The smile on Brooks' face grew wider as he pulled the shiny black gun from his coat, handing it over to Killian.
Meanwhile, Malin's eyes grew wide with fear. He threw himself in front of Killian, trying to snatch the gun away. After all of the time he had spent to get her back, he wouldn't let all the hard work go to waste.
"Boss! You said I got to keep the girl!" Malin said trying to pull the gun from his hands. "You can't kill her! She's mine!"
"Get out of here!" Killian shouted, pushing Malin off his arms before hitting his head with the bottom of the gun. Malin crumbled to the floor in an instant, his eyes rolling back.
"Fucking lunatic," Brooks muttered, kicking Malin's unconscious body to the side of the room.
"Now where were we?" Killian grinned, turning back to Raine who was silently watching the scene unfold before her eyes.
This was it. The moment that she'd leave this cruel world once and for all. Her eyes were red and her body numb. The only thing that she could feel was the loud sound of her heart thumping against her chest.
Her heart that beat for Xavier. Her Xavier that she would finally have to let go of.
"Any last words?" He asked, loading the weapon that would soon end her life.
They took her silence for weakness and began to laugh. Brooks and Killian believed that they had finally won this dirty game that they had begun playing far too long ago.
She had given up her heart to Xavier and maybe after she died, she could live through him. But that would be selfish and she didn't want that. She didn't want to tie him down in her love that she wasn't ever able to complete. She wanted to set him free into a world of happiness.
"No." She shook her head, looking down to the ground and closing her eyes.
Memories of Xavier played behind her closed lids and she smiled.
But as she waiting for the bullet to leave the body of the gun and pierce her soul, all she got was a calm silence that lasted no more than a few seconds. Heavy footsteps were heard from behind the closed doors, padding closer and closer.
Panic took over Killian and Brooks' face, but before they could make any moves, the door burst open, flying off its hinges and crashing to the floor with a loud thud.
Raine's eyes flew open in panic, but everything seemed to disappear when she saw the man that was standing in the doorframe, dusting his suit off with his jaws clenched and his ocean blue eyes locked on Killian in the deadliest glare.
"I have one," Xavier said, dusting his coat as he gave Killian the side eye. "I hope you go to fucking hell."
"Well, well, well," Killian smirked. "Look who it is."
"Xavier!" Raine cried out.
He tried hard not to look at her though, afraid that if he did, the walls that he had built up so high would crumble. He needed to be strong right now, and he couldn't if he saw her. He'd melt into her coffee brown eyes and fall into her arms that were his home. He couldn't do that. Not now. Not when he had to eliminate the problem that had haunted her whole life and get rid of it for good.
"Killian." Xavier spat, ignoring Raine's sobs. "Fancy seeing you here."
He saw Malin's body laying on the floor but what shocked him most, was that sight of one of his own employees, staring back at him with flaming eyes.
"I should be saying that to you." Brooks stepped forward. "Mr. Thorn."
"You fucking traitor." Xavier gritted out. "I should've known!"
"I take it that I'm fired." He mocked.
"I'll have you fired from this life, you bastard," Xavier said, yanking him by the collar ready to choke him.
"Keep your hands to yourself, Xavier." Killian warned."Wouldn't want any holes in Raine's pretty face now, would you?"
At the mention of Raine, Xavier immediately let go of Brooks, pushing him back so that he stumbled.
His blood boiled and his jaws clenched so hard that he was afraid his teeth would shatter.
Killian had the gun cocked up against Raine's forehead and his nasty hands over her body as he painfully grabbed neck causing her to cough.
"Let her go." He gritted out.
"Do you take me as a fool?" Killian chuckled.
"If you want to make it out of here alive, let her go." Xavier pressed once again. His patience was wearing off. Raine was in pain and that meant he was in pain.
But Killian only tightened his grip on her, causing Raine to wince.
"Hurt her." Xavier provoked. "I dare you."
"Look who's talking." Brooks laughed. "The guy without the gun."
"I don't need a fucking gun." Xavier gritted out before yanking Brooks' collar and grabbing his neck. "I'm going to kill you, you bastard." He shouted. Punching Brooks in the gut before shoving him into the wall.
There was vengeance in his eyes and Xavier was not stopping. Brooks had never been someone that he liked. But knowing that he was a part of this grand scheme to hurt Raine, hurt his Raine, was enough to make him go livid.
Punch after punch, his fist collided with Brooks' body, yet Killian stayed back and watch the scene unfold in front of him, like it was some kind of show.
