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Chapter 11 - The Truth

When the live feed is killed when the explosion occurs, the people watching it are left with so many unanswered questions, many believe it is all a hoax for news ratings. Ridicule begins to run rapidly throughout internet chat rooms.

The rest of the family sits in horror, but soon Sara's pulled from the tragedy when her computer begins to ding for her attention.

"Babe...babe! Your computer is going off." Bryan calls out to her with his hand still on his gun.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry, just thinking about Uncle Justin," Sara says with tears down her cheeks.

She wipes her eyes and pulls up the screen with the burnt phone results that have contacted specific numbers with her algorithm.

"Yes! I have the encryption broken finally. I can track the phones but wait. This can't be right." She says, staring at the screen when she sees her husband's number appear in the results.

Right then, she hears a click followed by a boom as her screen is obliterated from a single shot.

"You are too smart for your good. You know that." He mentions as he shifts the gun in her direction.

"Bryan, no, you work for him? Why?" She asks with the gun pointed in her face.

"Because your family killed members of my family. Bill Klifton was my great uncle. I've been waiting to kill you! Good God, if you only knew how long I've waited to shut you up. You've been so annoying and intrusive."

James listens then hits the panic alarm to buy some time. His action places the building into lockdown. Sara sees him quickly glance away when the alarm blares and ducks behind her desk before Bryan begins to fire.

"You're gonna die!" He yells, approaching her, ready to fire his gun.

"Security to Cyber division, I repeat I need armed security to Cyber division, intruder attacking Sara Trout-Ryce!" James announces through the PA system via his office phone.

Much like his teacher, Bryan loses control as he laughs, intending to inflict carnage. James sits in his office, unable to wrap his mind around all the mayhem. James is frozen in fear. He listens to what's happening to his niece and waits for security to arrive, praying they make it in time.

"Come on out and play Sara. I know you're circling to stall me." He calls out while he gingerly taps the gun on the edge of her desk.

Bryan climbs on top of her desk and sees her look up at him with terror in her eyes.

"I love you!" She screams, to buy precious moments, knowing security is on the way.

"I was told to find you, win you over and make you the lynchpin to all of this. If it weren't for you too eager to get married, this wouldn't be happening right now!" He discloses with the hammer cocked back, aiming between her eyes.

Sara refuses to close her eyes. She stares at his cold murderous eyes, waiting to meet Justin in the afterlife. What Bryan fails to notice is a barrage of armed guards as they rush toward the door. They're able to deactivate the security lock, then open fire and unload hot lead into Bryan's body, saving Sara at the very last second.

"Mrs. Trout-Ryce, are you alright?" The senior guard asks, giving her a hand to her feet, Sara's physically shaken.

"No, my husband tried to kill me! My uncle's best friend was just murdered on live TV, and I can't track my other colleagues who are trying to escape a hostile situation!" She shrieks, sniffling her way out of her office without looking back at Bryan's dead body on the floor.

"Come with us. We'll get this processed with the police." She's told as she's escorted away from the scene.

James is relieved to hear her safe and finally focus on the mission at hand. His raw emotions are a huge factor when he contacts his person at the Air National Guard.

"Listen here. I know you're well aware of the murder that just occurred on television. Also, my niece was attacked. I need help in Youngstown. I need it now!"

On the other end of the call, the soldier is handed a piece of paper.

"Director Cline, sir, I was just given this note. We have a unit of a dozen of our best Air Commandos on their way there now. They'll be airdropped within the hour."

"About damn time, I have digital satellite feed up now, but I lost track of them. I last had them heading back for George Street." James tells the female soldier.

"Copy that sir, I have it jotted down, and I will relay it to the unit that's o the way, over and out."

Back on the Youngstown streets, the team stops to allow the girls to rest in a gas station. Josh and Owen kick in the board and help them crawl through the boards.

"Emily, are you alright? You haven't said anything at all." Josh questions trying to get her eyes to meet his.

"Emily, honey, it's daddy. Talk to me."

Her eyes are dull and lifeless, Emily refuses to look at her dad. Josh is highly concerned and turns to Brooklyn for answers.

"What happened?"

"He beat and raped her daddy. I was raped by that lady who tackled him. I don't know what he did to Emily. He took her to another room, but I could hear her scream for what seemed like forever. Then she just quit, and after what left like a lifetime, I could hear him beating Uncle Justin."

