CHAPTER 64

      Dylan walked between them so that Taylor was on her right side with Carly, Kelley on the left but a few paces from her but she could see her clearly while Carl and Emily stood some paces away in front of her, Carl's gun still pointed at Taylor. She looked between them then went on.

             "I don't see any need to drag this any longer. You have already traumatized the others. Isn't that enough? Let them go and do whatever you want with me."

              "I say she has a point,"Kelley said but Taylor didn't waver. 

               "That's not enough. Everyone here except my dumb ex has a price to pay. He already paid his years ago. Emily bitch tormented me for most of my highschool life forgetting that we were once best friends. Remember the wrist bands we used to make for each other every new month to renew our friendship?" Emily looked down on the floor. "That's right,you are drowning in shame but that's not enough for me. You got rich and it was like you got into heaven. I haven't thought about what suits us both because one, I'm afraid if I kill you,you might return back as a ghost and haunt me for the rest of my life. That's what you seem to know best."

Emily finally looked up and met her eyes.

                   "It doesn't have to be this way Taylor. I am a changed person, everyone can bear witness to that. We can start over."

                  "Oh,I know you've changed. I have as well. I am not the same helpless little girl you used to know. Now I can speak for myself and act,"she chuckled. "You know what the best part is? I get to choose what I want to do and what time I do it. Right now I'm here, tomorrow I'll be in Chicago for a fashion show and it's all on my terms. That life is sweet I tell you."

                 "Have you thought of the possibility that you might not have that life to return to?" Dylan challenged her after seeing the ignorance in her head. Both she and Kelley laughed.

                "Haven't you been listening to any word I said? I am a goddess. I rule, people worship me. I own most of them. Haven't you asked yourself why your boss wouldn't agree to help you with your little investigation?"

  It all came to her. It wasn't Kelley who had control over the department,it was Taylor. She had the wealth to do that even at her young age. Why wouldn't it be possible? She must have been the one who made sure that Kelley got out of prison the time she did. She was telling the truth. She owned them and that was just enough to make her feel the power she had right at that moment knowing that no one would interrupt her. The case would be reviewed after and dumped away as uncrackable just like her mother's had been and so many others that were stored in boxes back at the station, completely forgotten. What she didn't understand was why her boss had claimed to be looking out for her because her mother had asked him to long ago but now would easily abandon her at this moment. She looked at her and decided to ask the one question she had been afraid to ask.

                "What does Carly have to do with this?"

                 "Pretty princess here really annoys me. Hiding behind something she knows clearly is not what she wants.  You know I don't understand why you would be so quick to take her back even after what happened between you two in the past,all her doing. This one here is a worm. She is gonna crawl right back into your life and you with your soft and pure baby's heart are gonna let her right back in and you are going to be heartbroken all over again. I would say that you deserve it but then that wouldn't be true because even after all you've done, I don't want to see you crying over her again. Instead of waiting for all that to happen,why don't I just get her out of the way? In a way, you could say that I am helping you. And also,I won't have to see her face ever again. Win win." She pressed the gun harder into her head and cocked it. Carly flinched and closed her eyes. Dylan's whole body went hot in a rush. She needed to act fast or it would be too late. Her gun was on the floor,the other one was in her back. There was no way she could retrieve it before they noticed. Bullets would tear through her body even before she could get hold of it and none of them would escape. If only Kenny would locate her and help her take down at least one of them. That would cause panic and she would have time to get hold of her gun. She looked at Carly who stood tensely aware of what was going to happen. As if she had sensed her gaze on her, she opened her eyes and looked up. What she saw there was totally different from what she had appeared like just a few minutes ago. This version of her was calm almost as if she had embraced what was coming to her. Now that made her furious. There was no way she was going to let her just sacrifice herself because maybe she felt that everything that Taylor had said about her was true. Maybe she should have told her that she had never and would never think of her like that. She had tried but not succeeded. She should have told her that she still loved her maybe that would have given her a reason to want to live. She was about to open her mouth to talk when Carly beat her to it. 

              "Dee,"she began and tried to smile but instead a tear escaped her eye. She went on nevertheless. "You remember the time I told you I was scared?" Dylan nodded slowly but not knowing where this was going. "Well,I am not anymore. And I am so glad I got to see you again and spend the little time I had with you. That is something I have been praying to experience once again because I forgot how good life used to be the moment I decided to foolishly leave you right in this gym." She saw Taylor grin triumphantly but focused on Carly. Tears burned in the back of her eyes but she fought hard not to break down at that moment. "I love you Dylan. I have loved you in all my life and now I have to let you live the life you deserve,with someone who deserves you. You are too good to me. Please take care of my son,"she turned to Carl and smiled,"Both of you. He adores you. I love you so much."

