Rack & Ruin (THIRDS 3)

“I appreciate your concern, agents.”

“You’re wearing protection aren’t you?” Dex grunted. “So shut up.”

“Yeah, because that’s going to keep me from bleeding to death when I get shot full of holes everywhere else.”

Dex smiled wickedly. “Don’t be silly. They’re not going to kill you here. They want to make you suffer.” They stopped a few feet away from the two large Therians and Ash. The moment they released Reyes, Ash was shoved forward. Dex and Cael rushed over, catching Ash before he could crumble to the ground. Fuck, he was heavy.

“Ready?” Cael asked Ash softly.

“Cael?” Ash’s voice was so low and weak, Dex barely heard him.

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here, big guy.”

“I’m sorry,” Ash said, his words coming out slurred as he hung his head. Dex felt for him and Cael. He could see how hard this was on his brother.

“We’ll talk later. First, let’s get you out of here.”

Dex slipped his arm around Ash’s waist and gritted his teeth. Even with Cael sharing the weight, it was difficult moving Ash and very slow going. He could feel Ash making the effort, hear him groan painfully as he put one foot in front of the other. Those assholes had really done a number on him. Dex discreetly leaned into Ash.

“Who’s our target?”

“Preston Merritt,” Ash murmured. “He’ll give himself away.”

Dex discreetly tapped the communicator button on his vest. “Did you get that, Sloane?”

“Loud and clear.”

Just as Sloane said the words, one of the Coalition members behind them called out after Ash.

“Hey, Keeler! We’ll be seeing each other again soon, I promise you. I might just pay your twink boyfriend a visit.”

Dex had no idea what the hell happened. One second

they were holding onto Ash who could barely keep his own head up, the next thing he knew, Ash had let out a fierce roar to rival his lion Therian one and was heading for Merritt one faltering step at a time. Merritt raised his gun at Ash, and everything went to hell. Sloane yelled for Merritt to put his weapon down, and the guy did. Only to take aim at Cael.

“TARE!” Sloane’s authorization for Calvin to take the kill shot echoed in Dex’s ear, and he saw the visor of Merritt’s helmet splinter before his body crumbled to the ground. Cael ran after Ash, and a Coalition member took aim at him.

“Cael!” Dex bolted toward his brother who was drawing his weapon as the shot rang out. The bullet never made it to Cael.

Ash made sure of it.

Destructive Delta opened fire as Merritt’s gang scattered like roaches with Reyes running back toward Destructive Delta. First time Dex had ever seen a member of the Order running toward the THIRDS. The Coalition members went down one by one as they were shot with tranqs to keep them from escaping. Around them gunfire erupted, agents shouted as Beta Pride and Beta Ambush’s agents flooded onto the scene. Dex could hear the chaos, but he was too busy dropping to his knees beside Ash, his gloved hands pressing down on the blood hemorrhaging from his body. “Agent down! We’ve got an agent down!”

“No. No, no, no.” Cael shook his head and cupped Ash’s face. “Why did you do that?”

Ash smiled at Cael, nudging his cheek playfully like he always did before he started gasping, coughing, and sputtering blood.

“Hold on, Ash,” Dex demanded, as Rosa and the EMTs rushed over and got to work on him. There was blood everywhere, and Ash was coughing and gasping for air. Cael was growing frantic, panicking as Ash’s eyes rolled back. “Sloane, get Cael out of here!”

Sloane grabbed hold of Cael who struggled against him until the larger Felid was forced to lift him off his feet. “No! Don’t you dare fucking die on me! You hear me, Ash? You asshole, you don’t get to die on me like this! Ash!”

Dex stripped off his gloves as the EMTs peeled Ash’s uniform off. He looked up at Rosa who’d gone pale. “Rosa?”

“I don’t know….” Tears filled her eyes, and she gave a sniff, wiping at her cheek with the back of a gloved hand.

“Fuck.” Dex left the medical team to do their job, watching as they prepped Ash for transport. He was covered in blood, had an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, and IVs sticking out all over. Cael was too distraught to realize the ambulance had whisked Ash away. Rosa was attempting to comfort him when Sloane stepped up next to Dex.

“You okay?” Dex asked him, knowing this couldn’t be easy for him either.