Mercedes was on her knees the moment they reached Tia, scooping her friend up off the ground and holding Tia’s head in her lap. “Tia, please, no. Please, no.” Her tears streamed, diluting the blood on Tia’s chest.
“Mercedes...” Tia’s eyes were wide and confused, like she didn’t understand where she was or why. The shock was clearly kicking in.
Tia drew consecutive sharp breaths, hyperventilating as her stomach heaved. There was blood within those breaths, spilling over onto her green dress.
“You’re okay, you’re okay, we’re going to get help,” Mercedes said, her eyes only slits of tears, her lips holding shut like she was biting her cheek.
Adam stood over them like a shadow. Mercedes turned to him with a pleading look. Her hands were covered in a coat of blood so thick, it was like she’d dipped them in red glue.
Adam’s eyes shuttered as he surveyed Tia’s injuries. Bullet wounds to the heart. Already a mass of blood on the pavement, blood in the ears, eyes, mouth—there was nothing he could do.
So, instead, he circled them and sat down at Tia’s side, too, crossing his legs right in the midst of the pools of blood.
“Tia, please, please, hang on. Just hold on,” Mercedes said.
“Mercedes...” Tia said.
“We’re here,” Adam said. He held her hand. “You’re not alone.”
“...Not... alone,” Tia repeated, blood gurgling from her mouth like a fountain.
Mercedes was still looking at him like she was begging him to perform a miracle. Her face was now a mess of black from the mascara that dropped with her tears.
It hurt his heart more than she could possibly fathom to have no power to help. Wasn’t that what all this was about, after all? He’d never wanted to feel powerless again.
“Please do something,” Mercedes sniffed, her words obscured by the intensity of her sobs.
He steadied his own breathing. Right now he had to be strong, because Tia only had seconds to go and she needed him. Though his heart shattered to watch her die, he had to be there for her. If he couldn’t save her, he would surely carry her over the threshold.
“We’re right here,” Adam said again to Tia. “We’ll always be right here.”
Despite Mercedes’s increasing cries, Tia looked only at Adam, as if there were an understanding between them. As if only he could give her what she needed so that she could go.
“Please stay awake,” Mercedes said, burying her head in Tia’s chest and sobbing again.
“Look after–” Tia coughed, sputtering breaths of blood.
Adam gripped her hand tighter. “I promise.” He knew what she was going to say.
“My...girls.”
There were two sharp breaths, long seconds in between them, before a final sigh that pushed away the last breath of life. Her eyes remained open but glazed over.
All that was left was an empty shell. And a sickening realization thathehad caused all this to happen.
* * *
OCTOBER 1986
She was all alone now.
Dan, Carlos, and Paul had been captured over a week ago and now... now Adam had been taken, too. He was the one Dorian was really after. Perhaps the others would still be alive, but Adam…he wouldn’t have long.
She laid flat on top of the train, watching clouds pass over a bright blue sky, letting soft tears fall to her cheeks. Why would he do that? Why would he let himself be taken? He had to know what would be coming to him.
Was she supposed to be grateful? Because she wasn’t. No, the rage was like a current of electricity.
The sun beat down, blinding her eyes so much she could only see her watery tears and the crisp yellow sunshine.
