The shot never comes. There’s a lot of screaming and panic from everyone and when I open my eyes it’s pitch black.

“Jake?”

“I’m here... I’m still here. I thought I was dead,” he says.

“I thought you were too...” I lean my head against his and then I’m shaken from my brief respite.

“Someone find out what the fuck is going on! Get back up generators up and running! I want everyone working. If I see any of you pigs standing around I will kill you myself!” Laney screams, taking charge of the situation. I suddenly find it odd that she wanted me to lead people when she seems to have it down pat. I mean, it’s intimidation, but she’s great at it. I don’t think that anyone could really deny that.

“Sir!” A voice cries from the darkness.

“What is it?” Laney growls, snarling and pacing about. Her vision is much better than mine, but my eyes are finally adjusting and I can see shapes moving about. I pity the humans behind me because they can’t see shit. If I ever get out of this, I want to ask Jake what it’s like as a human in the dark.

“I can’t get a hold of anyone on the south side of the complex!” the voice cries again. I think I can make out where it’s coming from before there’s a flash and I see a figure drop the ground.

I hear a click and then, “Isaacs, Jason, get the south side and report what’s happening down there!”

“Yes sir!” Footsteps echo through the room and when the door opens, I see some light enter the room. Some of Laney’s men start turning on flashlights and they toss one to Laney who walks off to figure out what’s going on.

“What do you think is happening, Brent?” Jake whispers.

“Maybe it’s Seal Team Six...”

Jake scoffs. “Yeah, and maybe it’s Batman.”

“Jake, don’t be that way...”

“Why not? We’re gonna die, aren’t we?”

I put my forehead against his cheek.

“Don’t you dare say that. We’ll get out this. I know we will.”

He laughs.

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because I want to hold on to whatever hope remains. I won’t just lie down and accept death.”

“You accepted mine well enough,” he says.

I kiss him on the lips as best I can, closing my eyes and pressing against him as best I can.

“Only because I know that she would kill me too. I can’t live without you, Jake. You should know that.”

“You would find someone else and forget me,” he sighs.

“How could you say that? Jake, you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me! I love you... I will always love you. Don’t give up, yet. We’re still together.”

“I guess...”

I’ve never seen him this down. He doesn’t seem to care at all and that’s the worst thing. He’s given up, I can tell. He doesn’t have any jokes, or any rebellion left. I ache for my Jake back. It hurts to see him this upset.

“Isaacs, report!” Laney screams into a radio. There’s dead silence in the room save for the crackle of the radio.

“Jason, report!” the same silence. “Dammit, someone better fucking answer me real soon!”

“Laney Thompson! This is the International Criminal Police Organization! We have the building surrounded. You have one minute to surrender the hostages before we take the building by force!”

“I want every one of you fuckers to get ready for war. I will personally execute anyone found leaving the premises. We do not back down this easily.”

I don’t hear anything else for a while. It’s quiet, with occasional sounds of weapons fire. I have no fucking idea what’s happening and it’s driving me crazy. I don’t know if we’ll get out of the fucked up mess we got in or not, but I reach out with a pinky and wrap it around Jake’s pinky, as close to holding his hands as I can manage bound like we are.

We don’t even say anything, too scared of the horrible possibilities that lie before us. Even if Interpol does get into this room, Laney may use as hostages, or human shields... and I know how it’ll play out. Jake and I aren’t anyone important; we don’t run countries or anything. We would be acceptable losses. That scares me.

I realize that I don’t really have a plan in life. I’ve always just gotten through life and I don’t really have a career I want to pursue… And… Honestly, it’s terrifying. Maybe I’m supposed to die. Maybe I can do more good dead as a symbol than alive... like Batman.

What I do know is if I get out of this alive, Jake and I will be together. I love him so much and I don’t know how I could live without him. Not even being dramatic here... Just, I don’t know, I know that he and I are made to be together. It’s a feeling I have. But I could be wrong.

After all, I thought that this trip would be fun.

It felt like at least an hour when I heard something. It was screaming and lots of gunfire. Laney was pacing, the panther growling and keeping her hand on the piece strapped to hip. She walked over to me and pulled me from my chair, pointing the gun at my head. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest, I think I’m about to have a heart attack. Jake tries to object but Laney kicks him from behind and I hear the chair hit the ground with a deafening crash.

The doors on either side of the room burst open and the team storms in. They’re holding assault rifles, all trained on me. Well, Laney behind me but still... me. I think I might’ve just pissed myself there. I hope I didn’t but I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Let go of the hostages!” one of the men cries. I can tell that he’s a Panther and I know how much it must hurt Laney to see even her own kind pointing a gun at her. I would normally smile at how perfect that part is, if not for the cold metal barrel pressing against my skull.

I don’t know what’s happening. Suddenly I’m falling to the ground. I hit hard, my head banging against the concrete. I groan in pain and roll over, trying to figure out what’s happening. I can see Jake and Laney fighting for the gun, growling and punching each other. Somehow, Jake got out of his ropes, and now he’s fighting Laney for the gun. My head still hurts so much and I’m having a hard time focusing my eyes on anything. There’s a ring going on in my head. I close my eyes and open them again and I see Jake backing away, blood seeping from his stomach and soaking his shirt. He falls to the ground and the room explodes in a burst of gunfire as Laney is filled with holes, round after round piercing through her. She bursts open with every impact of high-powered rounds entering and exiting her. Blood and bits of her body leave with the bullets as she’s torn apart by the weapons. I used to think that guns were okay but seeing how she was torn apart by them, I have to repress the urge to throw up everywhere at how honestly horrifying it is. I never thought of guns before but I don’t ever want to see another one as a long as I live. I close my eyes tight and hope I’m just seeing things.

At the sound of a thud, I open my eyes to see Laney on the ground, blood spilling out from her wounds, but then I look past her to Jake. He’s on the ground and I try to get up but stumble, landing on my face. With every bit of my strength that I have after being starved and battered about, I make it to Jake. He’s gasping and his eyes are pasty white.

“B-Brent...” he whispers.

I squeeze his hand in mine while tears fall from my face to his chest.

“You save my life...” A loud sob escapes my lips and I kiss his hand, holding it between my paws. “Jake, you saved my life.”

He gasps for air, a tear forming at his eye.

“D-don’t waste it...”

“Someone help!” I cry out, looking down at my boyfriend, watching the life leave his eyes.

“B-Brent,” Jake manages between coughs. “I... need you promise me something.”

“What?” I choke out, holding him in my arms.

He says something but I never get a chance to hear what it was before a medic drags me away from him. I kick and scream, crying and cursing at them. I feel a needle in my skin and I black out before I know what happens to Jake.