Last time-
He unlocked his door and walked in only to be pulled in and punched in the face.
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Also quick warning ⚠️ the first part of this chapter is just full of abuse
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Matt's POV

I fell to the floor as I heard the door close. "Where were you, you piece of shit." My father spat you can smell the alcohol from his breath "At a friend's place." I said I held my hand to where I was hit. Dear old dad gripped my neck and started to drag me around the house "Not good enough you bitch." He said I started clawing at his hands to let my go I couldn't breathe. He threw me down the stairs into the concrete basement. That's gonna hurt in the morning. I heard him walking down the stairs I hear mom coming as well. "Oh my poor baby are you okay?" She didn't care "We heard you were in an accident at the carnival," she fake pouted, just kill me already "We just wanna make sure your okay." Dad pulled me up and punched me in the stomach I fall again "I'm not done with you." I get pulled to my feet again. I see a cigarette I started to shake my head no. "Please no I'll do anything." I started "Shut up." She smacked my face and lifted my shirt he held my arms against the wall and stepped on my shoes keeping me in place. She pressed the cigarette against my chest I started screaming but it was muffled because of him they did it so many times I couldn't keep count. I started to struggle trying to get away. They continued to beat me in any way, shape, or form. I could barely breathe they walked upstairs I heard the door closed I see Skip walking to me. I pet his fur "Glad you're safe buddy," I muttered "Lets get you something to eat." I held onto the wall as I walked up the stairs. I don't know how but I made to the kitchen and fed Skip. I barely walked to the bathroom I pulled out a first aid kit and started to patch my self up. I walked back to my room, changed my clothes, crawled in bed and just stayed there and cried. "I'm just a useless piece of shit." I cried I pulled open the drawer and took out my trusty razor. I started making cuts

1
2
3
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5
I carved words into my skin
Useless
Bitch
Asshole
Piece of shit
Worthless
Just die

Blood started to drip on my bed I went to the bathroom to clean up and wrap my wrists. How could Nate fall in love me? I'm useless, worthless, all I do is just cry I always need someone to save me. The heard the door knob juggle. They're here. They started to walk up the stairs and entered my room. Without talking they dragged me out the room "Please let me go." I begged but they just kept dragging me into the bathroom of the basement the grip of my wrist was so tight it started to make a trail of blood around the house. They turned on the lights and started to fill the bathtub with ice cold water. "Please no," I begged I started to cry again "Shut up!" She screamed as she slapped me they made me buckled my knees and dunked my head in the water. They kept dunking me for a few hours sometimes keeping me under for 5 minutes or more. When they pulled me out for the last time they dragged me out the bathroom and threw me on the floor like before. I landed on my right side "*Coughs* let me *coughs* go." My voice was weak, I could barely speak, my whole world just looks so so bleak. (I literally have no idea what I have done. I'm so sorry) I looked over to him there was something shining in his pocket. He pulled out a pistol and pointed at me

"Like it?" He said as he pulled down the hammer part with his thumb. I shook my head no tears started to come out again. I lost track of how many times I cried today. "Please just let me go." I cried and cried "That's not good enough." He hit the back of my head with the gun, black spots came to my vision. I felt a small prick in the back of my neck then I heard a gunshot and I felt a pain on my left side. I could see two blurry figures running up the stairs. I just stare off, more black spots started to cover my vision. Is this it? Is this how I go? I felt my eyes close one last time.

