A REAL HERO

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"What can separate me from your love? Even death can't take the life out of my heart as long I am with you."

Emily watches as the goons tie her uncle up and put him in the chair. They do not know that he's not Lance Stone.

Josh groans in pain. His head swirling around, eyes dizzy, he breathes with much intensity to flush the pain out of his system.

The 3 goons drink liquor with great delight, cheering each other for a job well done.

They jeer at the two captives, and the one-eyed goon says, "it's time to get acquittance with each other."

"After all, your last days are here." Emily screams, "you will not get away with this!"

Her uncle is motionless from the blow they dealt with in his stomach.

"You will not get away with this," Emily yells.

"Who will catch us? You or him (Josh)? You tell me?" He yells.

"Anyway, say your goodbyes. Soon we will get this charade over with."

He leaves them alone and Emily says, "Dad, am so sorry I had to drag you into this."

Josh squirms in pain and says, "listen to me Emily, am not your father, but your uncle Josh."

"Uncle, what are you doing here?" Emily asks, amazed.

"Where's my dad?" she asks.

Josh hushes her to silence and says, "do not speak so loudly, or they might hear us. What I'm about to say is difficult, but you have to understand."

"Your father is unconscious. The news of your kidnap hit him so hard he fell into a shock and now he's unconscious."

"The doctor says he's stable and we should wait for him to wake up. I had to take his place pretending to be him." "Thank God they took the bait."

"Do not worry, we are leaving here alive. The cops are on their way."

"They were right.

This is more than a kidnapping.

This is a plot to kill your father."

Emily closes her eye, and tears flow freely. She opens her eyes and says,

"Am so sorry. I never meant to put you through this."

A waterfall of tears cascades down her face.

Her heart bleeds for her father and she wished she had done things differently.

The cops arrive at the island. They hurry off the boat and pay the peasant what they owe him to take the ride.

They put on their torch and walk down the road path. They kept moving in between trees. The owl screeches loud and it fills the night with the sound of horror and blood.

Detective Ling and his assistant get to the warehouse, their guns in their hands. They have to hide because the light of the warehouse was on. Detective Ling and his partner part ways as they approached the front door.

Detective Ling moves to the left and his partner to the right.

Detective Ling takes the back exit and enters the warehouse. The place is an old shack filled with large containers stacked on each other.

Detective Ling moves quietly towards one container, opens it, and finds loads of whitish substance packed in a transparent bag stacked in between sheets of seafood.

He quickly covers it up and walks slowly out of the storeroom. He has to distract the goons who are close to the stairs.

He walks back outside the warehouse, moves towards the right wing of the warehouse, and looks for his partner. She is right outside, watching the goons dance from the window.

Detective Ling taps her on the chest, and she freezes, "hey don't tell me I scared you," he whispers

"No Ling, I am just careful." She replies.

"You gotta see what I found in there, but we need to get to the stairs. How do we do that?"

"They are only 3 of them, no bodyguards. I think we can take them out before backup arrives."

"Ok, let's do it. We need to distract them so they can come out. We don't want them hurting the hostage." Detective Ling says…

"You go in through the back exit while I take them in the front."

"Ok, Ling," Felicia says

Felicia hurries to the back exit while Ling bash on the door. The startled goons scamper to their feet, rushing to see what happened outside.

Detective Ling, ready for action, pulls out his gun and shoots at the emerging goon. The one-eyed goon got hit in the chest and fell to the floor.

Blood gushed out of the hole encrusted in his chest, splattering on the floor. He lay limp and lifeless, his counterparts rain bullets towards the door, but Ling dives and hides in between the containers of clothes and fishing nets behind the door to avoid the rain of bullets. The other goons run into the hostage room to take Josh…

The frightened goon scampers to his feet and opens the door with a loud bang.

He points the gun at Josh and says, " I am getting out of here alive, and you are going to help me do that."

