Page 8

Charlie readied his gun to do his best and hoped he could take them down before they got him. But deep in his soul, he knew it was unlikely any of them were getting out of there alive.

His heart broke at that thought. Not for himself, but for his wife and kids.

He aimed his gun at the shapes behind the door, but then something other than the inevitable happened. A gun shot. Then another. And another. And they were not aimed at Charlie and his family. Someone was shooting at the attackers.

“FBI!” a familiar voice cried out. It was a voice filled with bravery. Filled with defiance.

The men behind the door now turned their attention to the voice, shooting in its direction.

Bullets rained down all around out in the hallway, and then, suddenly, there was silence, broken shortly after by groans of pain.

The intruders had been taken down.

“Charlie! Angela!” the voice now yelled. “Richard! Georgina!”

“We’re in here!” Charlie answered. He turned to Angela and kissed her.

Through tears, Angela then turned to her children. “It’s okay, babies. Your Aunty Val has taken care of it.”

Charlie stood up and embraced his family, making sure they were unharmed, and then pulled away what was left of the furniture they’d used as a barricade.

The door then fell into his hands, broken at the hinges, and he put it to the side.

Looking down on the ground, Charlie could see a couple of the intruders, still writhing around in pain from their gunshots. More bodies were strewn on the ground.

Valerie Law, Charlie’s ever faithful partner was holstering her gun, backed up by several police officers.

She ran up to him.

“The kids…” she said, her voice trembling slightly. Valerie rarely showed emotion like that during or after a fire fight, but this was different. She really was like an aunt to Charlie and Angela’s kids.

“They’re all right,” he said.

Marvin appeared from the room. He was smiling nervously. “Never thought I’d be glad to hear someone shout ‘FBI.’”

That was it. Charlie had had enough.

He grabbed Marvin by the arms and thrust him into a wall. Those men had been there for him, because of something bad he had done. Charlie was certain of it.

“My kids. My wife. They could have died, Marvin.”

“And your brother, Charlie,” he said.

“I want you gone, Marvin,” Charlie said, his voice grave.

“But…”

“But nothing,” Charlie continued. “I know what you’re going to say. That none of this was because of you. But we both know that’s a lie. Whatever bad stuff you’re involved in, whatever reason behind these men coming for you … I don’t want it near my family.”

Charlie backed away, letting go of his brother.

“Charlie,” Valerie said, softly. “Maybe we should calm down and assess this first.”

Charlie shook his head. He’d never been so angry.

“I thought I was going to lose them, Val,” he said, turning to his partner. “I thought my wife and kids were going to die tonight.”

“I’m sorry, Bro…”