by Bella Juarez
David had been constantly calling Gavin while he was on the phone with Gamez and while he was on the way to the station. He disregarded the calls and phoned Jimmy and then Rock. Within fifteen minutes, four men from the Victoria SWAT team were assembled, waiting for him to arrive. By the time he arrived at his office, he also had a location on Amy. Her car and her cell phone, at least, were in Victoria.
An advance team with Jimmy found the car and managed to get reconnaissance accomplished. They informed Gavin that Amy was at the same warehouse where the semi that Gavin had followed was parked. They had also managed to get eyes on Amy and she was all right. SWAT started planning how they would deal with the situation. Gavin would wear the FBI hat and because of the interagency agreement he had with the Navy, the small contingent of SEALs would be used as “advisors.” Rock and his bunch of “advisors” arrived in Victoria within the hour by helicopter. SWAT and the SEALs were briefed and a plan of attack was quickly developed. They were leaving when David Ortiz stormed into the briefing room.
“What the fuck is going on and where is Amy?” David demanded.
“Not now, David. I have it under control,” Gavin said calmly.
“You ain’t got shit under control and this is all your fucking fault!” David roared.
“Get the fuck out of my way and let me do my job,” Gavin snarled.
“Fuck you! I told you to stay the hell away from her, motherfucker! You’ve got her in the middle of something and she could get hurt! Who the fuck did you piss off?” David screamed.
“I know where she is! Now get the fuck out of my way before it’s too late!” Gavin roared back.
Gavin charged past David and made a beeline for his SWAT team that was waiting for him to arrive. They decided to go black, not using sirens and lights as they surrounded the area. Jimmy had called while he was en route and told him there was some sudden activity in the warehouse. Gavin narrowed his eyes as he drove. The perpetrators at the warehouse had to have been tipped off just now. Got you motherfucker, now I know for sure who you are.
* * * *
“Get up,” Marco commanded as he pointed the gun at Amy.
Marco had just called Livingston to come and pick up his money. This setup was working out nicely. Livingston and Rivera would take the fall as instructed. Marco was to take the package to San Antonio and start working from a new base of operation. He liked that idea better because he could get lost in a big city.
Marco walked behind Amy as she made her way down the narrow metal steps. She is a beautiful woman, he pondered as he took in her backside. Amy Livingston had long, thick, beautiful chocolate hair, a curvy figure, and was dressed very nicely. Her big brown eyes and kind face showed her personality. He could tell she was a really nice person. She was the perfect bait for his plan. Her boyfriend would come running and his trap would be set and he would soon be eliminated. That FBI agent had caused enough damage and Marco was tired of dodging him.
He heard Livingston’s car pull in the back of the warehouse. Tim got out of his vehicle and his expression turned dark when he saw Amy.
* * * *
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Tim evilly whispered.
Amy’s body went rigid with fear. Terror grabbed her by the throat and she could feel panic start to grow as her heart raced. It was getting difficult to breathe. She could feel the nausea start to rise. She closed her eyes for a second and thought about Gavin. The thought of him seemed to give her the strength to continue standing and not collapse. Amy brought her thoughts into focus.
Don’t let him into your head, Amy heard Gavin whisper. Gavin was close. She could feel him, and the knowledge that he would never let her get hurt was giving her the courage she would need to stand up to Tim and get through this situation. She opened her eyes. Tim was nose to nose with her. He stepped back when he saw her eyes narrow and the resolve to fight take hold.
“He’s not here to save you, bitch!” Tim snarled.
“He doesn’t need to be,” Amy said evenly.
A slow, dangerous smile crept over Tim’s face. “Is this my bonus?” he asked Marco.
“Want me to wrap it up?” Marco replied with a smile.
Amy hit the ground when Tim struck her. He reached down and grabbed her long hair. The pain caused by the blow was equal to the pain he was inflicting as he lifted her by her hair to face him.
“I told you, no fucking piece of paper will ever take you from me. I hope the meathead taught you some new tricks. You’ll need every single one of them,” Tim snarled.