    Carl tried to push back a sob but failed. Why was she still standing here while two of her favorite people were giving up slowly by slowly. What type of cop was she who wouldn't handle two criminals? What she feared most was how she would tackle them before any of her friends was hit. This was not a one cop thing no matter how good she was. As if her prayers had been answered, she saw a shadow move right by a window behind Taylor. None of the others noticed. Kenny had finally come through. Their eyes met briefly and communicated. She turned back to Taylor.

                "You are wrong. Carly is not going to crawl back into my life because the fact is, she has been in my life all along. I never let her go, not even for a minute. I don't care what that makes you think of me but all I know is if you think that I'm just gonna let her go like that,then you are wrong. Again."

                "You are not the one calling the shots now,are you?" Instead of replying to Taylor, she went on to address Carly.

                 "Don't you dare give up on  just when we got the chance at us again. I love you Carly, always have and I should have told you that the moment we had that kiss and even though I have always known you will always hold a big part of my heart and that kiss,was just what I have been waiting for in my whole life so damn you and me if we are not going to have it again," she finished to let the words sink in hoping that Carly would understand what she was trying to tell her.

                 "Jesus Christ the amount of sentimentality in this room is irritating and toxic,"Kelley finally commented. "Are you all done? I'm bored."

  The words were barely out of her mouth when a shot ran in the air. They were all taken by surprise except for Dylan who had been expecting it. It didn't do what she had intended but that was good enough. She shot forward,kicked the gun on the floor across the room a distance away from where they all were. She leapt to where Carl was standing redirecting the aim of his gun to Kelley and missing a bullet from her gun within inches. They were now back to the position they had  been in the first place but this time, she didn't waste a second. She knew Kelley's next bullet wouldn't miss so she fired once and the moment Kelley went tumbling to the ground, she aimed the gun at Taylor. Too late,Carly stood in between them. One mistake and she would shoot her instead. She needed her to just tilt an inch and take the shot. She looked at her. "Do you trust me?"

   Carly nodded,"Always."

   She nodded then made a signal she knew only Carly would understand. It was a trick she had taught her when they were just sixteen. Something she had learnt when she had been so passionate about combat and had really considered joining the army. Carly blinked twice to show that she understood but Taylor seemed to have studied everything.

                  "Oh I know what she is gonna do. Try to kick me in my groin or bite my hand and then you are going to take the shot. Sorry to disappoint." Dylan didn't back down. She trusted herself and Carly enough to know that her plan would work. Taylor's position made it hard for Kenny to shoot from the outside  too. There was no guarantee that a bullet from the back wouldn't find its way into Carly's body too. She was the only one at an advantage to save her and hoped Kelley would stay on the ground where she had fallen. One thing she had been sure of was that Taylor wouldn't shoot Carly the moment she was left alone. She would have to use her as a shield and that was exactly what had happened. She gave a tiny wink at Carly. 

     It happened so fast. With all the strength she could gather, she pulled her heel up and kicked Taylor's knee so hard that she lost balance. She tilted her head to the left making room. Two shots rang at the same time but Dylan was sure she hadn't fired twice. Taylor fell backwards and Carly to the ground with a scream. Then a third shot sounded. What the fuck! She wasn't sure where it had come from. She rushed forward and kicked the gun out of Taylor's hand and stood above her.

                "Reverse psychology bitch! I love Carly more than I will ever love anything or anyone in this world. You should have known that." She turned to where Carly was half seated,half lying on the floor. Their eyes met,"Are you okay?"

  Carly nodded quickly and smiled then said in a voice half sobbing,"Yeah,are you?" It was then that she felt it. A sharp stinging pain in her shoulder,just above her chest. She clutched it and groaned in pain. She felt a warm substance cover her hand. She looked down. Blood. A lot of blood. She felt dizzy and stumbled backwards. Carly's face changed back into horror. 

                 "Dylan!" she heard her scream but her legs couldn't hold her anymore, she fell,first on her knees then her whole body on the floor. They last thing she saw was Emily standing over Kelley's body,her whole body shaking and Carly and her brother rushing over to her before everything went dark.