad killed himself for real?" Sean asked.

"Yep, sad as it is."

"How?" I asked, "I mean, how did the plan not work? It was a good plan."

He looked at me and knit his eyes, "I switched his gun with a loaded one. He was going to use a one that was built for that kind of stuff. I forget what it's called."

"You killed him?" Felix looked at him.

Kyle made a face and turned to him, "I don't talk to people like you Felix. I trusted you. You are the strangest person ever. Faking your death, faking your name, your family. What the hell was that about? You were Sean's brother, then my brother, then Sean's brother again. Who even are you?"

"It's confusing I know." Felix laughed.

"And you're not even British!" Kyle hissed.

Felix nodded and smiled. Cole stepped forward and Kyle's agents reached for their sides. Kyle lifted his hand up and they eased.

"They don't like us too much, eh?" Ken nodded to the agents.

"Oh, them?" Kyle pointed behind him, "They're fine. As long as you keep your distance."

Ken nodded and studied them.

"Cole, can I talk to you privately?" Kyle asked.

Cole nodded and they walked off side-by-side. I watched them as they talked. Kyle was explaining something and Cole shook his head and said something I couldn't hear. Kyle then patted him on the shoulder and nodded his head.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Joey questioned us.

"Guys," Sean laughed, "I can see it now. 'Cole, do these shorts make my ass look small?' 'No, Kyle, I like it when your ass looks small.' Ha! Yes, I can see it. Now they're talking about Sam's ass. Look! They just looked at him."

"Please, Sean. They're not talking about my ass." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, you never know." he said.

"He's making a deal with him." an agent informed.

I looked at him, "A deal?"

He nodded, "You'll see."

I looked over to Cole, who was making his way over to us. He shook his head and looked at us.

"Time to go." he said.

"You think about my offer, Cole. You hear me? Think about it! If not, all hell's breaking loose." Kyle called as we walked away.

Cole turned, "All hell broke loose when you locked us in that prison."

Kyle nodded and made a gun with his hand and aimed it at us then made a gunshot sound with his mouth. We turned and walked off.

Chapter 15

"What was the deal?" Joey asked Cole as we drove down the street in the van.

He was sitting next to Cole up front as Cole drove us back to the safe house. The rest of us sat in the back.

"What do you mean?" Cole looked at him as he turned left.

"The offer Kyle made you," Ken spoke up, "What was it?"

Cole sighed, "For us to come back to the Triton Agency."

"Hell no." Joey spit.

"I know. That's what I told him. Then he told me I was making a mistake and should reconsider." he explained.

"What'd you say?" I asked.

"I told him the truth. I said that we couldn't come back because we were done. And you know what he said? The son of a bitch told me if we didn't come back something bad would happen. That we'd regret it. Then he told me to call him in an hour to give him my answer." he responded.

They were silent.

"What are you going to tell him?" asked Derek.

"Are you kidding? I'm going to tell the bastard I said hell no. We ain't going back to any agency Not now, not ever. He can try to kill us all he wants... We are _not_ going back." he made a left turn into the lot.

He parked out front of the safe house and we got out and started up the steps then went inside.

"How'd it go?" James came up to Cole.

Cole stopped and sighed, "He wants to make a deal."

"What kind of deal?" James asked.

"He wants us to come back to the agency. To be his agents again." Joey informed.

"What'd you say?"

"I'm going to tell him no," Cole said walking passed him.

I sat on the couch by Casey. He was on his phone.

"Whatcha doing?" I asked him.

"Someone sent me a text. Don't know who." he mumbled.

"Did you ask who it was?" I asked.

He nodded and knit his eyes, "They sent me this."

He gave me the phone and I looked at the picture that was on it. It was someone tied to a chair. I knit my eyes and scrolled down to the text.

It read, _Come alone or he dies_.

"Who is that?" Casey whispered.

"I don't know." I told him.

"Are you going to go?" he asked.

I shrugged and scrolled down to the farthest point possible and saw a name.

Josh Walker.

"They have the wrong number." I said.

"Do you know who it is?" Casey asked.

I looked up at Joey who was talking to James and nodded, "I know exactly who it is."

I stood up and walked over to Derek, "Can I talk to you?"

He looked at me and nodded. I went over to the kitchen and he followed me.

"Whats up?" he asked.

I nodded to his computer on the counter, "Can you trace a number for me?"

"Yeah sure. What number?" he opened his computer and sat down in front of it.

I looked at the phone in my hand and read the cell phone number aloud and he put it in the computer.

"This a number for an ex?" he laughed.

I smiled, "Something like that."

"Okay, it shouldn't be too long. I'll send the location to your cell, whats your number?" he asked me.

I gave him the number and he wrote it down.

"Okey dokey, it should be sent to you in a couple minutes." he said.

"Thanks, Derek." I patted him on the shoulder and turned.

"If she gives you any trouble, you just let her know who's boss." he laughed.

I nodded and went over to Casey.

"So, you're going?" he asked.

I nodded and sat down next to him, "Yeah."

"Alone?"

I looked at him and knit my eyes, "That's what it said."

"But you said yourself, they have the wrong number." he informed.

"I know who they have. And they want me to come. And I am." the cell in my hand vibrated.

I looked at it and read the location.

"Oh shit." I sighed.

"What's wrong?" Casey asked.

"The location is at our house," I shook my head, "They wanted me to see the text."

I stood up and started to the door.

"Where you going?" Joey turned to me.

I looked at him, "I have to take care of something."

He nodded and threw me keys, "Take the van. There's weapons underneath the drivers seat."

"Thanks."

"Hurry back." he smiled.

I went out the front door and closed it behind me. I unlocked the van then walked up to it and got in. I sighed and started it, then sped off in the direction of my house.

Chapter 16

I pulled up in front of my house about seven minutes later. I got out of the van and armed myself with a pistol that I put in the back of my pants. Then I started up my yard and went in my front door.

"Hello Sam," a familiar voice said, "Did you make a choice yet?"

I turned to see a man looking at me. I shut the door behind me and faced him.

"Do I know you?" I asked.

"We talked at the beach," he said, "My name is Jonas."

I nodded and looked around, "Where is he?"

"Who?" Jonas asked.

"Joey's brother." I said.

He nodded and waved for me to follow him. He walked up the stairs and went into my room. In the middle of the room was Josh, Joey's brother, tied to a chair with his mouth taped up. He looked at me and knit his eyes. Surrounding him were four other guys who all had silenced pistols in their hands.

"I'd like you to meet my team." Jonas smiled.

I looked among them and nodded.

"I'll take this." Jonas snatched the pistol that was in the back of my pants.

"What are their names?" I asked nodding to his team.

He pointed to each of them, "Travis, Paul, Andrew, and Gage."

"Gage, are you related to a Vern Matthews?" I asked knitting my eyes.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" he complained, "No, I am not."

I nodded and turned to Jonas, "What do you want?"

"We were hired to eliminate The Crew. And you just became our leverage." he raised the gun to my head.

I nodded and looked at Josh, "And what about him?"

"We don't need him anymore." he informed.

"You're going to kill him?" I raised my voice.

"Something like that." he said.

I nodded and looked around the room. There was a picture of Justice on the night stand. I smiled and looked up at Jonas then went to Josh to untie him.

"What are you doing?" Jonas asked.

"If I'm your leverage, then you can't kill me." I pointed out as I untied Josh.

Jonas's team raised their weapons to us as Josh stood up and took the tape off his mouth.

"You shoot him, I'm going to make you shoot me. Therefore, you have _no_ leverage. You follow?" I looked at him, "He goes free. And I will be your leverage, deal?"

"He goes free and the first person he calls is his brother." Jonas said.

"Then we better leave, huh?" I looked at him.

Jonas studied me then looked to his team, "Lower your weapons. Let him go."

I handed Josh the keys to the van, "Take the van on the side of the house."

He thanked me then walked out of the room and down the stairs. Jonas then raised his pistol to me.

"Lets get out of here." he suggested.

One of his team members grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me out of the room. Once we were out of the room they all aimed their pistols at me and made me walk down the stairs. We went out of the door and got into two different cars that were parked out front then drove off.

They put something around my head and taped my hands up as we drove.

"This isn't personal." a voice said next to me.

"I know. It's just business. But what I don't get is why didn't you just keep Josh and use him as leverage?" I said.

The guy next to me backed up and sat straight, "Someone wants you dead too, but we need to get Cole and The Crew first before we put a bullet in your ass."

I nodded and sighed, "Understandable. But, you better be careful. Those guys are different."

"We worked with them before. We know how they roll. We can handle it." Jonas informed from the front seat.

We made a left turn and sped ahead.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

A gun cocked in my face.

"Better not to talk anymore." the guy next to me said.

I nodded and shut up the rest of the ride.

Chapter 17

The car parked and they snatched me out and pushed me towards the inside of a building. When we were inside they took the bag off my head and sat me down in a chair. They taped my hands to the back of the chair. I looked around the building. It looked like a warehouse, boxes and stuff.

"This is the last place you're ever going to see. So get used to it." Travis came up to me with a blade.

"Don't kill him," Jonas ordered, "We need him alive."

Travis nodded and kicked me in the legs.

"I know who you are, Sam." he said.

I looked at him, "Oh really?"

He nodded, "We did a background check on you. We know things that they don't."

"Like what?"

He smiled, "Vern died because of you. Because of The Crew. And you don't care? He's your family. Er, _was_."