“Go to hell, you bastard! I’ll make you rape my dead body this time!” Amy spat.
* * * *
“Wait for it, badass. She looks like she’s doing okay for herself,” Rock whispered as he grabbed Gavin.
“I’ll kill that motherfucker, Rock!” Gavin growled lowly.
“I’m with you, but you’ll get her killed in the process if you move now. We’ve got to wait for Rivera.”
Gavin almost came out of his skin when he saw Tim slap Amy and knock her to the ground. He tossed around how long he could string out the little prick’s death and fuck with him until Tim begged for Gavin to kill him.
Rock, Gavin, Gamez, and two SWAT officers had gained entry into the warehouse and watched the whole scenario go down. Gamez and another SWAT officer had rigged up surveillance and taped the transaction between Marco and Tim. All they needed was for Rivera to show and make this little deal complete.
If Tim tried to get away, he would be stopped and Amy would be recovered.
They heard someone walk into the warehouse. Rivera stepped out of the shadows. From his vantage point, Gavin could see Rivera’s face change. Gavin frowned slightly. Rivera looked pissed.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” Rivera demanded.
“It’s my bonus, thug, stay out of this,” Tim snapped.
“Are you out of your fucking mind? This is the chief of police’s niece! You don’t think he’s going to find out about this? What the fuck is wrong with you pendejos? Give me my money. Your delivery’s right there. I don’t want no part of this shit now.” Rivera handed Lima a metal case.
Marco handed Rivera a metal briefcase and Rivera opened it. It took a moment for him to count his money. It was the opportunity SWAT and the SEALs needed. Rivera dropped instantly when the first shot was fired. The second shot hit Marco in the shoulder. Marco dropped the gun he was holding and Tim took the opportunity to pick it up. Marco rolled behind a pallet in the warehouse as Tim grabbed Amy and started shouting.
“I’ll fucking kill this bitch!” Tim screamed.
Gavin came out of the shadows, his weapon leveled at Tim.
“Let her go,” Gavin snarled.
“Fuck you! I’ll kill this useless bitch!” Tim yelled backing away.
“Let…her…go. You will be dead before she hits the ground.” Gavin growled.
Tim kept backing away and pulling Amy with him toward his vehicle. There was no escape out of the warehouse. He had to let Amy go to get into his car. Tim pushed Amy toward the driver’s seat. It was the opening Gavin needed. Gavin didn’t hesitate as he squeezed off three shots to the center of Tim’s chest. Tim fell to the ground, dead. Gavin’s focus was still in full effect. He looked around and assessed his surroundings. Rivera was dead. Lima, on the other hand, was gone. After ensuring Amy was okay, Gavin and the rest of the team searched the warehouse. There were lots of cops and somehow Lima had managed to evade them all.
“Fuck, we were close!” Rock cursed. “Gamez! Let’s review the surveillance we set up and see how the fuck he managed to get out. I want to know what direction he went.”
“Wait, Rock. Not here. We need a secure location. Me, you, and Gamez only. I think I know what happened,” Gavin said.
Gavin found Amy. Senior Chief Alex “Doc” Richards, a SEAL medic who Rock had brought along, was talking to her. He knew Doc could soothe and calm Amy after all she had just been through. She looked up and smiled when she saw Gavin. He fe
lt like he could breathe again because Amy was safe. He smiled back and continued walking toward her. Gavin felt something suddenly tear through his body. The pain he felt sear through him was familiar but he had never experienced the level of pain he was feeling now. He had to remind himself to breathe. The pain was so bad he was holding his breath.
Gavin couldn’t take the pain and tried to concentrate on walking but dropped to his knees. It was as if his entire torso was on fire. He knew he had been shot. It had happened before. Focus! He tried to take a deep breath, but by now breathing seemed to be impossible from the pain. He watched as Doc and Amy ran toward him. He could hear Amy call his name. He wanted to say something but focused on keeping his eyes open. He was quickly losing consciousness and was fighting to maintain a state of awareness. The last thing he wanted to do was close his eyes.
