That Day, It Happened

How It Ended

"Let me see if I understood correctly. You went to Chau for information and while you were waiting for it, Lee's men found you."

Evan nodded, his hands sweating under the intense gaze of Matthew Lincoln, Abby's older brother. She was shot and needed all the rest she could get thus ending up with Evan forced to spend time and drink tea with the MI6 agent.

"They started to run after us and they shot at us. She pushed me out of the way and got shot. She saved my life." Evan continued, his eyes widening slightly at the memory.

Of course, he was grateful but the matter was still not over and his brother was still in far more danger than he was.

"We won't be able to save my brother." Evan mumbled looking down at his hands.

"Abigail was one of the best students in the academy. She is patient and knows when to act. She is stupid enough to get killed for someone else."

Evan felt small standing in front of Matt and he started to feel even smaller when he spoke so highly of his sister. It was still a shock that someone who could act so nonchalantly about life could have been a police officer.

However, in Matt's point of view, he could only see disappointment and fear. It was so obvious that he felt like saying something encouraging.

"What I'm saying is that she knows what she's doing and she won't disappoint you."

"She has some trust issues, though." Evan remembered and saw Matt nodding, admitting it bluntly.

"She does. There was a mission during her first year as a officer and her partner got killed. If that wasn't enough, she allegedly shot a hostage instead of shooting the culprit. Back then, Abigail was really confident in her choices and her skills but afterwards it all went downhill." Matt finished with a heavy sigh.

Evan frowned, remembering Abby during their shooting class. She seemed to know everything by book and didn't miss her target once.

"But she's a good shooter. Why did she shoot the hostage?"

Matt didn't expect someone to be curious about that. Most officers believed the chief and ignored her but it didn't seem to be the case with the peculiar boy in front of him.

"She said she shot the culprit but no one believed her. Her boss had an older badge and an incredible record. They shot at the same time, you see. Her bullet got in the wrong person." Matt explained before sipping elegantly from his cup of tea.

Evan sighed and leaned on his right hand, a lot of new curiosities forming inside his mind.

"Is that why she has a bad relationship with her father?"

Matt almost spilled the tea over this new acquaintance. The boy new more than he expected.

"No. Well, it might have been the cherry on top, really. Abigail has always ran when something difficult occurred. She would either come to hide here or go random places, work random jobs to keep her busy. Our father is a man that never runs away from his responsibilities. He gave her an ultimatum after she quit being an officer and it evolved into a huge mess. "

Evan had to recognize he would have never thought of that. She was being responsible at the moment even if she did act crazily before.

"I never imagined we'd get stuck in this type of situation. She peed behind me and pole danced for a week and a half but never once did it cross my mind that she was running away from her life."

Matt blinked in astonishment, only one detail echoing through his mind: pole dancing.

"You don't look like a secret agent either." Evan commented.

The older man blinked a few more times, trying to shake off the new piece of information and gave Evan two thumbs up.

"That's the idea. Our family has this special trait. We look innocent but I assure you I can destroy your future in a blink of an eye."

How could someone threaten him with such a happy expression was beyond understanding.

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The younger man didn't have time to respond -or run for his life- because Matt's phone rang. Once he checked the caller, he put it on speaker.

"Johnny is free as of tomorrow morning. Abigail and Evan should go and take him from the station." Chau announced."But, I asked here and there about his plans. He has a transportation of women tonight and will be in Indonesia tomorrow. I don't know why he told you to get his son out now."

"Is there something we don't know about? His son has nothing to do with his father's business from what I know. The police don’t have anything that connects the two except the familial background."

"Max is going to Indonesia for the transportation his son made. Something is fishy, Matt. He has bigger plans with Abby and Evan. He knew she will be able to get his son out. He has something else planned for them."

Evan could feel fear crawl up his legs and up his spine, forcing him to think about the worst scenario. He was growing nervous and everything he believed in was shattering. Matt noticed the way Evan started to shudder and gave him a push. It was supposed to wake him from anxiety and fear but he used too much force and literally pushed Evan off the chair.

"Alright. Thanks for the info. We'll keep in touch."

Chau hung up quickly and let the apartment in complete silence.