Brooklyn can't help but breakdown into crocodile tears all over again. Owen wraps his arms around her to help soothe the torment she endured.

"Rest, child, it's safe now; we got you." He reassures her, staring at Emily.

"We're on our own. I wanted to kill the bastard and save Justin, but when I saw the blood and realized I was too late. God be with him now." Josh babbles away, mortified.

One thing he notices, the girls need something to help them get rehydrated.

"Girls, stay here. I'm gonna see if I can find y'all some water." Josh tells them, hurrying off to bust open the cooler to take a couple of bottles over to them. The silence doesn't last long as they listen to commotion rally outside around them.

"Fellas, can I get your attention for a moment, please. I know we're all shocked by our friends dying in the hotel, but we will avenge them. The people responsible are still here trying to get away from our humble city. Find them, and together we will make them pay for bombing our friends to their graves!"

They listen as Robert works the crowd into a frenzy.

Brooklyn nearly gives them away, starting to cry, but her father gently places his hand over his mouth to comfort her.

"Shhh, they don't know that we're here." He whispers as he turns to a window.

"Get them to the back and out of sight. I'll take a peek out there and see how many he has with him."

Josh motions for them to go as Owen escorts Emily nearly by force to the back room. Able to peek out from the filthy window, Josh gradually peeks out to see nearly two dozen people armed with whatever they could find in their hands ready to kill.

Robert stands with his back to him.

"Lucky dickhead." Josh groans, ready to shoot him in the back of the head and be done with it.

"Go, go forth and kill, kill anyone that gets in your way. Kill the guards, the other inmates, and anyone who opposes our rule over this, our city, our world!" Robert cries out over the roar of the posse.

They break apart and head off in every direction in teams of three. Josh knows it's only a matter of time before they're flushed out. Robert stands there with his arms spread wide open.

"I know you're nearby Josh, come out and play." He taunts, hoping for a response.

"Come on, you soft-hearted pansy, come fight me right now! Face the Devil you created through your greed, you goddamn coward!"

He knows it's just a ploy to get him out in the open. As bad as Josh wants to unload everything he feels, his injury alone is enough to deal a devastating blow.

Josh heads to the back where Owen can patch him up.

"Dear lord old boy, you're missing a piece of rib bone, I do believe. Sweet Mary and Joseph, he did a number on you. I can slow the blood down, but I can't prevent it from hemorrhaging more." Owen indicates with old-fashioned gauze and tape to ease the blood seeping out.

Josh takes a deep breath from the burn of the bullet that passed through his body and tries to keep the groaning to a minimum.

"Fuck a rubber duck that hurts!"

Owen tries to bandage him up quickly but realizes it's not going to happen.

"I don't know how long you got before it becomes dreadful. You need a medic! You already appear to be pale. You're in bad shape." Owen reminds him as Josh slides his shirt over the wound and drops his vest on the floor.

"Dad, are you gonna die too?" Brooklyn asks, curled up in the corner of the storage room.

"Not a chance, baby girl. Dad here is a tough old mule." He mentions flopping his arm down to his side as Owen looks for a clear path to escape.

The sun drops further in the sky and allows Josh and Owen to think the cover of dusk would help them escape. Owen heads back to the storage room.

"I say, I believe the going is clear. Let's head on out. I'll take the lead."

Brooklyn can walk on her own by now, but Emily is still in a semi-catatonic state. Josh puts her arm around his shoulder to help her along as she begins to moan in a low-tone.

"It's almost over honey, daddy and Owen are getting you two out of here." He whispers to her as they crawl out of the same door they used to enter.

They're able to get about three blocks closer to their escape when Owen gets spotted by one of the teams.

"Get them indoors now!" He calls out, running to the would-be attackers.

"Want me, come get me ya blokes!" He warns them with the safety off to his M16 and opens fire.

"Bloody wankers!" He yells as more assailants come around from nearly every direction.

Owen quickly empties his backup clip. Out of ammo, Owen goes for his sidearm. He's met by a familiar crowbar to the back of the head.

"Gotcha," Robert yells, as he stands over Owen.

He motions for the others to pick up the unconscious Englishman.

"Josh, and his girls, listen up if you don't want to see his brains scattered all over the street, come on out and face the music!" He announces, going for Owen's gun, placing it behind his head.