"You're funny, Travis. I didn't kill him, neither did The Crew. I'm guessing you're working for either Kyle or Ryan, am I right?" I asked, " _They_ killed him. Killed my wife. You think I wanted to come into this? I was dragged, _harshly_."

He nodded, "Weren't we all..."

"No, actually. We all weren't. Because you guys _work_ for them. It was your choice to kill people." I said.

Jonas came up to me, "You think we enjoy killing people? Killing scum is our job, we get paid to do it. Like every other agent. We don't choose the target we kill. But every day I think of every one of those bastards and how I killed them. And it just kills me inside."

"Why do you do it then? Why do you kill innocent people?" I asked.

"None of the people we kill are innocent!" he argued, "Not any one of them are innocents. They are _all_ murderers, or worse."

I nodded, "I'm innocent."

"Are you?" he looked at me then turned away, "Tape his mouth shut. I'm making the call."

Travis got the tape and put some over my mouth. Jonas took out his cell and punched in a number on a piece of paper then put it on speaker. It rung before it was answered by a familiar voice.

"Yeah?" Cole asked.

"Cole, it's been too long." Jonas responded.

"Jonas? How'd you get this number?"

"I have my ways. Listen, I have something you may want." Jonas said.

"And what's that?" Cole asked.

There was another voice in the background. I couldn't make out what it said.

"You have Sam?" Cole spit.

Jonas smiled, "Yeah actually. I do. I want to meet up with you, just like old times, huh?"

"Jonas, if you touch him."

"Don't worry. You guys come together to meet up and I won't lay a finger on him." Jonas said.

Joey's voice was heard, "I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch!"

Jonas laughed, "This has nothing to do with my mother."

"Where do you want to meet?" Cole asked.

"Your old safe house. Remember that one? The one that could have been a hit man's paradise?"

"Yeah I remember."

"Meet me there in ten minutes. Bring _everyone_." Jonas hung up then came in my face, "The thing you have to know about the Crew is, they will do anything for the ones they call friends. That's their weakness. Caring too much. And only idiots care for other people."

I knit my eyes and looked at him. He nodded to Travis, "Put him in the car. We're leaving."

Travis cut the tape around my wrists and I stood up as he led me outside. I took the tape off that was around my mouth. They put me in the back seat. This time they didn't cover my head or tape my hands. As we drove to the meet up I couldn't help but stare at Jonas as he drove. Travis was next to me with his pistol aimed at me. The others were in another car driving behind us. Like they couldn't just use a van to get around?

I sighed, "I'm sorry."

Travis looked at me, "For what?"

I pointed to Jonas, "That he thinks only idiots care for people. Its not true."

Travis shook his head and mouthed, _Don't_.

I looked at Jonas, "I don't know what you went through. But, I sure as hell can tell you that people who care for others, they don't do it because they have to, its because they want to. I can tell that you don't care for others. But, Jonas... what about your team? Surly you care for their well being?"

"Shut up." Jonas spit.

"I cared for someone, my wife, then she was taken from me suddenly. And I never stopped caring about her, ya know?" I said, "Everyone cares for something. It's in our human nature."

He slammed on the breaks and turned to me, "I don't care for anyone! Why would that change now? So you shut the hell up and mind your own damn business! Ya hear me?"

I nodded and put my head down as he drove off.

Chapter 18

We arrived at an abandoned building five minutes later. They got out and Jonas dragged me out of the car, up the steps, and inside of the warehouse.

"Easy, easy!" I complained.

Jonas threw me on the couch and stuck his gun in my face, "You try anything. I'll kill you early."

I nodded and Travis came and taped my hands up.

"Four minutes and counting," Gage looked at his watch.

"You guys know what to do," Jonas took out a suitcase and they all went up to it.

It opened and weapons were revealed.

"Good luck killing them," I said, "You'll need it."

Jonas looked up at me, "I don't need you anymore. They're coming. I won't hesitate to put a bullet in you."

I nodded and looked at them. They all grabbed a machine gun and loaded it.

"So, I'm supposed to just sit here and watch you kill my friends?" I asked.

Jonas nodded, "Actually yeah. Because what else can you do?"

"Help."

"Help me kill your friends?" he looked at me.

"No, help my friends kill you guys." I admitted.

He nodded and stood up straight, "You think you're funny? Just wait till I slit your throat."

I wet my lips and looked to the side. The front door opened and Cole and Joey came inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Where's the rest of them?" Jonas asked pointing his gun at the two of them.

Joey raised his pistol to Travis, who was next to me with his machine gun aimed at me. Cole had his pistol pointed at Jonas.

"I know why you took him." Cole said.

Jonas studied him, "Do you?"

Joey nodded, "To get to us. Kyle sent you to kill us."

"Wrong again, pretty boy." Paul stepped forward.

"Where are they?" Jonas asked.

"Around." Cole informed.

A red dot appeared on Andrew and Gage's chests. Cole smiled, "You didn't think we'd come without a plan, did you?"

"Oh, I know. That's why I called in a little help from a friend."

The red dot on Gage and Andrew's chest went away and Cole knit his eyes as he looked at Jonas.

"If you hurt them!" Cole yelled.

"Calm down. They'll only feel pain for a second." Jonas said.

Cole cocked his gun, "I should kill you right now."

"Yeah, but, there are five of us and two of you." Paul pointed out.

"You can't kill them," I spoke up, "You need them together."

"Then I'll just kill you." Jonas turned to me.

"You're going to kill an unarmed man?" Joey questioned.

Jonas cocked the gun and came in my face.

"You pull that trigger and I have no problem shooting your ass, Jonas!" Cole yelled, "Making your team kill me and then you'll have no luck getting the rest of my team."

Jonas knit his eyes then lowered the gun and turned to Cole, "Why do you care so much? Why do you look after other people? All they do is hurt you when given the chance."

"Look around," I said, "Have your team hurt you? They're still here, aren't they? They obviously care about you. And you're saying that you don't care for them?"

Travis and Andrew looked at me.

Jonas turned to me, "Shut the hell up! You shut your mouth before I kill you. You have no idea about what you're saying. So, mind your own business!"

I nodded and lifted my taped hands, "Whatever floats your boat, Jonas."

A cell phone rung and Jonas took it out and answered it.

"Go ahead," he looked at Cole and nodded to whatever was said on the other line, "Really?" he smiled, "Okay, bring them in."

He hung up and moments later the front door opened and Sean and Derek were brought in with guns aimed at them by two men. Derek's brow was cut and bleeding.

"One, two, three, four... where's the fifth one?" Jonas asked, lifting his weapon to Cole.

"Kill me and you'll never know." Cole said.

Jonas turned his gun on Sean, "I don't have to kill you, I can just kill everyone you love." he pulled the trigger and Sean yelled in pain then dropped to the ground.

"No! You son of a bitch!" Cole raised the gun to Jonas' head.

Jonas looked at him, "Do it."

Cole growled and lowered the gun. Jonas smiled, "I knew you couldn't do it."

"What will it take for Kyle to get it?" Cole raised his voice, "We want to be left alone!"

"Kyle didn't send us!" Jonas yelled, "Ryan did. We're his agents."

Cole nodded and looked over at Sean, who lay on the ground with a bullet wound to his side. Sean looked up at him, pain in his eyes. Cole looks back to Jonas and sighs, "We can end this. Here and now. Just let my team go–"

"Are you kidding?" Jonas snapped, "You're willing to give your life to save your team? What're you some kind of hero? What good's that gonna do? After I kill you, what makes you think I won't just kill them?"

"Its because I have a plan." Cole admitted.

"Did it involve your friend getting shot?" Jonas cocked his head to the side.

Cole looked at me and I knit my eyes. He then looked back over to Jonas then back at me. I looked down, understandingly. Travis was in front of me, holding me at gun range. I quickly stood up and pushed him out of the way then tackled Jonas to the ground. Jonas' gun fell to the floor and put my hands around his neck and tried my best to choke him with my hands taped up.

He hit me in the face and pushed me over and as he went for his weapon Ken came through the door with another man who had a shotgun in his hand. Jonas grabbed his machine gun and put it in my face. But before he could shoot, Joey kicked it out of his hand and punched him in the face.

Ken came to me and cut the tape around my hands. Joey and Derek picked up Sean and left while the guy and Ken knocked out Jonas and his team.

"Lets get out of here." the guy said.

"We have to get to the hospital." Ken rushed out of the door as we followed behind him.

Chapter 19

"He'll be okay," Cole came up to us. We all stood and let out sighs of relief as we stood in the hospital hallway.

Cole rubbed his head, "He's barely hanging in there. But the doctors told me he might make it."

"Why didn't we kill them?" the guy asked.

"Yeah," I added, "Don't you guys, ya know, do that?"

"Not anymore." Cole looked at me.

"I should have put a bullet in his ass." Ken mumbled.

"God knows he would have done the same to us." Joey rolled his eyes.

"We'll take care of Jonas and his group." Cole informed.

"When? How?" Joey leaned in, "They are a huge problem. We can't just let them hunt our asses. What if they take someone else for leverage?"

"He's right, Cole." Derek agreed.

Cole sighed and turned to the guy that helped us, "Thanks Kevin, we really needed you back there."

"No problem. I'm always happy to help." Kevin looked at him.

Cole nodded and turned to Joey, "We'll keep Josh safe. He'll have to stay at your safe house. No one goes out alone."

"What about Sean?" Derek asked him.

"Stay with him." Cole ordered.

Derek nodded and walked off towards Sean's room.

Cole nodded for us to follow him. He led us out of the hospital and we all got into the van. When we got in, Cole hit the steering wheel and put his head down.