"We're going to die." Evan whispered from the floor. He was trembling slightly and his eyes were moving around chaotically. The poor boy was horrified.

Matt rolled his eyes and kicked the younger man in the leg, a bit too hard maybe.

"Didn't you hear what I said? Abby knows what she's doing."

Evan hoped so.

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Abigail woke up somewhere around midnight from a bad dream. She was sore and her side hurt like heck but she has been through worse. Her body wasn't fragile; her mind was.

She walked into the living room and saw Evan sleeping on the couch. Her brother was in his office, doing his own work. Abigail stared at Evan's sleeping face and smiled softly at the sudden realization: he was an idiot for running with her and he was stupid for believing everything she said.

"You knew from the beginning."

She was already accustomed to her sneaky brother and the way he'd pop out during the worst moments. Thus, Abigail chose to ignore him and went in the kitchen.

"You knew he wanted more than his son." Matt continued, following her.

"I checked them out before. Johnny doesn't have a good relationship with his father. Moreover, he agreed on trades that were too much for him to handle. He got in over his head and signed with his father's name for petty trades between Japan, South Korea and Indonesia." Abby explained, searching through the cupboard for coffee.

"If you knew so much, why did you get him involved?"

Abby stopped and glanced at the sleeping boy on the couch.

"He needed the thrill. He was supposed to leave early that night. I knew the true about that store, I've known everything for a while. He wasn't supposed to be there that night." She emphasized the last sentence, turning to her brother, "I'm sorry, alright? It's my fault that Max got his brother. I just-I wanted to clear my name in the division." Matt shook his head disapprovingly. "I'm sorry." She repeated.

On the couch, with his eyes wide open, Evan heard everything from the kitchen. He couldn't believe he got dragged into something so dangerous; moreover his younger brother became a victim.

Everything was because of Abigail Lincoln.

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Next morning, Matt walked in the living room while rubbing his tummy. On the couch was only his sister. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and she was staring at the wall. He noticed something on the table, a piece of paper.

"I’m going to do it my way. I’ve had enough. Good bye." He read out loud before he glanced at Abigail's blank face, "If you don't do something, he's going to get himself killed."

"I know."

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Evan went home. The front door of his apartment was still under construction but everything else was intact. That was good. As long as he wasn’t around her, he was going to be safe. Feeling a new dose of adrenaline kicking in, he walked in his room and took all the money he had saved in the back of his dresser. It was enough for a gun.

Entering the store, on the other side, felt really awkward. He was tall and dressed in nice and decent clothes. Everyone was looking at him warily and that gave him some kind of courage.

“I want a gun.” He said once he got to the counter.

The employee raised an eyebrow and chewed gum.

“That’s what everyone wants when they enter my store, kid.” The man answered before checking him out, “What type? For what kind of length?”

Evan had no idea. He just wanted a gun.

The employee chuckled and leaned over the counter.

“You’re new, aren’t you? What do you want it for?”

“To kill.”

The employee raised both his eyebrows in surprise and started to laugh to himself. He went in the back to look for something adequate.

Evan surveyed the store meanwhile. Only two people were in and they were looking at different types of guns. One of them turned his head slightly and checked the young man out. Evan turned to the counter quickly and praised that he won’t die before he could save his brother.

“Here.” The employee came right in time. He placed a small gun on the counter and looked at Evan with bored eyes, “Ruger 22/45. You can’t miss with this.”

Evan took it and inspected it closely. It looked nice.

“It’s 500$. Quite cheap, if you ask me.”

Evan raised an eyebrow. That was not cheap but he needed it.

“Good luck, kid.” The clerk encouraged the young man with a crooked smile.

Evan nodded and left the store as quickly as possible.

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Evan had no idea where to go. Besides, he was a wreck. He could finally understand why men in movies looked so ready to break when they were planning to kill someone. He used to say that he could be better and could keep his calm but he had no idea just how nerve wracking it was in reality. There was the fear that a police officer could see him and take him in. That was the best outcome, though. He didn’t want to think about the worst case scenario.

Walking down the street, he remembered what Chau said. He could go take Johnny from the station and walk him to his house. Hopefully, his brother will be there and he could take him and leave without making a big fuss.