He could hear shouts in the background when he shut his eyes in pain.
* * * *
“What the fuck!” Rock yelled as he saw Gavin drop to his knees.
Doc was the first to reach Gavin. Rock and Jimmy raced to Doc and surrounded Gavin.
“Get under cover and get a fucking perimeter going! This isn’t over! Sweep the area! We’ve got a sniper!” Rock ordered.
The SEALs and SWAT went into action. Lieutenant Gamez grabbed Amy and whisked her to safety. Amy was demanding to see Gavin. Richards and Rock were dragging Gavin under cover so Doc could asses this situation.
“Get this fucking vest off!” Doc ordered.
“This was a setup. This is the work of a pro,” Rock said grimly.
“They wanted him pretty bad. This is a fucking hole! I don’t think he’ll make it, Rock.” Doc assessed the wound and started treatment.
“He better fucking make it! I need him!” Rock said.
Chapter 19
CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital
Trauma ICU, Bed 5
Corpus Christi, Texas
February 13, 2008/1619 Zulu
When Amy walked into the room where Gavin was being kept, she almost passed out. If it had not been for Irene guiding her, she knew she would have fallen to the floor unconscious. It was almost more than she could take seeing Gavin this way. He was pale and very still. He looked dead. If it hadn’t been for the steady, high-pitched sounds of the monitors, she would have probably broken down then and there. It was the most frightening sight she had ever seen. There were tubes and wires running through his body and to various medications and machines. All of her worst fears had become reality in a single moment.
“Amy, mi hija, we should probably wait outside,” Irene said quietly.
Amy said nothing. She stared at the scene. It felt surreal, like a horrible nightmare. She would wake up and Gavin would be next to her, gently stroking her awake, kissing her, taking all her fears away. None of this was real. It couldn’t be.
“Mi hija, come on…” Irene urged as she turned Amy away from the scene.
“No,” Amy heard someone say firmly in the distance.
Amy realized the voice she had heard was her own. Her mind steeled and she understood that if she left now, Gavin might not survive and they would never survive together. She concluded that there was no way she was leaving her future husband alone in this condition.
Amy would not leave even if Gavin woke and demanded she leave. He had never asked anything from her. Ever. Gavin had always given. Now it was her turn. He needed her right now. He needed her to will him to live. She turned away from Irene and took a chair that was sitting in the corner of the room. She moved to the side of the bed and sat calmly, unwavering. She was determined that they would survive their first real test, together.
“I need to call the city manager and tell him I need some emergency time off,” Amy said in a calm voice.
“Amy, they won’t let you stay, mi hija,” Irene warned.
“Then we have a problem, because I’m not moving,” Amy said in a firm, calm voice. Irene stood silently, waiting. “I’ll call you if I need you,” she said dismissively.
In the distance, Amy could hear Irene walk out of the room.
* * * *
Irene walked out of the room and down the hallway where David was talking with Jimmy Sanchez.
“Where’s Amy?” David asked.
“She’s with Gavin.”
“Well, go get her. It’s an hour and a half back home.”
“She’s not leaving, David,” Irene said flatly.
“What the hell do you mean, ‘she’s not leaving’?” David asked harshly and continued without allowing an explanation, “she can’t stay, she’ll—”
“David!” Irene exclaimed, interrupting. David and Jimmy were startled at her snap. “She’s made her decision and short of you physically picking her up and carrying her out of here, Amy is staying.”
“Irene, what the hell is wrong with you? If something happens to him after we leave, she’ll fall apart in little bitty pieces we can’t—”
“David! Déjala en paz! Amy knows what she’s doing,” Irene snapped.
David looked down the long hallway. Irene knew her husband, and she could tell he was contemplating his options.
“Irene, I keep saying this and you don’t listen. He’s not the guy for her. She’ll get hurt.”
Irene was frustrated with his negativity and his constant obsession with Gavin and Amy.