Ken patted him on the shoulder, "It's okay man."

"I thought it was over. Every time we say we're done something happens and we're right back in it again. And I'm sick of it!" he looked up and shook his head, "This time. This is going to be my last job. I know I've said that before but this time I mean it. I'm going to do _whatever_ it takes to stay away from the game. I finally have a family again," he sighed, "I have a wife and a kid. And I can't loose them like I lost Jess and Andrew. Not this time. No way."

"Cole, if you want out, no one is stopping you," Joey looked at him.

He shook his head and started the van, "No, we're ending this. _All_ of it. _Together._ "

Joey and Derek looked at one another. Ken turned to Cole as he pulled off down the street. I sat with my back against the door of the van, looking at each of them. That's when I understood, I wasn't the only one hurting, they had literally lost everything, but they still had each other. The Crew is more than a team of hit men, they're closer than any team of hit men I knew. I couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

I put my head down and closed my eyes. I don't know how I ended up here. I don't know why they still needed me on their team. I wasn't one of them. I was far from it. When I looked up, Joey caught my eye and knit his eyes.

" _You okay?"_ he mouthed.

I nodded as we turned a corner and continued down the street.

"Where are we going?" Derek asked Cole.

Joey's cell went off and a familiar tune went off.

I knit my eyes and looked at him, "You like that song too?"

He smiled and nodded as he answered the phone.

"Captain Bob speaking." he smiled.

I looked at him as he talked on the other line. He nodded then spoke.

"Look, Josh, I don't know what to say. Let James handle it." he then knit his eyes, "He's what? Oh god, why'd you tell me. Yes, I know they're strange but you have to deal with it. I don't know, bro. Yeah, yeah, I'll be right over. Don't leave, I don't care how uncomfortable you get with them. Yes, I know. Okay. Okay, bye." he hung up and laughed.

"Everything alright?" Kevin spoke up.

He nodded, "James and Vince did a little father and son dance at the safe house."

"Dance?" I asked, confused.

He nodded and looked at me, "They have his thing they do. And I swear it's the oddest shit you've ever seen."

"Derek, to answer your question, we are going to see some old friends." Cole said.

Derek nodded, "Who?"

Cole looked in the rear view mirror, "Gordon and his crew."

Derek leaned back and licked his lips.

"Now I know how you feel. Because they lied to you–"

"They're not the only ones that lied." Ken mumbled.

Derek sighed and turned his head. Cole hit Ken on his shoulder.

"Really man?" he looked at him crossed.

Ken shrugged and looked out the window.

Cole turned right and made a stop, "We're here."

I stood up and Kevin opened the door and we all hopped out. I didn't recognize the street. Or the house. We went up to the front door and Cole knocked. A minute later, a guy in his mid forties answered with a grin.

"Cole and The Crew. Welcome." the guy said.

"Nice to see you again, Wade." Derek huffed.

Wade looked at him, "Why don't you guys come on in?"

He backed away and we walked inside the house.

"Where's Gordon?" Cole asked Wade.

"They're in the basement," he said, "Want to go see them?"

He took us to the kitchen and through a red door.

"We got company. Cover yourselves!" Wade yelled as we went downstairs.

"Why would they be naked?" Joey knit his eyes.

"They're not. But last time we had company, Gordon got a little undressed." Wade said.

"Hello guys!" a guy cheered as we came up to him and three others.

"Do the hit men groups always come in five?" I asked.

"I don't know," a guy with a baseball hat came up to me, "We're not hit men."

I nodded and he pointed to me, "Who are you?"

"Sam." I held out my hand.

"I'm Anthony. Those are my friends, Gordon, Oliver, Seth, and you already know Wade." he nodded to each of the men.

Gordon, the tall one, came up to Cole with a smile and a handshake.

"I missed ya, Cole." he laughed.

"Yeah, sure," Cole rolled his eyes, "Missed ya too, convict."

"What're you here for?" Wade asked him.

Cole looked at him, "We need your help..."

Chapter 20

I sat at a bench watching the people come in and out of the Triton Agency. I was looking for a particular person. The Leader: Kyle. When I spotted him I stood up and proceeded towards him.

Kyle was surrounded by Triton agents. Four of them. Once I got close, I called his name.

"Kyle!"

The agents froze and went for their weapons but Kyle put his hand up and they stopped.

"Sam, you better have a good reason for disturbing me while I'm on my way to lunch." Kyle looked at me.

"I'm here to warn you." I told him.

He smiled, "Oh really? Warn me about what?"

"They're planning something."

"And why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Because I thought about what Jonas had said to me at the beach. I understand now." I said.

Kyle nodded, "Okay, but how do I know this isn't a trap? How do I know they're not waiting around the corner?"

I licked my lips, "You can prove it."

"How?" he asked.

"If they are around and they see you kidnap me, what makes you think they won't follow you?"

He studied me then nodded, "Okay. But if they _are_ following us, what makes you think that I won't kill you the first chance I get?" he smiled, "Put him in the car."

Two of the agents came to me and grabbed me by the arms. I didn't struggle, I let them take me to the car that was parked in the parking lot next to the Triton Agency. They threw me in the back then got in as Kyle and another agent got in the front. The agent started the car and then sped off.

"Malcolm, make sure we're not followed." Kyle said to the guy next to him.

Malcolm stepped on the gas and made a hard right turn then sped down the street, as he passed cars they beeped and skidded to a stop. The car jumped over train tracks and then slowed down and stopped at a red light.

"All clear boss." Malcolm smiled.

"Good," Kyle turned to me, "I guess we just found our prisoner."

Chapter 21

Kyle took me to a house about ten minutes away from the Triton Agency. The agents pulled me out of the car and inside the house. The house seemed like it was empty and rundown. Kyle ordered the agent who had my arm to tie me up to the staircase.

"On second thought, use this." Kyle threw a pair of handcuffs to the agent.

"I hope you have the key for those." I said.

Kyle smiled, "What makes you think you're getting out?"

I shrugged as the agent cuffed my left hand to the stair case.

"What're we going to do now?" Kyle walked in circles in front of me.

"Party?" an agent asked.

Kyle looked up at him, "Yes, lets party. Sam, do you know how to party?"

I knit my eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about."

He smiled and nodded, "Do you know what parties have? Games. Yeah, lets play a game." he took out his phone and put it against his ear, "Do you have him?"

I knit my eyes as he smiled.

"Good. Send him in." Kyle hung up the phone and crossed his arms.

A moment later the front door opened and someone pushed Casey into the house. My eyes grew wide as I struggled in the cuffs.

"I'm going to kill you!" I yelled, pulling on the cuffs.

"I want you to make a choice," Kyle said, "The Crew, or, your son."

"Screw you!" I spit.

He took out his pistol and placed it on my son's head, "I am _not_ kidding around! Do you want him to die? Or do you want to kill The Crew?"

"I can't kill someone." I put my head down.

"Not even for your son?" he asked, cocking the gun.

I kept my head down and he laughed.

"Fine. I see your choice." he went to pull the trigger.

"Stop!" I yelled, "Stop! I'll do it, okay?"

He lowered the gun and looked at me, "You really had to think about it? What kind of father are you? You barely even know them and you're willing to kill your son to let them live?"

"I didn't think you'd do it..." I mumbled.

"What? What was that?" he put his hand to his ear.

"I didn't know if you'd do it or not." I spoke louder.

"That's what I thought you said. Don't underestimate my ability. I killed your wife, didn't I? What makes you so sure that I won't be able to kill your son as well?" he asked.

I pulled on the handcuffs and growled, "You son of a bitch!"

He laughed and shook his head, "This has nothing to do with my mother. What're you talking about?"

I shook my head and looked down.

"I want it done today. No mistakes, got it? All you get is a pistol and a blade." he said.

I looked up at him, "If you lay a finger on him, I will physically murder you."

"Fair enough." he smiled.

I lifted my cuffed hand, "What're you waiting for?"

Kyle nodded to the agent next to me and the agent took the cuffs off me and I rubbed my wrists. He then took my arm and pulled me towards the front door.

"I'm going to fix this." I promised Casey as I walked passed him.

Kyle placed his arm around Casey and smiled, "You have until midnight."

I walked out of the house and an agent gave me keys to a van that was parked down the street. I went up the street then unlocked the van and got in. Closing the door behind me, I slammed my hand down on the steering wheel and closed my eyes. A tear ran down my cheek as I shook my head and started the van. I opened my eyes and sped off down the street.

Chapter 22

I parked outside of Cole's house and stormed out and up to the front door. I opened the door and walked in to Ken and Cole talking in the living room.

"We're screwed!" I threw my hands up in the air.

They both turned to me and knit their eyes.

"What happened?" Joey came up to me.

"He has my son. He has Casey..." I shook my head.

"How?" Cole asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know. He was at Joey's safe house with James."

Joey took out his phone and put it to his ear. We looked at him as he spoke.

"What happened?" he knit his eyes.

He then took the phone away from his ear and put it on speaker.

"Some guys came," James informed, "Trashed the place, took Casey..."

"Are you okay?" Cole asked.

James coughed, "I'll live. We need to get the kid back."

Joey nodded, "Take Vince somewhere safe. We'll handle it."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah man, take your son somewhere safe. I'll let you know when we're in the clear." Joey told him.

"Okay, good luck." James hung up and Joey put his phone away.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I spoke up, "Kyle says that I have to kill you guys to get my son back... How the hell are we going to pull this off?"

"You're going to do exactly what the bastard says." Cole said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, "You mean kill you guys?"

