Out of the Shadows Ch. 04

Hello, everyone. I hope you read the previous chapter and enjoyed it. This story is a continuation of the Shadows of Resentment series.

In this chapter, we find out what happened with the girls. Again, let me reiterate, I am no expert on anything military, so I used my imagination freely here. It is not my intention to offend any of the great people who have sacrificed and served in any branch of the military. So please remember this in a fictional piece of writing and not meant to be taken literally.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and remember to vote and comment after you have read it. Thank you. IR2R,

"Derrick, it's Dad. Can you and Dawn come over now? Something has happened." Marvin explained to his son.

He had managed to calm Marge down enough to call. After the stroke, he decided that his kids would be the first people he called from now on.

He started to dial Sierra, when the door opened and Jasmine rushed in.

"Oh God, Marge. They've got to be alright," she sobbed holding onto Marge. Jasmine was followed by Derrick, Sierra, and Gunther, who had just gotten back into town.

Dawn, Cameron, and Deidre rushed over from their jobs. All eyes were glued to the television.

"Oh God! Darius! If he knows, he's going to... Oh my God!" Deidre whispered as her boyfriend Jason held her.

"Deidre, we have to pray that Cynthia and Kerrie didn't get hurt." He whispered.

The twins were at daycare, as were Marcus, and DJ. Sierra had her infant son, Ian with her. After Marge's stroke, Deidre discussed it with Darius, and they agreed that it was for the best. However, the girls spent most of their Saturday's with Grandma and Grandpa.

Marvin held his wife and they wept as they watched the news. Derrick and Dawn held each other as they watched the news, as did Jason and Deidre. Nick sat with Jasmine and held her hand.

Meanwhile, at a base on the other side of the country, a report went out of a shooting at a military hospital. Darius was working on repairing a tank when he heard the news, a sense of foreboding crept over him, but he tried to shake it off. Then his commander shut off the radio.

"What the fuck?!' Darius yelled out standing.

He looked right in the face of his commanding officer Lieutenant David Brown. Standing in attention, Darius greeted his supervisor as well as the other soldiers.

"Sir, Lieutenant Brown, Sir" Darius greeted him.

"At ease soldier, I know you all are aware of the shooting. It was at a medical facility. I cut the radio off because-"

Darius didn't hear more Cynthia and Kerrie were at a medical facility.

"Sir, Tell me my people are alright." Darius demanded.

"Stand down soldier. I am your commanding officer." He commanded.

Darius took deep breaths to calm down. His palms were sweating, heart pounding, praying that this man wasn't about to tell him Cyn and Kerrie had been shot.

"Officer Granger. We need you to come with us." Lieutenant Brown ordered.

"Sir, please. Tell me." Darius pleaded. He had yet to disobey a direct order.

"Soldier, come with me." Then he turned and started walking. He didn't know how to tell this kid two members of his team may have died.

"Lieutenant Brown?"Darius asked when they entered the office.

The Lieutenant had a television on. On the screen was the title Shooting at Manglady Army Medical Center.

The reporter came out and said, "This morning an unidentified assailant opened fire on the third floor of Manglady Army Medical Center. Over thirty people worked on that floor and causalities have been reported.

"Sir, part of my team is at that facility. Are they Alright?" Darius demanded shaking furiously, thinking. Cynthia and Kerrie are at that facility. Oh God please let them be alright. I can't lose her. I can't lose Cynthia. I just found her. Please let him say they are alright.

"Son, we don't know. We're getting people out now." Lieutenant Brown explained. "We don't know how many shooters are in the building. We have teams in place assessing the area now."

"Sir, I need... I need to go" Darius said. Trying to hold himself together as he felt his world be ripped apart.

"Of course son. We have a bird ready to fly you there." Lieutenant Brown answered.

Darius knees buckled. It was too much. Cynthia, Kerrie were in that building. They had to be alright. She had to be alright. Fates could not be that cruel.

Within minutes, Darius was airborne and being flown to be where his fallen team mates were.

When he arrived at the government building which was housing military and civilians that were working this case, Horse, Danny, and Maria were there.

"Have you guys heard anything?" he asked praying that if they had it was good news.

"Naw, man. Nothing." Horse answered. "I'm gonna see if I can go in and search for them." Horse stood to find a commanding officer.

Darius was barely holding on. He could not breathe. The thought of Cynthia being hurt paralyzed him. And if something happened to Kerrie, he didn't know what he'd do."