There were no tears left that could fall from Raine's eyes. Her eyes were dry but her heart was still beating.
Seeing Xavier in that state only scared her more than she already was. She wanted comfort, she wanted silence, she wanted peace.
And right now, at that moment, she had none of those things.
Her eyes were clenched tight, shutting out the world as much as she could. However, the sound of groans that were coming from Brooks with every punch that Xavier threw his way, prevented her from blocking everything out.
"Enough!" Killian's voice boomed, causing Xavier to stop."Let us remind you, Xavier, that we have your girl. And if you plan on keeping her alive, then I recommend you remember who's in charge... I can do a lot of things to her, Xavier." He sneered. "You think you're the only powerful one here?"
"What is it that you want." Xavier breathed out. "Let her go, and I'll give you anything."
"I want her life." Killian spat out. "I want to see her dead. Now, will you give that to me?"
"Over my dead body." Xavier raged.
"Frankly, that wouldn't be so hard to arrange." Killian mocked.
"Do you really think you'll get away after killing me Killian?!" Xavier challenged.
If you want to live, then give me the memory card!" Killian demanded.
At the mention of the memory card, Xavier felt his heart drop. "I don't have it," Xavier said, glancing at Raine who looked completely out of it.
Her eyes were void of any emotion, almost as if she was numb.
"Raine here said you do." Killian said, giving her a little shove. "You wanted a deal right, if you want her, then give me that damn memory card."
"It's destroyed," Xavier said, cursing himself for breaking the flower pot that not only had the last evidence to prove Killian's crime but also the ticket to Raine's safety.
"You're lying." Killian spat, gripping Raine's neck tighter, causing her to cry out. "I'm serious Xavier. Hand over the damn tape or this bullet goes right through her skull."
"No!" Xavier shouted. "No, don't hurt her."
"Xavier...." Raine cried out softly. "Go away."
Xavier's eyes met her's and he found his heart breaking. "Baby what are you saying?"
"Go away Xavier, it's over."
"No!" Xavier shouted. "It's not over Raine, I'm getting you out of this. If it's the memory card you want, then I'll get it back."
"Coming to our sense now, aren't we?" Brooks laughed. "I knew you could never be trusted."
"Go get the tapes," Killian ordered. "You have 45 mixtures to go get the tapes and hand them over. At the last minute, if that memory card isn't in my possession, Raine's a dead girl."
"NO!" Xavier shouted."I'll go get them andâ"
"There's right here!"
The loud voice the resounded in the room was one that Raine had missed. Everyone turned around, finding Jordon walk into the room with a static face.
"Jordon!" Raine cried out.
"Jordon." Xavier gritted out. "Where the hell was you?!"
"I got the tapes," Jordon said with tight lips, glancing at Xavier and then back at Raine."Mr. Thorn, you asked me to retrieve the tapes from the company. The original was destroyed but we had a backup."
"The backup..." Xavier said uncertainly.
"How do I know this is the only back up that you have?" Killian questioned.
"The memory card that Raine's parents left behind was very old. The factory doesn't make them anymore so transferring the data stored on the card was harder then we'd expected it to be. The file transfer rate was of the worst cases. Unfortunately for us and fortunately for you, the copying process took too long and therefore we were only able to make a single copy."
"Hand it over." Killian ordered, pleased with the response that he'd been given.
Jordon looked at Xavier for approval before walking to Killian and setting the disk onto the table.
"Check it," Killian demanded Brooks, who nodded affirmatively and inspected the small disk.
"It's a pocket CD boss, my laptop doesn't have a disk drive for it. I gotta go to the lab to check it out but it's full. I can tell from the rings on the polycarbonate substrate layer." Brooks informed after analyzing the disk.
"Alright." Killian nodded.
"Now that you've gotten what you wanted, give me Raine," Xavier demanded.
"Should I?" Killian asked right before a sinister smile appeared on his face. "Or I can kill you both and run away a free man."
"Fuck you!" Xavier growled in anger. "I did my end of the deal. Give Raine back!"
But Killian ignored Xavier and instead gave Brooks a signal. Within two seconds, Brooks whipped out two guns, aiming them straight for Jordon and Xavier.
"Or I can just kill all of you." Killian sneered.
"No!" Raine cried out. "Don't do this Killian, I'm begging you."
Tears were once more trickling down her cheeks and she looked at Xavier as she spoke, taking in as much of him as she could.