3rd Person's POV
(A few minutes before the gunshot)
Shane, Jack, Mark, and Riley were hanging outside taking a walk thinking about what happened since it was a bit chilly they wore hoodies, Mark wore a red hoodie, Jack wore a dark green hoodie, Riley wore a black hoodie and Shane wore and old school varsity hoodie. "Bullshit," Mark said "Preach," Riley giggled "They didn't have those in Maryland." Shane said "What did they have-" Jack was cut off by a gunshot. Shane looked forward, "See anything?" Mark asked "Nada," she said "I'm gonna go check it out." Shane started to walk closer to where the noise was "Are you that stupid?" Jack and Mark asked "I'm coming with you." Riley walked over to Shane. "You're both insane." Jack said "Our houses are this way so we better go either way." Mark reasoned they all walked down the street until they came across a house with paint peeling off, windows broken, it was too damaged for anyone to live in it. Shane walked up to the door and opened it she looked at the others "You coming?" She disappeared inside the house, the others followed. Inside was even worse broken furniture, lamps, picture frames, Shane started to take pictures of the house, Mark picked up a picture "Jack you need to see this." Jack walked over and saw the picture his eyes widened. "That's me and Matt on first day of high school freshmen year. Now that I'm seeing this house," Jack gasped "This is Matt house." There was a noise coming from the kitchen "Quick hide." Riley hushed running to a closet with a folding door, Jack hid under a couch, Mark hid in the hallway bathroom and Shane ran to another closet that had a mirror door. Two figures started to walk in the room "Did you hear anything?" The first figure asked "No let's hurry up and get the money." The second figure said pulling the first one outside. One by one they all left their hiding spots Shane closed the door to the back deck quickly. "That bought us some time." Jack said "Anyone else getting some granny feels?" Mark asked "Grandma no" Riley laughed "Please tell me Matt's not here." Jack begged. They walked upstairs there were 5 doors on the left and 4 doors on the right she walked down the right Riley followed Mark and Jack went left. Shane took pictures of each room she went to a bunch of them were just closets and room filled with broken furniture. When Shane and Riley arrived at the last door it was white there were faded letters spelling out 'Matthew' they both looked at each other and opened the door. Turns out the room wasn't that damaged it was pretty decent it looked like a normal room except for the peeling paint, a broken window, and a small trail of blood. "There's nothing here let's go check with the others." Riley said pulling Shane out of the room but not before she shot a picture. They walked over to the other pair "Found anything?" Shane asked "Just the master bedroom, a bathroom, and a closet, and a room full of......stuff. Anyway did you guys get anything?" Mark asked "Rooms full of broken furniture, a few closets and Matt's bedroom." Riley said "I wanna check out the master bedroom real quick." Shane walked to the master bedroom and took a picture she did the same with the other rooms. "Why are you taking pictures?" Jack asked "I picked up the habit from Dodds and Daniel. Guilty as charged." She smiled "Let's check out the kitchen, Mark did you see anything in that bathroom you hid in?" Shane asked "Yeah I found a used syringe," Mark said "Did you touch it?" Riley asked "No." Mark said. They walked downstairs and went to said bathroom Shane pulled a small evidence bag and some gloves from her bag "Why do you have those?" Jack asked "April fools pranks." "It's June." Mark said "Whatever." With the gloves on Shane puts the syringe in the back and back on the sink counter and walks to the kitchen taking pictures as they go. The kitchen was fine except with a strange powder on the island countertop. "Yeah not touching that." Shane took a picture and left "Last stop the basement." Riley said as they descend to said place instead of taking pictures Shane took a video and what they found on the basement floor will scar them forever. They found a small trail of blood leading to a bigger trail leading to Matt's body. "Matt!" Jack ran over and shook him "Hey Matt wake up." Jack started crying Shane walked over and looked for where the blood was coming from "He's been grazed." She looked at the others she then looks for a pulse "Got a pulse but it's weak. We need to get him out of here now." Mark walked over and was about to carry him "Wait if you do that with out covering the wound he'll bleed out." Riley said taking her hoodie of and ripping the sleeves using them to wrap the graze. Shane just got off the phone "There should be a bus coming here in 20 minutes-" She was cut of by the banging upstairs. Shane started to walk upstairs "Where are you going?" Riley asked "Don't worry about me take care of Matt till the bus gets here I'll deal with them," Shane said "Let me do it." Mark said "Mark I need you to carry Matt when they get here besides I got something they don't want to get out." "What is it?" Jack asked "Evidence." Shane walked upstairs. The next 5 minutes were filled with pairs of feet running, a bit of teasing from Shane, the door opening and closing twice, and distant gunshots. "We got 15 minutes left let's make them count," Riley said looking at them. Mark carried Matt upstairs to the living room "I'll check outside to see if the coast is clear." Riley walked outside and saw shadows running away on the right. She walked back inside, everyone heard a small meow "Skip!" Jack picked up the cat and scratched behind its ear "We can't leave him here." He said "We won't after I give Matt to the EMTs I'll take Skip so you guys can go to the hospital with Matt," Mark said "What about Chica?" Riley asked "She's at a friends house because mom's redecorating." Riley checked her watch "10 minutes till they get here." She sighed.