"Officer Granger, you have a phone call Sir. The Lieutenant said to put it through.

Darius took the phone.

"Hello, Officer Granger." He spoke before he heard his Mom's voice.

"Darius, you bring my girls home. You hear me son. Find them and bring them home." Marge Granger sobbed in the phone to her son.

Her words broke him and his breath heaved. His team stood around him as two of the higher ups closed off the room to give them privacy.

"Momma, I can't lose her. Momma, I don't know..." He whispered into the phone.

The thought of losing Cynthia was so devastating that he dropped the phone and Danny picked up. His heart broke as he listened to Mrs. Granger sobs on the other end.

"Ma'am," Danny said. "They are going in now. We should know something soon."

"Danny, Danny," Marge pleaded. "Look out for my boy. She's his heart. Please help him Danny. Is the rest of the team there?"

"Yes Ma'am" he answered through his tears.

"Then you all need to be strong for each other. Be strong, Danny." Marge ordered.

Lieutenant Strapp came in. "Mrs. Granger, someone is here with news. I gotta go, but I will call back as soon as we know something."

"Officers Granger, Tate, Sanchez, and Stephens, the building is secure. Unfortunately, Officers Knicks and Masters were on the floor with the shooter."

Darius collapsed, His knees gave out and he fell into a chair behind him. Maria quickly moved to his side. Holding him she tried to reassure her friend.

Lieutenant Strapp gave him a moment to gain control before continuing. "We have a team that is assessing the situation on that floor and will let you now more shortly." He informed them.

"Lieutenant Strapp, were there casualties?" Maria asked.

Inhaling Lieutenant Strapp didn't really want to answer that question. But he wouldn't lie. "Yes Ma'am"

"Oh God!" Maria then lost it. Horse held her close and tried to reassure her.

Darius had calmed down and was back in control. "Officer Strapp, thank you." He said. "Please let us know when you find them.

Meanwhile, back on the floor. Kerrie was laying down wondering why Lieutenant Garner shoved her so hard. Then her brain registered the gunshots. She saw her Lieutenant drop. He fell on top of her.

Then it was silent. She lay there and watched in horror as the confused soldier place the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

Cynthia, where's Cynthiashe thought frantically when she spotted her across the room on the floor in a heap.

Kerri pushed Lieutenant Garner off and crawled to her friend.

"Cynthia," Kerrie sobbed. "Please be alright."

Cynthia coughed. She was still breathing. Next to her lay Lieutenant Manson, he was barely breathing.

Cynthia woke up and saw that Kerrie was alive. She started to move when she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She'd been shot, but she'd survive.

Kerrie needed to check on Lieutenant Garner. He had taken a direct hit. His pulse was sporadic and he had lost so much blood.

Lieutenant Garner opened his eyes and looked at Kerrie.

"Kerrie," he whispered. "You are so damn beautiful. I thought so the first day I saw you walk in." Then he coughed. Blood spewed from his mouth. "I wanted to marry you. I was going to let you go on your mission and then meet you and beg you to marry me when it ended."

Kerrie listened to him as she sobbed silently, holding him close. "Would you have done it? Kerrie, would you have married me?" he asked growing weaker by the minute.

At that moment medics had arrived and Kerrie, kissed his forehead and answered. I'll answer you when you wake up." Then the medics rushed him to the critical care unit.

Two other medics were working with Cynthia. But she was begging them to check on Lieutenant Manson. One of the medics did and he had a slow pulse, so they rushed him to trauma well.

Cynthia had a bullet lodged in her shoulder, and needed surgery. So they rushed her to trauma to prep for surgery.

A medic examined Kerrie and had a petty officer escort her off the floor.

Lieutenant Strapp rushed back over to the conference room where the rest of the team was waiting.

"Officers," he yelled. "Your friends are alive. One sustained a gunshot wound, and the other was unharmed."

"Yes, thank God" Maria cheered crying, "Can we see them?" she asked.

"Of course, give me a minute and I'll be back." Lieutenant Strapp answered.

"Wait," Darius stopped him. "Who got shot? Which girl was shot?" he asked shaking.

Lieutenant Strapp answered, "I'm not sure, Officer. She's being taken care of."

Darius sat down. "I need to call Momma. She's worried sick and that's not good for her."

"I'll get a phone." Danny said and he left to get the phone for Darius.

Darius dialed his parent's number and Marge answered on the first ring. "Darius, please." She sobbed softly.

"Momma they're alive." He said fighting to hold back his tears. "They're alive Momma. Cynthia's didn't leave me."