"Girls, stay here. I'm going out the back to keep you hidden in here." Josh tells them as he lets Emily down from his grip.

"Daddy, no, you'll get killed!" Brooklyn pleads as he takes her father by the arm.

"I have to. I love you both very much. I can't let Owen die."

Josh makes his way out the back of the building with his sidearm drawn, ready for a clear shot. Josh goes down a couple of buildings and runs down the side street. He reveals himself before Robert can pull the trigger.

"I'm here, alright. I heard you. The girls are long gone. You want me. You have me. Let Owen go." Josh begs, lowering his weapon.

"Let him go, sure, but I didn't have him attached to anything, but if you insist that I let him go..."

Robert takes a step back to quickly thrust the curved end of the crowbar into Owen's skull.

Josh stands there, jaw dropped wide open as tears fill his eyes.

"Now to let him go like, you said," Robert mentions and rips the crowbar backward from Owen's skull.

Owen's body collapses to the ground, but the abuse doesn't stop there. Robert looks down to thrust the crowbar through Owen's throat as he gags for air. Josh witnesses his partner's chest desperately convulsing for air.

"Owen, no!" He screams, rushing towards his body.

"Stop right there!"

The crowd roars as they stop Josh from going after Robert. They come closer, ready to bludgeon Josh when he shouts something to grab their attention.

"I didn't blow up that building. Robert did! He's a damn psychopath. If any of you were here when the government formed this prison city, then you'll know I did my best to keep life as if you didn't leave society. I had supplies, medicine, medical teams, and more here to help you. I didn't want this place to lose its humanity! I've been retired for a few years now." Josh shouts to the crowd trying to win them over.

All Robert can do is laugh.

"Now that's rich right there! You blew up the hotel and the announcer's booth at the football stadium. One button and BOOM goes the neighborhood!"

That clue gives way to some of the people that surround the two of them. Slowly the goons begin them think it over. They realize that there's no way that would have been possible given the time it took Josh to arrive to save his daughters.

"How could I have blown that up and the hotel at the same time? Those explosions occurred at the exact same time. Robert, you're the only one I want dead within these walls!" Josh explains.

The crowd backs off a bit to allow the two combatants room to brawl.

"Fight me like a man then." Robert declares, throwing out the challenge for hand to hand combat.

"Yeah, nice try; the second I throw away my gun, I'm a dead man." Josh reiterates, prepared to raise his weapon and fire.

"You want my word then here!" Robert takes Owen's gun, dropping the magazine, then empties the chamber and tosses it aside.

Josh realizes it's a fifty-fifty chance to take him down in a street fight, but if it gives him more time for the military to intervene, he'll take the gamble and lays his gun on the ground charging at his opponent.

"That's it, come to poppa..." Robert teases, waving Josh to him as they fight with fists flying.

Equal in the number of hits landed, the two try to shift their bodies using martial art tactics. Josh's ribs begin to ache even more when a failed shoulder toss bangs his exposed injury against Robert.

"Ugh..." Josh groans after he backs away a few feet, holding his ribs with a scowl on his face.

"Oh yes, you bit the bait. You stupid rat-faced idiot."

Taking his crowbar, Robert leans down and rushes at Josh full speed ahead but misses when he swings. That's the chance Josh needs to body slam him.

"Not this time!" Josh growls, taking the crowbar from Robert's hand.

The crowd eats the fight up, cheering and booing. Stuck on the other end of the crowbar blows, Josh beats the hell out of his aggressor. His arm swings like a man possessed.

"I'm gonna kill you!" He shouts, feeling his arm get heavy along with his breathing.

That's when an unexpected visitor takes their turn to rush into the fight and blindsides Josh off his feet.

"I want to kill him! You hurt me. You hurt my sister. You killed my family; you raped me and violated my body. You're going to die!" Emily screams, going for her father's knife on the side of his belt.

She pulls it from its sheaf then looks back at Robert, who's back on his feet. Emily is knocked off balance after she goes for him and misses. He turns around, avoiding Josh's attack.

Robert ends up spearing him on top of Emily.

That's when she accidentally impales her dad near his injured gunshot wound.

"Uhhh..." He groans at first.

She listens to him moan when she suddenly feels something warm and thick run over her hand.