"Our first plan didn't work out, so we're going to do what he says." he informed.

I shook my head, "I can't kill you guys. You know that. There has to be something else."

"Oh Sammy, you're not going to kill us. He is." Cole smiled.

Ken knit his eyes and looked at him, "Cole? What're thinking about doing?"

"We are going to turn ourselves in to Kyle." he said.

We looked at him. Joey and The Crew all spoke at once. I couldn't understand what was being said. They all looked pissed.

Cole put his hands up, "Guys! I have a plan."

Chapter 23

"Kyle!" I yelled as I pulled up out front of my house.

I turned the van off and got out then went up to the front door. It was unlocked so I went in.

"You're early." Kyle smiled.

He stood by Casey with a knife to his neck. I stopped by the front door and looked at him.

"Is it done?" he asked.

I nodded and looked outside, "They're in the back of the van."

"Tell me..." he licked his lips, "How is it that you killed The Crew so fast? Or even at all? You're just a desk jockey."

"Don't believe me?" I asked, "Come see for yourself."

Kyle nodded then took the blade away from Casey's neck. He then threw him to an agent next to him and nodded for everyone to follow me outside. I turned and went out the door and up to the back of the van. As I took out the keys Kyle pushed me backwards and unlocked it himself.

"You know stubbornness ain't gonna get you anywhere." I spit.

He turned to me with his hand on the handle, "Oh I ain't stubborn, I'm just making sure that you aren't trying anything that would risk both of your lives."

I nodded and he pulled the handle and the back doors swung open. There, in the back of the van, lay The Crew, motionless. Kyle leaned in and felt Cole's pulse. He then quickly turned and aimed his pistol at me.

"They're still alive!" he hissed.

My hands went up, "They're out cold, but not for long. I kept them alive for you to do what you need to."

He nodded and licked his lips, "How long do I have before they wake?"

I shrugged, "Minutes? Hours?"

He looked at the agent next to me, "Kill them."

"What? No, wait!" I yelled, "We had a deal."

"Deal's off." Kyle spit then nodded to the agents behind me.

Hands grabbed me from behind and I pulled away but two more put me in a choke hold. I struggled to get free as a gun shot went off. The grip around my neck loosened and everyone got down as more shots went off. Kyle was surprised when Cole and the others woke up and hit him in the face. Gordon and Wade ran up to the agents with their weapons aimed at them.

I went to Casey and wrapped him in my arms.

"We had a deal!" Kyle yelled as he laid on the ground.

"The deal's off." I spat on the ground next to him.

Cole yanked him up off of the ground and put his pistol in his face. He then looked at Gordon and Wade.

"Kill the agents." he ordered.

"Cole, we're not murderers." Joey told him.

"I don't care. No survivors. Gordon, do it." he said.

Gordon and Wade aimed their weapons at the remaining agents as Cole taped up Kyle's hands and threw him in the back of the van. I flinched when four gun shots went off and the agents fell to the ground.

Wade whistled then waved and a white van with red stripes pulled to a stop in front of us. Anthony opened the side door and let Gordon and Wade in. We got in the van with The Crew and Cole patted Wade and Gordon on the shoulder as he quickly said goodbye.

The back doors of the van shut and Cole got in the drivers seat and drove off.

"Are the cops going to come?" I asked, looking at Joey.

"They'll come. They always come. But they won't be able to find out who killed them." he informed.

I nodded and put my chin on Casey's head.

"What're we going to do with him?" Joey asked.

Cole looked at him next to him and made a look.

"We're not going to kill him! Guy's he's just a kid..." he looked at them.

"We're not going to kill him, Joey. We're not murderers." Cole said.

"Anymore..." Ken mumbled.

Cole shot him a look and he turned around. Cole then sighed and put his head down.

"This has to end, so, yeah, we're going to kill him," Ken informed, "And Ryan too."

Cole looked at him then looked over to Joey and raised his eyebrows and nodded, "Yeah, he's right."

Joey rolled his eyes and looked out the window.

"What's the matter with you?" Ken spit, "You feel sorry for the kid? He's a murderer, like his father. He tricked us, tried to kill us multiple times. And you still don't wanna kill him?"

"I–"

"Oh right, right. You _saved_ him." Ken cut Joey off.

Cole made a right turn and continued down the street.

"I don't understand you, Joey," Ken continued, "You'll risk your life to save innocent people, but you don't give two shits about yourself."

"What's not to understand? That I would rather save someone and get killed then to let an innocent person die and live my life knowing that I could have done something to prevent that from happening?" Joey turned to him.

Ken licked his bottom lip and turned away. Joey faced front and a sound of screeching tires was heard as another car collided with ours. The force made our van spin out of control. We hit something and glass was shattered among us. Another engine roared and I looked out the window to see a different car racing towards us.

I closed my eyes and clenched Casey as hard as I could just before the car crashed into ours and I blacked out.

Chapter 24

I jolted awake and started to breathe heavily. I looked around the room I was in, down at the bed I laid in. I was in a hospital and my right hand was handcuffed to the side of the bed.

"Casey!" I screamed as I sat up.

A pain in my side made me cringe and lay back down. My lip stung and the side of my face hurt every time I moved. I pulled on the cuffs and looked around for something to unlock them with.

"Don't even think about it. It won't work." a familiar voice said.

I looked over to a figure in the shadows by a chair.

"Where's my son?" I snapped, "Where is he?"

"Calm down Sam." Jonas sympathized.

I struggled on the cuffs and he stood up and came up towards me.

"Easy man, I wouldn't struggle." he said.

"Screw you." I spit.

He shrugged and turned around then started towards the door.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

He stopped, "The money I'm getting from eliminating you guys."

"You mean murdering us?" I corrected.

He started towards the door.

"You're nothing but murderers!" I yelled, "Cold-blooded murderers!"

The door opened and Kyle came in with a grin on his face.

"The entire Crew, and then some," he laughed, "I'll have a blast killing all of you."

"You son of a bitch! Leave my son alone, or I swear to God I will kill you. You hear me? I will kill you!" I screamed.

Kyle laughed and they both left the room. I laid back and yelled as I pulled furiously on the handcuffs. My heart raced as I looked around for something to pick the lock with. Something silver caught my eye in the cushion on the chair next to my bed. I sat up and came off the bed then started to reach it as the handcuffs held me back. I used my leg to move the chair closer to me.

When it was closer I reached over then took the silver thing from the cushion and saw what it was: A gun.

I looked around the room for an explanation on how the hell it got there. I knew I couldn't use it, the sound would draw Jonas and Kyle back in, I had to find something to make it not as loud. I looked around and figured that the pillow would do. I lifted up the pillow and underneath it was something I've seen once before at the docks with James: A silencer.

I picked it up and after about six tries, I finally got it on the tip of the gun. Biting my lip, I prayed it was loaded. I aimed it at the chain of my cuffs and closed my eyes then pulled the trigger. I felt the gun go off but barely heard it. As I opened my eyes I noticed the chain was broke and I was free. Muffled voices were heard behind the door. I bent down and got behind a tall plant that was next to the chair.

The door opened and two agents came in laughing. As soon as they looked at the empty bed their eyes got wide. I aimed the weapon at them and without hesitation, I shot them both in the head. It made more of a mess than I was expecting. I went to the door and opened it a little to look out. The hallway was clear except for two agents down the right side of the hall. They were on guard and facing both ways.

I had a hospital gown on and knew I couldn't go out there looking like this. There weren't any clothes of mine that I could throw on so I decided to put on one of the agent's clothes. They both had on masks to cover up their faces. The masks had a white skull on it and the eyes were cut out. I threw on the bulletproof vest he had on and the long sleeve black shirt and tight black pants and took the same color shoes that were just a little too small for me.

I took both their guns and put one of them in the back of my tight ass pants and held the other one in my opposite hand. The door was halfway opened as I squeezed out and shut it behind me. Then I started down the hall towards the agents.

I hid the gun without the silencer behind my back as I walked up to them.

"Where's your partner at?" the agent facing me asked.

I shrugged and aimed the silenced pistol at him then quickly pulled the trigger. As he fell his partner turned to me and I promptly shot him in the head. I put my pistols down and ran to the door to the right of me then made sure no one was in it then when it was clear, I carried the dead bodies inside the room and closed the door behind me.

When I turned I noticed the blood trail leading from the spot where I shot them to the room.

"Shit..." I looked around for something to clean it up with.

I shook my head and picked up my weapons then went door-to-door as I looked for Casey and the others. I came across a room with someone in it. I opened the door and slowly went in. The room was empty and the person came out from under the covers.

"I'm going to kill you!" Cole yelled.

He sat up and struggled on his handcuffs.

"Cole, it's me." I hissed and came up next to him.

"Sam?" he asked, knitting his eyes.

I nodded and lifted the mask, "Yeah man, move your hand over. Let me get you out of here."

He lifted his hand and I shot the chain off. He sat up and rubbed his head.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Kyle and Jonas." I informed.

He nodded and stood up and walked passed me. The back in his hospital gown was open and his butt was shown. I closed my eyes and turned away towards the window.

"I need to find some clothes..." he said looking through a bag on a chair, "Ah, found some. Uh, could you...?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be happy to." I turned to the wall and put my head down.

"How'd you get out of the cuffs?" he asked me.

"Um... I found a gun in the cushion of the chair by my bed and a silencer under my pillow."

"The silencer fairy, huh?" he laughed.

"I guess." I smiled.

"Alright, I'm done. Hand me the other gun and lets get out of here," he said.