Shane's POV
(Moments before)
I walked upstairs and saw the figures walking around the deck. I quickly and quietly unlocked the door I walked away and saw a piece of kibble on the floor. I threw it at the door they looked at me. I fucked up. I pulled out my phone and showed them the pictures. "You don't want this getting out to the cops do you?" I teased as I ran away I heard the door opened behind me. I opened the front door, ran out and closed running to the right where the park was. I heard gunshots oh shit I'm so screwed I'm gonna die tonight aren't I?

3rd Person's POV
(Back to Riley and the others)
The EMTs came in and took Matt out on a stretcher. Mark's hoodie was covered in Matt's blood so he took it off and wrapped it around his waist and carried Skip. Dodds came up to them "Hello I'm Lieutenant Dodds, remember I gave you guys a ride to the hospital." He said after a few minutes of properly meeting each other Dodds spoke "Do any of you know what happened?" He asked "No we found him like that after hearing a gunshot coming from his place." Jack said said "Who's idea was it for you guys to go investigate?" Riley gave Dodds a deadpanned expression "Right next question, was there anyone else here besides Matt?" "Yeah two people a man and a woman." Mark said, he also gave a description of them "Oh no," "What? What's wrong?" Jack asked "We've been looking for these two for years. They're extremely dangerous what they did to Matt is nothing to what they're famous for." Dodds explained "We fucked up." Riley said "Where's Shane?" "Acting as a decoy so we could escape." Mark said "Stay here I'm going to go get her," Dodds said "Let us come with you." Riley started argued Dodds sighed "Fine but at least one of you guys have to go with Matt and the others can go with me." Dodds said after some voting Jack was elected to go with Matt he kissed Mark "Good luck." He said as the ambulance doors closed. Mark, Riley, Dodds and Skip got in Dodds' car and drove down the road.

Shane's POV
It's a good think I kept my location on. I ran into the park I tripped a few times running here so my knees are scrapped, they also grazed me but it wasn't bad, and I threw my hoodie a few feet back. I took off my bag as soon as I hid in a bush when I saw them walking I cover my mouth I didn't trust myself to not make a sound. The guy had the gun and was waving it around at the bushes. Do they know I'm here?

"Come on out here little girl." The woman said the guy shoots to the left of me. I'm dead I'm SOOO dead. They walked to the swings then left. I poked my head and looked around "Looks like coast is clear." I mutter as I walked out I didn't even notice my phone dropped maybe I did but I just didn't want to grab it. I hand grabbed my neck and forced me to the ground I felt another pair of hands pinning my arms to the ground.

"Where's the phone bitch?" The woman asked "I don't know maybe I dropped it with the hoodie," I lied "Why do you want it anyway all I have on it is memes." "You took pictures. You think we wouldn't have noticed?" The man asked "Oh you speak." I asked he smacked my head into the ground my nose starts to bleed. "I'm gonna ask this one more time. Where's the phone?" The guy asked again "You either tell me or," I felt a pain in my left shoulder as I screamed but it was muffled by the woman. I felt a few tear run down my face they'll come for me. Right?

Riley's POV
"I got her location!" I called out showing my phone to the others "She's at the park," Mark read my phone we heard a distant gunshot Dodds started to go faster "Hold on." He said as he made a few sharp turns. "Why didn't you turn on the sirens?" Mark asked "If I turn on the sirens they'll know I'm here and if they know I'm here Shane's as good as dead. The keys are stealth and the element of surprise." The radio started to come to life.

"Dodds where are you?" It was Daniel, Dodds picked up the mic "I'm heading to the park on Orange street," Dodds replied "But I thought a shot was fired on Cedar street?" Daniel asked "It was but the suspects ran to the park I'm chasing them there," Dodds replied "Need help I'm 5 minutes away?" "Got time?" "Yeah I got time I don't check up on Shane till 9:30." It's 8 "10-4" Dodds replied.  Dodds stopped the car the moment we pulled up at the park "Everyone stay here and stay low I shouldn't even bring you guys here. Mark keep your phone off, Riley give me yours, lock the door after I leave the car, stay low." I gave Dodds my phone he opened the door "and keep Skip quiet." He closed the door Mark locked it and sat in the back with me "I'm scared," I said out loud "Me too," Mark said.