"Kill me." She sobbed. "They had nothing to do with this. It's me who you were after. Kill me and let them go. End all of this. End all of it now and just kill me!"
"NO!" Xavier shouted. "Raine, don't say that!"
"Xavier please." She begged. "Xavier, this was all my fault. I shouldn't have ever come into your life. I should have died a long time ago. But god was great and he gave me you. He gave me a little bit of happiness in my bitter life and for that, I will be thankful. But I won't let you get hurt because of me. I can't let you or Jordon get hurt because of me. Let me go, Xavier. I was never meant to be yours."
"No Raine!" Xavier frantically shook his head. "Our story will not end like this. You were meant to be mine and you will always be mine. I won't give up on us!"
"Please Xavier." she sobbed.
"Killian!" Xavier urged. "Name any amount, I'll write you a check right now. Please, I'm begging you, just let her go."
"No Xavier, Iâ"
"Enough!" Killian shouted while Brooks chuckled hysterically.
"Well, this is entertaining." Brooks laughed.
"I'm not here to make any more deals. It isn't you or her, it's the both of you. And this employee too." He said, pointing at Jordon." Now any last words?" Killian asked.
Tears were flooded out of Xavier's eyes as he looked at Raine. If this was the last time his eyes would see, then he wanted to look at her, look at her for as long as he had. She looked at him, shaking her head and whispering 'I'm sorry' as if any of this was her fault.
But in their misery, what they didn't notice, was the calm on Jordon's face. He didn't bat an eyelash with the gun aimed straight for his head. He didn't even flinch.
"I have one." He spoke out. His voice was calm, but it was like the calm before a storm. "You should fix up your hair. It's all messed up. "
"My hair?" Killian frowned, confusion in his eyes.
"Yeah. Wouldn't want you to have bad hair in the mugshots the FBI will be featuring in the news tomorrow morning, wouldn't you?"
"The FBI?"
And just as he repeated the phased. Men stormed into the room with AK-47's aiming straight for Brooks and Killian.
There were about 15 agents, all armed with weapons pointing towards the duo. In an instant, Killian had to let go of Raine and Brooks' guns were taken away from him.
As soon as the gun was removed from Raine's forehead, Xavier run in lightning spend, engulfing her into the biggest hug ever known to mankind.
"Raine..." he repeated, over and over again as he kissed every inch of her face.
"Xavier..." She sobbed, holding onto his body as if it was her only means of survival.
"Baby, you're safe now," Xavier whispered, cupping her face and keeping her shivering body firm in his grip. "I'm so sorry Raine. I'm so sorry I took too long."
"I knew you'd come for me." She whispered.
"I'd always find you," Xavier said. "And I'm never planning on letting you go."
After a few moments of cuddling, she finally lifting her head from his chest and glanced at Jordon who was silently standing besides them.
"Jordon." Raine smiling weakly. "Thank you."
"Are you alright Raine?" He asked, smiling at her. "I'll call an ambulance."
"No." She shook her head. "I'm fine. I just wanna be with you." She whispered, laying her head back onto Xavier's chest and shutting her eyes.
Xavier pressed a kiss on her head, looking up to see Killian and Brooks being handcuffed and Agent Conner clearing things up with the rest of the guys.
"Love, give me a few more minutes. Let me talk to Agent Conner and I'm taking you home." Xavier assured. "Ok Baby. We're going home. And I'll keep you safe with me forever Raine, ok?"
Raine nodded, reluctantly letting go of Xavier's shirt that she had been clenching onto. But as soon as she let go of him, he pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her waste, watching as Agent Conner stepped towards them.
"Agent Conner." Xavier nodded.
"Mr. Thorn, you could have been in deep trouble for hiding information from the FBI."
"I am aware." Xavier said firmly. "But Raine's life was on the line, and I couldn't risk it."
"It's a good thing we were able to restore the memory card that we found from the room. As soon as we got the data secured, we matched it to that in our records. The statements of Ethan and Abby Woods are in sync with the events that took place which confirms the credibility of the recordings."
Xavier nodded, keeping his grip firm on Raine. This would be a difficult topic, and it had already been a horrifying day. He didn't want to overload her with so much.
"Edwardo Tenzinini. You're a ghost to the world, am I correct?" Agent Conner questioned.
"You cracked the code." Killian smirked, playing with the handcuffs on his wrists.
"Did you really think you'd hide from the FBI forever? Killian, you may have been stealing information from us for years but we can come up with a fight too."