I turned and threw him the gun in my hand.

"No silencer?" he cocked his head to the side.

I shook my head and he nodded then put the pistol in the back of his pants.

"You use that. I'll do hand-to-hand kills." he ordered.

I nodded and put my mask on as he opened the door. I followed him out into the hallway. We proceeded down the hall and went to the closest room.

"Found Joey." Cole said swinging a door to the left open.

We went in and Cole went up to him.

"Hey boss." Joey smiled.

"You alright?" Cole asked him as he shot the chain off of his cuffs with my silenced pistol.

Joey nodded and sat up as he rubbed his wrist. I grabbed a bag on the chair and handed it to Joey.

"Thanks agent." he knit his eyes.

I pulled my mask up, "I ain't no agent."

He nodded and looked at us, "You mind turning around?"

Cole sighed and both of us walked away from the bed and faced the wall as Joey quickly got changed.

"Do I get a gun?" Joey asked us.

I took the gun out from the back of my pants and held it up over my head.

"Good, good." Joey came up behind me and took it.

As he checked if it as loaded we turned around.

"Can't use it though." Cole told him.

He nodded and put it in the back of his jeans, "Right, too loud."

"We'll use stealth kills while Sam uses his silenced pistol," Cole ordered, "Lets go."

I pulled my mask down and followed them out of the room.

"We should split up, Sam and I will go to the room on the right and you go to the other one." Joey said.

Cole nodded and we split up. Joey and I went to the room on the right and I opened the door and went in. The room was empty and the sound of a heartbeat monitor was the only thing heard. Ken was laying in the bed with a bandage around his head, unconscious.

"Oh shit..." I lifted my mask up.

"Cole!" Joey screamed and ran to the side of the bed and bent down.

I took the mask off as Cole ran in the room with his pistol at ready. When he looked at Ken his hands dropped.

"Ken..." he went next to Joey.

"Is he alive?" Joey asked with his head low.

"Yeah, he's in a coma." he informed rubbing his head.

"How?" Joey put his hand on his face.

Cole sighed and took Ken's hand into his. A figure across the hall got my attention and I looked over to see Casey looking at me. I ran to him and we hugged.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I looked down at him and smiled back a tear, "Me? I should be asking you that."

"What happened to Ken?" he asked looking behind me.

I backed away and knit my eyes in concern, "He's in a coma."

"Oh my God..." he ran passed me and went into the room with Joey and Cole.

I sighed and ran my hand threw my hair. Footsteps were heard and as soon as I turned a gunshot went off and a pain exploded in my shoulder. I yelled out in pain and dropped to the ground. My hand went to the bullet wound on my shoulder.

"Dad!" Casey cried.

"No! Casey, stay there!" I cringed at the pain.

Casey tried to run out of the room but Joey caught him and held him back. Cole held his pistol and looked at me.

"Can you move?" he asked.

I nodded and he cocked his gun.

"Stay down." he ordered then aimed the gun down the hall to the approaching agents and fired three times.

Two of the agents fell and the rest scattered. Cole ran out into the hall and helped me up and we both ran back into the room. Joey let go of Casey and he came running up to me.

"I'm okay, Case." I told my son.

"We need to get out of here." Joey said.

"Not without Ken." Cole told him.

"Me and Casey will stay with him." I insisted

Joey shook his head, "No, I will. You guys clear out any Triton Agents to find Kyle."

"Are you sure?" Cole looked at him.

He nodded, "I'll keep them off for as long as I can. Hurry up and be careful."

Cole looked at me, "You ready?"

I looked at Casey and put my hand on his shoulder, "Its safer if you stay here."

He put his head down and I looked over at Joey.

"Please keep him safe." I told him.

"With all my strength." he nodded.

I sighed as Cole aimed his weapon down the hall and looked both ways. He waved for me to follow him and we left the room then proceeded down the left hallway.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Cole ordered.

"These rooms are empty." I told him looking into a room on the right.

We turned down the hall and came across a desk with a woman cowering in fear behind it. Cole handed me his gun and held his hands up.

"Hey miss," he spoke softly, "Are you okay? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help."

She shook and looked up at him, "Are you a cop?"

"Something like that," Cole bent down in front of her, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Men, with guns, they came in with patients. Told us to keep this off the computers or they'd kill us. They promised that there wasn't going to be trouble and blocked off that hallway." she informed.

Cole nodded and looked up at me then back at her, "Where did they go?"

"I heard something about them blocking all the exits downstairs, but, I'm not so sure. They left in a hurry." she put her head between her legs.

"Alright. Thank you ma'am. Stay here, the police are on their way." Cole stood up and came over to me.

"What should we do?" I asked him.

He sighed and looked down the hall, "Continue to the front door and eliminate all the scum in this hospital."

"What about the cops?" I cocked my head to the side.

He looked at me and his lips went thin, "Don't get caught."

I nodded and we continued down the hall to the stair case. Before we went downstairs Cole took my silenced pistol and shot the control to the elevator.

"What does that do?" I asked when he handed me back the gun.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I guess we'll see. Lets go."

He opened the door and we started downstairs.

"What floor are we on?" he asked.

"I have no idea, why?" I looked at him as we both came down the stairs.

"I have to get someone," he said looking at the sign above the door on the floor below ours, "This is the floor."

He swung the door open and quickly hid his pistol behind his back when he saw the civilian standing by the vending machine.

"Put it away." he ordered under his breath.

I put the pistol in the back of my pants and covered it up with my shirt as Cole did the same. He started to the left and looked at the room numbers.

"Just right around here," he said picking up speed and turning down the hallway to our right.

We came across a door that was shut and he stopped then slowly opened it and went in. The room was dark with the blinds shut. I went in and shut the door behind me and something quickly threw Cole up against the wall. I snatched my pistol from behind my back and aimed it at the attacker.

"Derek! Its me!" Cole yelled.

"Boss?" the familiar voice asked.

The lights came on and Sean stood by the door with his shirt off and a bandage around his waist. Derek backed off of Cole and I stowed away my weapon.

"What're you doing here?" Derek asked Cole.

"There was an indecent. Ken's hurt. In a coma." Cole told him.

"What?" Sean gasped.

"How?" Derek looked at Cole.

"The van was smashed by Kyle and his agents with us still inside." he informed.

"Holy shit... Is he going to wake up?" Sean asked.

Cole shrugged and looked at him, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Sean told him, "What're we going to do?"

"Right now, Joey is with Ken and Casey upstairs. It won't be long till the police show, so... We have to find a way to take out Kyle and his agents." Cole said.

"Jonas is here too," I informed.

"Great..." Cole sighed then looked at Derek, "Do you two have your weapons?"

"Actually, I see that Sam has it." Derek nodded to me.

"You're the one that put it there?" I asked him.

He nodded and smiled, "I saw that Triton agents took over the hallway upstairs and I guessed that they were bringing someone in so I hid my pistol in the cushion and silencer under the pillow."

Sean went over to Derek and snatched the pistol out of his hand, "This is mine."

I held out my weapon to Derek, "You want it back?"

He shook his head, "Nah, you keep it for now. I don't think you can to hand-to-hand kills as good as I can."

I laughed and nodded then lowered my hand to my side. Cole looked among us and opened the door.

"Put them away for now. The agents are blocking the exits. If we can draw them out to where we all are we can bring them down." Cole ordered.

I nodded and Sean and I put our weapons in the back of our pants. We all left the room and continued to the front door of the hospital. I held my bloody shoulder as we walked down the hallway towards the stair case.

"Are you going to be okay?" Derek asked me.

I looked over at him and knit my eyes. He nodded to my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks." I told him.

We went through a door and started down the staircase. We all ran down about two floors until we came across the first floor where the entrance was.

"Okay Crew, be careful." Cole looked at each of us then opened the door and they went through.

I stood there as the door slowly shut in front of me. He just referred to us as _Crew,_ even me. I wasn't a part of The Crew. I wasn't even a hit man. I shook my head and stopped the door from closing and followed the others out into the hall way.

I looked down the hall and ran to catch up with them. Cole stopped us the end of the hall, a minute from the lobby and front doors.

"I can draw the other agents to away from the other exits." Cole said as he looked us through.

"No, I'll do it," I said, "That way I don't screw up with this gun."

I took out the silenced pistol and handed it to Derek.

"Be careful." he said.

I nodded as Cole looked at me.

"We're here if shit starts going down." he told me.

I sighed then put my hands in my pockets and walked towards the front doors only to be stopped by two intimidating guys in suits and masks.

"You can't leave, sir." one said as he examined my outfit.

"I'm here to see Kyle," I told him, "My name is Sam."

As soon as I said that, the agents whipped their pistols out and aimed them at me. I raised my hands as one of them came up to me and painfully forced me on the ground.

"Looks like one of our guys gave you what you deserved," an agent smiled as he stepped on my wounded shoulder.

I cringed and yelled out in pain as he took his foot away and came in my face.

"Where are the others?" he asked me.

I sighed and licked my dry lips, "I need to talk to Kyle."

"That ain't gonna happen," the other agent spit as he placed his gun against my head, "Kyle doesn't need you alive anymore."

I struggled in his grip as the cold tip of the pistol touched my face. He was about to pull the trigger when Cole and the others called for his attention. The two agents looked up and then the one over top of me dropped to the ground as Derek shot him in the face. The last agent backed up with his hands in the air.

I got up as Cole went to the agent and snatched off his mask.

"Holy shit..." Sean gasped.

"Ivan?" Cole raised his pistol to the guys head.

