Chapter 33

“This never gets easier,” Aiden grumbled as he paced in the middle of the kitchen.

“You should try eating,” Sage said and Aiden shook his head.

“My stomach is a mess. Does your stomach feel like this?” He asked and Sage nodded.

“It does but I was hoping I could distract myself by making you something to eat,” he admitted.

“After we know it’s over,” Aiden said then paused as his eyes landed on Reginald’s laptop. “He left it unlocked in case we needed to adjust the security systems or check on the baby,” he mumbled as he hurried around the counter and into the living room.

“There’s an army of police officers around the house. Lane did a pretty good job,” Sage said as he leaned over the counter.

“He’s set up to communicate with them,” Aiden explained as he grabbed it and rushed back to the kitchen and put it on the counter. He opened it and Sage rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“What if you do something and it distracts them or messes something up?” He asked and Aiden shook his head as he opened the program Reginald showed him.

“I don’t have a microphone. All we can do is listen in,” he explained and Sage shook his head harder.

“We’re not going to understand what’s happening. It’s just going to sound like our worst nightmares,” he warned and Aiden groaned as he shook out his hands. His heart was beating so fast and his face and hands felt cold and numb.

“I know you’re right but I don’t want to wait to know. Not if I can be with them now,” he argued and Sage smiled sympathetically.

“I get that but what if it’s too overwhelming for you?” He said and Aiden swallowed hard.

“It’s not just Lane. Paul’s my friend and I still care about him. And I care about Jeremy. I don’t really like Reginald but I don’t want him to get hurt. You didn’t see Paul’s face when they took him. I don’t want to see him like that again,” he said quickly as a wild rush of pain and anxiety spilled through him. “I’m already overwhelmed. If you don’t want to listen, I’ll plug in my headphones,” he offered and Sage clenched his jaw as he stared at the computer.

“I can’t let you listen alone,” he said then waved for Aiden to turn on the volume.

“I have him,” Paul said and Sage reached for Aiden’s arm and squeezed it.

“See. I bet the worst’s just about over,” he whispered but Aiden was too focused to respond. There was a series of loud pops and Sage swore under his breath as he pushed his hands through his hair.

“I’m going to switch to rifle, everyone stay along the south side of the room. I want to give them cover so they can make it down,” Paul announced.

“They’re still in the hangar,” Aiden whispered then jumped when Paul yelled for them to move and there were loud cracks of thunder. Sage jumped and swallowed a shriek.

“Oh, my God!” He whisper screamed.

“We stand here. Don’t let anything get through that door, Paul. Lane and I will cover the wall,” Lavender said and Aiden didn’t like it. If they were pinned inside the hangar, between entry points, they’d be at a serious disadvantage if the numbers were against them.

“Those trucks are packed, twelve or fourteen men in each. You’ve got about fourteen seconds before they’re coming in,” a voice announced and Aiden’s eyes swung to Sage’s. He held his breath as his brain immediately counted down and nausea and fear burst within him as the speaker began to crackle and the sound bars on the screen jumped wildly. Aiden clutched his head as he tried to listen through the madness. It was like static, the shots were so loud and so close. He could hear the pinging of hard metal and bullets punching into softer metal. Men were screaming but they sounded farther away. It was all so fast and muddled as Aiden’s anxiety exploded.

“There’s too many! It’s too much!” He whispered loudly as he braced his hands on the counter. His eyes were glued to the screen as he begged for it to stop.

“Get back!” Lavender ordered and Sage gasped softly.

“No!” Someone screamed and Aiden’s eyes burned as he waited.

“Paul!” Lavender yelled and Aiden clapped his hand over his mouth. “Be still,” he commanded. “Hold him down or he’ll bleed out,” Lavender shouted and Aiden held on tight as he screamed into his palm. If he let the scream loose, he wouldn’t be able to stop it. The noise from the laptop became even more frantic and furious as Aiden fought the hysterical urge to howl and rip his hair out. He wanted it to stop so badly. He felt like he was going to die, he couldn’t live through another minute of the fear and not knowing. Then, the popping fell to short bursts and sounded like they were focused away from Lavender’s microphone. “We need an airlift, Denver,” Lavender shouted. “Tell them it’s a gunshot wound to the chest,” he added. Aiden dropped onto the stool and Sage grabbed his hand as they stared at Reginald’s laptop on the counter.

“Who is it?” Aiden breathed in desperate terror. Don’t let it be him. It was the most selfish thought Aiden could ever imagine and he put his entire soul into it as he waited.

“Don’t let Zubkov get away and make sure the hospital’s ready for a patient with Reginald’s blood type,” Lavender added and Sage caught Aiden as a massive sob rushed from him.

“It’s ok!” Sage cried as he held him. He was crying too but Aiden shook his head. Sage couldn’t understand.

“It’s not!” He gasped as his chest heaved and he held on to Sage. “I never would have felt like this!” He said between shuddering breaths. “I don’t want to feel like I’m going to die if Lane dies. I don’t want to have friends and be scared like this!”

“I know,” Sage said soothingly and Aiden leaned back and searched his face.

“No! You knew Jeremy was ok. I didn’t know if it was Lane or Paul or Reginald. I didn’t know and I wished for it to be Paul or Reginald!” Aiden admitted as he fisted his hand in the front of his hoodie as the pain became overwhelming. “I couldn’t handle the thought of it being Lane so I begged for it to be my friend or the man he loves. How could I do that?” He asked and Sage’s lip trembled as tears spilled from his eyes.

“Because anybody would,” he said. “Anyone with a heart would do the exact same thing and feel just this miserable,” Sage insisted as he cupped Aiden’s cheek. “It’s your heart. It’s breaking but we’re going to get through this together. Jeremy’s going to do everything he can to help Reginald and this will all be over soon.” He gave him a reassuring smile then pulled him into a hug. Aiden’s nostrils flared as he breathed through another wave of grief.

“I didn’t have a heart before I met Lane. I didn’t have friends and I didn’t feel like this. I don’t want this anymore. I want my old heart back,” Aiden said and he felt Sage sigh.

“I’m so sorry, I know this hurts like hell but that’s the whole point. Having a heart and having friends is what gives us a reason to keep going and keep fighting. You wouldn’t want your life if Lane wasn’t in it and you’re stuck with us,” he said. Aiden frowned as he considered.

“I don’t think love and friendship is supposed to be this dangerous,” he said and Sage chuckled softly.

“Have you met us? We’re a pretty fucked up cocktail of individuals,” he pointed out. “We can’t seem to do anything the way normal people would.”