“Dad,” Curtis cried.

“It’s okay, son.” Green’s voice was too shaky to sound convincing. Ruxs wasn’t even sure he believed it.

Ruxs clenched his fist at his sides. His hand aching to reach for the weapon secreted at the base of his back.

“Didn’t expect to see me so soon, huh Detective Ruxsberg? Imagine that. Here I was, just waiting in the parking lot for you to come out, so I could kill you, when I asked this nice young man here if he knew you.” The gun pressed hard into Curtis’ temple. The attacker’s face was just barely visible behind his son’s head. “And you know what he said back to me?”

Ruxs didn’t make a sound. No one moved.

“He said, ‘Yeah, Ruxsberg and Green are my dads.’ Well, well, well. Detective Ruxsberg has a nice little family. He doesn’t care about destroying other people’s families though.”

Ruxs finally found his voice. His anger pouring off him in waves. “Jacobs, no one destroyed anything of yours, especially your family.”

“The hell you didn’t!” Jacobs barked, his voice just an octave below screeching. “You took the woman I loved. Shipped her away like she was nothing.”

Ruxs moved to step forward, his patience already gone, but Green grabbed at his arm. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Ruxs shouted. “Are you talking about my mother? She went to rehab you, asshole!”

Jacobs moved back towards his raggedy-ass Buick that was parked behind him, holding Curtis with his back tight against his chest. “I know that!” He pointed the gun at him, which was fine with Ruxs, as long as it was off of his son. “She broke up with me. Said that we couldn’t be together anymore. She was gonna get clean and … and… find her son.” Jacobs said the last words with utter disgust. “She chose you.”

Ruxs stood there with his mouth hanging slightly open. He wondered for a second if Jacob had the right woman. His mom had hated him for years. Now she’d chosen him not only over drugs but over a man too? He blinked rapidly. What the hell had his partner said to her?

“If you really love her and want to be with her, then go to rehab too. If you’re not constantly trying to pump her full of drugs when she gets home, then you might can be together. But if she knows you killed her only son and grandson, then you’ll never get that chance.”

Ruxs could hear Green talking beside him, trying to negotiate. Trying to say anything positive to get the gun away from Curtis’ head. It was going to take some work and they only had a small window of time before the parking lot held more than just the few of them. The scene would soon be flooded with officers, snipers, SWAT, and news helicopters. And there was nothing scarier than a cornered addict. Jacob was clearly high. His eyes were bloodshot, there was white salvia caked in the corners of his mouth and in the cracks in his lips. His hand was gripping the gun so hard his knuckles were white, his pointer finger hugging the trigger. One scare, or wrong move and… Oh, god. Ruxs couldn’t finish that thought.

“I’m not going to kill her grandson… or even you Ruxsberg.” Jacobs sneered nastily. “I’m going to take the one you love.”

Ruxs’ eyes widened. If this bastard thought he was going to let him shoot his partner, his best friend, his love: he had another thing coming. Ruxs’ hand inched behind him.

“Not yet.” A deep, hushed growl came from behind him. God better have a plan, because Ruxs was ready to shoot.

 

“It’s just us in this parking lot Jacobs. It’s not too late. Don’t do this. Don’t end it like this. Put the gun down. Let us get you some help, help you get your woman back.”

“Shut the fuck up, Green. I’m not listening to a dead man. She’s not coming back to me and I ain’t going to no goddamn rehab. What me and Gloria had was perfect,” Jacobs yelled, his hand shaking that pistol next to their son’s head.

Ruxs looked Curtis in the eye, held him pinned there. He had tears coming down his red cheeks but he was still as a statue except for when Jacobs jostled him. He had a dark bruise up high on his cheekbone and a cut over his right eye, just deep enough for blood to ooze down the side of his face, like Jacobs had hit him with the butt of the gun.

“Curtis, son, we’re gonna get out of this. You have to listen to me,” Ruxs spoke calmly.

“Shut up!” Jacobs yelled. Still keeping his head strategically positioned behind Curtis’

“Faster,” Day hissed behind him.

“Son. Remember all those sparring matches you watched between me and your dad in the gym?” Ruxs spoke faster.

Curtis didn’t respond but Ruxs saw his mind working. His son was brilliant; he’d pick up on what he was trying to say… he had to. Please. He has to. “Your dad has this irritating move he always does and I can never stop it. No matter how much I anticipate it, it always works.”

Ruxs saw the moment Curtis realized what he was saying. It was a risk, but this was the only way for all of them to get out of this situation, to even have a chance. He could feel Green tensed and ready next to him, could sense God, Day and Syn primed to react.

As soon as Curtis eyes closed tight and his head bent forward, Ruxs and Green both pulled their weapons at the same time Curtis slammed the back of his head into the bridge of Jacobs’ nose, stunning him. Curtis crouched slightly and rammed his sharp elbow into one of Jacobs’ ribs as hard as could. When Jacobs howled at the pain, caught off guard by the quick move, his weapon fired in their direction. He kept firing his pistol rapidly as he scrambled to get behind his car.

Ruxs and Green ducked behind the concrete pillars, but neither fired a shot, nor did their bosses behind them… not until Curtis spun out of the way and dropped down to the ground.