"Daddy, no!" Emily cries with a fatal mistake pulling the knife out.

Robert begins to laugh again, taking the crowbar from Josh's hand for an all-out attempt to slam it into his face.

"Drop the weapon!" A male voice calls out as the Air Force Commando's surround the mob.

"I said, drop it, or we'll drop you!" He repeats as the laser pointers from their assault rifles shine on Robert's body.

"Might as well go out with a bang!" He tells them and goes for the strike as he's shot from every angle.

Emily's stuck under her father, still bleeding out. He drops his weight over her to protect Emily from the bullets.

"Daddy, don't die!" Emily whines, with her arms around him, embracing him close.

"Air Guard One, this is Charlie team. We need a medical evac ASAP. Civilian down, I repeat, civilian is down." The team leader radios in, waiting for a response.

Josh lifts his arm in the air.

"No time, just keep my girls safe." He lets out, beginning to gasp for air.

Emily struggles to get out from under his body. When she's given a hand by one of the soldiers, she sits on her knees, holding her dad's hand.

She continues to stroke his hand smearing blood.

"Fight daddy, please, don't leave us too. You can beat this too. You're Super Daddy. You are the toughest man I know."

Brooklyn comes out when the bedlam ends. She runs to the other side of her father, taking his other hand. She notices a pool of blood from under his body.

"My girls, you're safe at last, good..."

He's interrupted when he coughs up dark-colored blood.

"I did my job, and you're going home. Tell your mother I love her and Lilly too. I love you, my fallen angel..." He passes out with shallow breathing.

"DADDY NO!" They both scream at the top of their lungs.

After she stops screaming, Emily's mind returns to a moment when she heard the term for a fallen angel. She's transported back to the night where James and Josh discussed it on the deck during the Southern Sugar case.

"I have this theory, and I've had it since we were kids. In the beginning, there was man, and mankind created monsters. Well, the monsters wanted more power and control. So, they evolved into demons who seized control over the monsters. These demons lost control and evolved once more into devils who would kill other demons vying for power. There was nothing stopping devils from controlling everything until the fallen angels took it upon themselves to do what guardian angels couldn't and kill the devils who roamed free." She recalls her dad describe his theory.

A soldier comes forward to move them out of the way to administer CPR. The girls are held in place by soldiers to keep them from interfering.

"Fight daddy fight, come on, we have to go home. You have to go home to mom and Delilah." Brooklyn calls out to him as her face is soaked in tears.

They fight to keep him alive for several minutes, but finally, Josh takes his final breath and dies in front of the girls.

"He's gone, sir. I can't establish a pulse." The soldier states, folding Josh's hands on his chest.

His two daughters scream in an emotional agony like never before seeing their father pass away.

"No..." They both repeatedly scream, trying to keep their balance while the soldiers hold them.

A few hours pass by before word gets out about more casualties confirmed on the news. Hearts across the family begin to drop when a gut sensation slams them all at once.

Gwen and Audrey head to James' house, where he's there with Scarlett and Sara waiting for the rest of the family to arrive.

Lucas arrives last with Kyle. When they walk into the living room together, their heads are held low, covering their faces as they sob together. James waves them over and prepares everyone that the worst has happened.

"Owen?" James begins as the list of names make their way out into the air.

James nods yes with his hand over his eyes.

"Josh?" Gwen asks with her voice shaky, waiting to hope she gets good news.

Sara looks up with two words that pierce her heart.

"I'm sorry..."

She falls to her knees, and sobs trying to fight through the emanate pain. Audrey sits on her knees to comfort Gwen.

"He brought your girls home. He kept his promise, right, boys. Are the girls finally safe and sound?" Audrey speaks up over to James and Sara as they shake their heads yes.

Everyone takes a seat in the living room. Lilly takes the babies into the other room to keep them occupied as everyone begins to mourn. Delilah knows she needs to step up and be the littlest adult that her father expects from her.

Together the adults sit and cry for a while. They're interrupted when the police knock on the door.

"Hate to bother you all, but we need at least two people to come to identify all the bodies, please."

"I got this, Ma. Stay here and make arrangements," Kyle informs her leaving the room.

"I'll go too. I need to identify my father's body."

Lucas sighs, and Kyle out the door, leaving everyone else behind as the dark shroud lingers over the family.

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