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“They’re onto us. We gotta pick it up, Sam.”
Adam breathed deeply. It feels different being on the other side of the car chase. It feels scary, the adrenaline pumping, the faint light you can see at the end of the tunnel. The very long, long tunnel. The light that is safety, getting away.
Yet this time it also feels a little satisfying. Now, he can see his friend’s, whom he has known for more than 10 years, car in his rear view mirror. He can see the light at the end of his tunnel, one that’s different than Samantha’s. That’s different than most criminals in a car chase. That light being his family. Kim, Makayla. Getting to have uninterrupted pizza nights. Getting to read not one but two books and tell bedtime stories without a worry. Getting to go to sleep and waking up next to the love of his life. The one that has gotten him through Hell and back. The one who has, even though he hasn’t known, felt the same way towards him that he has to her for years. Getting his life back, that’s the light at the end of his tunnel.
.
It had been a grueling three weeks since Samantha’s dad finally let him in and gave him a glimpse of the end. Ever since then, he has basically been full undercover. After knowing Samantha had followed him, he camps out at his old undercover apartment, to not only keep his cover but also keep his family safe. That has been hard on Kim, and Makayla. Kim reassures Makayla that it’s temporary and for work, but she can tell that the girl misses him. Kim misses him too. Juggling work, being a mom, and therapy sessions was chaotic and sometimes unmanageable. Thankfully, Kevin and Trudy pitching in allowed Kim to make her appointments, but it was still wearing on her, and Adam could tell through the texts and calls. She would often fall asleep while on the phone or facetime at night, to which Adam would sometimes just watch her methodical breathing to make sure she was sleeping peacefully. He would hate for Kim to have a panic attack alone with Mak. It would make him regret doing all of this. Of taking this undercover job. It would make him regret it more than he already does.
On the night of May 27, as Kim was texting Adam about her day and what the therapist said at her session, Sam called Adam to give a meeting location. Upon arriving, he was greeting with 50 other men and around 20 delivery trucks. Shocked to see the enormity of this plan, he spotted Sam and her son near the end of the warehouse. After making his way to them, he questioned what was going down. Sam replied that it’s time and for him to get in the driver side of on of the trucks. Before he could ask any questions, Samantha insisted that that was all he needed to know and to not ask any questions. Adam complied and as he got in the truck, everyone else followed suit. Sam gave Callum and hug and whispered something into his ear before he ran away and out of Adam’s sight. Sam got into the passenger side door and gave Adam an address, one that was in Houston, Texas. Adam figured he was going to get any answers at least until he got closer to the destination and started to drive off. however, he felt confident that they wouldn’t make it. The car was heavy, indicating that something was in the back of the truck. And unbeknownst to Sam, there was a tracker on the bottom of the truck that he placed before stepping in. That tracker would alert Intelligence and they would be on their trail in hours. Adam could faintly see the light.
The drive was peaceful until now. The trucks followed Adam until it reached near daylight. They then started splitting off the interstate, going in different directions. Sam was on and off asleep. When she was awake, she was fidgeting in her seat, texting Callum, and looking at the gps, making sure they would be arriving in due time. Adam tried asking Samantha what was going on, but Sam herself didn’t have much answers. All she knew was to meet her dad in Houston, Texas, with the truck. Instructions would follow once they arrived.
After passing the last toll booth before entering Kentucky, Adam heard a faint sound of hope. So faint that he thought he was hallucinating at first. It was the sound of a distant cop siren. One that plays on his Jeep. One that indicates that someone on the road is about to be stopped. And after seeing the front of Kevin’s car with the flashing lights and sounding siren, he knew it was the car he was driving that was going to be stopped.
.
“What do we do, what do we do Adam??!” Samantha frantically spoke, half-yelled. Her eyes were bugged, and she kept looking back and forth from Adam to the cop car gaining speed on them.
Adam grunted, thinking. He knew this was his chance, he just had to make it believable. “We can’t our drive them. They’re onto us. We gotta run away from them.”
Samantha nodded, agreeing with Adam. He could tell she was skeptical, especially because they would be leaving the truck, but he assumed she figured it be bette than to be caught with whatever’s in the back.
“Once I stop this car, we spit up. Harder to catch two. They won’t suspect it. Run as fast as you can. Meet up back at the warehouse. Make sure you aren’t tailed. We come up with a plan when we see each other. Don’t get caught.” Adam barked orders as he was dodging cars, heading toward a neighborhood. He knew it would be convincing because there are many alleyways and side roads to turn off into.
