Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
The girls took the emergency exit all the way to the roof top while the guys maneuvered their way through the security cameras and not to mention the patrolling men walking around each floor. Erin was the first to test her magnet “If I get shot, leave me.” She said to the girls solemnly.
“No.” Mia replied flatly.
“Mia…” Erin began only to be silenced by Becca.
“If you go down, we go down.” She said firmly.
Erin knew it wasn’t the time to be emotional but she reached out and hugged the girls “Thank you. Even if I die, I know I have two great friends with me.”
“Hey.” Becca said with a smile “We’re not going to die.”
Mia nodded in response and Erin smiled as she opened the cover of the window roof. She gave the girls a quick nod before balancing herself over the ceiling. She could see the beams as well as the guards. They seemed oblivious to Erin dangling over the high roof “Its good.” She nodded to the girls and together they joined her. She waited for the guy’s cues as they came in within minutes and fought off the security with ease. Ted turned to Erin and gave her the sign to continue.
She turned to Mia, who looked dazed “Mia.” She whispered “You okay?” the girl shook her head but her face was deathly white “You’ll be fine.” She assured her. She turned to Becca and nodded. Together the girls slipped down slowly. When the beams were closer, the girls twisted their bodies to entwine with the lasers while not touching them “Mia.”
She picked up the cover and Erin synchronized the time with Becca who dropped the rock in its tiny pillowcase while Erin grabbed the diamond. She handed it to Mia, who safely put it in the bag by her belt. Ted turned to the girls “Hurry, I hear footsteps and it’s not just one!” he rushed.
They retrieved their device as it pulled them up slowly but Erin had a problem with hers “It’s stuck!” She hissed.
“Erin.” Ted took a step forward. But it was time to take action “Darren, Doug take the stairs to the room. Mia and Becca, wait for them on the roof. I’ll get Erin.” He nodded to everyone as they took his order. He turned to Erin “Cut your line.” He advised. She did as he told and fell to the ground, preparing herself for the fall. Her body touched the beams as they began shooting out. Ted covered her body while they laid under the beams “You okay?”
She nodded “I’m not shot. What now?”
“The helicopter is going to wait for us on the roof. But they have to leave when the sirens come.” He began slithering like a snake and Erin did the same. They were finally out of the beams as they got up in time to the see one of the doors opening. A uniformed security guard began firing without warning. The two dodged and rolled out of the way until they reached the exit doors. Ted pushed Erin to go up the stairs first while he followed. Shots were fired but they had a better lead.
When the two headed to the roof, the four were already on the helicopter. The airplane pilot announced over the speaker “I have to retrieve the ladder. My orders are to leave when the sirens are audible.”
“No!” Mia yelled “We can’t leave them!!”
“Stop the plane!!” Becca was in shock.
“Sorry.” The pilot said again and began slowly moving the plane away while the ladder began to slowly move up.
Darren turned to the team “If I fall, tell Chuck I tried my best.” The rest didn’t comprehend what he meant until he began crawling out and down the ladder.
“Darren!” Mia cried as she moved closer to the door. She watched Darren move down the steps with speed.
Ted and Erin chased after the ladder but it was too far “Darren, be careful!!” Erin yelled through the whooshing sound of the helicopter. He dangled off the last step and pushed his feet towards them. Ted grabbed onto Erin’s hand as he made a swift move over the ledge. She let out a cry and closed her eyes.
“Got it!” he yelled when his hand barely wrapped around Darren’s leg. It was a test of strength and stability for the two guys as Darren pulled them up with his raw muscles. Ted was gripping on Erin’s hand so tight she though her blood would eventually stop flowing. The ladder began retrieving faster and when they were closer to the door, Doug pulled up Darren, then Ted and finally Erin.
They were exhausted as they fell to the floor with a thump, hearts beating so fast that it rung in their ears. Mia helped Erin up as the girls embraced, Becca joined in with tears of laughter. The guys looked at each other strangely. Darren was leaning on his elbows and looking at Ted “I don’t know you that well, man.”
“I understand.” Ted smiled as he propped himself up on his hands.
“Oh what the hell!!” Darren cried as he reached out and hugged the guy unexpectedly. Doug frowned and Darren put out a hand “Come here.” Together they hugged out their fears and near death experience.
Chuck let out a sigh of relief when he heard the team were together. They made it. He sat down on the chair while wiping the cold sweat forming on his forehead “Good work team.”
“Sure, now he talks.” Becca said sarcastically.
“I didn’t want to disrupt your concentration.” Chuck replied with a laugh. He was just glad they were together. The last thing they needed was another fallen agent “Is everyone okay?”
“Yeah.” Mia looked around. And then her eyes caught on something red and wet “Hey guys, what’s that?”
Doug examined it closely “It’s blood.” He said after a few seconds.
Erin’s eyes snapped over to Ted “You got shot.” The team turned to him and Darren shifted his legs up to see where he was shot.
Ted winced painfully when his left leg throbbed in pain. He had held onto the pain for too long “I’m okay.” He breathed out.
“Chuck, Ted’s been shot on the leg. We need to get him to a hospital.” Darren said.
“No, they’ll know where we were at.” Mia stopped them with her hand on the diamond velvet bag.
