“Police! Police! Nobody move!”
Quick was tackled by several hard bodies and was knocked off of Ford and slammed into the bottom of Cayson’s stairs. He didn’t feel a thing. Quick fought them all, going for pressure points on anyone who had the audacity to touch him. He didn’t know who was on his back, but a firm squeeze to the crevice of their forearm made them let go immediately, the pained scream coming from next to his right ear was only slightly soothing to his beast as he went after every vulnerable spot on anyone who held him.
“Watch your fuckin’ throat, Duke.”
That was Judge growling for Duke to watch out. Was he fighting Duke? Quick stilled suddenly, his chest heaving from the exertion. His body pulsed with an overload of adrenaline as he tried to take a deep breath and failed. There were people all around, but he still couldn’t see clearly. He tried to count to five, but only managed to get to two, when his body began to shake uncontrollably. An aftereffect of the adrenaline.
“Breathe, Rome.” Duke was there, he hadn’t hurt him. “Officers, please just stand back and give him some room. Please.”
Quick had to get himself together. He went up to his knees and dropped his head down between them. He kept trying to count and breathe. Each count got higher and each breath got deeper. Sweat leaked into his eyes the moment he was able to actually focus them on something. The scene looked very similar to their office this morning. Quick looked around to see if there was anyone with their head missing, but was relieved to see the gun must’ve missed its target because there were no dead bodies. He’d heard the gunshot but it was no louder than the roaring in his ears had been.
He stumbled on his first few steps as he looked around the room like he was seeing it for the first time. He looked over in the corner by Cayson’s record player, squinting at the bloody man in the tracksuit. Quick shook his head to clear the fog. His first thought was that it couldn’t be Dr. Joe being worked on by those EMTs. Quick clenched his fists. Just the sight of Joe was making it harder to settle down.
“Forget about him. Cayson needs you, Rome.” Duke stood close to him, leaning in to talk in his ear. “Make the right decision.”
Quick growled and seethed beneath his curtain of sweaty hair as he kept his head lowered like a bull about to charge. He tried to let Duke’s words sink in.
“You’re a fuckin’ Grandmaster, for shit’s sake. Get yourself under control, before these cops think you’re too big a danger to yourself and everyone in this room.” Ford snapped right in his face.
Quick jerked back. Ford was there next to Duke, trying to help. What did he do? What happened? I was fighting Ford, wasn’t I? Damn, he hated when his episodes – his beast – got the better of him. He was so good at keeping himself in check, ever since he was a teen, but he guessed when it came to Cayson – to the love of his life, all checking was off.
Cayson. Quick didn’t know if his love was alright or not. He hadn’t even stopped to see. What kind of partner would he be? He stood to his feet, pushing his hair back behind his ears, searching for one person in the room full of civilians and city authorities. Now he had a real mission. Find Cays.
Quick spun around, pushed between two police officers, both of them putting their hands on their holsters as he moved around. Duke and Judge were in a serious conversation with a group of officers, but Quick didn’t miss Duke’s eyes tracking him while attempting an explanation to all this.
“C-Cayson!” Quick croaked, his throat aching, on fire from the growling and yelling.
“Rome.”
Quick spun back, moving another officer out of his way. Duke was pointing behind him, Quick had to turn again. All this spinning was not helping his head to clear at all. He could see three huge paramedics working on a man propped against the wall in the dining room. With a newfound focus, Quick moved through the crowd, officers were escorting the bodyguards out of the house. Two men in suits, who Quick assumed were detectives, tried to stop him, but the look he gave them said fight or flight… they chose the latter.
As soon as he was directly behind the paramedics, they turned and looked at him, and then scattered out of the way like Quick was a supernatural being. He ignored them and went down hard on his knees in between Cayson’s spread legs.
“Baby.” Quick knew he voice must sound like the devil’s, but he had to try to get Cayson to forgive him. Forgive him for not being there. He needed that right now. The pain in his chest was unbearable; his heart shattering at the realization of what his leaving Cayson alone had allowed to happen. No one was ever there when Cayson needed them, and Quick had done the exact same thing. It didn’t matter the circumstances why he couldn’t get to him, the fact still remained. He wasn’t a man of excuses. Cayson’s eyes were just slightly open, like he was exhausted, they were hazed over and not their usual radiant blue. Quick raised his trembling hand and cupped Cayson’s bruised cheek. “Cayson are you alright?”