Page 38 of Xane

“How the fuck did we miss it,” Fawkes growls.

“We weren’t paying attention,” Neo states and his voice sounds closer than the others.

His head pops around the corner of the bar.“All good?”

“Yeah.What happened?”I ask.

“They took out the camera and cut the electricity.”Neo thumbs his phone before putting it back into his pocket when he raises his voice to say, “Alerted Prez.”

“Let’s hope they’re wrapping shit up and coming this way fast,” Stellan rumbles.“I saw six fuckers jumping the gate before they shot at the clubhouse.”

Another loud blast cracks through the air and instantly the sound of gunfire is added.I slam both my arms over my head and curl into a ball.This cannot be happening.All this time I was worried about Grayer being safe, not giving a single thought about my own safety.Well, I guess Grayer did because why else would he have made me wear a Kevlar vest?

I whimper and try to block out the ongoing gunfire.Something is tapping my shoulder and when I ignore it, I feel someone gripping it and give me a harsh shake.Neo’s voice penetrates through the havoc, and I lower my arms to glance at him.

He shoves a gun in my hands.“The safety is off.Point and shoot at anyone you don’t know, okay?”

At a time like this I guess it doesn’t matter if I’ve never fired a gun in all my damn life.Point and shoot is valid advice and I guess it’s the basic info I need.Fuck.I seriously hope I won’t need it.

The bottles of booze shatter and I’m holding the gun while covering my face with my arms.Neo jumps up from behind the bar, fires off a few rounds and ducks.My heart is racing while I stare at Neo doing the same thing over and over until he has to change the magazine of his gun.

Something warm drips on my face and when I wipe it away I notice it’s blood.I release a soft curse when I check my arms and notice the shards of glass.I didn’t feel it when they sliced my skin, and now is not the time to pull out the two shards still embedded in my arm.I don’t have anything to treat the wounds and have no clue how deep they’re lodged in there.

Neo grunts and slams back against the refrigerator before his ass lands on the floor.The gun he was holding falls from his hand when he reaches for his throat.Blood gushes through his fingers and now I’m cursing for a completely different reason.

I grab the cloth from its hook and place the gun next to my knee as I press down on the bullet wound in Neo’s neck.His eyes are wide and he’s trying to breathe or talk but all he’s able to is gurgle blood.The single look I got of the wound is enough for me to know he won’t make it.

My heart is hurting and I’m whispering words of comfort, telling him help is on the way and that he’s going to make it.Years of training and working at the ER allows me to stay strong and give him comfort while his life slips away.

“Step away,” a voice with a strong Mexican accent orders me.

I glance up to see a man holding a gun at Fawkes’s head.Fawkes is staring at Neo and the pain is vivid.I don’t want to let go of the cloth, knowing Neo will die either way, but wanting to keep him here every damn second we still have with him.

“Now,” the man snarls.

As if on cue Fawkes jerks to the left and at the same time Neo raises his arm and fires off two rounds.The man goes down and Fawkes rushes forward.

“Neo.Fuck.”Fawkes reaches out but has no clue what to do.

Neo blinks slowly, his mouth surrounded by blood twitches at the corner...and then he simply stares straight ahead of him while his body goes slack.

“No,” I croak on a whisper and let the cloth fall from my hand.

Fawkes curses at the sight of Neo’s wound.He grabs my shoulder and pulls me up.

I’m about to rip away from his grip when he grits, “He’s gone, but I need you to check on Stellan.”

Following Fawkes around the bar, I stumble to a stop when I see the floor littered with men.All of them covered with bullet wounds, either to the chest or in the head.Groaning draws my attention and I jump into action.Stellan has been shot in the leg and in the belly, right where the Kevlar vest ends.

I don’t take my eyes off his wounds and snap at Fawkes, “I need your belt.Now.And get me my damn bag.”

He rips his belt out in one smooth move and hands it to me as he rushes off.I quickly slide it around Stellan’s leg to make a tourniquet, hoping help is on the way or we’re going to lose another member of my newfound family.