But it wasn’t easy at all. Evan waited for an hour in front of the station, going over his plan a few times just in case he would forget something. When Johnny walked out, Evan sneaked behind him and followed some crazy idea.

The petty thief didn’t expect a young and tall man to sneak around and push a gun on his back.

“Let’s get you home, Johnny boy.”

The older man was silent. Evan pushed him inside the closest cab and forced the young thief to say his address.

“You better say it right and not make any funny business.” Evan whispered in his ear but Johnny rolled his eyes. If he wanted to, he could have escaped easily.

“Are you the one that got me out?” He asked once the cab started to move. Evan nodded. “Well, you didn’t have to. My father will come and kill me.”

The innocent man frowned.

“He’s in Indonesia right now. It seems you got him in trouble and he went there to clarify it.”

“He went there because he has his own business. Do you really think he gives a care about me? Please! The world doesn’t work like that kid. Not the world I’ve been born into.” Evan rolled his eyes and pulled the thief closer to his side. “I won’t run away, calm down.”

The ride continued in silence. Once they got in front of the mansion, Evan pulled Johnny out. He paid for the cab and remained all alone in front of an intimidating house.

“Now what?” The thief asked sarcastically.

Evan glared at his ‘companion’ and nudged him towards the gate. Johnny typed the security code and entered. Once they got inside the house, Evan let him go, amusing the older man.

“Aren’t you curious why the house is so empty?”

“Your father is not home.” Evan answered as if that was logical.

“And? This house should be full of bodyguards. I live here with my parents. Don’t you think my father would have left some guards around just in case?” Evan blinked, realizing that Johnny was right. “You just got yourself in trouble.”

That was the last sound Evan heard before someone hit him in the back of his head and he fainted.

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When he woke up, he was tied up against a chair the basement. Evan had seen that before in movies; he was probably watching too many movies. He really missed those late night parties with his friends. They would meet to study but it would quickly change into a hang out. They would eat pizza and chicken and drink beer. He really missed the safety and normality of those days.

“You’re awake.” He shook his head in order to clear his vision. It didn’t work. “You have guts, kid. I give you that.”

In front of him was the leader of the Vipers. He was dressed in black; normal black clothes. Evan was slightly disappointed.

“Your son is free. We had a deal.”

The man raised an eyebrow and stared at him in surprise.

“We didn’t have a deal. I only told you that if you want to see your brother alive, you should get my son out. I am a man of word so-“ He moved a few feet to the side, revealing a glass window.

“Evan!”

Evan was ready to call for his younger brother when the man walked in between the two.

“He’s fine, see? No problem.” The man commented nonchalantly,“I have a few more things I want you to do for me. You see, once upon a time, I was an important man and had connections. Now, things aren’t going-“ He stopped to lit up a cigar. He breathed in the tobacco before he breathed out smoke. “-things aren’t going very well. There is someone who likes to play the good cop. As you probably know, people like me hate good cops.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Evan was still in between having the biggest panic attack ever and the calm before the storm.

The mafia leader threw the gun at his feet.

“Kill Matthew Lincoln.”

Evan frowned. He had to register what he’s been told. When he finally understood who Matthew Lincoln was and what that man wanted, he started to squirm in the chair, hoping he'd free himself miraculously.

“Is that what you wanted from the start?”

The Vipers’ leader chuckled. He even started to laugh and encouraged his men to do so too.

“No. My connection in the police force is someone very important. People like this Matt aren’t needed. They can’t see the world in grey. They only see it in black and white and that’s really unfortunate.”

Evan squirmed harder but he wasn’t getting anywhere.

“If you’re at it, kill his sister too. Abigail Lincoln.”

That wasn’t the leader. Evan turned his head and noticed a new man that was better dressed yet Evan couldn't help but feel hostile. He walked closer to the young man and grabbed his face.

“You got entangled into her life. She has you wrapped around her finger, doesn’t she? That little bitch.”

“Who are you?” Evan got the chance to ask through gritted teeth. The man let go of his face and leaned back.

