People yelling, the sound of sirens and a loud bang jerked me awake. For a small moment, I didn't know where I was. It rushed back at me. The noises on the other side of the door got louder and more chaotic. I scrambled under the table on the other side of the room as what sounded like another gunshot was fired. More yelling voices came to me. 

The door burst open and then slammed shut. A man's feet paced the floor, then Brock's face appeared in front of me. He grabbed my leg. I kicked out and clambered into the corner.

"Come here bitch!" He threw the table onto its side.

One of the legs caught me on the chin. The blow rocketed through me. Small black dots floated in front of me. Brock wrenched my arm behind my back and pulled me to my feet. I had to stand on my tiptoes to ease the pain. He held a gun to my head.

"Please don't kill me," I begged.

"Do as I say and I won't. You got it?"

I nodded, then he steered me towards the door and opened it. The place was packed with people. Some lay on their stomachs; others were handcuffed. Police in bulletproof vests with guns stood in a semicircle facing the door. Fear coursed through me. I searched frantically around the warehouse.

"Let her go, Brock!" A large man in a suit stepped forward. "Don't make this worse than it has to be. Let her go."

I swallowed a hard lump. Brock twisted my arm higher. I cried out in pain. The man in the suit took a step back and waved his hands up and down. "Go easy on her. Okay. Think this through. We don't want any deaths tonight."

"Get out of my way or I'll kill the bitch!"

The large man in the suit held out his palms. "Where would that get you, son? She'd be dead and so would you." He paused. "Do you want to die tonight?"

Brock sniggered. "I'm already a dead man. I wouldn't mind taking someone with me. Why not a hot whore? Maybe we'll get to fuck in hell."

I caught movement from the corner of my eye. Adam leapt to his feet. "Brock!"

An officer who had been standing guard over him, smashed him in the side with the butt of his gun and dropped him to the ground.

The commotion caused Brock to turn me in that direction.

Adam clutched his ribs and groaned in pain. The officer kicked him hard and shoved him onto his stomach.

Brock laughed then yelled, "Give the cunt one for me!"

The distraction caused Brock to loosen his hold on my arm. I slipped out of his grasp and dropped to a crouch. He grabbed me again. I punched him as hard as I could in the crotch.

Brock groaned and kicked me in the stomach. I gasped in pain and gripped my stomach as I struggled to breathe. Brock's gun barrel pressed against my forehead. I stared at him, then looked away, dreading the worst. Adam's eyes met mine. He stared at me, his face full of horror and sorrow. His hands were cuffed behind his back. He yelled, "Jasmine...!"

A loud blast hurt my ears. Blood splattered over my face. Someone screamed as I fell to the ground. Was I dead? Though I heard the shot, I hadn't felt any pain. I remembered someone telling me that if you died instantly, you didn't feel pain. The screaming got louder. I wished whoever it was would shut up. Someone rolled me over. I realised it was me screaming.

I was alive, and I was screaming.

The police officer lifted me and held me against him. "It's okay, miss, it's over. You're okay."

I gulped in deep breaths of air. Brock's body was spread on the ground.

People moved everywhere. I heard Adam's deep voice through the chaos. "Cover her face."

I attempted to turn my head to see him, but the policeman's hand covered my eyes. I was led outside toward a waiting patrol car, straining my head to search for Adam. He smiled sadly at me.

My mind spun. The world blurred. Everyone travelled in slow motion. They parted like the Red Sea as I was guided from the warehouse, unaware of the movement of my feet. Some people smiled forlornly. Others looked at me with approval. Rain streamed from the sky in the flashing blue lights. The smell of water on dry earth, refreshing and cleansing, wafted in the air. I inhaled, closed my eyes and lifted my face to the sky to let the rain soothe my aching soul.

I was breathing, and I was safe.

A policewoman wrapped me in a blanket, sat me in the car and handed me a bottle of water. "How do you feel?"

"Numb," was all I could say.

She smiled and brushed my hair behind my ear. "My name's Stacey. A doctor will come and examine you in a minute. If everything's okay, we'll take you to the station so you can make a statement. It's going to be a long night, so please try to relax."

"Thanks," I said and took the bottle of water.

She tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I'll be back in a minute."

The area was flooded with people, some struggled, making mud and water splashed on the vehicles. Others were shoved into police cars. More than the original eight I had counted. Gillian and Adam along with Stan and Josie were shuffled into the back of one of the paddy wagons.

I stared at the chaos, not seeing any of it, after they were driven away. I felt no sorrow. I felt nothing.

I waited for what seemed like a long time. A body, carried on a stretcher in a body bag, went past. The police had shot Brock, not him shooting me.

An older man with a small case greeted me. "How are you?" he said, sitting where Stacey had sat.

"I'm okay, I think. Just tired and confused."

"That's to be expected," he said and proceeded to shine a light into my eyes, then listened to my heartbeat. He examined my face. "You've got some bruising. You'll be a bit sore in the morning, but your pulse rate is good for someone who's had a big shock like this." He paused. "Tomorrow might be different...delayed shock." He dug in his bag and gave me two small tablets. "Valium...for tomorrow. Take one when you need it. You'll know when. Have you got someone at home?" I shook my head. He said, "Have you got someone you can ring?"

"Yes...my brother."

He patted the back of my hand. "Good girl, you've had a big shock. You'll need to talk to someone in the future, but the police need you to make a statement. I'll say you're fit to do that. Is that okay?"

"Yes."

He smiled and ran his hand down the back of my head. "You're one tough young lady, but a bit on the nose if you don't mind me saying."

I burst into laughter. I'm sure his objective was to make me react so an emotion could come out of me because once I had laughed, I felt so much better. He sat with me, laughed, and then handed me a card. "I want to see you tomorrow or the next day. No later. Give that number a call." He tapped the card. "Just say who you are and come straight over. If necessary, I'll give you more tablets. I'm going to recommend someone for you to talk to when you're ready, okay."

"Okay," I whispered.

He patted my hand again and said to Stacey, "She can give you a statement. Try to make it quick. She needs a shower and some sleep."

OMG that was close.  Jasmine must be a wreck :(

Only 3 more chapters to go.  

Do you think that's end for Jasmine and Adam?

Join me next week to find out. 

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