(My apologies to any O'Neill lovers out there at the Den!! This story isn't exactly flattering to the character 
)
Chapter 12:
Its all right ONeill, Edmund reassured, his voice even and steady. Tell your men to stand down. Its all under control Jonathan, here, Edmund focused back on Jonathan, trying not to lose the tenuous connection that they had only just formed, take my hand Jonathan.
Stay back! ONeill barked, pointing his gun directly at Jonathan. Nobody moves!
For Gods sake man, calm down! Edmund tried not to sound too annoyed as he strived to maintain control of a situation that was threatening to get very, very out of control, and fast! God only knew what Jonathan would do if ONeill backed him into a corner. Edmund tried to slowly edge himself between ONeill and Jonathan.
I said nobody moves, Winslow! Dont try to be a hero here. Just let me do my job, okay? ONeill flipped his head to move aside his long, wayward bangs and clear his line of sight. Now! Out of the way! he motioned with the gun, and positioned his men, fully armed in SWAT gear, behind him, the tell-tale red laser dots all bouncing off Jonathans body.
Jonathan, listen to me Edmund persisted.
Let me handle this, Winslow! ONeill warned again fiercely behind his gritted, perfect, capped, white teeth. I am in control now, okay? ONeill waved the gun again at Jonathan. Jonathan, on the floor face down. Now! he barked as he c0cked back the mechanism on his pistol to load a bullet into the chamber, focusing savagely on Jonathan, or I cant be responsible for what may happen!
Jonathan, Edmund pleaded. But even then, he could see the boy slipping away as he watched the walls go up behind Jonathans shuttered eyes, and his pupils become hard and angry again.
Dammit, ONeill! Edmund growled in frustration.
Cassie! ONeill called out, as he spotted Cassie at the back of the room, still gagged and secured to the chair. Cassie, are you okay, honey? Cassie? God, he cringed, how it grated on Edmunds refined ears to hear ONeill mutilate Cassies name with his awful drawl. And oh, how it nauseated and pained him to hear him call out such endearments to his yes, his wife. Divorce or no divorce. Marriage to Cassie was a sacred pact for Edmund.
You better not have hurt her, punk!! ONeill shrieked, the chords in his neck standing out and his face beet red from the anger and tension that he had worked himself up to. Or you, Prince!! ONeill turned on Edmund, sneering as he spat the title like an insult.
What? The single word fell from Edmunds lips in sheer astonishment.
Both of you! Down on the floor! Hands where I can see them! ONeill continued to yell. Cassie! Cassie, are you okay, Cassie? Nod your head if youre okay, baby. Okay? Okay. Consider yourselves luckyboth of youthat shes not hurt! ONeill screamed.
Youre being irrational ridiculous, ONeill. Just calm down. Edmund was still on his feet, his hands now in the air in a gesture of surrender. Nobody is a threat here, Edmund assured ONeill and then groaned inwardly as he caught a movement from Jonathan out of the corner of his eye.
I said face down on the floor punk! ONeill screeched. You too, Prince!
Edmunds mouth fell open. You must be joking
On the floor! Now! Both of you! ONeill was now waving the gun around furiously, trying to force the two men to obey his orders. Red dots from laser sights flashed across Edmunds face and chest as some of ONeills men turned their guns on him. Im taking control here, Edmund. On the floor!
Youre mad. Edmund shook his head in disbelief. All right all right he pumped his hands gently out in front of himself, signalling ONeill to back off, and began to lower himself down.
Just then Edmund saw the glint of a gun barrel emerging out from beneath Jonathan and his jacket, and everything from that moment on seemed to slow down and speed up all at once.
Jonathan, dont! Edmund cried out, as Jonathan pulled the gun out and swung it towards ONeill. Horrified, Edmund saw ONeills immediate and well-trained response and reacted instantly, without thinking, hurling himself on top of Jonathan once again. And for the second time in as many hours, he heard the ominous sound of a gunshot ring out in his ears.