The next shots that were heard sounded like cannons firing. Two Desert Eagles shooting simultaneously sounded like lighting striking right beside you, producing a boom of thunder strong enough to pulverize your bones. The bullets tore into the Buick, shattering all the windows. Day was beside God, firing his chrome 9mms expertly in rapid succession, both of them moving in unison toward the large truck in the middle of the parking lot. Getting a better position. They became the notorious two-man firing squad that they were. Syn and Green fired from another angle trying to provide enough cover for Ruxs to get to Curtis, since Jacobs was now crouched behind the car, shooting aimlessly over the hood.

Ruxs was already on the ground, gravel scratching up his hands as he crab walked/ran across the parking lot over to Curtis while bullets whizzed by him. His son was yelling in pain from the noise of the gunshots. His hands were over his ears while he lay crouched in a ball on the hard concrete. More shots was fired as Ruxs threw his huge body over his son’s, covering him completely. The screech of tires barely registered in his mind seconds before he heard the loud crash of two vehicles colliding with each other. A horn blared and sirens roared in the distance.

Ruxs didn’t move, even after the gunshots had stopped, his son still crying and shaking beneath him. He didn’t move until he heard Green’s voice in his ear telling him it was all right. Strong hands were pulling at him. “It’s okay Mark. It’s over. Let him up, get off him so we can make sure he’s okay.”

Ruxs’ own body shook with nerves, fear, and sheer adrenaline. He crawled up to his aching knees and looked down at his boy. As soon as Curtis lowered his hands and looked up at them, he bolted up off the pavement and threw his arms around Ruxs and Green’s necks. Hugging them both to him, crying into their chests.

Ruxs cupped Curtis’ jaw, looking him in his watery eyes. “I’m so proud of you. I knew you’d figure out what I was saying. You were so brave.”

Curtis squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. “Dad does it fast. I was too slow, it didn’t work.”

Green chuckled softly. “Yes, it did. You were able to get away from him, that’s what that move is all about, and you did it just right. Because of you, we’re all safe.” Green hugged Curtis back to him.

“I should’ve never said I knew you guys. I went right up to him when he called me. You learn that crap in kindergarten, not to talk to strangers,” Curtis grumbled.

“Hey. You’re to never act like you don’t know us. And stop beating yourself up Curtis, you did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing. Believe me. If you did, I’d tell you,” Ruxs said in a strained voice. His emotions still too close to the surface. Shielding his son from gunfire, the threat of losing his partner… and the knowledge that his mother in rehab was fighting her battle against addiction for him. It was a lot to take in all at once.

The paramedics and fire trucks were swarming the parking lot. Ruxs stood up and took a step, his knee screaming at him to wait a minute. Green looked cautiously at him before turning his focus on Curtis. “Stay right here, we’re gonna let the paramedics look you over.”

“I’m fine,” Curtis said weakly, his hands shaking so hard, he was embarrassed and tucked them under his armpits.

“I’m glad you’re fine. But I think you might need two or three stitches over your eye.” Green was trying to convince Curtis as God and Day walked over with the paramedics. 

The two men in their dark blue uniforms bent down and asked Curtis a few mental assessment questions: had him recite who he was, what day it was, what year. They took his blood pressure, had him move several limbs, and rotate his neck before helping him to stand.

“You alright, kiddo?” God asked with concern, his voice gravelly but kind and calm, not revealing a hint of unease or anxiety. It’s what made him a great team leader.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Curtis smiled grimly while the men slowly guided him over to their transport.

Curtis tried to look around at the melee that was taking place in the parking lot. Two cars smashed together, fireman standing all around the scene. Ruxs got in Curtis’ line of sight so he didn’t see anything that would traumatize him later. Curtis looked into Ruxs’ eyes with understanding. Curtis may not know exactly what happened to that gunman. He probably had an idea, but he didn’t need an image to go along with it. The kind of image that never left your mind.

The strong man hoisted Curtis up the couple of steps and positioned him gingerly on the gurney.

“I’m fine, really. Can’t you guys just drive me?” Curtis asked shyly. Ruxs could see that Curtis didn’t want to be without them. But they needed to follow protocol. This was a hostage situation that had been resolved by the Atlanta PD. Their captain would be here any minute. After they got cleared of the shooting, they’d no doubt rush over to the hospital. It made him ache in more than just his knee to have to send Curtis alone.

“I’ll send Furi over. He can be there before they even triage him. He’ll sit with him until you guys get there,” Syn said, taking out his cell phone already making the call.

“Good idea,” Day said. “You okay with that, bud? We’ll all be over as soon as we clean up this big mess you made.” Day winked, laughing when Curtis’ eyes widened.

God popped Day hard on his shoulder.

“It was a joke. Jeesh. Lighten up,” Day grumbled, walking away.

“We’re gonna take him to Piedmont, looks like he might need a few stitches in this. And I think his wrist is sprained.” One of the men worked efficiently while the other paramedic spoke. He had a disposable ice pack on Curtis’ wrist and was already wiping at the cut over his eye.

Ruxs hissed when he heard sprained wrist. He’d probably done that himself when he’d thrown two-hundred and forty pounds on him. Green’s large hand gripped his shoulder, but Ruxs couldn’t bring himself to turn around. Curtis blamed himself, said it was his fault, but Ruxs would have to explain to Curtis later exactly why this was all his fault.