"Oh Thank God," Marge sobbed as she reached for her husband, she dropped the phone. "Marv, they're alive. He said they're alive"

Derrick picked up. "Darius, I'm taking the next flight out. I'll be there in a few hours alright."

"OK, and Derrick. Thanks" he whispered.

"Derrick knew this was serious. Darius didn't say "Don't come."

Looking at his wife, he silently asked permission. "I'll pack for you and you tell them to stay strong for me, alright."

Soon, Lieutenant Strapp returned. Officers, come with me." He then escorted them to the basement floor of the medical center.

As soon as they entered. "Kerrie ran screaming into Danny's arms. Danny was the first person she could get to.

Darius was paralyzed, frozen on the spot, his heart stopped as reality sank in, Cynthia was the girl that got shot.

"Fuck, where's Cyn. Kerrie." Darius queried nervously.

"She's in surgery. She got hit, Darius." Kerrie sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Darius held his friend as she sobbed. "Kerrie it wasn't your fault It just happened." Taking a deep breath, Darius reassured his team, "Cyn is strong; she'll be fine."

Then the team was taken to the OR waiting room. Sitting quietly the wait seemed like hours. Thirty minutes later a doctor came out and asked for the family of Officer Knicks.

Darius and his team stood. "Son," Dr. Kravis addressed Darius. "She's lost a lot of blood and will need a transfusion. The problem is she has a rare blood type. Only several people have this type of blood and they are all related."

"So, Doc, what's the problem call them." Darius demanded. He'd pay any price to save her. Even give his own life for hers. She was his heart."

"Son, listen. I've already given the name of the nearest person to us to your commanding officer and he has sent two officers to talk to the young woman and her husband." Dr. Kravis stated. "Now we must wait."

Maria walked over to him. "Do you want me to call your family and let them know?"

"Yea, thanks Maria." Darius whispered as he sat in the hard plastic chair staring at nothing.

Maria called and Marvin answered. She told them Cynthia's condition and that a suitable match had been found.

Meanwhile in the town of Gospel, Clay was holding a special prayer for the victims and their families of the Manglady shooting, when two army officers walked into the church.

The entire congregation turned and looked. They were stunned, silent.

"Excuse us pastor, I'm Sergeant Bull and this is Lieutenant Parks. We are sorry to interrupt your services, but can we speak to you privately? It's urgent."

"Of course." Said Clay, come to my office. Mysha asked Mother Williams and Sister Jones to watch the children and accompanied her husband to his office.

Once inside the office, Lieutenant Parks spoke. "We need your help."

"Officer how can we help?" Clay asked, wondering why was the military in his church.

"Sir, we are looking for Mysha Knicks. One of the soldiers LaCynthia Knicks was hit and needs a blood transfusion. Mysha is the nearest match according to our data banks." Sergeant Bull explained.

A beautiful black woman stood beside him, shock registered on her face. "Cynthia was shot. Oh my God, Clay she's my cousin. I haven't seen her since she was five and we moved away. If I can help my cousin, I will." Mysha declared.

Clay nodded, "Alright looks like we're heading to the Manglady Army Center." So within an hour, Mysha and Clay were boarding military aircraft and being flown in to save Cynthia.

Mysha called Greg and explained what happened, and he agreed to pick up the children. She told them they'd be with Sister Yvonne. Sister Yvonne lived across the street from them.

While waiting to hear whether or not the cousin had been found, Derrick arrived at the hospital. Darius almost broke when he saw his brother, but he held himself together.

Thirty minutes later the nurse walked a guy into the waiting room that they had never seen before. Officer Bull introduced him to the team as Clay Richards and explained that his wife, Mysha, had the same blood type as Cynthia. The team could not thank the man enough.

Clay assured them that he didn't mind and neither did his wife. Clay noticed Darius sitting with his brother and he sent up a silent prayer for strength for the young man.

Dr. Kravis came back out smiling. Darius and his team stood immediately.

Gentlemen Officer Knicks is in recovery. We removed the bullet successfully and it avoided any major arteries. The blood transfusion was successful as well. Mr. Richards, you can go back and see your wife now.

Clay stood immediately and rushed back to see his wife. Mysha smiled when her husband walked in. "Hey, I know you weren't worried."

"No, I prayed. I knew you be alright." He whispered as he kissed her gently.

"Where are my babies?" Mysha asked.

"Fine, Greg picked them up over an hour ago. You know he spoils them." Clay answered missing their small brood even more.