“You don’t need to know. Just be wise and finish this little mission.” His tone seemed familiar, in some twisted way. Evan didn’t know the man but something about him was generally familiar. Like the time you enter a hospital and the nurses seem all the same. Or like the time he got interrogated in Portobello. Wait-

“You’re a cop.” The two dangerous men glanced at each other and laughed. Evan didn’t find it amusing at all. “You’re a bad cop. One that puts himself before his job.” Evan concluded.

“No one works for justice. No one believes in it anymore. We all do our own bad and right. It’s up to us what we believe justice is.”

“Anyway, let’s leave life philosophies aside. What’s your answer?”

Evan closed his eyes tightly and bit his lip. He couldn’t get Abby’s different faces out of his head. They wanted her dead. She deserved it after what she got him into. But Abigail was also the girl who did so many crazy things and helped him throughout that misunderstanding. He got so far because of her. Of course, if he would have left when he should have had, nothing would’ve happened. It was so complicated but he didn’t hate her. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

“I’m not going to kill them. None of them.” He answered, embracing himself for the worst.

When the cop pulled out his gun and pointed it at his face, Evan gulped and closed his eyes. He was silently praying to get to Heaven. He was also praying for his brother.

The cop was ready to pull the trigger when Evan heard a loud shooting sound. He was afraid to see what was going on. He heard two more shots before someone shook him. He opened his eyes and saw Abby’s angry face.

“You are really stupid.” She said before she grabbed the gun from the ground and put it in his hands.

The former officer cut the rope around his feet and hands and helped him back on his feet. Her eyes widened when Evan hugged her tightly out of nowhere.

“Um-“

Once the aftereffect disappeared, he realized what he did and pushed her away to wipe off his clothes.

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“That man-“

They turned to the injured man on the floor; he was unconscious. She shot him in the side, just like he shot the kid back in the day.

“He was my boss for a while. He blamed me for his wrongdoings.” Abby pointed her gun at his head and narrowed her eyes, “I should kill him.”

Evan’s eyes widened but he didn’t feel like he should interfere. It was her business and if she wanted to take revenge, he was in no position to stop her.

“What about Max?”

She sighed and clicked her tongue.

“You should go save your brother. That was your intention from the beginning.”

Evan nodded. He only got to the door when he turned to face her.

“Thank you.”

She winked and stuck her tongue out at him childishly. No matter what, she was the same Abigail he met in the market.

Once he left, her expression became one of a killer. With a cold heart and driven by vengeful thoughts, she turned to her former boss.

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Evan heard a loud noise and only imagined what happened in the basement. It was always about the basement, wasn’t it? He walked out and opened the door slowly, finding no one in the living room. He sneaked as swiftly as he could towards the stairs. His brother was in some place that looked a lot like an interrogation room. It was on the other side of the wall but he didn’t see any door towards it.

The young man sighed and leaned against the wall. He was getting tired and he seriously wanted to go home and hug his parents.

“What are you doing?”

He opened his eyes widely and jumped. She scared the shit out of him.

“Sorry. I learned to be silent in school.”

Abby didn’t seem apologetic at all. She was biting her lip while trying not to laugh at him.

“I don’t know where my brother is.” Evan admitted with disappointment.

Her amusement died instantly. She blinked and tilted her head to the side. The brunette noticed a man sneaking behind Evan and shot him dead. That scared the young adult even more.

“What do you mean? He has to be somewhere in here.”

Evan noticed some men coming from the stairs. He gulped and did the unthinkable: he shot three bullets and only one slightly grazed one of the men. She chuckled and grabbed his arm. They had to run away from there they were in the open and that was only going to attract danger.

“I saw him in a room like the ones in police stations. But I don’t think he is in one. I just-I don’t know.”

He was slowly cracking and shattering, Abby could see that. Evan wasn’t able to use his brain at its potential because he was tired.

They just ran around the corner and got into a hall. Abby looked around and realized something was wrong. She touched her ear and started to mumble something.

Evan was in constant panic. He could hear the men shouting and he could hear their feet running on the old wooden floor.

“We’re going to die, aren’t we?”