"What a nice surprise. What're you guys doing here?" Ivan spoke.

"Shut up!" Cole pushed him against the wall and got in his face, "I was wondering when I'd see you again."

"Who?" I knit my eyes.

"The name's Ivan, I worked with these guys on a job a while back." Ivan held out his hand.

I knit my eyes and looked at him as Cole smacked his hand away.

"This asshole almost cost us our lives, turning over to Felix." Derek spit.

"But, I thought Felix was on our side..." I said.

"Its actually really confusing. Just know that Felix is on our side." Sean laughed.

"For now." Ivan spit.

"Shut up!" Cole put his hand on Ivan's neck, "You're going to do something for us. Sam, hand me that talkie."

I bent down and picked up the talkie that was on the ground by Ivan's dead friend then handed it to Cole. Cole held it up to Ivan and smiled.

"Make a call to your friends and tell them that you have us and need back up right away." he ordered.

"And if I don't?" Ivan smiled.

Cole backed up, "Derek..."

Derek then aimed his pistol at Ivan's leg and pulled the trigger. Before he could yell in pain, Cole covered Ivan's mouth and they both sat on the ground.

"Now do you understand what I'm asking of you?" Cole asked.

Ivan nodded as he started to breathe heavily. Cole took his hand away from his mouth and held the talkie up to Ivan's mouth.

"You say anything other than what is expected, I will shoot you in the neck and hang you up on the wall so you bleed to death. Got it?" Cole looked at him.

Ivan nodded then pressed the button and started talking.

"Kyle, we have them at the south entrance. Need backup, ASAP. Over." Ivan cringed in pain as Cole lowered the talkie.

"Good," Cole smiled, "Now get up." he put the pistol on Ivan's head and yanked him up.

He then led him inside a room and before he shut the door, he took Derek's silenced pistol and aimed it at Ivan's head. Ivan's eyes got wide just before Cole shot him in the head and closed the door behind him.

"Wow, that was–violent." I sighed.

"Welcome to the game, kid," Cole said as he looked at us, "Let's get ready to meet the remaining agents."

Chapter 25

I put on Ivan's mask and stood by the entrance with the walkie in my hand. Cole and the others were waiting behind a door for the agents.

Four guys rushed down the hall. Two with masks and two familiar faces.

"Where are they?" Paul asked as he and Gage came up to me.

I looked at him and he came and shoved me.

"Where?" he yelled.

A whistle brought their attention to the left side. Cole and Derek came out with their weapons aimed at them.

Paul laughed and looked at me, "Lemme guess... Sean?"

Sean came out from the door to my right with his hands crossed over his chest.

Paul nodded and backed away from me.

"What now?" Gage asked with his hands in the air.

Derek aimed his pistol at the two agents and made them drop their guns.

Paul looked at me, "How could you?"

I looked over at Cole and we both knit our eyes.

"What're you talking about?" Cole asked him.

"I'm talking to him," Paul looked at him then back at me, "How could you? We trusted you."

I took my mask off, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Paul pulled his head back and knit his eyes, "Where's Ivan?"

"You didn't think he'd just give you away like that, did you?" Derek asked him.

His eyes got wide and he looked at Cole, "You son of a bitch. You killed him?"

"Well yeah, we're kind of enemies." Sean laughed.

Paul shot him a look and Sean put his head down.

"Is that how you deal with your problems, Cole?" Paul looked over to him, "Just put a bullet into something and hope it goes away?"

"Well, we did try to settle things the _easy way_ , but that didn't work... Did it?" Cole spit.

Paul shook his head, "Aren't you tired of it? The guilt of all the lives you took? Isn't that affecting you?"

"Stop talking!" Cole yelled and cocked his gun.

Paul smiled and shook his head, "It does to all hit men. Even us."

"So what? You want them to make a truce?" I asked him.

He looked at me, "If that's what it takes."

"Cole, no. Remember what happened before? We trust people and then get stabbed in the back. Happens all the time." Derek told him.

Cole looked at me, "What would you do?"

"Me?" I asked, confused.

He nodded and I looked at the pistol in my hand.

"You're gonna let the newbie decide?" Paul asked Cole.

"He doesn't seem like a newbie." Sean smiled.

I lifted the pistol to Paul's head and looked him in the eye. A feeling of anger washed over me, and I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger.

"Look what they made you!" Gage yelled, taking a step back, "A murderer."

I shook my head and looked at him, "No, they didn't make me a murderer, they taught me to protect and avenge the ones I love." I aimed my silenced pistol at him and hesitated.

Gage shook his head, "No, please..."

I sighed and lowered my weapon then looked at Cole, "He's just a kid."

He nodded and turned to the two agents, "Take your mask off, both of you."

They both reached up and pulled the mask off and looked at him.

"My God..." I sighed and put my head down.

"Are you kidding me?" Derek sighed.

"How old are you two?" Cole asked them.

"17," the girl on the right said.

Cole looked at the boy and the boy nodded, "Yeah same here."

"Why are you wearing those masks?" I asked them.

"Kyle said that we had to do whatever he says and he'd load us up with cash," the boy said, "He gave us those guns and these ugly outfits."

"How many of there are you?" I looked up at them.

"Three? Maybe four. Please don't kill us..." the girl said.

I looked at Cole and put my head down.

"Get out of here, both of you. Kyle is a bad person. He brought you here to kill yourselves. Go home." Cole lowered his weapon and let the two teens passed.

The two of them walked passed us and went out of the doors. Cole raised his weapon to Gage.

"Did you know about this?" he asked.

Gage shook his head, "No, I swear, I had no idea. They never tell me anything. I swear to God! I wouldn't of let kids into this game."

Cole grabbed him by the arm and threw him in a room on the right. He shot off the handle and closed the door so Gage couldn't escape.

"They're using kids as agents?" Derek asked, disgusted.

"Cole, I killed some of the agents. They could have been–"

"No, don't think like that," Cole cut me off, "You heard them, there's only a few kids here. The others are still here and we need to get them out."

"How are we going to do that?" Sean asked him.

"Remember at the prison where James set off the fire alarm to clear the building?" he looked at him.

"Oh alright, got it boss." Sean nodded

"Derek and Sam, I want you two to escort everyone out. Only Kyle and his agents will stay. I think..." Cole ordered.

"But what about the kids, boss?" Derek asked.

Cole picked up one of the guns the kids dropped and messed with it, "Not loaded. The real agents will shoot at you. So, you shoot back at them. For once, I am going to tell you to _not_ shoot first. Let them shoot at you so you know that they're the real deal."

"Got it." I messed with my pistol trying to reload it.

Cole came up to me took the gun and pointed to a part on it, "That's how you unload it," he took out the bullet holder and held it up, "This is a magazine," he dropped it and took another one out of Paul's pocket, "Put it in this way, hit it, cock it, and you're good to go."

I nodded as he handed me it and patted me on the back.

"Let's go Crew."

Chapter 26

Sean set the fire alarm off and everyone started making their way outside. Derek and I rushed everyone out the front doors. People talked all at once. Some said there were patients still in their rooms.

"Please hurry and be careful!" Derek told them.

Cole walked ahead of us and looked down each hall then turned back to us and waved. We followed him to the staircase and he turned to us.

"We have to get to Joey." he said.

"Split up?" I suggested.

He shook his head, "No, stay together, that way we can leave together. No one gets left behind."

I nodded and he started up the steps as we followed. He stopped suddenly and turned to us then smiled.

"Hey D, how would you like to lead this mission?" he asked.

Derek's eyes got wide, "Seriously?"

Cole nodded, "Yeah man, you can finally get to lead your own team."

Derek smiled, "You sure?"

"Yeah, come on." Cole tilted his head for Derek to get in front of him.

We moved out of the way and let Derek get in front. Derek looked to the ground with a smile on his face.

"Aren't you going to say it, boss?" Cole looked at him.

Derek lifted his head, "Lets go Crew."

Chapter 27

"Which floor is it, boss?" Derek asked as we went up a floor.

"This one," Cole informed, nodding to the door, "And its not boss, _boss_."

Derek nodded, "Oh yeah, I forgot. Okay, be prepared Crew. There might be agents."

He pulled the door open and we followed him into the hallway. Derek looked around with his weapon pointed in the air.

"Why don't I just lead the way to Ken's room?" Cole suggested.

Derek nodded and waved him forward, "Good idea, Cole. Lead on."

Cole turned down the right hallway and made sure the area was clear before we continued passed a desk. Cole then pointed down the hall and looked at Derek.

"Last door on the right, boss." Cole informed Derek.

He nodded and walked passed Cole. Movement from down the hall made us stop. Derek pointed and told us to get behind a wall. We ran backwards and hid behind the clerks desk. Derek looked down the hallway.

"Joey?" he called.

Bullets whizzed passed Derek's head and hit the concrete as he pulled his head back.

"Yep, that's Joey." Derek looked at us.

"Why is he shooting at us?" Sean asked.

"I was being sarcastic, moron." Derek rolled his eyes.

"Fish." Sean spit.

Derek shook his head, "Cole and Sam, me and Sean will cover you. Run to the other side of the wall so you can get a good angle."

I nodded and Cole got in front of me as we got ready to run over to the next wall.

"Go."

Derek stuck his head out from behind the wall and laid out cover fire as Cole and I ran to the opposite side of the hallway.

"You good?" Cole asked me once we were in cover.

I nodded then he looked over at Derek and nodded. Derek then came out of cover and aimed his weapon down the hall.

"Joey!" he yelled.