"What are you talking about?" Xavier asked in confusion. He had pressed Raine's head into his chest and held onto her as if life depended on it.
She was in his embrace and there was no other place she'd rather be.
But even if Xavier wanted to take her away from the people that had been keeping her hostage for days now, he had to stay back to hear everything out. He deserved it and so did she. They both deserved to know the truth and get answers for the suffering they had endured.
"Mr. Thorn, you may have withheld information from the FBI, but we've been working on this case as soon as we got a hold of that chip." The agent informed. "That memory card, it's the missing link to one of America's biggest crime cases. It's prime evidence."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"You may not realize how important it is for us to keep track of our people. Especially those who have risked their lives to save this country." Conner explained, glancing at Raine who looked at him with questions.
"Eden and Abby Woods." He stated. "Their deaths was a loss for the entire FBI."
At the mention of her parents, Raine loosened her grip on Xavier, standing up on her own to hear what was being told.
"They may have been working for a company of their own, but they never failed to help the FBI out whenever help was needed."
"Mom and Dad?" She asked, clearing her throat.
"Yes." The agent nodded. "The Woods were our allies. Whenever we found pieces of technology that we couldn't get through, they'd help us hack the systems to retrieve information. They had secretly been helping us for years. Before you were born." He explained. "However, when they found out that they would be having a baby girl, Eden insisted that they stop helping us. Working with the FBI was a risk and if their identities ever got out, it would pose a lot of dangers to their lives and yours. So they decided to quit."
"Until they came across me!" Killian spat, only causing Raine to coward back into Xavier's arms who accepted her instantly.
"Get a grip on him!" Agent Conner ordered to the agents. Instantly, the men strengthened their grip on Killian and Brooks, injected something into their necks that seemed to have no effect on them other than a short pinch.
"It's a chip." The Conner notified. "In case they try to pull something on their ways back to federal prison. "
"W-what happened n-next?" Raine softly pleaded, wanting to know more about her parents.
"They stayed away from us as much as they could. It had been years and you were now a big part of their lives. We did keep tabs on them so that we could make sure one ever found out about their relations with us. But we stayed far." He informed. "However, years later, we got a message from Eden and Abby saying that they had something very important to say and that they'd be coming to D.C. to meet us... We knew that it had to have been serious if they were willing to come back, so we booked a meeting with them, including officials of the White House."
"The meeting in Washington DC. That's why they left." Raine filled in.
"Yes. We were supposed to meet there. However, there was a sudden security issue at the White House and the members that were supposed to be present for the meeting couldn't make it. We rescheduled it for a week later." Conner explained.
"But that meeting never happened." Raine whispered.
"Unfortunately yes." Conner nodded. "You got into an accident and your parents took the first flight out. And then... well you know the rest."
"How did you know that Raine's kidnapping was related to any of this?" Xavier questioned. "That you'd find Killian here?"
"Well, that's all thanks to Charles." He smirked. "The hotel room was reserved under Eden Woods' name. As soon as we found out, it was obvious that the unfinished questions that your parents left behind were finally coming to an end. That chip that we found broken in the room became our first priority. We got our team to repair it and watching it was enough to put all the pieces together."
"Edwardo Tenzinini, has been on our radar for years." Agent Conner continued. "Eden and Abby's death was linking back to him but we didn't have a clue then as to who he was. But now, thanks to your parents, Raine, and this chip, we know who Edwardo Tenzinini is. We know his true identity." He informed. "Your mafia reign may have lasted long, but it's all coming to an end now."
"You're a part of the mafia?!" Xavier said, shocked with the revelations that were coming out one by one.
It was shocking and scary. That girl that he loved more than himself had been in that hands of a monster. It made chills run down his spine and his grip on Raine tightened even more.
"A boss," Killian smirked. But as soon as that left his mouth, the agent went ahead and landed a punch on his face causing him to groan.
"Everything else is thanks to your man Jordon." The Conner continued, giving Jordon a brief nodded. "It would have taken hours to find you had he not called me with your whereabouts."
Xavier looked at Jordon stunned.
"I do apologize, Mr. Thorn, for going against what you asked me to do. However, the gravity of the situation at hand was rough and I couldn't allow us to go into this without back up. If Killian was as dangerous as Eden and Abby made him out to be, as your security in charge, my job was to protect you and Raine and I couldn't do that alone."
"Thank you," Xavier said to Jordan, giving him an appreciative nodded.