She rolled her eyes and pushed him in the nearest room. It was dark and smelled like tomatoes. Abby covered his mouth and told him to stay still. He was trembling in fear but he tried to keep his composure and do as instructed.

They heard feet walking outside. He could feel his heart beating faster than it ever did. Once the men walked further down the hall, she retracted her arm. They both heard a small whimper and glanced at each other curiously.

“I didn’t say anything.” He whispered.

They turned their heads slowly and walked deeper into the room.

“It’s so dark in here,” She mumbled as she walked towards the curtains and opened them. The curtains were only hiding a closed wall. It was really suspicious.

As Evan walked towards the bathroom, the whimpers grew louder. He turned on the light and turned the doorknob. He was ready to open the door when someone else slammed it open from the inside and ran into him. Abigail found the light switch in the room and turned it on. Evan was on the floor and a kid was hovering over him.

“I think we found your brother.” Abby announced the obvious, “Shouldn’t you be happier? Or at least, hug each other? You were both in serious danger.” She tilted her head to the side and watched the two stare at each other. They were definitely brothers. He looked like a younger version of Evan which was both scary and interesting.

After they finally realized what was going on and the shock left their minds, they hugged and the kid started to cry.

“Evan! I’m really sorry. I was on my way to school when some guys came and told me you got in trouble-”

Evan nodded and patted his head in comfort. Abigail walked closer and bent next to them.

“They were police officers weren’t they? They told you that your brother has done something bad?”

Now that she could see him better, he was a teenager. He looked old enough to be a freshman in high school.

“What else did they tell you?” Abby asked.

“That my brother will come after me. I shouldn’t be scared because nothing will happen to me or him. They only wanted some girl.” Evan looked at her. She didn’t seem surprised at all. If anything, she was expecting that answer. “They said something about some guy too. I heard them talking about some deal?” The kid sighed and rubbed his head. “I’m sorry. That’s all I heard. They locked me in a room and told me to keep quiet. Then, today, they just threw me in here.”

“It’s alright. You’ve done well. You were very brave.” The kid nodded and got comforted by his brother’s kind words. “I need to get him out of here.”

Abby licked her lips and stared at the wall.

“Leave and don’t look back, Evan. This is a family business.” She started coldly.

“Is that why they wanted me to kill your brother?”

“My brother’s been using his influence to close small businesses that have any connection with the Vipers. He didn’t tell me or dad about it. He got into trouble by himself and he was going to stop the trades of tobacco and prostitutes on his own.”

“But we messed his plan didn’t we?” Evan asked warily.

“Not only his. The trades stopped because Matt called the Indonesian Coast Guard. They found the girls and they have enough proof to keep Johnny arrested for a while. Max knew that. That’s why he didn’t go to Indonesia anymore.” Abby explained growing anxious.

“Then why did he want us to get his son out of prison when he will get back there anyway?”

She got on her feet and started to pace around the room.

“I don’t think it was about his son. I think it didn’t matter if we could get him out or not. He wanted us to get in trouble. I think he had a deal with the chief and I was probably going to be the scapegoat. I have connections and so does my brother. If our father was to know what we were doing, he would have probably got us to America to keep a strict eye on us. Besides, I have no right to change documents. I wasn’t going to say anything about Chau. It was a good plan to get rid of us.”

Evan helped his brother up and walked towards her.

“I still don’t understand why they want you too? Your brother works for the government. He would have gotten in deep trouble. But you?”

“I lost my position and title in the police when he blamed me for shooting that kid. No one was going to believe me and my relationship with the superiors was only up to dad. I was the perfect scapegoat. I had nothing to lose. In the end, I would be easy to discard of.”

Evan gulped and wrapped a hand around her. She wasn’t going to cry and didn’t look sad. If anything, she looked angry.

“I’m going to sneak out with my brother and leave through the garden.” He said before he grabbed her chin and raised her head to look at him. “I’ll wait for you to come out alive. Alive, Abigail.” Evans smiled and patted her head like she was a puppy before he grabbed his brother’s hand and opened the door. No one was there but she still had to act as a diversion.

Evan was a fast runner. He was going to be fine. He was going to protect his family and she had to do the same. She heard the device in her ear beep and that was the signal that her brother arrived.