Samantha pursed her lips, breathing in the last peaceful breaths she would get before filling them up as she ran. “My father’s going to hate this.”
“Well, it’s all we got.” Adam said as was headed toward an alleyway. It dead ended but there seemed to be fended that they both could jump over to run to safety. “When I stop, Sam, you go. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
Just as Adam was about to turn, another car full of flashing lights and sirens came whirling out of nowhere to block him off. It was another familiar car with another familiar person in it. the person who feels everything back. the person who loves him just as much as he does her. Kim.
Adam cursed under his breath. One, because he had to swerve and stop sideways in order to prevent from hitting Kim. Two, because he wanted Kim as far away from this case as possible. He needed her to go home to their kid. He needed her to stay alive.
Before the truck even came to a stop, Adam was jumping out of the truck, Sam following suit.
“Go. Run!” Adam yelled, pushing Sam off into one direction while running the opposite way. Sam took off and never looked back. She was on a mission to finish her task. To meet back up with Adam and figure out a plan. To make it out alive so she would never have to do this again and live peacefully with her son.
Just as they took off, Kim came to a halt and got out of her car. She began running off towards Sam.
“5021, Eddie. I have two offenders running down East Crossings street. Male, female. white. All black clothing. Plain clothes officer in pursuit.”
As all of this was happening, Kevin’s car pulled up and Kevin and Hailey jumped out. They both chased Adam out of initial sight of the scene.
“Stop running. Stop!” Hailey yelled for safe measure, to keep in act. Once they were out of sight, they stopped and paused.
“You okay?” Kevin asked, making sure Adam was fine from last night. He handed him his gun as well.
Adam nodded. “yeah. We’ll all three split and catch Sam from making out.” He half said, half yelled. He was already running away, turning left to cut in and hopefully catch Sam and cut her off. Kevin and Hailey followed, each taking an alleyway.
Kim’s adrenaline was pumping. She was right on Sam’s tail, all the while screaming for her to stop. All she could think of was catching her and bringing her in. Talking to her to get her to flip. This time they would be successful. They would bring down her dad this time. And then Adam can finally come home. to her and her daughter. That was all the motivation she needed to keep running.
Adam kept turning and twisting in and out of the alleyways. He saw Kim and Samantha turn off to the right, so he knew he was close in catching them. He just had to run faster. However, once he turned right down another road, he saw and heard the worst.
“Please, Sam. I have a family.”
With Samantha standing over Kim. Kim sitting on the pavement, one hand up as a plea and a cocked gun point right between her eyes. Kim must’ve fell and Sam took the opportunity.
Everything flashed before Adam’s eyes. The stories from Kim from where she fought for her and her partner’s lives in the warehouse 8 years ago. To their first “I love you’s.” To just over a year ago where Kim was likely in this same situation. To over a month ago, where they were finally getting back to where things were before all of the trauma. Before all of the pain, and loss, and turmoil, and heartache.
“NO!”
Just as Sam was about to pull the trigger, she turned around to the sound of a yell and Adam’s gun pointed at her. To her shock, she looked down and noticed a flashy, gold badge on his hip.
“What…” Sam couldn’t even find words. She kept her gun cocked, now pointed at Adam. “You’re… You’re a cop?!”
“Yes. Sam. I am. I am a cop now I need you to put the gun down.”
“But.. but I can’t. I can’t believe it.” Sam uttered, half confused, half angry. She felt all the emotions swirling inside of her. She couldn’t believe it. The man whom she trusted. The man who she brought to her dad, one who hung around her son, was a cop. Was a liar. She felt betrayed, like an idiot.
Yet, she began to see the faint light, at the end of her tunnel.
“Samantha, put the gun down.” Adam warned, never losing sight of her and her gun.
Samantha didn’t even hear Adam she was so lost in her thoughts. She began slightly pacing, staring the ground, trying to put the pieces together. That’s why he knew so much and was so calm all the time. She still couldn’t believe it.
“You lied to me. You lied to Callum.” Samantha accused Adam, looking disgusted. She put her free hand to her head, trying to understand what all was happening before remember who was behind her.
“And you…”
Before Sam could even lift her gun back up at Kim, Adam was between the two women, gun pointed right at Samantha’s heart.
“Don’t you dare pull the trigger. Sam. Or I will drop you dead.”