A gun shot was heard and I heard Derek laugh. I peeked over Cole's shoulder to Derek as he spoke.

"That asshole just tried to kill me," Derek huffed, "But it ain't that easy to put a bull–"

Blood splattered from the back of Derek's head and he collapsed to the ground. A gasp was heard and Cole tried to lunge forward but I pulled him back as Sean screamed Derek's name.

I pulled Cole back and held him against the wall as I put my hand out to stop Sean from running into the hallway.

"Don't go out there!" I screamed at him.

His face was turning pink as he held in tears.

"Pull yourselves together! Goddammit!" I ordered.

I backed off Cole and he put his head down as a tear ran down his face. I sighed and turned to Sean, "Are you with me?"

He had his head against the wall.

"Sean!" I yelled, "You have to do this. We need to get out of here."

He backed away from the wall and nodded. I turned to Cole as he looked at me.

"Let's finish this." he spoke.

He pushed passed me and loaded his weapon and looked at Sean.

"Sean, look at me. Derek would want us to continue. You hear me? We have to fight our way out of this hospital to make sure Derek didn't die for nothing. Are you with us?" Cole gave Sean a look of sympathy.

Sean looked at him and nodded.

"Alright. Ken's room is just down the hall. If we can make it there, we are home free." he said, "Now, on me Crew."

Cole aimed his weapon and continued down the hall. Sean copied and got on his right side. I knit my eyes, confused of what to do. So, I just copied what they did and got on Cole's left side.

We passed Derek's body and a thought of sadness passed over me. I sighed and Cole continued down the hall.

"I don't see anyone boss." Sean said.

"Ken's room is just up here." Cole informed.

We kept moving. I listened for any noise, but all I heard was a heartbeat monitor. Cole froze, he heard it too.

"Cole, that's not the sound of a beating heart." I pointed out.

We got to Ken's room and saw that the door was open and the glass window was broken. Cole hurried in and stopped when he saw Ken laying in the bed. There was blood soaked in his blanket and a bullet wound on his head and heart.

"Oh shit..." Cole turned and covered his mouth as tears ran down his face.

Sean went up to the side of the bed and bent down.

"He's been dead for quite some time. The wounds don't look fresh, probably before we came to the floor." Sean said.

"What about Joey and Casey?" I asked, "Do you think they're okay?"

Cole sighed and looked up at me, "There's no other body around. So, my best guess is they got away. Joey is a good agent." he sighed and turned to Ken.

"Boss, I think he was executed." Sean stood up and looked at Cole.

"What do you mean?" Cole asked him, "Who would do that?"

"Kyle? Ryan? Jonas?" I suggested.

Cole shook his head and walked closer to Ken's bed, "No, it's too clean cut. The person who did this would have to have years of experience. Even I can't do it that clean."

"What do you mean by clean?" I asked him.

"Meaning that Ken didn't feel any pain. It was quick, clean and simple." Cole told me.

I nodded then stuck my head out of the room and looked down the hall.

"What about Derek?" I said pulling my head in and looking at them, "It seemed clean too."

Cole froze and looked to the side, "We need to find Joey and get out of here."

He moved away from the bed and looked out of the window.

"Cole, what's going on?" I asked.

He was silent as he looked outside. I turned to Sean who was looking at him.

"Boss?" he raised his voice, "If you know something, tell us."

Cole sighed and turned to us, "I think someone is trying to execute us."

Chapter 28

"What do you mean?" I asked Cole as he stuck his head out of the room, "Who?"

"I don't know. It could be anyone." he spoke and checked his weapon.

"What're we going to do?" Sean asked coming up behind him.

"Find Joey and Casey, then get the hell out of this hospital." he pulled back his weapon and went out into the hallway.

We followed him and continued down the hall.

"Where do you think they are?" I asked them.

"They probably went to my room downstairs." Sean pointed out.

Cole stopped and pointed forward, "There were agents up here."

"They were probably trying to stop Joey." Sean said.

"Or chasing after him." I suggested.

Cole continued forwards and looked down the left hallway. He looked at us then we turned and started to make our way down the hall.

"How the hell are we going to find them?" Sean huffed, "This place is huge."

A door opened in front of us to our right and Joey popped his head out.

"It's obviously not that big." I said as Joey ran out of the room with Casey behind him.

"Dad!" Casey ran into my arms.

I tried to hold in tears but I wasn't strong enough and left them fall. Casey looked up at me with water in his eyes.

"What happened?" Cole asked them.

I looked up at Joey as he wiped tears from his eyes.

"I tried to fight him off as best I could, boss. It wasn't enough." Joey choked, "It's my fault."

"Stop it!" Cole spit, "None of this is your fault. It isn't any of our faults. Don't think like that, Joey."

Joey sighed and looked around, "Where's D?"

Sean looked down and Cole sighed.

"He's gone." Cole told him.

He let out a shaky breath then turned, put his head down, and rubbed his face. He then stood up straight and faced Cole, "What're we going to do?"

"We have to get out here," Cole said, "That guy might come back."

"We can take him," Sean spit, "No one kills my friends and gets away with it."

"But we can't, Sean. He's good. Really good. I tried to take him, look what happened to me." Joey lifted his face to see a gash on the side of his forehead.

"Why didn't he kill you guys?" I asked him.

"He was about to put a bullet in my head," he looked at me then nodded to Casey, "Till he stepped up and got in front of me. Thank God he didn't lay a finger on Casey. I think he just wants The Crew dead."

I hugged my son and kissed him on the top of the head.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Cole sighed and walked passed us.

We started down the hall, passing hospital beds and chairs. There was a staircase not far from us.

"We can get out down there. The emergency exit." Cole informed.

He walked faster but stopped when he saw someone starting to come down the hall in front of us.

"That's him." Joey backed up.

"Get to cover. Now!" Cole ordered us.

We scattered and I pulled Casey in a room and told him to get behind me. I aimed my weapon down the hall to see the masked man making his way towards us. He wasn't walking fast and had a suit filled with armor.

Cole, Joey and Sean were in the room across from us.

"What're we going to do?" I called to them.

"Kill the S.O.B!" Sean yelled and stuck his body out of the room and fired two rounds down the hall. He pulled his head back in and cursed, "I missed!"

I looked down the hall to see the man stop in his tracks.

"We need to get to the staircase." I told them.

"Boss, what're we going to do?" Joey asked.

Cole looked down the hall and back at Joey then sighed. He dug in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. We stared at him as he pulled out a picture and handed it to Joey.

"There's a woman by the name of Catherine Nancy. I want you to find her and give her this." Cole told him.

"Boss...?" Joey studied him.

"Tell her and Jason I said I love them." he finished.

"Cole, what're you doing?" Sean asked him.

"If I distract him long enough, then you guys can get away." Cole started out into the hall.

Joey shook his head and grabbed him by the arm, "Don't do this."

"As soon as I go out there, Joey, you guys need to be behind me. Don't stop once you reach the staircase and whatever happens don't look back."

"Cole, no–"

"Promise me, Joey! Promise that you guys will get out safely. That's all I ask." Cole cut him off.

Joey nodded and let go of his arm.

"What's a big brother good for if he can't protect his little brothers?" Cole smiled then faced me.

I looked at him as he sighed and ran out into the hall. I quickly stood up and grabbed Casey's arm and we went out into the hallway behind the others.

Joey and Sean fired rounds down the hall as the masked man dove into a room.

"You mess with this brotherhood and you're just asking to be killed!" Cole yelled to the masked man, " _Nobody_ threatens my family and gets away with it!"

Cole ducked behind a wheelchair and fired shots at the room the man was in.

"Go! Now!" he ordered to us.

Joey and Sean caught once last glance at their boss before following us into the staircase. We ran down the steps as shots were fired. We reached the bottom floor as the shots stopped. I opened the emergency exit and Casey ran outside as I looked at Joey and Sean. They looked upstairs in hope that a familiar voice would appear.

"Guys..." I knit my eyes.

Joey closed his eyes and put his head down as Sean walked passed me outside. I looked down as Joey came passed me. I walked behind him as we started into the parking lot. We were quiet as Sean stopped and bent down. He put his hands on his face and Joey went up to him and got down next to him. He put his arm over Sean's and they spoke softly together.

I went over to Casey and hugged him.

"I love you, Case." I sighed.

"I can't believe they're dead." he sniffled.

I closed my eyes and squeezed him, "Me either."

A tear ran down my face as I let go and faced Joey and Sean.

"I feel like its my fault." Sean cried.

"Like boss said, it's none of our faults. Don't put this on your shoulders. You don't need this. Come on let's get to the safe house." Joey sympathized.

Sean shook his head and got up as he rubbed away the tears. He started away and Joey looked at him.

"Where are you going?" Joey called.

Sean stopped for a second then started to run out of the parking lot. Joey sighed and turned to me.

"I'm–"

"Stop," he held out his hand, "None of this was your fault. Don't be sorry."

I nodded and looked down.

"Lets go." he said and started off.

"Are we walking?" Casey asked him.

Joey shook his head then nodded to a van parked across the way, "We're taking that rusty old thing."

Casey looked at the white van and started to run towards it.

I looked at Joey, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I'll be okay."

"Who do you think it was?" I asked.

He knit his eyes, "I don't know. But I saw his shoes."

"His shoes?" I asked.

He nodded and looked up at me, "Yeah, they were different than his outfit he had on. I'll never forget them."

The sudden sound of screeching tires made us look up. There was a green van speeding its way towards us. A guy stuck his his head out with a machine gun. My heart stopped and I turned to Casey who was still making his way towards the van.