“Remember the plan, Abigail.” She mumbled calming her nerves.

Abigail learned what to do and how to react in such moments. She ran down the hall towards the kitchen, the plan of the house already memorized. From there, she could easily sneak towards the hiding spot. Max was going to run, she knew that. He wasn’t a man that knew how to fight.

She ran down the corridor and surveyed the place. Downstairs was a mess but she could easily get in the kitchen if she was really silent. The brunette heard some men talk about the boss, how he was going to escape through the tunnel. If that was right, she had to go back where she came from.

“Abigail, I can’t see you. I can’t help you if you don’t move in the open.”

“He’s down in the tunnel. You better come in if you want to help me.” Abby mumbled in the device. She heard her brother grunt before he shifted. the former officer flinched when she felt a bullet go past her cheek. She narrowed her eyes and shot the man who scratched her cheek which in return drew attention. She ran into the living room and jumped over the railing. She fell on a man and hit the two around her. She felt a sudden urge to bend and she did it right in time.

In no time, Abby found herself surrounded by bulky men with knives. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Great,” She moaned.

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When Evan ran out of the house, he noticed someone sneaking through the garden. He stopped and scrunched his eyes to see well. It was Max. He opened a door in the ground and entered with his son and wife.

“Bro?”

Evan turned to his brother and grabbed his shoulders.

“Get out of here. Run to the closest-“ He stopped. Suddenly, the police didn’t seem trustworthy. “Take the closest subway to Oldbury. Go straight down the street until you see houses. There is one house that seems too silent and has a red rooftop. Get in there and wait. If the stairs suddenly disappear, it’s alright. Trust the man in that house.” His younger brother was speechless. “Just trust me, ok?”

“What about you?”

Evan sighed and glanced at the house.

“I have something I need to do.”

His brother’s eyes were pleading him not to go back in there but he couldn’t just leave Abby alone. In the end, the teenager ran out while Evan ran to the place he had seen the gangster go to.

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Abby slid down and kicked the man in the guts. She was skinny and smaller than most of them and that was her only advantage. In one movement, she kicked the thug on her left and punched the one on her right. They were muscular so she had to be careful not to get hit by them. Instead, she hit one in the neck and the other in the knee before she gave a final kick in the forehead.

Abby turned around and faced another thug. How many were there? The thug launched at her and used slow but efficient punches. He was a better fighter but she was smaller and faster. She caught his hand over her shoulder and turned it around. While he was in slight pain, she threw a kick in the ribs and pushed him aside. What was different was the power she was using in the kicks. It was strong yet it still looked like she was holding back.

She kicked another guy and got carried away. She grabbed the gun from the multitude thrown on the ground and shot every thug that came at her. The brunette was getting tired. She didn’t notice the one around the corner but someone else did.

“I’m still good on the field.” Matt complimented himself, “Let’s get down there before more thugs come.”

Abby nodded and followed her older brother down into the basement.

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Evan entered the same trap door as the mafia leader. It was dark and silent. The echo was a dangerous thing so he had to be twice as careful. He kept close to the wall, just in case someone decided to come towards him.

He walked for a few minutes before he heard people talk and the sound of an engine. Evan stopped right outside the door. It was cracked so he could hear and see a little of what they were doing.

“The plan was different. Why did it fail, Johnny?”

From what Evan could see, the gangster had his son against the wall. It looked a lot like he was scolding him. Even the student flinched when the father hit his son in the stomach.

“It wasn’t my fault!” He heard the thief complain.

“Of course not! Like it wasn’t your fault that Yakuza started to pressure me for three new trades! Do I look like an idiot to you, son?” The boy coughed. The father started to kick his son like it was a rag doll. Evan couldn’t watch that. It wasn’t something a father should do.

“Let’s just leave, honey.”

The woman was cold. She didn’t even glance at her son but was patiently waiting between two thugs.

“Leave him here.”

The gangster looked at the woman and spat. He gave one last kick before he went to the woman. Evan shook his head. That world was so fucked up. Family was just another word. He leaned a little to catch a glimpse of the beaten up man. He was on the ground and it looked like he wasn’t going to get up anytime soon.