“Excuse me. You’re the one who lied to me. You’re the one in the wrong. I trusted you, Adam. If that’s even your real name.” Sam had tears in her eyes. She didn’t know what to believe any more.
Adam saw Hailey in the distance making her way quietly in line of a shot. She gave her the subtlest look before focusing back on Samantha. He decided to take a different approach.
He looked her in her eyes and held up his gun, arms in surrender.
“Adam.” Kim called out in fear. She received a gesture from him saying that he had it under control. As much as she wanted to believe him, she couldn’t help but still panic internally. Her breathing picked up.
“Okay, Sam. See. I don’t want to hurt you.” Adam said, putting the gun in his belt.
Sam scoffed. “that’s not what you said a second ago.”
“Yeah you’re right,” Adam replied. “But that’s because you pointed your gun at my partner. My friend… my… the love of my life.” Adam had to choke out the words. He hasn’t said them out loud in a while, and it seemed like a strange place to say it. But he had a tactic to getting Sam to surrender.
Sam took her stare off Adam for a second and glanced to Kim, who was still in her seated position. Her face was full of shock though. But not one that said Adam was lying. One that showed surprise, and also a little scared.
“Sam.” Adam said, bringing her back to him. “Look at me. I went undercover not to bust you or catch your son. No, I did it to catch your father. The one in control. The one who’s running this crime. The one you’re so afraid of that you can’t even speak freely around him. Sam, I want to get you out of this mess. I want you to be able to live with Callum stress free without taking orders from someone. Without living in fear. Please, Sam, I want the best for you.”
Sam fixed her eyes on Adam, tears starting to well up.
“That woman behind me. That’s Kim. We’ve been on and off for a while. A long while. But we’re finally back together again. And we’re raising a ten year old daughter. Her name’s Makayla. She loves ice skating, and dancing, and sleepovers. We eat pizza on Fridays, and I take her to get chinese food if she gets a good grade on her tests. Sam, I’m telling you this because I couldnt tell you before. I couldn’t because I had a job to do. But I want you to know. I want you to see what life you can have. You just have to drop the gun.”
Tears began to flow from Sam’s eyes as she looked at Adam’s pleasing face. She knew he was telling the truth, and the light at the end of the tunnel was getting brighter and closer.
Adam begged once last time, “Please, Sam. Put down the gun. Do it for you and Callum.”
Sam began to sob as her shaking hand lowered her weapon. she dropped it to the ground and buried her head in her hands.
Adam wrapped his hands gently on her back, comforting her and turning her around. He motioned for Hailey to come closer. He walked and guided Sam toward Hailey.
“You did real good, Sam. Real good. Now I want you to go with Hailey, and I’ll see you in a bit. okay?”
Sam half nodded, taking Hailey’s hand and walking towards her. Before walking away, she mumbled just under her breath, only for Adam to hear. “Thank you.”
As Hailey and Sam walked back through the alleys back to the cars, he couldn’t help but think that it was all almost over. All he had to do was come up with a plan with the team to bring down Sam’s dad. He got her to flip. Now, he just needed a plan. He could see his light getting closer and closer.
As he was watching Hailey and adam disappear down the street he heard his name.
“Adam.”
As he turned back around he saw another horrific scene in front of him.
Kim standing before him with Richard right behind her. His arm wrap around her chest holding onto her vest, the other pointing a gun to her temple.
Kim’s terrified eyes. Her frozen stance contrasted with Richard’s comfort. He seemed amused.
Adam immediately reached and pointed his gun at his opponent’s face. It was hard because he was using the love of his life as a shield. That light was slowly getting dimmer.
“Ah, ah. Not so fast, there, Adam.” Richard smirked as he tightened his grip on Kim. She grimaced.
“What are you doing here, Richard?” Adam remained pointed at Richard.
“You didn’t think I would track your every move?” Richard huffed out a laugh. “I saw everything. You filling my daughter’s head with lies. You bring a cop. Well now it’s my turn. It’s all over.”
Richard leaned back and laughed. Kim knew she couldn’t fight back without receiving a bullet to her head, or Adam’s. All she could do was watch in fear, and hope Adam would find an opportunity. Adam’s grip on his gun tightened, he hated being taunted by him. He just couldn’t get a clear shot.
“What do you want Rich?” Adam interrupted. “Eh, what do you want in your life? What do you want to do?”
“I want my life back. That’s what I want.” Richard replied, serious, his voice picking up. “I want power.”