Dodds' POV
I kept the brightness low so no one could see it and started to walk around I walked passed the slides and the monkey bars. I was about to walk past the swings when I saw three figures in front of a brush one on the ground, one of top and the other on the side in the moonlight I saw a glint is sliver. I looked down on the phone there was a point indicating Shane's location she's here alright, I went behind a bush and waited for Harlow, I look behind and see him walking I signed him "Where are the suspects?" He asked "Over there." I pointed to the figures "Lets go get them," "Hold on," I cut him off "Listen."

"Where's the phone?" Figure 1
"I don't know." Figure 2
"Oh you know alright." Figure 3

Figure one started to choke figure two "Im gonna move in, you move around the back," I started to pull Harlow up he walked away as I pulled out my gun, "LAPD HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!" I yell over to them figure three, the woman, raised her hands in the air I pointed the gun over to figures one and two, figure one was the man and figure two was Shane "Hands where I can see them sir." I said he still doesn't put his hands up "Hands where I can see them sir" I said again more sternly, he points his gun to Shane's head "Move any closer and I pull the trigger and end her life." He said all I did was breathe and kept the gun on him I shot a fee glances of the woman to keep here there, I looked at Shane, she was a bloodied mess dirt and small cuts on her face, bloody nose, gunshot wound on her shoulder, her eyes closed, breathing shallow. "Sir," I speak up "She need medical attention." "She's fine," the guys said "She will bleed out if she does not receive attention in time." I tried to reason I see Harlow behind creeping in I make eye contact and he nods. I took out the amo and placed it on the ground same with the gun. I show them my hands "I'm not armed I just wanna check her pulse." I walk slowly to the guy but he keeps the gun on Shane's head. I reached them and crouched I reached my hand closer "Sir can you lift your gun I just wanna see the damage." He lifts his gun at that moment Harlow came in and grabbed the gun and yanked the guy off, he tried the run but Harlow cuffed him. The woman tried to run but I got her and cuffed her as well. After they were cuffed we dragged them and made them lay on their stomachs so they could get up. "Call a bus," I said walking over to Shane "How bad is she?" Harlow asked "You don't wanna look." I said walking back trying to keep him away "I've seen worse," he said "Trust me you don't wanna see it." I put my hands on his shoulders "Dodds are you hiding something from me?" He asked before I could answer he pushed me away and looked at Shane. "Shane?" I hear him whisper he pulled out his flashlight and shined it on her body "No no no no. Shane please this can't be you please." Harlow drops his flashlight and drops to his knees and cradled Shane in his arms, he looked at me "Is she...?" He couldn't even finish the question. I shook my head no "She's alive but barely. I'm getting a bus now." I call as bus and another unit. I walked over to the bush behind and pulled out Shane's phone and bag. After a few minutes I saw 4 EMTs and 2 cops running towards us I walked up to them. "The second victim is bleeding badly, she has shallow breathing, dirt and cuts on her face along with a nose bleed, and she has a bullet would in one of her shoulders." I told them they nodded and went to help Shane. I took the cops to where the suspects were and they took them away. I walked back to Harlow and Shane, she was strapped to the stretcher and carried off Harlow watched I grabbed his arm and started to pull him along. "She's brave." I spoke up "Brave? She could've died!" Harlow raised his voice "She was protecting her friends," Harlow looked at me "What?" "She and her friends investigated the shot," I started "They found Matthew Patrick bleeding out in the basement. Mark suggested that he go out but Shane beated him to it. She ran from his house all the way here she was willing to put her life on the line for them." I looked over as saw tears coming out of Harlow's eyes "Daniel she's gonna pull through." I reassured him "But what if she doesn't?" "Don't even think about it." We walked off to our cars and head to the hospital. "How's Shane?" I hear Riley asked "She'll pull through." I told them as we drove off.

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Next chapter is the hospital trip for Matt and Shane. The other guys come in next chapter as well. Thanks for reading! See you in the next chapter! Bye bye!👋👋

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