Black Dawn

Chapters 1-5
Chapters 6-10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Adam watches as George's body falls on the floor, lifeless, eyes wide open with a look of fear.

And with George died all the answers he had to all the questions Adam had left. Adam is now certain that there is more to the day's events than meets the eye, and he was close to getting to the bottom of it, or at least close to it, but all that is now gone.

"Damn it! Kev, what the hell happened? What the hell happened?!"

Kevin plays innocent since Adam can't see him, and didn't see him push George directly into the line of fire.

"I don't know! He tried to make run for it, I don't understand it at all?"

This doesn't make sense to Adam; George was a trained CIA agent who surely knew better than to carelessly jump right into sniper fire, but Adam can't concentrate on that right now.

"Kev, I need that data drive George had! He put in his pocket right before we were ambushed."

"Are you insane?"

"It's the only thing that can help us solve this thing right now! Whatever's on that thing must be important! They want me alive, so I'll do it. Cover for me when I make a move!"

Maria does not want to hear any of this.

"Adam, you were shot once already, you lost a ton of blood, you're not okay, don't play hero!"

"I've been worse. Besides, Derek still wants me alive, I know that. You need to stay put, you understand?"

Maria realizes she can't talk Adam out of this.

"Just.. be careful."

"Don't worry, I will. You ready, Kev?"

"I'm ready!"

"Okay, here goes."

Adam and Kevin both take deep breaths, load up their weapons and jump out from the cover.

Kevin fires his weapon towards the ceiling where Mona and Liza are, not attempting to hit them, but to distract them enough to make it impossible for them to take aim. Adam rushes towards George's body to look for the data drive, as Kevin's eye catches Logan firing his rocket launcher right at Adam, which is surprising, as he is clearly letting his emotions get the best of him and going for a kill, even though he shouldn't.

"Adam, ten o'clock!"

Adam isn't young anymore, but he has some of his almost superhuman soldier reflexes left from his younger days, and manages to jump down just in time to duck the rocket, which keeps traveling onward and hits a pillar that was holding up the structure on top of which Mona and Liza were positioned. Part of the ceiling crumbles down, and Liza loses her balance, falling to the floor.

Mona shows genuine, serious emotion, maybe for the first time in her life, as she watches her sister fall to her death. Without even thinking, she aims her sniper directly at Logan's head and pulls the trigger.

The bullet pierces through Logan's thick skull and the near giant crashes down.

Mona can't figure out what to do. She's never taken life seriously. All she's ever been is a hired killer, killing others. She's never suffered a personal loss like this. She's never truly cared for another person other than her sister. She could try to take aim and land a bullet at Kevin, but is too confused and overwhelmed with emotion, which leads to her being paralyzed before simply withdrawing from the situation.

Adam and Kevin are not sure what is up with her, but see this as an opportunity to go through George's pockets for the data drive, which they do simultaneously. They both grab it, but it's Adam who takes it.

"I'll take it."

Kevin clearly wanted to get his hands on it, but lets Adam take it.

Maria and Joshua carefully come out into the open. Adam moves to give Maria a hug.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, you?"

"I'm fine."

Adam hands Maria the data drive.

"Listen, if anything George said was true, the government has been compromised. I don't know to what extent, but I need need you to take this to your father, he's the only person we can trust right now."

"Take this to my father, what do you mean?"

"Maria, Kev needs to take you out of here."

Kevin moves in a little closer to be a part of the conversation, though Adam takes the lead.

"This is about me and Derek. He's up ahead. I'm the one he wants, I'm the one who needs to stop him. But you need to get to your father, Maria. And you need to get out of here."

"No, Adam.."

"Stop it. I mean it this time. If anything happens to you, I could never forgive myself for that. Most of Derek's men are dead, Kev will keep you safe. Right, Kev?"

Adam has his suspicions about Kevin, but Kevin has sacrificed himself on multiple occasions to save Adam and Maria, so Adam trusts him to keep Maria safe. It would never occur to him that Kevin could ever pose any harm on Maria, no matter what he's supposedly hiding.

"Are you sure about this, Adam? You'd face Derek by yourself?"

Joshua joins in on the conversation.

"I'm going with Adam. Derek has to be stopped."

Adam nods in approval.

"Right. So, we'll split up. We'll go after Derek, and Kev, you'll get Maria out of here. And once you make it out of here, you'll take that data drive to Bruce, and tell him everything George told us. And don't trust anyone, you understand me?"

Maria tightens her hug with Adam.

"Come back safe. Promise me you'll come back safe, Adam."

"I promise. I can handle Derek, he's my brother. So God help me, he's my brother."

The hug lasts for a while longer, getting tighter every second, until the two slowly release it, and Adam gives Maria one last kiss on her forehead before grabbing her by her hand that has a ring on its finger.

"Remember. You have a life left. A real life. It's important to me that you survive."

Everything that has happened has made Maria temporarily forget that she is indeed married. It doesn't change the fact, though, that it's blatantly obvious to her that she loves Adam. More than she could ever love anyone else. So much more. But she knows Adam is right: she does have a life, and a husband. She's just not sure what to make of it right now.

"I just.. I just need you to be a part of that life, Adam."

Kevin gently grabs Maria by the arm.

"We better get moving. And Adam."

Kevin gives Adam a hug of his own.

"I'll make sure Maria gets out of here, and I'll come back, alright?"

"Right. Now go."

Maria gives Adam one last look, and then turns to run away with Kevin taking the lead.

Adam and Joshua are left alone, with Joshua showing Adam the way to where Derek is.

---

In the White House, Bruce Miller is having a heated conversation with the President.

"You authorized the strike while my daughter is still in there?!"

"Bruce, I understand how you must feel.."

"Do you? Do you really? Would it change things if it was your daughter in there?!"

The President doesn't come up with a reply.

"I am begging you, Mr. President, to call off the strike. Let Adam Black stop the terrorists and save my daughter!"

"With all due respect, Mr. Miller, Palmer is right: Adam Black is a wanted fugitive. I can not leave the faith of this entire nation in the hands of that man. I'm sorry. If the terrorists launch their weapon, Washington will turn into a biochemical graveyard within hours, and that's not even the worst case scenario!"

"I guess I'll have to do something about myself, then."

"What do you mean, Miller?"

Bruce Miller storms out of the President's office, watched from afar by Palmer Collins, who then makes a phone call.

"Miller is becoming a problem. Take care of it. The strike must happen."

---

Kevin and Maria rush through the facility, until Kevin starts to slow down.

"What is it, Kev? We need to keep moving!"

To Maria's absolute shock, Kevin pulls out his gun at Maria.

"Forgive me. But I need the data drive."

"W-what.."

Maria can't even begin to believe this, never in a million years could she have foreseen Kevin pointing a gun at her, no matter how weird he has been lately. She knew he had something to hide, but never ever could she have predicted this. Kevin is like a brother to her.

"The data drive, Maria! Give it to me."

Maria is in too much shock to even respond, and is instead simply frozen in sheer confusion and fear. Kevin then proceeds to go through her pockets for the data stick while holding her at gunpoint.

Kevin picks up the data stick, looks at it for a moment and puts it in his own pocket.

"I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to. Now you're gonna do exactly as I tell you."

"Kev, what.. please talk to me, Kev."

"Shut up!"

Kevin turns Maria around, and pushes her forward while holding his gun to her back.

"Now move."

Kevin then makes a call on his communicator to a secret line.

"I have the data drive. Proceeding as planned, sir."

"Good job, Mr. Reese. You are a true asset. You know what to do."

Simon Silverman hangs up the call.