He unties Josh and leads josh out of the room with the gun pointing to his head.

Emily screams and cries out loud from the bang of the deafening gunshots… loud noises and screams echo in the warehouse.

The sound of a gunshot progresses, and Emily takes cover, falling to the floor. She tries to break free from the rope they tied her.

Suddenly the gunshot seizes, and there's silence. Emily does not understand what happened outside, but she could hear the footsteps of her uncle and her captor.

Ling emerges out of the sheet he buries himself in. He stares at the dead bodies on the floor. The body of the two goons lay limp on the floor. Their eyes were wide open. Blood gushes out from their eyes and nostrils as it runs like a flowing stream on the floor.

The red paint of their blood smears their clothes.

He looks up as he hears footsteps, and Felicia approaches.

She winks at him and says, "let's go upstairs."

They climb the stairs halfway. The last blonde goon comes forward and says, "you kill all my brothers…."

Ling tries to step forward. He puts the gun on Josh's head and says.

"Don't come close, or I will kill him."

They stop and he says, "Drop your guns and walk backward."

"Am leaving this place with him, and I mean, am leaving alive."

"I don't care what happens to the girl; the boss wants him alive. He has scores to settle with the boss," he says.

Josh, terrified, says, "please don't kill me."

"You keep quiet!" he yells at Josh. "I have to leave this place alive."

He comes down the stairs holding josh by his side. "I need a boat to get off the island."

The cops siren blazes from afar, and gunshots blazed through the air outside. The cops catch up with Dickson long on the boat and he attacks the police.

The last Stewart brothers (Goons), confused by the noise, miss his step, and Josh hit him with all his strength. The goons lose balance and his gun fell from his hand. Josh and the goon dive towards the gun and they struggle with the gun in their hands.

Detective Ling runs upwards and takes his gun. They hear a loud gunshot between Josh and the goon, and josh stood still. The goon pushes Josh away holding the gun in his hand to finish josh.

Josh lies squirming in pain, and his lungs collapse slowly.

Detective Ling and his partner shoot at the last goon, his body jerking and shaking as the bullets hit his body. He fell to his knees, his mouth wide open in surprise and he slumps to the floor.

Detective Ling and Felicia rush toward Josh. They check his pulse and Felicia says "he's still breathing."

"He's bleeding so badly…" Detective Ling says. He picks a handkerchief to stop him from bleeding further.

Felicia runs upstairs while Detective Ling takes his talkie requesting an ambulance.

The police squad hits the island, holding Dickson Long in handcuffs with his wet clothes.

Detective Ling runs outside, his clothes stained with blood, and rushes towards Dickson Long. Detective Ling holds his fist tight and hits Dickson Long on the face.

"We got you. This time you ain't getting out." He says.

"Take him away." He yells.

The paramedics rush into the building and find Josh unconscious on the floor.

Emily comes out of the warehouse with Felicia holding her by the waist. Emily limps as she walks. She runs and staggers as she sees her uncle lying still on the floor in a blood pool.

Felicia runs towards her and holds her by the waist, trying to calm her down. Emily screams and cries as the paramedic lifts Josh's body to the stretcher.

"Is he dead?"

"No, he will be fine. You need to stay calm." Felicia says, hugging Emily.

The paramedics take Josh away on the stretcher into the helicopter, and Emily follows from behind.

The cops fill the entire island as they search through the island and warehouse. They find hard drugs and ammunition in the warehouse.

The cops lead Dickson Long into the boat, fuming and cursing in between breaths.

The paramedics take Josh and Emily in a helicopter to the hospital. The three goons' bodies lay cold in body bags as they carried them out of the warehouse and into the flying boats.

LANCE'S MANSION.

Sheila's heart races up and down, waiting for Josh or Detective Ling to call. The whole family is silent, their hearts weary, wondering when they will hear the good news. Tension vibrates in their muscles, and their eyes are heavy from keeping late nights.

