--:Keifer's POV:--
The white flare turned the forest into a nightmare of blinding light and jagged shadows. For two seconds, Kaizar's snipers were blind, their night-vision goggles overloaded by the sudden brilliance.
I didn't wait for the light to fade.
"Angelo! David! Cover!" I roared, diving behind the thick, gnarled trunk of the lightning-scarred oak.
The woods erupted. The silent tomb was shattered by the rhythmic thud-thud-thud of Angelo's backup team opening fire from the ridge. Kaizar screamed something inaudible, scrambling backward as dirt and bark exploded around him.
I ignored the bullets. I ignored the chaos. My eyes were glued to my phone, which was still broadcasting the audio from Jay-jay's hospital room over the speakerphone.
"Boss? I'm pulling it! The power is—" The audio cut into a harsh, static screech.
"NO!" I lunged out from behind the tree, the silver drive gripped in my bloodied palm. I had to get to the car. I had to get to her. But three of Kaizar's men were already descending the slope, their weapons leveled at my head.
--:Aries POV (At hospital):--
The only light in the ICU was the red emergency strobe.
The man inside the room reached for the main power coupling of the ventilator. His fingers wrapped around the cord. I didn't have a clear shot at his head through the heavy door. I didn't even have a clear shot at his chest.
"Get away from her!" I screamed, throwing my entire body weight against the glass door.
It didn't shatter. It was reinforced. The hitman looked at me, a cold, mocking smile on his face, and yanked.
The heart monitor's steady beep turned into a single, terrifying, flatline drone.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—
Rage like I've never felt before flooded my veins. I didn't care about the gun. I didn't care about the backup. I grabbed a heavy fire extinguisher from the wall rack and swung it like a sledgehammer against the door's handle.
CRACK. The lock snapped. I burst into the room just as the hitman drew his suppressed pistol. I didn't give him the chance to aim. I tackled him, the force of our impact sending us crashing into the medical carts. Trays of scalpels and glass vials shattered around us in a spray of silver and clear shards.
"Ci-N ! She's flatlining!" I yelled, pinning the man's gun arm to the floor. "Get the doctors! GET THE DOCTORS!"
--:Keifer's POV:--
I heard it. Over the grainy speakerphone still lying in the dirt near the oak tree.
The flatline.
The sound felt like a cold blade twisting in my heart. My vision went red. My mercy was gone; there was only a monster left.
"KEIFER, WATCH OUT!" David yelled, but I was already moving.
I didn't duck. I didn't hide. I ran straight at the nearest guard, ducking under his swing and slamming my shoulder into his chest with the force of a freight train. We hit the ground hard, but I was faster. I grabbed his head and slammed it against the roots of the oak tree—the same roots where Jay-jay had bled to protect us.
"Where is he?!" I gripped the silver pendrive like a weapon. "Where is Kaizar?!"
"He's gone, Keifer!" Angelo shouted, his jacket torn and his knuckles dripping blood as he fended off the remaining guards. "We have the ridge! Go! Get to the hospital!"
I didn't stay to help them finish the fight. I ran. I ran through the thorns and the brush, my lungs burning, the sound of that flatline echoing in my ears like a death march.
Don't you dare die, Jay-jay, I thought, the tears finally blurring my vision as I reached the car. Don't you dare leave me.
--:Aries's POV:--
The man was unconscious under my boots, but the room was still screaming with that flatline sound. It was drilling into my brain.
The nurses burst in, their faces pale as they took in the chaos. "Get the crash cart! Now!"
I stood back, my chest heaving, watching as they swarmed over her. They were tearing back the sheets, charging the paddles.
"Clear!"
Jay-jay's body jolted off the bed.
Flatline.
"Again! Increase to 200! Clear!"
Flatline.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Josh. He was crying, his face buried in his hand. "Aries... she's gone. The oxygen was cut too long."
"No," Iwhispered, gripping my gun so hard the metal bit into my palm. "She's too stubborn to die."
Suddenly, the door to the ICU burst open. Keifer stood there. He was covered in mud, blood, and forest leaves. He looked like he had just climbed out of a grave.
He didn't look at us. He didn't look at the doctors. He looked straight at Jay-jay.
"JAY-JAY!" he roared, his voice shaking the very glass of the room. "WAKE UP!" "I can't live without you please please don't leave me, Please jay wake up🥺😭😭."
For the first time in the life, I saw him crying. Tears streamed down his dirt-stained face as he gripped her hand.
The room went silent. The doctors froze. And then, the monitor let out one final, long beep... followed by a tiny, jagged spike.
Beep.
Beep.
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Guyss please comment I really like to read your comments I have removed all the targets also...
It takes a lot of time to write a chapter. But still I am trying to upload a lot even with my study schedule, school, tuition and everything.
And all I want is to see how you feel about my book and also some suggestions....
(Still I won't force anyone, If you want to please comment)
Thankyou soo much for all those who are regularly commenting and supporting me.. I love you guyss ｡◕‿◕｡
♡♡
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Also this is the last chapter for today, I'll upload tomorrow 💖💖