Page 13 of Collin, Episodes 13-15 (The Residency Boys #5)

“Why?” Richard’s voice was bland, almost bored, a sound Collin had only heard when he was speaking to Barker.

“Because whichever one you keep stays a hostage. From this day forward, Reevesworth Industries will answer to Bernstein. Or the remaining man will suffer the consequences.”

Richard sighed. He narrowed his eyes, looking between Collin and émeric.

“Heads down, both of you, all the way down, if you want a prayer of being allowed to look in my face again. Don’t think you’ll be forgiven for getting kidnapped anytime soon.

Your faces are going to be pressed against the floor for a month. ”

Collin dropped his eyes. What? émeric wasn’t his… This wasn’t his master… Or… was it? He leaned forward until he was almost bent in half.

“Mikhail,” Reevesworth continued. “How much are you getting paid? One, two, million? My conglomerate is worth more than that. You won’t be the first hitman I paid off. I have a proposal. Do you want to see it?”

“What is money in comparison to control of Reevesworth Industries?” Mikhail snorted. “Choose.”

“If you think Bernstein will be as generous with you as I’m willing to be, you are mistaken. The man has cheated and shorted every supplier who has ever worked with him.”

“I’m not any supplier. I don’t sell concrete. If he doesn’t keep me happy, I will come back and make him make me happy.”

“Sounds like work. And I didn’t say I was offering money. I said I had a proposal.”

“And if I don’t take the proposal, which one will you choose, the boy or the husband.”

“If you’re planning on killing one and holding one hostage, I think you underestimate me. I’ll take a clean slate. So, do you want the proposal or not?”

There were sounds, but with his face almost pressed into his knees, Collin could see nothing.

“I’ll throw it to you,” Mr. Reevesworth said.

“No.” Mikhail’s voice cracked through the space. “Don’t throw. Bring. Here.” A boot tapped the ground.

Collin started to raise his head.

“Eyes down, boy!” Mr. Reevesworth snapped. “Who said you were allowed to look at me?”

Collin smashed his face into his knees.

There were sounds of gravel churning and a gunshot. Them a shockwave. It traveled through Collin wiping out sound, sight, and all sense of touch except the sensation of the strongest wind of his life passing over and through him.

Collin was thrown onto his side. What the hell?

He peeled his eyes open. The man who had been guarding him was flailing, hand over his eyes.

Collin rolled himself over. The man’s gun was in one hand.

Collin kicked at it. It was a bad kick, but the man was reeling.

He turned, lashing out in the wrong direction and moving away from Collin.

Collin pushed himself up on his hands and knees. Bile rolled in his stomach. His eyes swept over the courtyard. Smoke wafted through the space, hiding bits and pieces of it from view and making the rest soft with haze.

Richard was down, flat on his back, blood on his face.

émeric was fighting with the man guarding him.

Mikhail was getting to his feet, gun in hand, waving it blindly. His face was burned and dusty. He pointed the gun, mouth moving. Recoil traveled up his arm.

He’s shooting.

Collin pushed off the ground and charged. He caught Mikhail in his midsection. They went down together. Mikhail’s arms seemed to be everywhere. Collin tried for his hands, but his own were still bound together. Grabbing was hard when his one good hand was strapped to his shattered one.

They broke apart. Mikhail pulled the trigger, but he was pointing at nothing. Collin slammed his knees into Mikhail's jaw. The gun tracked toward him again. Collin swung both his hands against Mikhail’s face. Mikhail sprawled on the cracked asphalt.

Collin staggered after him. Mikhail was still trying to lift the gun. Collin dropped to his knee on Mikhail’s stomach, right at the bottom of where the edge of his bulletproof vest rode up.

Mikhail’s body jackknifed. He let go of the gun, reaching for Collin’s knee. Collin slammed his elbow into Mikhail's face.

Something hit his shoulder. He fell back on the ground. Above him was the guard that had fallen away. But the guard was already falling, clobbered from behind by émeric.

Collin rolled for Mikhail’s dropped gun. It felt light, like the clip was almost empty. He only had one hand. His other could only clumsily brace the weapon. Collin staggered toward émeric and the guard wrestling on the ground.

émeric’s eyes met his over the guard’s shoulder for a split second. émeric dropped away to the side. Collin fired.

It was point-blank range. The gun bucked in his hand, and the guard dropped. émeric pushed away the body. Collin staggered, checking for Mikhail. Found him. He lifted the gun and pulled the trigger.

Nothing. The gun was empty. Mikhail must have used all but the last bullet before Collin grabbed it.

Mikhail was blinking hard. There was blood on his mouth, but he was up and mobile, his lips moving in harsh syllables.

Silent ones. Because there was no sound in Collin’s ears.

Mikhail rushed him. Collin tried to raise his arms. They were so slow.

The force of Mikhail’s body against own sent them sprawling on the ground.

They rolled, Collin bucking, Mikhail reaching for his throat.

émeric threw himself on Mikhail from behind. Collin struggled back and brought his legs under him. émeric clamped Mikhail’s hips between his thighs, but Mikhail was punching him in the belly. A belly émeric couldn’t protect because his hands were still trapped behind him.

Collin slammed the empty gun against Mikhail’s face.

It was all he had. And the world was blurry and sick.

Just colors of dust and blood. He smashed the gun down again.

And again. Until Mikhail didn’t move. Until the need ran out.

He looked around. émeric was staggering toward Richard.

Collin tried to rise but couldn’t. On his hands and knees, he followed.

Just a few yards. But so many fragments of asphalt and bloodied grass.

Richard’s eyes were closed. émeric has his fingers against Richard’s neck. Collin reached out to touch émeric’s hand.

émeric nodded. Alive. Collin’s cracked lips parted in a smile. émeric smiled back a real smile. Collin slumped forward, his head finding a place to rest against his Master’s chest.

Alive. They could do alive.

They were all alive.