Instinctively, I grip Gregory’s hand.
‘Keep breathing, Scarlett,’ he says as calmly as the situation will allow.
I nod but I’m beginning to feel light-headed, slipping in and out of reality.
Jackson punches the button for the lift and holds the gun in front of him with two hands, ready for whatever waits behind the metal doors. He ushers us into the lift and takes one more look around the vestibule.
We’re silent as we rise to the sixty-fourth floor, the only noise coming from the whir and crank of the suspension cables. The sound of my own breath resonates in my ears. I hold a hand against my chest to keep it from exploding.
The lift pings and I think I could cry. I close my eyes as the doors begin to crawl open. Jackson leaps out and jumps left to face the double apartment doors.
‘Wait here,’ Gregory says.
‘No, I’m coming,’ I say.
He doesn’t argue but he doesn’t hold my hand either. His fists are clenched, his torso rigid. The apartment doors are ajar and the floor sensor lighting is dimly glowing blue. He’s in there.
Jackson motions for us to stand behind the left door. He moves to the right and raises his gun with two hands. I jump and maybe scream when he kicks open the door. In a split second, there’s a muffled shot, a yell and Jackson’s body thuds to the ground. ‘He’s in! He’s in!’ Jackson shouts.
Gregory leaps towards Jackson. There’s a pool of blood already forming beneath his leg. Gregory pushes both hands against his thigh.
‘Leave it! Get him!’ Jackson yells through gritted teeth.
Gregory glances at me, then at Jackson. I want to tell him not to go but the words don’t leave my mouth. There’s a loud bang then the sound of breaking glass from one of the doors off the lounge – the bathroom. Gregory runs towards the sound.
Without thinking, trembling and frantic, I pull my arms from my coat and bend down to tuck it under Jackson’s bleeding leg. Using the sleeves, I tie a tourniquet. Jackson winces but doesn’t tell me to stop. Another bang sends my body jolting. I shift to look toward the bathroom. Thrashing. More glass shatters. The sound of struggle continues.
Then the gun that shot Jackson slides into the lounge with the power of a kick. Gregory and Pearson burst through another door into the gym, tussling, gasping, brutally fighting for their own lives.
‘Scarlett, look at me,’ Jackson says.
I look at him and try to breathe. My heart is thudding against the bones of my chest.
‘I need you to take my gun, Scarlett. Take the gun.’
I move down the two steps onto the floor of the lounge, as if it’s not really Scarlett Heath in my skin, adrenalin coursing through my veins, and retrieve Jackson’s gun.
‘Look at me. The safety is off. The safety is off and it’s ready to fire. Use two hands, Scarlett, and only fire if you need to. Only fire if you have a clear shot.’
My eyes burn. ‘I can’t.’
There’s another crash. Gregory and Pearson burst from the gym into the lounge. There’s a thick chain around Gregory’s neck and Pearson grips each end tightly from behind, strangling him. Gregory thrusts his elbow back three times into Pearson’s ribs. Pearson falls but doesn’t let go of the chain.
It’s happening so fast. I need to help him.
Gregory falls back on top of Pearson and with that leverage, his father pulls tighter. Gregory yanks at the chain, his nails breaking his flesh, and tries to use his legs to bounce out of his father’s grip but he’s stuck. His face is red. Each sinew and muscle in his neck and face is strained.
‘He’s killing him!’ Jackson shouts.
Gregory flips them both, so he’s face down with Pearson on his back. He jabs an elbow into his father’s throat, sending him crashing back.
There’s blood on the floor and I can’t tell who has the wound; they’re both smeared with crimson. Gregory pounces, trapping Pearson’s arms beneath the weight of his legs. Then he grabs him by the neck and digs his thumbs into his trachea. Pearson kicks but Gregory strikes his face with a punishing fist.
My eyes are wide, shocked and panicked, as I watch Gregory strangle his father with bare hands.
Pearson struggles, his legs kicking and squirming on the ground. His body jerks. Once. Twice.
Then he’s still.