Adam could see it in his eyes. “Fine. You want power, control? You got it. Just take it and leave, and never enter this city again.” He repositioned his grip. “I won’t bring you in. Just leave Samantha and Kim out of all this. Let you and me talk.”
Richard turned up the corners of his lips. “Nah, nah. That ain’t how it works, kid. You’re gonna pay. You’re gonna pay for lying to me this whole time. For manipulating my family. For ruining my plans.”
“Drop the gun and get on your knees.” Richard spat out.
Adam hesitated, not wanting to lose an opportunity to protect Kim and kill thus bastard. He looked to Kim, who was managing to breathe, trying to prevent herself from having a panic attack. Her grip on Richard’s arm were solid.
Richard’s voice grew. “Drop to your knees or I kill her.” He repositioned his gun to under her jaw. He pulled the safety, and dead stared at Adam.
Knowing the seriousness, Adam surrendered. “Okay, okay. I’m doing it.” Putting both hands up, he slowly set the gun to the ground before sitting up and looking up at Richard and Kim.
“That’s it. Good boy.”
Adam pursed his lips, the fear creeping in. “Look, Kim had nothing to do with this. Let her go. This is between me and you.”
“Ah, no. You see, this has everything to do with her. Because you love her so much. She’s the key. She’s the key to you doing exactly what I want.” Richard replied.
“C’mon, it doesn’t have to be this way.” Adam pleaded.
Richard huffed. “You see, Adam. It does. It does because you betrayed me. You betrayed my team. My family. And now, I have to pick up the pieces. I’m just trying to figure out how.”
“You see. This whole time, I thought you were tough. I thought you were rock solid. Had no fear. No mistakes. Did everything right. Crossed all the I’s, dotted all the T’s. I thought you were my boy. Thought nothing could cause you to stumble. You were my stone cold boy. Yet, you have shown me your greatest weakness. I think I have my hands on the one thing that brings meaning to your life. I’ve got the one person you value most. So now I have control.” Richard placed his hand on Kim’s shoulder and gripped it, making her and Adam wince.
“Please, Richard. Please, just let her go. You can do whatever you want with me, just please. Please. Let her go home.” Adam begged, a tear falling down his cheek.
“No, Adam —“Kim managed to get the words out before she was shushed by Richard.
“Shhhh. Hush, there, darlin’.” He gently brushed her face, moving the hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. Kim’s eyes followed Richard’s gun-filled hand but never gave in to her fear.
“Kim. Kim. You mustn’t get involved in men’s affairs. Let us handle business. It’ll all be over soon. So shut up before I end your ability to speak.” Richard whispered in Kim’s ear. Kim thought she was going to vomit from disgust. She tried to remain calm, not letting him get the satisfaction of her sorrow.
Adam’s blood began to boil. He couldn’t stand seeing Richard hold Kim. He needed to do something, anything. The light was becoming more faint by the second.
Richard turned his attention back to Adam. “Now, where we’re we before we were so rudely interrupted.” He suddenly turned angry as he grasped Kim’s neck in a chokehold, leaving Kim with minimal air to breathe.
“Ah, yes. As much as I would love to fulfill your wishes, I’m afraid I can’t. I already have plans of my own that I think are a lot more fun. You see, I saw you squeeze your way into my family. I saw you work Sam, Callum. You built up his trust and betrayed him. You filled Samantha’s head with lies and doubts about me. Well now it’s my turn. It’s my turn to watch your life crumble, like you did mine. I’m going to make you watch your family fall apart. I’m going to make her life so miserable that you’ll be begging for me to end her life before watching you beg for yours. That’s how I’m going to make this right. So now, how bout a little fun?”
Richard moved his gun-filled hand to wrap around Kim’s neck while moving the other down her vest and to her pants. She grimaced, closing her eyes. She finally let her emotions win, letting a single tear fall from her eye. She couldn’t help but close her eyes in order to avoid watching Adam’s face. She didn’t want to watch him react to her being raped. She couldn’t bear to see him. Thoughts filled her mind. Thoughts of the first time Adam and Kim went to Molly’s together to talk about coping through firing a weapon. To the first night he slept over at her apartment after confessing his feelings to her. To the countless dinners, I love you’s, and drives to work. To the first night in the hospital after the miscarriage, him holding her hand the whole night. To him being the only constant in her life. The only person to believe in her and never question her ability as a cop. and a mom. To Makayla, and how she will be an orphan yet again after today. To how Mak will have to grow up wondering what she did to deserve losing two sets of parents. All the thoughts were racing through her mind. She tried to remind herself to breathe through the pain.