Natasha, Dorothy, Sheila, Deepak, and Hopkins wait anxiously, expecting the door to open with Emily and josh coming in.

It's the break of dawn, and they are all exhausted. The maids made some calming tea for Natasha to calm her nerves while others sip their coffee.

Sheila can't bear the anxiety running down her spine. These past days have been the worst for her, her daughter at the mercy of the kidnappers. Her husband is in shock and unconscious.

Her brother-in-law is yet to come back with her daughter. Her entire world seems to crash right before her and she can do nothing but wait and hope.

Suddenly, the phone rings and Sheila rushes to pick up the phone, her voice shaky and eager.

"Hello, Josh….." she says.

Detective Ling says, "This is not Josh but Detective Ling. It's a close call, madam."

"It is an ambush, which is part of a bigger plan. We caught the kidnappers, one of them is alive, and we are taking him for interrogation."

Sheila laments, "My daughter. Where is she?"

"She is fine, but her uncle is not in good shape."

Sheila's heart skips a beat and says, "Detective, tell me what happened."

"The kidnappers shot Josh. There was a struggle between Josh and the kidnapper. The gun went off and Josh got injured. He's at the hospital and needs surgery."

"They are both at the hospital. You can go to the city hospital to see them."

"Thank you, Detective," Sheila says.

Detective Lings ends the call and heaves a gigantic sigh of relief.

All eyes stare at Sheila as she hangs up the call. Natasha says, "And?"

Sheila puts her palms together towards her face and says, "They found them."

My daughter is alive, she sobs…

The house lightens with rejoicing.

They hug each other with much excitement. The tension in their muscle is being lifted.

Sheila says, "Josh is hurt badly and needs surgery. We have to be at the hospital."

Their hearts sank as Sheila explains Josh's condition.

Natasha asks, "Which hospital is he in?"

"The city hospital."

The family rushes out of the home, ready to overcome the nightmare that befell them.

THE HERO

The Stone's family sits waiting expectantly to hear from the surgeon. Emily is fine, exhausted, and traumatized from the experience she had to undergo at the hands of the kidnappers.

The family has been through a lot lately…. The door of the emergency unit opens, and the doctor comes out with a smile…

"It's an intensive surgery. He's lucky the bullet didn't hit his heart deep. It grazed the front of his heart, which made his lungs collapse slowly, but we removed the bullet and had him stabilized. He's going to be fine."

"His vitals are stable, and he suffers some concussion on his bowels and some laceration to his feet and hands."

"It will take some time before he recovers, but he's out of danger."

"Please excuse me." The surgeon says and leaves.

Natasha and Dorothy hug each other. Sheila kneels and cries with joy.

Everyone rejoices. The worst is over.

THE INTERROGATION.

Dickson Long puts his head on the desk. He cannot believe they can have him again. His mind hardens, not ready to spill the beans to the cops. The lady detective had tried to make him talk, but he stays mute.

It's been 22 hrs since these cops held him hostage in these damn walls, and he is making a fool out of them. He wonders why Hudson has not sent his lawyer.

Detective Ling is ready to take his long-time foe on. He watches Dickson from the screen in the waiting room as he talks to Felicia and the head of the police department. They agree that Detective Ling should interrogate Dickson and warn him to be gentle.

Detective Ling enters the interrogation room and says, "here we meet again, my long-time friend."

"Do you miss me?" Detective Ling says.

Dickson raises his head and scoffs at Detective Ling.

"Don't think you will make me talk. I am not saying a word until I see my lawyer," Dickson yells.

"Hmmm… you got some guts, dude." Detective Ling says.

"I am not here to play Romeo and Juliet with you. So let's get things straight and start talking…Mason Birch or do I say Dickson Long."

"You not getting any lawyer cos you are alone."

Dickson laughs…. at Ling's words.

