Retribution (The Protectors 3)

“Should have protected you,” Denny managed to say, though his last words faded out as his pupils grew larger and then he lowered his head to the floor and his body jerked several times before finally stilling beneath my hands.

I pulled my bloody hands from Denny’s chest and stared at them for several long seconds before wiping them on my pants. “Why?” I asked, though I wasn’t expecting an answer. When I turned my attention to Buck, I saw that his gun was once again pointed at me.

“Put it down.”

The sound of Hawke’s voice behind me went through me like a wave and I actually let out a sob when I heard it. I wanted so badly to look over my shoulder at him, but I didn’t dare move because the second Hawke spoke, Buck’s gun went from me to Matty.

“Daddy?” Matty whispered, his eyes still closed.

“I’m here, buddy,” I managed to get out as I kept my eyes trained on my son. The puppy who’d been quiet throughout the entire ordeal began to lick Matty’s chin. “Just keep holding onto Storm, okay? It’s going to be over soon.”

Matty nodded.

“Drop your weapon,” Buck snapped. “I’ve already killed one son. Don’t think for a second I won’t kill another,” he warned.

“Hawke,” I pleaded.

“It’s okay, Tate,” was all Hawke said and I could hear his footsteps getting closer and I sensed he was only inches from me. But I didn’t give a shit about me.

“Remember your promise,” I whispered. “No matter what happens to me,” I said, hoping like hell he would remember his promise to always put Matty first.

“I remember,” Hawke said.

“Put the fucking gun down,” Buck said, his voice ice cold. I couldn’t see Hawke, but I heard the sound of metal on wood and I knew he’d put the gun down on the floor.

“Kick it away.”

A part of me wanted to die when I heard the gun slide across the wooden floor.

“Matty,” Hawke said calmly. “I need you to do something for me, okay?”

Matty nodded, his eyes still closed.

“I need you to try to read my mind like Professor Xavier does. But because it’s so noisy in here, you need to concentrate real hard and not move at all. Not even a muscle, okay?”

Matty nodded again and then he briefly opened his eyes to look at Hawke and then me. “It’s okay, Matty. Go ahead and read Hawke’s mind,” I urged.

Matty closed his eyes again and I watched as he scrunched up his face, his brow furrowed.

“Very touching, Chrissy,” Buck drawled and I held my breath as an ugly smile split his lips and he raised his gun. But it wasn’t pointed at me. It was pointed at Hawke.

“His name is Tate,” Hawke whispered and then everything happened so fast, I barely understood what I was seeing. I saw a flash of silver in my peripheral vision and a split second later, Buck was screaming in pain as a knife pierced the wrist of the hand he was holding the gun with. The gun discharged, but the force of the knife had caused his arm to swing wide and instead of the bullet flying over my shoulder towards Hawke, it slammed into the floor several feet to Buck’s right. At nearly the same time, Hawke launched his body over me, hitting Buck hard and knocking him to the ground. Matty went down with them, but as I scrambled towards him, I saw that neither man had landed on him. I dragged him into my arms and lifted my eyes just in time to see Hawke yank the knife from Buck’s wrist and jam it into his neck. Buck let out a terrible gurgling noise as blood sprayed everywhere and I had to turn away from the gruesome sight.

Even as my father struggled with his last breaths, I turned all of my attention on Matty and began checking him for injures.

“Matty, does it hurt anywhere?” I asked.

Matty was crying and it took several seconds before he finally shook his head. “Can I open my eyes, Daddy?” he asked as the puppy squirmed in his arms.

I glanced over at Hawke who’d climbed to his feet. My father’s body was still twitching and there was blood everywhere so I said, “No buddy, not yet,” and pulled Matty against me as I stood. I carried him out of the barn and then dropped to my knees in the grass and put him down in front of me.

“Okay, buddy, you can open them.”

Matty slowly opened his eyes and then looked around briefly before he burst into tears and launched himself into my arms.

“It’s okay, Matty. It’s over,” I whispered as I held him against me. The puppy was stuck between us, but all she did was lick at Matty’s face so I left her where she was. “You were so brave,” I said as I patted Matty’s back once his sobs slowed.