Nathan

––––––––

After Erica lunged at Mr. Hendricks’s waist, reaching for the pistol he’d pointed at their heads moments ago, Nathan swept a leg out, knocking him over.

And then the lights went out.

Hendricks flipped over, a boot connecting with Nathan’s knee.

Nathan flipped backward to get away from another kick and then landed hard on Hendricks’ chest, putting every ounce of weight on his body. He was strong, but at the pressure Nathan kept on him, he’d snap in two if he tried to get up.

Erica was scrambling around. Nathan wasn’t sure if she was looking for the gun or something else.

There was scuffling at the door. It opened and Max came inside. There were voices, one of them Sang’s.

Sang!

He did a push up off of Hendricks’s back so he could stand up, but the moment he did, Hendricks rolled over and connected again with a boot, this time at his thigh close to his groin.

Nathan flew backward, unable to ignore the pain this time, but adrenaline keeping him upright. He twisted, trying to scrape his way across the floor. The man was as strong as an ox.

Sang needed to get out. It was too dark in the area to see who left and who was still inside.

Erica broke away, heading to the foyer. “Good Max, hold him.”

Before Nathan could see what was happening, Hendricks was upright, taking another swing at Nathan. It was badly aimed, barely popping him in the shoulder.

Another body, dark, lunged at Hendricks. It gave Nathan a chance to get himself upright, hovering over the two bodies struggling on the carpet next to the broken coffee table.

The man pushed Hendricks’s face into the carpet. “Get his legs!”

Who was he?

Nathan threw himself at Hendricks’s legs, crushing them with his weight. Hendricks struggled, cursing, his body contorting as he tried to escape but the two of them managed to keep him down.

“Take the restraints in my back pocket,” the man said.

Nathan’s eyes were adjusted more, and it helped that the front door was open, casting yellowed street light glow around them. He felt for a pocket on the man on top of Hendricks, finding ties like Sang had been bound with earlier. He used one to get Hendricks’s ankles together.

Erica suddenly careened out of the foyer just as there was a sharp yelp from the dog. Morris landed on top of her, grabbing a wrist and striking out at her.

Nathan dropped Hendricks’s legs and dove at him, tackling him in the waist to bring him down.

The dog was behind them both. Morris went down, Nathan on top of him.

He banged his head on the floor, or Morris’s skull. Time slowed as all he could concentrate on was keeping Morris down, away from Erica. Shouts around him grew louder. The dog was at Morris’s ankle, biting.

The light within the space changed to brightness as a car had parked in the yard, the beams shining in the wide-open door. It was joined by flashing blue and red.

Suddenly, the dog was pulled off by strong hands and a sharp voice penetrated the space. “Get your hands where I can see them!” The authority strong and deep.

The dog continued to growl, but it was tugged away. “Nathan!” It was Kota’s voice. “Get off of him.”

“Get on the ground, kid,” the other man’s voice said.

Nathan rolled off of Morris, out of the way, and he flattened himself, looking behind, aware of what was happening, systematic after years of Academy training.

A tall man in a cop uniform came forward, pointing a gun at Morris. Kota struggled with Max, pulling him away. Erica was on the ground, crawling back to sit against the wall and remaining there.

Morris groaned and put his face to the floor. Not speaking. Not moving.

Nathan waited as he should. Hendricks continued to struggle as the man on top of him was trying to bring his arms around to the front.

Hendricks shouted angrily at his face as his wrists were bound. “You’ve no idea who you’re dealing with,” he said.

“I’ve got an idea,” the man over him said, and he rose, looking back at Nathan and then at the cop. “About time you go here, David.”

“You told me you needed back up,” the cop said. “You didn’t say that I needed back up.”

Nathan blinked at the guy standing over Hendricks, recognizing Mr. Ramirez. What was he doing here? The cop he didn’t know, but didn’t they tell him they didn’t want police involved?

However, he wouldn’t complain. They stopped them. That was everything they needed.

Ramirez hauled Hendricks up, shoving him onto the couch so he was upright. “Stay there.”

Hendricks glared at him. “I want my lawyer.”

“You’ll get one,” Ramirez said, he went to Morris, putting a hand on his arm. “Do I need to tie you up, too, or are you going to behave now?”

“Get him in cuffs,” the cop said. He kept his gun on Morris while Ramirez approached and got him to stand. “I’m going to have to anyway when I take them out of here.” He looked over his shoulder at Kota. “Anyone else here?”

“My sister,” he said. “She’s probably in her room.”

“Once he’s bound, come with me to find her.” He nodded to Nathan and then Erica. “I need both of you outside. Stand in the light where I can see you.”

Nathan rose slowly, keeping his hands visible but did as he was told. It was odd the cop was alone. But if Ramirez called him in, maybe they weren’t expecting a fight like this when they arrived.

As soon as Nathan could, he joined Erica, throwing an arm around her shoulders and walked out with her.

Erica was breathless, shaking. “Thank god,” she said. “Thank god you were here...”

“I’m sorry,” Nathan said. “I didn’t know they’d come here. I didn’t think they’d ever dare.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Long story,” he said. “And I promise, we’ll tell you.” She didn’t deserve to be in the dark after all this. She hadn’t deserved it before.

He turned as Kota was coming out with Jessica. He urged her to join their mother and Nathan as he went back inside.

Jessica ran to them. Erica drew herself away, opening her arms for her daughter and pulled her in. She kissed her on the head as she squeezed her. “Baby,” she said and she sighed.

Nathan spun around, looking out at the yard and then to Jessica. “Where did Sang go?”

“She ran out,” Jessica said.

“I saw her,” Erica said. “Before the cop showed up. She ran down the road and then the guy came in. The one that—” She turned toward the house. “Who is he, anyway?”

Nathan stepped away from her, looking around the yard, scanning the tree line across the street, his house... “Sang?” he bellowed.

Suddenly, Jessica’s phone was ringing. Erica took it from her daughter and answered it. “I don’t know who this is but we’re bu...Sang?”

Nathan reactively took the phone from Erica and held it to his ear. “Sang, where are you?”

“At the diner,” she said. “I’m fine. The cops are there?”

“Yes. Stay where you are. I’ll get someone to go to you.”

“Are you okay?”

His body ached all over. He hadn’t had time to inspect for damage but he was upright, she was safe, Erica and everyone else was okay. “We’re fine,” he said. “Kota’s here. The others should be here soon. Don’t go anywhere.” He paused. “Wait, whose phone are you using?”

“Danielle’s,” she said. “She’s here.”

God damn it. “Okay. Just...stay with her.”

“What about the police?” she whispered into the phone.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll...try to keep you out of it.” He looked over at Erica. “We’ll try.”

Erica raised an eyebrow but nodded. She was amazing. After Hendricks started waving a gun around, and he grabbed at her, she flipped him, breaking the coffee table.

But why did the lights go out? Did she do that, too? During the entire struggle, he wasn’t sure how everything happened. Or why Ramirez showed up.

Kota remained in the house. Nathan wanted to go in, too, but he didn’t want to leave Erica and Jessica alone out here. Answers would need to wait until they dealt with Hendricks and Morris.

When Nathan hung up on Sang, Erica asked, “Are you going to tell me about this?” she asked. “Tell me why Sang was being forcefully removed by the principal?”

He was sure they would have to. There was no way they could hide this now. The Academy. The truth. Everything. “When they’ve gone,” he said. “When we’re settled here. I’ll tell you. Kota will, too. I’m sure.”

She nodded, her lips pursed.

Nathan only hoped she’d believe them, especially after the years of half-truths they’d built up with her.