It seemed that someone caught a glimpse of him as well. When Johnny looked up, he saw the young man at the door. He chuckled and spat the excess of blood in his mouth. He nodded and pointed with his head at his father.

Shoot him.

He mouthed. Evan gulped. He pushed the door a little and got ready to enter but someone grabbed him and pulled him back.

“Are you out of your mind? I told you to leave!” She whispered angrily.

Evan sighed in relief. He thought she was a thug at first. Behind Abby was Matt. He waved and smiled like it was nothing.

“He’s in there. He’s going to escape if we don’t act now.”

She rolled her eyes and pushed him behind.

“We’re going to act. You’re going to stay here.”

He scoffed. Unfortunately, it was a little too loud. She glared at him and prepared for people to check out the sound.

One man walked out and Matt silently pressed on a point on his neck that instantly made him unconscious. He put him against the wall and made a sign to his sister. She nodded and kicked the door wide open.

She ran in and avoided everyone. Her target was the leader. He glared at her and quickly entered his car. Matt was covering for her and was practically doing all the hard work. The leader turned on the engine but he didn’t get far. She shot the wheels from the back and automatically the car stopped. The leader got out and shouted profanities at her.

“You stupid kid! I’ve had enough of you and your family!” She pulled the trigger but nothing happened. Her eyes widened. That was unexpected. Max laughed out loud and took a gun from his back pocket. She gulped and took a step back.

“Oh.”

It was the only thing she could say. Matt stopped fighting and stared at his sister with wide scared eyes. The two thugs grabbed the opportunity and punched him like he was a doll. He fell down and flinched at every kick he got. He looked for the gun but the thug kicked it away.

It felt a lot like a bad action movie. Evan couldn’t just stay and watch. He entered quickly and jumped in front of Abigail. The gangster shot him in the shoulder. He laughed and started to say something but she couldn’t hear him. Her eyes were locked on Evan. He fell down and winced.

“You are such an idiot. Just let him shoot me!” He shook his head and wrapped his arms around her protectively.

“I’m sorry I said you’re weird and I’m sorry I didn’t trust you until the end. You’re really an amazing girl, Abigail. Crazy, but amazing.” He was talking like he was going to die. She was aware that it hurt a lot but he wasn’t going to die on her watch. He closed his eyes and hugged her tightly.

The second shot didn’t come from the leader, though. No, it came from behind Matt. Johnny was on his feet, glaring at the old man.

“You little piece of shit!”

Those were the last words Max said before he fell down. Johnny’s shot was impressively on point. It was probably because of the anger he felt towards his family, but he shot his father right in the stomach. The woman ran away by foot in the middle of the commotion. Johnny scoffed and fell against the wall. Matt got up quickly and took advantage of the diversion. He kicked the two thugs and broke some bones.

“Is it over?” She heard Evan mumbled near her hear.

“It’s over.” Abby responded softly.

“Good because it hurts like Hell and I can’t move.”

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Matt called the police and announced them of what happened. His boss was somewhere between very mad and impressed. The ambulance took Evan to the hospital while Abby got taken care of on the spot. She only had scratches. Nothing big. She didn’t even feel when her wound opened and started to bleed.

“You should get to a hospital, as well. That wound is not bad but it can get infected.”

Abby nodded and thanked the paramedic. Matt nodded and smiled at his boss before he walked next to her.

“Wow. This was quite a day, wasn’t it?” Matt was still very excited. She chuckled. He wrapped a hand around her and watched the bad guys getting handcuffed. “I really missed the field work.” She rolled her eyes.

She noticed her former boss getting out. He was injured and had two people fussing around.

“I’m not going to work ever again in the station.” Abby mumbled.

“You’re going to work with me, for the government.”

Once Evan got in hospital, the nurse called his parents. He called Abby and asked her to get his brother from Chau’s house. She didn’t need to go, though because Chau heard the story from Evan’s younger brother and got him safely to the hospital.

She got retained in hospital, as well. The nurse called her mother and Matt gulped. Lucy came first with her boyfriend. When their father arrived, both Abby and Matt became silent.

“Um-I-We-“

The older brother was looking for the right way to explain what happened. The man had such an intense gaze. Matt looked down and started to fidget.