Adam’s frustration was exploding inside his body. To watch this bastard about to molest the love of his life right in front of him while he couldn’t do anything was about to kill him.
Richard’s smirk got bigger and bigger as his hand was lowering. Just as he was about to grip Kim’s groin, he stopped.
A gunshot went off.
Kim recoiled, expecting to feel the similar coldness she felt a little over a year ago. Adam frantically stood up. Richard’s body went limp and his eyes shot wide. He tried to speak but all that could come out was blood. He began falling forward into Kim, the life draining from his body. Kim quickly got out of the way, letting Richard’s heavy body drop to the ground. Both Adam and Kim turned to the person who fired to see their best friend down the alley. Kevin.
Adam and Kim looked at each other and instantly closed the gap between the two of them. They hugged, Kim squeezing all the space between them while Adam stroked her hair.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Adam nuzzled into Kim’s neck. He felt extremely guilty.
Kevin went to check on Richard’s body for a pulse. There was none.
Kim let go and stared into Adam’s eyes. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s over now.”
Kim caressed Adam’s face, rubbing her thumb on his cheek. She began to say something before being interrupted.
“No!”
Adam turned around to the sound of the voice before being meeting with a gunshot and the wind knocked out of him.
It was Callum. Holding a shotgun and aiming for Adam.
Adam felt numb. He felt sleepy. He felt like he couldn’t control his body. The sky slowly become his line of focus as he started falling. The person next to him, Kim, caught him and tried help lowering him to the ground.
“No, no, no. Adam” Kim exclaimed. “Adam. Adam. Are you okay?”
“Hey! Put the gun down or I will shoot!” Kevin screamed, jolting Callum’s attention to him. Scared, he quickly dropped his gun and froze, his two small hands up in the air. Kevin ran to him and kicked the shotgun away before grabbing Callum and subduing him with handcuffs to the nearby fence. Callum’s tears filled his eyes as he was staring at Richard.
“Grandpa…”
Adam coughed, trying to gain more air in his lungs, which were increasingly hard to do. Kim pressed on the hole in Adam’s body that was spilling blood, trying to sustain his life. Pressing down on Adam’s shoulder couldn’t help but bring back up past trauma. Her breathing picked up.
Kevin walked back to his friends. “5021 David I got an offender dead. One subdued and an officer down. I need an ambo to 5th Ave East now.”
Once Kevin reached the pair he knelt and placed a hand on each of them. “I going to flag down the ambo.” Kim nodded, letting Kevin go.
No matter how much she pressed, the blood didn’t stop spilling. “Jesus, why won’t this stop?!”
“They’re probably hollow bullets…” Adam spoke, his voice getting raspy.
“What?! What does that mean?!” Kim asked.
“They’re, hollow bullets. Not, not fun. Not good.” Adam mumbled out. The air was getting hard to breathe, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and go to sleep in the darkness
He shakily reached for Kim’s hands, which were covered in his blood. He looked at her, catching her attention. “Hey, Kim. If I… don’t have the… chance to tell you…” He started drifting.
“No,” Kim exclaimed. “No, you are going to make it through this. And you are going to live a long life. Full of laughs, and hope, and me. Us. We’re going to have the proposal, the wedding, and family. All of it. And you are going to live, Adam. You’re going to live because I need you. I need you to live. Mak needs you to live.” Kim’s eyes began to fill with salty water.
Adam let out a huff and a slight smile, his eyes fluttering.
Kim swallowed, letting the emotions get to her. “I, I love you, Adam.”
Adam smiled. His cold body began to feel warm inside. He closed his eyes and reached for Kim’s cheek, wiping away the tears. He caressed Kim’s face and slowly pulled her in for a kiss. Her soft lips was the one feeling he held onto.
“I —“
Adam didn’t finish his sentence. His arm went limp and slid to the ground.
“No, Adam. Adam stay with me. You stay with me Adam, you fight. Stay with me, Adam.” Kim’s voice grew as she began to panic. She stared at Adam, looking for sign of life as the faint sounds of sirens became louder and louder.
All Adam could focus on was the sound of sirens. And the light at the end of the tunnel becoming clear again. He could see it out in the distance. The sounds kept getting louder, yet more muffled. He heard faint voices, but it was as if he was underwater. But the light. The light kept getting closer and brighter. And closer and brighter. Until it all became light.