Ling rises from his seat, takes Long by the throat, and squeezes his windpipe with his bare hands. Dickson squirms and shakes…. Dickson pushes hard and Ling lets go of his hold. Ling takes hold of Long head and hits its forehead on the table.

Dickson coughs, panting and gasping for breath, as blood runs a streak from his lips to his cheeks.

Ling yells, "For whom do you work? Who sent you?"

"Don't tell me you did this all alone. I don't buy that lie you are playing."

"Your cover is blown; you think your brand new face will fool me."

"A rat will always be a rat. You just got to place the bait, and he comes running back for food."

"Here you are with me all alone. No one is coming for you cos he abandoned you to your fate while he runs off with his crime."

"Don't believe me? Why has he not sent his lawyers? you have been in custody for 23hrs. That's enough time to help get you out and you stay here protecting him?"

"He's busy making a fool out of you and looking for his next victim to use. You are nothing but a tool for him," he says.

"Be wise and tell me who you work for, and we can have your sentence reduced."

"The fucking son of a bitch you work abandoned you to your fate and you keep protecting him…"

"Talk dude…" Ling says.

Dickson panting holding his neck, his throat sore…. He holds his hands up and says, "go to hell."

Ling, angry, holds him at the back of his neck, drags him off the chair to the floor, and dips his head into a bucket of water.

His lungs were giving way, water fills his nostrils running through his nose to fill his lungs. The lungs elapse when Lings pull him out of the water and lays him down.

His body is wet and cold, he is panting and coughing weakly, holding his heart, saliva splurging out of his mouth, dropping from his neck to his ribs.

His head drops, and he raises his hands, saying I will talk….

Ling says, "a good boy. Now let's talk."

Ling opens the door. Felicia, standing by the chief, walks in.

The chief says, "I thought I told you no harsh treatment."

Ling replies, "A man has got to do what he ought to do to survive."

"Chief, he's ready to talk."

"Let's get the camera rolling," Ling Says.

A SHAMEFUL END.

Hudson curses his spirit as he watches the headline news blaze with the rescue of his daughter's enemy. "How on earth did things go wrong? He has to leave the country as fast as he can."

The news says they killed all his four men, which means no one can blow his cover. So, he can stay here in Texas in the shadows. No one can pin him to the kidnap. All evidence points at Dickson Long and he's dead and the dead can't talk.

He takes his lighter from his pocket as he takes his best cigarette from his desk. He lits his cigarette and draws in the smoke to calm his nerves.

The news report continues to talk about Lance Stone and his daughter. He hopes Lance never wakes up from his coma state and dies soon.

"I don't have to plan his downfall anymore; justice is being served by the universe," he says, smiling to himself. Now am gonna celebrate my upcoming victory, he thinks.

The maid knocks on his door and enters, and she says, "sir, you have a visitor."

Hudson's brow raises up and asks, "Who is it?"

"Some men from the police," she says.

Detective Ling and his men step into Hudson's study and say, showing off his badge, "Am detective Ling from the federal police. Sir, we would like you to come with us to our department for some questioning regarding the kidnap of Emily Stone and attempted murder of Lance Stone."

"Officers, I think you must be mistaken."

"I have no problem with Lance Stone or his daughter, so what is my business with this case, officer?" he asks.

Dickson Long walks into his study room and the Detective asks, "Do you know this man?"

Dickson smiles at Hudson and says, "Hello Boss."

"You fool, what are you doing with the cops?" Hudson asks.

"They offered me a better deal than yours and I had to take it." He says.

"It's all over, boss, I told them all…" Long says.

Hudson, terrified, speaks, "Officer, this is a mistake. I don't know this man or what he's talking about."

"You are under arrest for being the mastermind behind the Conspiracy for murder, kidnap, and attempted murder of Emily and Josh & Lance Stone."

"You have to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law."

Hudson says, "This is a mistake. You got the wrong man." as they place the handcuff in his hands.

"I'm innocent," he says.