“And everyone keeps telling you and you don’t listen. She is not leaving him! Not now, not ever. Get over it and accept that, if Gavin survives, this arrangement will be permanent!” Irene snapped.
David looked away and shook his head.
* * * *
Amy watched Gavin sleep and couldn’t quit blaming herself for what had happened. He had been in surgery for ten hours. It was now almost the evening of the worst twenty-four hours of her life. She could feel exhaustion creep into her brain and numb her senses at times. She was afraid to sleep, knowing that the minute she closed her eyes he would die and she would never see him again. She could feel her eyes getting heavy and felt her head dip.
He moved and she jumped, quickly coming to life.
“Ma’am, can I get you something?” a nurse asked.
“No,” Amy said as she redirected herself to Gavin.
“Honey, it’s won’t do him any good if you get sick, too. The chair folds out into a cot. You should sleep.”
Amy focused on one of the nurse’s words, honey. Gavin used that word a lot when he called to her. She felt the tears start to flood her eyes and quickly willed them to stop.
“I’ll be fine.”
Amy snapped awake and jumped out of her seat when she was touched. Her hazy mind had to grasp her location and who the unknown person was that had touched her. She looked into a set of emerald-green eyes. As she took in the camouflage uniform, it took her a second to realize who this was. She sat down and relaxed.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, Amy,” Captain O’Malley said.
“It’s okay.”
“How are things going?” the captain asked, looking at Gavin.
“Okay. He’s been quiet and they say now he’s in serious condition instead of critical.”
“Has he come around?”
“No, at least not that I know of. They said they would keep him in a medically induced coma for a couple of days until he’s stable.”
“I’ve gone ahead and stationed some guys around, kind of quiet like. They’ll keep an eye on you. One of them will check on you regularly. Let him know if you need anything.”
“How will I know him?”
“Shaq!” Captain O’Malley softly called.
A tall, muscular African American man in scrubs walked into the room. He looked down shyly and smiled. He was stunning, she noted. He was bald and kept a small, trimmed mustache. Like Gavin, this man was powerfully built. Amy could tell by his demeanor that, even though he could hurt someone, it was the last thing he wanted to do. His eyes and expression conveyed sensitivity and gentleness. She could not get over how str
iking these two men standing before her were. It wasn’t just their looks. It was their demeanor.
“Ma’am.” The young man extended his hand.
“Amy, this is Lieutenant JG Shaquille Harman. Shaq, this is Dr. Amy Livingston, Chief Walsh’s fiancée,” Captain O’Malley said.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lieutenant JG Harman.” Amy took the young man’s hand.
“Shaq, ma’am,” the young SEAL said.
“Let him know if you need anything,” Captain O’Malley said.
“Thank you, Captain,” Amy said.
“Keep me posted,” Captain O’Malley said, addressing himself to Shaq.
“Yes, sir.”
The two men left the room. Amy felt a sense of comfort and peace wash over her knowing she wasn’t alone. She looked at Gavin’s sleeping face and thought about how revered and respected Gavin must be among these men for Captain O’Malley to take the actions he had. Gavin’s boss from the FBI paid her a visit a few hours after Captain O’Malley and she noticed how Shaq hovered outside the room, ever watchful.
Several times Shaq had come in and out of the room with drinks and food. At one point he offered to stay with Gavin while she walked around for some air. Amy politely declined. After the second day, Irene came back and insisted that Amy leave the hospital and at least take a shower at a nearby hotel room that Irene had procured. Outside the room she could see Shaq quietly encouraging her to leave. Amy was back in a few hours, rested and refreshed.
Within a week, the doctor was encouraged by the progress Gavin was making and took away the medication that was keeping him in a coma. Two days after being taken off the medication, Gavin opened his eyes for the first time.
“Hello, hottie,” Gavin whispered hoarsely when he saw Amy.
“Gavin…” Amy grasped his hand.
“Chief! We always knew you were too ugly to die. How did you ever get that cutie to look your way?” Shaq winked at Amy.
“Been taking care of my girl, Shaq?” Gavin asked with a painful smile.