"Casey!" I screamed as the van approached him.

"Get down!" Joey ordered as bullets started to fly.

I ran to Casey as the van sped away. Joey fired rounds down the lot but all of them missed. The van stopped and Joey faced me. I dropped to my knees as I held Casey in my arms. There was blood everywhere as I cried.

"They're coming back," Joey said, "Sam, we have to go!"

"I can't just leave him!" I cried out.

"He wouldn't want you to stay here and die!" he hissed and grabbed my shirt and lifted me up.

I obeyed and we started running away from the parking lot. I stopped once, only to look back at my son. My heart ached and a feeling of helplessness washed over me. I painfully turned away and followed Joey out of the lot.

Chapter 29

Joey and I ran into an alley way. He stopped and looked behind us.

"I think we lost them." he said out of breath.

I put my hands against the brick wall and looked down as tears fell from my face. I felt the metal of the pistol in my hand, my hand was sweaty so it felt as if it were going to drop. There was a pain in my chest I couldn't explain. My face was on fire as cool tears fell from my cheeks. I pushed myself off of the wall and twirled around and sat against it.

"I couldn't do nothing," I said, "I just stood there and just _watched_ them murder my only kid."

"Sam, you–"

"I even did it when they killed my wife," I shook my head and looked down, "What kind of father does that?"

"You did everything you–"

"But it wasn't good enough!" I spit, "Nothing I ever do is good enough."

Joey looked at me as I messed with the pistol in my hands.

"Shit, I couldn't even man up and kill the kid that murdered my wife. _A kid_. And I let my son die, I was supposed to protect him, keep him safe. And I failed." I blinked and quickly put the gun to my head.

"Whoa, wait!" Joey yelled and got closer to me, "It doesn't have to end like this, Sam. Put the gun down."

"I don't deserve to live while everyone I loved I let die!" I cried out.

"You didn't let them die, Sam. Killing yourself won't avenge your family's death."

"It sure as hell would take the pain away." I sniffled.

He sighed and looked at me, "The thing you have to know is, life can't get you anywhere. It's the pain that builds up inside you that gets you places. Anger and pain are the keys to any man's survival. The more anger you have, and the more pain you have, it makes you strong, it makes you finish what you started, especially when everyone is saying you can't."

I took a shaky breath as he slowly reached up and put his hand in front of the tip of the gun then slowly pulled it away from my head.

"My boss used to say that us. For years we've been hit men. Then after this guy named John tried to kill us, he always said that quote. I never really understood what the hell it meant. But, I guess I just figured it out. We've been struggling through life, like anyone.

"And without the pain of the hard times, we wouldn't have strength to finish what we started in the first place. People like Kyle and Ryan try to kill you, and sometimes it gets bad, but the pain and anger remind you of why you started this and why you need to finish it. Because there's always a reason to continue. Even if you lost so much."

I put my head down as Joey sighed and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"There's always something to live for." he said.

I nodded and wiped away my tears. Joey then got up and looked down the alley way.

"We need to get back to the safe house. We need to figure this shit out," he looked at me, "Can you do it?"

I nodded and stood up, "Yeah, lets do this."

Chapter 30

We ran down the street, checking behind us every now and again to make sure we weren't being followed. Joey said that we were going to take the long way, because he thought Kyle and Ryan would be trying to find us. I didn't care. I needed to walk, especially in the silence we were walking in.

It gave me time to think. And I know it did the same to Joey. Because once we hit a crowd of people by a park he stopped looking behind us and started to walk slower.

I stayed behind him as he led me through the park. People talked all around us, but I couldn't hear them, I was drowning in my own thoughts. I wanted to blame someone, but I didn't know for what. Casey's death, maybe? Justice's? The only person I blamed was myself for not doing something. But what could I have done?

_You could have chased the van that shot your son. You could have killed Kyle at that beach. You could have died at the agency. They'd still be alive if you had died at the agency. Joey saved you... its his fault_.

No, like Joey said, it wasn't anyone's fault. It was Kyle's. Yes, Kyle was the one that murdered my wife. He's to blame. And he's going to pay the price.

I sighed and looked at Joey as we left the park. We entered a neighborhood and I looked around.

"Where we going?" I asked him.

"My safe house is just passed this neighborhood. It's only a few blocks." he said.

I nodded and followed him down the street. A cop car sped passed us and made a sudden left turn on the street ahead of us.

"What was that about?" I asked.

Joey knit his eyes and started to walk faster. Another police car raced passed us and turned down the same street. We got to the corner and looked down the street. There were three police cars and an ambulance out front of an old abandoned building.

I followed Joey as he ran towards the building. No cop stopped him as he went in. I was behind him as we went up the steps and into the building. Joey stopped abruptly and stood there. There were cops in the building walking around taking pictures of the murder scene.

I looked at what Joey was looking at and lost my breath. Sean was hanging on the wall with rope around his neck with a bullet wound to his head and heart. Execution style.

Joey didn't move. He didn't speak. He just stood there. In shock. Footsteps were heard behind us and a voice softly spoke.

"Joey...?"

Joey turned around and looked at Josh, then ran into his brother's arms and fell to the floor in tears. Josh bent down next to him and hugged him. I painfully sighed and looked at the wall behind Sean's body. There were words in blood that said: _What doesn't hurt you, will kill you._

" _What doesn't hurt you, will kill you."_

Chapter 31

A WEEK LATER

I buried my son in the same cemetery as my wife. My family was there. But I didn't want them to see me so I stayed away and watched from a distance until they were gone. Once they all left, I made my way towards his grave and bent down in front of it as a tear dropped from my face.

I had Casey's teddy bear in my hand and slowly placed it next to his gravestone.

"I'm sorry..." Joey's voice was behind me.

I wiped my tears and stood up.

"At least he's with his mother." I half smiled.

He put his hand on my shoulder, "You raised a good kid."

I smiled, "He took after his mother."

Joey took his hand away and sniffled.

I coughed and turned to him, "We should get going. We're going to be late."

He looked at me, "You sure? I mean, we can stay for a bit."

I sighed and looked at Casey's headstone, "I'm coming back. I always do."

Joey nodded and walked passed me. I sighed and touched my son's headstone as I slowly passed it, following Joey out of the cemetery.

They tore down the old abandoned building and made it into a private spot. They put down seeds and let the grass grow. They even put in a tree and a big rock to make it look good. That's where we were headed.

We had to go through the neighborhood. They were going to tear down everything. They moved everyone out. But, Joey had bought the area where the building was to lay his friends to rest before they did. They're going to make the neighborhood into a field.

We turned down the corner and went up to the area. Joey went up to the rock and patted it.

"This was our safe house." he said.

"What?"

He looked at me and moved his hand around, "The old building they tore down. It was our safe house. We basically grew up here. We were always here. No matter if we had a hit or not, we'd always would be here."

I nodded and looked down.

"Here comes the others," Joey said coming up to me.

I turned and we greeted James and Vince as they came up to us.

James hugged Joey and then faced us, "I am sorry for both of you."

"It's not your fault." I told him.

"Still. I wish I could have done something." he said.

Joey nodded, "Same here."

Kevin and two other guys made their way over to us. Joey smiled and went up to one of the guys. They looked at one another then Joey laughed and put his arm around him and walked him over to us.

"Sam, this is Alan Loki. He's an old friend." Joey introduced.

Alan stuck his hand out and spoke in a British accent, "'Ello mate."

I smiled and shook his hand, "Nice to meet ya."

Kevin and Wade looked at us. Joey knit his eyes.

"Where's Gordon and the others?" he asked Wade.

Wade coughed and looked down, "We were ambushed. I barely made it out. They... didn't make it."

"I'm sorry man..." Joey sympathized.

"It was Jonas and–"

"The bloody wankers." Alan spit, cutting Wade off.

"–his team." Wade finished.

Joey nodded and rubbed his head, "We need to stop them."

"We're the only ones left to do so." Kevin spoke.

Joey looked at him and nodded, "Yeah, the only ones."

Alan looked passed Joey and sighed, "Is that it?"

He nodded and Alan went up to the rock and looked at it.

"There's a blank spot here. Between Ken and Derek. What's that for?" Alan questioned.

Joey sighed and turned to him, "For me."

Alan was silent then nodded and faced him.

"There's room for you too." Joey said.

Alan shook his head, "I'm not a part of The Crew anymore. It all changed after those ten years."

"Once a team mate, always a team mate. Plus, it wouldn't be right without ya, man." Joey smiled.

Alan looked at him and half smiled.

"Besides, its too late. I already added your name and date of birth to the rock next to Derek and Sean." Joey said.

"Isn't there something illegal about that?" Alan asked.

"I don't give a shit." Joey laughed and walked up to him, "You're stuck with us. Till death do us part... And then some."

Movement caught my eye and I looked to the right to see a man coming up to us. He had on a suit and I saw a scar across the side of his face. Wade and Kevin turned to him, then Joey and Alan. The man stopped and smiled. Vince turned and then James copied and gasped.

A moment of silence passed before James spoke.

"H–holy shit..." he stammered.

"James Killer, it's been way too long old friend." the man spoke.

"Who are you?" Joey looked at him.

The man stepped forward and stuck his hand out, "Dean Morris. Nice to meet you."

###

Warned You...

More Books From The Author Coming Soon:

Book #2 in The Only Ones Series

The Beast Inside Me 2

Zombie Apocalypse 2: Saints & Sinners

Follow the Author on T:

@pewslimdieshad1

Blog:

https://authortaylorevans.wordpress.com