"Tell that to the law. Take him away." Detective Ling says.

The cops handcuff him and lead him out of his home. Dickson Long follows behind him with his two hands handcuffed to his back, smiling.

THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER.

It's a day of joy and celebration at Stone's mansion. Josh is leaving the hospital and the whole family awaits the return of the hero who saved his niece. Emily insists on staying with her uncle even though she's recovered from her injuries.

Emily has to go to therapy to overcome her addiction to drugs and alcoholism. Although her aunt and mum are heartbroken by her dad's comatose state, she believes that going to rehab is the best thing for Emily.

Emily fights her guilts so hard that she finds it hard to talk to her dad or want to admit to anyone she's sorry for her waywardness. She and her uncle arrive at home and a huge reception awaits them. Josh sits in the wheelchair, weak from the injuries he sustained. He laughs and smiles as the whole family and friends applaud him for his bravery.

There is a lot of singing, dancing, lots of food to eat and lots to drink.

Josh asks Emily to follow him out to the garden. Emily drives her uncle's wheel outside, and they watch the birds sing.

Josh looks at his niece and says,

"I know both of you never got along so well as time passed by, but I remember when you were a little girl."

"Your father could not handle the grief of losing your mother. They were dark times in his life."

"You brought sunshine into his life. You gave him purpose to live. Now that he's fighting for his life on that bed, don't leave him alone. You are his sunshine, and he loves you so much."

"My brother might be a little hard on you these days, but he can't stop loving you."

"If only you were here to see how distressed he was when he learned of your kidnap or when he realised you came to Texas and never wanted to see him. It killed him."

"He lives in pain and torture each night thinking about you… your dad is the actual hero here, Emily. he never stopped loving you regardless of your fault or mistakes."

"Go be with him. He loves you so much and he's hurting for you, and I know you love him too."

Emily's eyes, swell with tears, and she stays transfixed by her uncle's words. Her hearts melt in silence and all her prejudice towards her father washes away as the breeze blew on her face carrying her hair up.

Josh looks at his niece and places his hands on her shoulder and says,

" Your dad is the most caring father I have ever known..."

"He's weak sometimes, but that does not change the fact he's so loving."

"I believe you need to make up with him before you leave for therapy."

Emily hugs her uncle, tears all over her face, her heart full of love and forgiveness for her dad. She sobs quietly….

THE FIX.

Emily's heart beats so fast, she enters her dad's room. The nurse who sits beside him rises to her feet when she sees Emily.

Emily asks the nurse, "Can I speak alone to my father?"

"Sure miss, but I doubt if he will hear you." She says and leaves.

Emily nods and walks toward her dad. Her hands tremble, lips tight, and she found it so hard to move her lips.

She looks at her father lying peacefully on his gigantic bed. She pinches him on the skin and says,

"Dad, please wake up…."

"Am so sorry for everything, please don't go, I need you dad."

"Am so sorry…" she places her head on his chest and sobs.

Amidst the plane of darkness that covers him, Lance could feel himself drifting in space from the cries that hit his heart. The tears that flowed freely from her eyes were like giant strokes of whips that lash his soul back to reality.

His fingers lift a little as her tears hit him.

Emily feels a movement, and she looked toward her father and saw his index finger shaking. His finger kept shaking and Emily screams, "Dad! You can hear me?"

Tears cascade down Lance's face as he slowly opens his eyes. Emily screams louder and the nurse rushes in to see what's happening. Emily holds her father so tight in an embrace as she cries happily, kissing his face with her tears.

The noise of Emily's scream was so loud that it caught the attention of her stepmom and other visitors in Lance's mansion. They all rush into Lance's room and find him woken with his daughter sobbing and shaking in his arms on his bed.

It was a surprise to them all, and they stood stunned by Lance's incredible resurrection. His wife came close, her eyes brightened with love and tears as she watched her husband and stepdaughter in each other arms soaked in tears.