“It’s my fault,” She started. “I looked into their business and I got entangled into the mess. I involved an innocent guy and I got us in serious trouble. Everything is my fault and I’m taking responsibility of it. But what happened before was not my fault.”

The intimidating man stared at his daughter. The whole family was waiting for him to say something. He didn’t. Instead, he smiled and grabbed her hand tightly.

“It took you a while to look into my eyes and say what you think.” The elder started, “I was never mad at you because you did something. I was mad that you didn’t have enough courage to tell me exactly what you think. I couldn’t care less about your boyfriend or your career. You’re old enough to do whatever you want. As long as you don’t live off my money, you’re free to go and pole dance for all I care.”

Matt looked to the side and swallowed nervously. Damn, that happened already.

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As life took a right turn, Evan and Abby went back to their regular lives.

Evan went to that job interview and got accepted. Chau was happy that he could work with his friend from time to time. His life went back to normal and his front door got repaired. Matt paid for all the damage Abby caused in his life. He started to go out with his friends again and he could finally look at the girl he liked and smile.

Some things were different, though. The adventure he got through changed him as a man. He became brave enough to speak up his mind and protect his loved ones. Abigail was right, he should live his life with no regrets.

On the other side, Abby’s former case got cleared up. Her boss confessed, forcefully, and she got back her title as an honest officer. But she didn’t continue her work in the station. She realized that Matt was right and accepted to work with him in MI6 as a field agent. Abby was content with her life and she even checked out her friends from Portobello.

Overall, the danger vanished. On her way back home, she stopped in front of an empty store. The police raids closed it down, thanks to her brother.

“It began here and it ended in the same place, huh?” She sighed and closed her eyes.

Out of reflex, when she felt someone touch her shoulder, she grabbed his arm and turned it upside down. The force she used was strong and it made him whine.

When she looked at his face, she chuckled.

"Evan."

He groaned and fell on his knees.

“At least I know you’re the same old Abby.”

“It’s only been a couple of weeks since you saved my life.”

He smirked and looked at her from the corner of his eye.

“I was pretty amazing back then.” He complimented himself. She scoffed and pushed him lightly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close to his chest.“Thanks for everything. That was the best and only adventure of my life.”

“You’re working for MI6 now. You’ll go on a lot of adventures from now on.” Abby started bemusedly, “You love the adrenaline, don’t you? You’re attracted to danger unconsciously.”

“Like you?”

Her eyes looked a lot like one of a fox’s. She was a truly intriguing woman. Besides, he found out that she accepted a job in MI6, as well. They were going to work together from time to time. He was an IT specialist and she was a field agent. It turned out well for both of them.

“So this is good bye. The real goodbye.” Abby said softly.

“Good bye, Abigail.”

“Good bye, Evan.”

He started to walk towards the subway when after only a few steps he turned to her. She was still looking at the store with dreamy eyes.

“Hey!” That got her attention fast. “On a second thought, let’s go drink something!”

She seemed surprised for a second. It took her a few minutes to register what he said.

“That’s quite bold coming from you!”

“I learned from the best!”

The smile that spread on her face was really wide and bright. It was amazing how different she looked when she was happy. Evan liked that image and would like to see it more often.

Abigail shook her head and ran to him. He grabbed her hand tightly and they started to walk together.

“I hope you’re not going to drink too much,"

“Says the girl who drinks alcohol like is water!” Evan scoffed.

She raised an eyebrow and stared at him with judging eyes.

“At least I don’t stalk the person I like. I don’t give yellow sweaters and keep pictures of them everywhere around my house like it’s an altar!”

He hit her playfully and leaned in.

“I don’t remember giving you a yellow sweater or having any pictures of you in my apartment.”

Abby rolled her eyes and prepared to say something when she fully realized what he said. She stopped and stared at him in amazement.

“What did you just say?!” He shrugged and started to walk by himself. “No, no. W-Wait-W-What?! Say it again!”

Evan shook his head and decided to ignore her for the rest of the way. He couldn’t help but feel good.

“Ah, life is good.” He smiled contently.

Life became really good.