"It was suggested by my team that a backup disk be proposed to Killian in order to lure him into the trap." Conner explained. "So that disk that you took, it's full of trash."
Xavier sighed, understanding Jordon's mysterious disappearance, and feeling a sense of pride in his trusted employee. Had he not been there to save the day, Xavier wasn't sure he'd be able to have Raine in his arms.
"Well, we're done here," Agent Conner announced, gesturing to the other agents to begin taking Killian and Brooks out. "Call an ambulance for that lad. We'll have him checked up before he ends up with the other two." He said, pointing to Malin's body on the ground.
Raine took once last look at him. Killian, the man that had destroyed her world. Finally, he was getting what he deserved. The four walls of the prison cell would be his destiny from now till the day he died and maybe her parents could be proud that their daughter finally did what they left undone.
Xavier undid his arms from around her, kissing her forehead before going up to Conner for more questions. Xavier knew that even though this seemed to be the end of it, it wasn't.
There would be a trial and Riane would have to see that man one more time and he wanted to make sure that she'd be ready to face him with that time would came.
As Xavier and Jordon talked to the agents, Raine stood afar, leaning against the wall, taking in everything that was going on in her life.
Just a couple of days ago, her life had been full of nothing but happiness and now it had all crumbled in front of her. Killian, Brooks, Charles, Malin. It had all piled up and now the pain was hitting harder than ever.
Her eyes moved towards Malin who had been the root to this problem. She could still feel his cold hands on her body but she needed to face him in order to move on.
Raine's eyes flickered to Malin, just in time to see Killian's gun, lodged in his hands. His aim pointed straight at Xavier.
Before she knew it, Raine mustered up the last bit of strength that she had in her body, running towards Xavier.
BANG!
It all happened in a split second. Xavier had turned around, frowning as Raine ran straight at him. But just as she reached her destination, her body jolted back into him, taking the impact of the bullet. The bullet that was meant for him. The bullet that she took.
"RAINE!" Xavier shouted as his arms wrapped around Raine who came toppling down. Her eyes were filled with tears and pain, enough to make her unconscious but she had to stay awake. She had to stay awake longer, just to be in his arms.
"Raine!" Xavier screamed. "Baby!" He began to cry. Kneeling onto the floor with Raine in his arms. Her head was in his lap and his hand was on top of hers which covered the wound gush gushed red with blood.
"Raine!" Xavier cried, his tears falling. "Someone call an ambulance!"Â He shouted looked frantically around. Jordon was quick to it while the agents took control of Malin. "Raine why'd you do that?" He sobbed. "Baby, why'd to take that bullet?"
"Shhhh..." Raine whispered, lifting her hands that were now stained with her blood. She ran them thru his hair and she looked into his eyes. Absorbing every millisecond that she could have with him.
"Raine, stay awake!" He cupped her face. "You're gonna be fine. Baby just stay awake." He begged.
But for Raine this was it.
Ever since she was a little, she listened to the fairytales that her mom told her, wanting her own.
She had wanted a Prince Charming that would love her like no other, she wanted every day to begin in his embrace and ever night to fall into his arms in peaceful slumber. She wanted to live each day to its fullest, in the deepest of love and grow old with her Prince Charming, and one day, she wished to die in his arms.
Her life had never been perfect but who's life ever was. Fairytales may not have existed but she had found her own in Xavier. He may not be a real prince but he ruled her heart. Their love may not have lasted long but it was the purest love could ever get. She may not have been able to grow old with him but he gave her the youth she never got. Her dreams never came true but she was happy, happy that her last one would come true.
She wished to die in the arms of her lover as she stared into his eyes that shine just for her. She wanted to press her head against his heart and listen to his heartbeat as her heart gave out. She wanted him to be the last sight she saw as her eyes closed shut. And she wanted his touch to be the last feeling she felt as she disappeared from this unfair and cruel world.
"I love you, Xavier." She whispered. She may have been weak but her voice was strong.
"Raine Iâ" Xavier began, but Raine didn't let him continue.
"I love you." She said, letting out her final breath before her eyes closed and her body went limp in his arms.
_____________
A/N: Hey guys! I am so sorry for the delay of this update! I had finals for a week and had to turn in my computer for a week due to repairs! Good news is that now I'm back, my computer is back, and Xavier and Raine have been reunited! Bad news is... well, the last part of this chapter ought to cover it. Stay tuned for the next part and make sure to keep a box of tissues with you cause it'll be an emotional roller coaster! Also, 2 more parts to go!!
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