“I’ll call Dr. Chan.” Chuck offered.
Ethan quickly grabbed his surgeon tools and raced down to the address Chuck gave him. Doug let him in after three consecutive knocks “How is he?”
“Bleeding a lot.” Doug answered as they rushed him into one of the rooms.
“Ethan!” Mia got up to greet him while the rest of the team hovered around Ted. He was looking pale “We can’t get him to stop bleeding.”
“It’s okay. Just give him some air.” Ethan said wisely. He turned to everyone “Can everyone go outside…oh except Erin. I need a nurse.”
“Well, why can’t I do it?” Becca asked offensively “After all, I did have two years of nursing.”
Mia shook her head at Becca “Girl, I think YOU need to stick your foot in your mouth. Come on, let’s get some coffee.” She quickly ushered her out of the room leaving the three some privacy.
Chuck closed the door behind him and threw Erin a wink of the eye. She smiled to herself and turned back to Ethan “Okay, what do you need me to do?”
“Hold his hand.” Ethan instructed calmly while he took out the anesthesia. Erin looked at him strangely “I need you to distract him while I pull out the bullet.”
Ted was dazing out and Erin knew it was serious. She reached out and took his hand in her own “You’ll be okay.” Erin said as she stroked his perspired hair out of his face. He nodded weakly while Ethan did his magic.
“That’s a good girl. Keep talking to him.” Ethan said as he cut the wound after inserting the numbing medicine. After a good half hour, the bullet was taken out “Lucky for Ted, it didn’t hit his bone yet. I guess he should thank those years of training in the police force. All the muscles held it from getting further.” he said while sewing up the wound.
Erin felt Ted’s hand grip hers when she was shifting her seat “I’m not going anywhere.” She assured him and he smiled faintly “Will he be able to walk okay?” she asked Ethan.
“Maybe with a crutch.” Ethan smiled when Erin widened her eyes “But only for a couple of weeks. If he can withstand the bullet this long, he’ll survive and I’m sure he will heal even faster.”
“That’s good to know.” Erin nodded with relief “Thank you, Dr. Chan.”
“What did I say before?" Ethan asked with exasperation.
“I mean…Ethan.” She smiled “I see why Mia is so fond of you. You’re not cocky or arrogant like the other genius surgeons who has a double PHD.”
Ethan laughed “No. My ego was removed when they did surgery on my head.”
Erin’s smile faded “Are you serious?”
He looked at her questioningly “What if I am?”
“I don’t like games.” Erin said bluntly “What was the surgery for?”
“It was a benignant tumor.” Ethan explained casually at the same time cleaning up his tools.
“Does Mia know?” Erin asked.
“No.” Ethan turned to her suddenly “Promise me you won’t tell her. I don’t need her to worry about me. Her focus should be somewhere else.”
Erin smiled “You’re a good friend.”
“Yes, I am. I’m not going to argue with that.” He laughed. His eyes turned down to Ted “Just stay with him until he wakes up. I think he would like your support more than anyone else.”
“I’m not ready.” She said honestly. Ethan could read her without a radar, he was a good shrink.
He smiled “No one is. But you learn to accept, slowly. Time is the key here.”
Erin sighed sadly “I’m a walking black cloud, I can’t make him happy.”
“You already have.” Ethan nodded firmly. He smiled before leaving the room “Just think about it.”
And she did, she thought about it all night long. Every so often Ted would shiver and Erin had to adjust his blanket. She looked down at his face. She never asked herself about her feelings towards him. He was different from Brad. Ted was understanding towards a woman’s feelings, he was patient and so genuinely nice. She couldn’t deny the fact that there was a quick attraction when they first met. She felt her eyes brimming with tears at the thought of Brad. Erin knew, no matter how great Ted was, in the end he was still not Brad.
Maybe Ethan was right, time could only tell if she would be able to accept him one day. She leaned herself against the wall and closed her eyes. It only took her a few minutes to fall asleep, she was tired beyond belief. She dreamt of Brad. It was strange, the only time when she needed him most, he always appeared. She rushed up to him in the darkened room, only a light was shown on him. He put up a hand to stop her “Why?” she asked with frustration.
“Because I don’t want you to be hurt anymore.” Brad sympathized.
“I’m not hurt when I;m with you.” She argued.
He nodded “I know. But I hurt when I see you like this. Please Erin, you need to move on. Forget me if that’s what it takes.”
Her tears slid down her cheek “How could you say that? I can never forget you.” She said through clenched teeth.
“I know. Because you are Erin.” He smiled contently as he approached her with each step. “But Erin is also strong and stubborn. She is brave and you have such a good head on your shoulders. How could you not see that there is another person who loves you more than I do?”
“Ted?” Erin asked while her head shook “I can’t…”
“Yes, you can. Let him into your heart. HE is the guy for you, not me…a dead spirit.” Brad reached out and smoothed the hair off her face when some caught on her tears “It’s over, Erin. You have a new chance…don’t lose it.”
“But…” Erin looked up at him with saddened eyes. Before she finished her thoughts, he was gone. She spun in circles until she woke up from the dream. Her face was wet from tears and it was harder to adjust to the dark room. Only one hint of light came from a flickering candle next to the bottom foot of the bed “I can’t…” she whispered ever so softly.