"Clay I want to see my cousin before we leave. She's in recovery, and I want to try and reconnect." Mysha explained.

Clay stood and kissed his beautiful, loving, and giving wife and said, "Anything you want sweetness."

Dr. Kravis came back into the waiting area to speak with the soldiers once more. Cynthia was asleep and with the heavy medications, probably would not wake until morning.

Darius and his team did not move. Derrick stood with his brother. "Can we see her before we go? We won't disturb her. We just want to see her." Darius said in a strained voice.

Clay came back out and saw the entire team on alert. He prayed nothing had gone wrong.

At that moment the doors opened and a beautiful woman that could have been Cynthia's sister came out in a wheelchair.

Mysha could not let her husband leave her without a goodnight kiss and she meant to get one. Clay smiled and embraced his wife kissing her soundly, then Darius walked to her and embraced her, tears streaming down his face.

"You gave me back my heart. You saved her." He inhaled. "Thank you. If there is anything I can ever do for you, just name it."

Mysha returned his embrace and the nurse said she needed to get back to her room. Derrick stood behind his brother gently stroking his back.

Dr. Kravis told the team, "I'll let you in for ten minutes to see her, but then you all need to go rest."

Horse, Danny, Maria, and Kerrie went in first. Darius asked them to go on because he didn't think he could handle seeing her hooked up to anything. After a few minutes, Darius and Derrick went in.

Aside from the heart monitor, and blood pressure monitor, and IV, she looked like she was sleeping. Everyone touched her and wished her well, Darius kissed her forehead and ordered her to wake up for him.

For a brief second, Cynthia opened her beautiful brown eyes and looked into the eyes of the man she loved. Then she went back to sleep.

True to their word, the team went to a local hotel along with Darius. Clay was staying at the same hotel so they all hung out together.

Derrick called Dawn to let the family know that the surgery was successful and Cynthia should be fine.

He also mentioned that the girl that saved her life was her cousin. Everyone was so happy that Marge ordered Derrick to bring Mysha and Clay home to meet the family.

Derrick laughed at the order then said to Dawn, "Tell Momma if she keeps adopting kids, her original three might get jealous."

The next morning, everyone returned to the hospital together. Mysha was being discharged, but she wanted to see her cousin before she left.

Mysha got up early and got permission to go to Cynthia's room. Mysha knocked before entering. Cynthia looked over and was surprised to see her cousin there.

Cynthia awoke that morning, grumpy, tired, and hungry. "Mysha, Oh My God." Cynthia was stunned. "When did you? Why did you? Oh my God you're here."And the two women embraced. They spent a few hours catching up.

"You're married to a minister." Wow!" Cynthia interjected as her door opened and a gorgeous blond Adonis walked in.

"Hey Baby, I was looking for you and the nurse said you were in here." Then he kissed her forehead. Clay was amazed at how much the two women looked alike. He also knew that this young woman was important to his wife.

"Hi, I'm the minister husband, you must be the cousin that's causing all of this uproar." Clay teased.

Cynthia laughed and it felt good. "Mysha, I like him. He's a keeper." Cynthia told her cousin.

Holding Clay's hand, Mysha whispered, "I know."

The door opened again and the rest of the team entered. Everyone was glad to see Cynthia alert and moving. Darius sat in a chair and watched her. He didn't talk, didn't move, was hardly breathing

.

After everyone finished talking to her, he simply asked them to give them some time alone.

"I'm gonna go check on Lieutenant Manson and Lieutenant Garner." Kerrie told her friend.

Clay and Mysha went back to be discharged. And the rest of the guys waited in the lobby.

Once everyone was gone, Darius sat by her bed and took her hand in is. His kissed her palm, the back of her hands, and her knuckles.

"Dari-" Cynthia started to say, but he stopped her.

"Cynthia, if I lose you. I will die." Darius whispered. "When I heard about the shooting it paralyzed me. I could not function. I can't risk you, Cynthia. I can't lose you."

Cynthia knew, before he could say the words, "Darius, I have trained to be on this team. You can't do this to me. I'm just as good as any other mem-"

"Cynthia, don't ask me to let you endanger your life every day. Please, I have to think." Darius looked away as he used the techniques he'd learned to keep his emotions in control.

Cynthia took a deep breath. "You know I'm out for a while with my shoulder. Also, I will go through a psychiatric evaluation. If I don't pass the evaluation with clear results, I will step down. But if I pass, Darius, I want to stay on the team."