Edmund felt the hot metal tear through his flesh, the warm rush of blood as the wound opened up to the air, the piercing, fiery pain as his body reacted to the invasion. No! No! No! What have you done? Edmund wasnt sure who he was asking. He just knew that this was wrong. It wasnt supposed to end this way. Not after everything not now. Cassie, Edmund groaned. Edmund tried to stay present in that moment, tried to hang on and make sense of what had just happened. But perhaps this was it, he thought. Perhaps this was what he deserved, after all. And it was all far too much for his already exhausted body to take. He couldnt hang on. The last thing that Edmund saw before the blackness engulfed him for the last time was Cassies beautiful, adorable, frantic face as she watched Edmund close his eyes and fade away.
)Chapter 12:
Its all right ONeill, Edmund reassured, his voice even and steady. Tell your men to stand down. Its all under control Jonathan, here, Edmund focused back on Jonathan, trying not to lose the tenuous connection that they had only just formed, take my hand Jonathan.
Stay back! ONeill barked, pointing his gun directly at Jonathan. Nobody moves!
For Gods sake man, calm down! Edmund tried not to sound too annoyed as he strived to maintain control of a situation that was threatening to get very, very out of control, and fast! God only knew what Jonathan would do if ONeill backed him into a corner. Edmund tried to slowly edge himself between ONeill and Jonathan.
I said nobody moves, Winslow! Dont try to be a hero here. Just let me do my job, okay? ONeill flipped his head to move aside his long, wayward bangs and clear his line of sight. Now! Out of the way! he motioned with the gun, and positioned his men, fully armed in SWAT gear, behind him, the tell-tale red laser dots all bouncing off Jonathans body.
Jonathan, listen to me Edmund persisted.
Let me handle this, Winslow! ONeill warned again fiercely behind his gritted, perfect, capped, white teeth. I am in control now, okay? ONeill waved the gun again at Jonathan. Jonathan, on the floor face down. Now! he barked as he c0cked back the mechanism on his pistol to load a bullet into the chamber, focusing savagely on Jonathan, or I cant be responsible for what may happen!
Jonathan, Edmund pleaded. But even then, he could see the boy slipping away as he watched the walls go up behind Jonathans shuttered eyes, and his pupils become hard and angry again.
Dammit, ONeill! Edmund growled in frustration.
Cassie! ONeill called out, as he spotted Cassie at the back of the room, still gagged and secured to the chair. Cassie, are you okay, honey? Cassie? God, he cringed, how it grated on Edmunds refined ears to hear ONeill mutilate Cassies name with his awful drawl. And oh, how it nauseated and pained him to hear him call out such endearments to his yes, his wife. Divorce or no divorce. Marriage to Cassie was a sacred pact for Edmund.
You better not have hurt her, punk!! ONeill shrieked, the chords in his neck standing out and his face beet red from the anger and tension that he had worked himself up to. Or you, Prince!! ONeill turned on Edmund, sneering as he spat the title like an insult.
What? The single word fell from Edmunds lips in sheer astonishment.
Both of you! Down on the floor! Hands where I can see them! ONeill continued to yell. Cassie! Cassie, are you okay, Cassie? Nod your head if youre okay, baby. Okay? Okay. Consider yourselves luckyboth of youthat shes not hurt! ONeill screamed.
Youre being irrational ridiculous, ONeill. Just calm down. Edmund was still on his feet, his hands now in the air in a gesture of surrender. Nobody is a threat here, Edmund assured ONeill and then groaned inwardly as he caught a movement from Jonathan out of the corner of his eye.
I said face down on the floor punk! ONeill screeched. You too, Prince!
Edmunds mouth fell open. You must be joking
On the floor! Now! Both of you! ONeill was now waving the gun around furiously, trying to force the two men to obey his orders. Red dots from laser sights flashed across Edmunds face and chest as some of ONeills men turned their guns on him. Im taking control here, Edmund. On the floor!
Youre mad. Edmund shook his head in disbelief. All right all right he pumped his hands gently out in front of himself, signalling ONeill to back off, and began to lower himself down.
Just then Edmund saw the glint of a gun barrel emerging out from beneath Jonathan and his jacket, and everything from that moment on seemed to slow down and speed up all at once.
Jonathan, dont! Edmund cried out, as Jonathan pulled the gun out and swung it towards ONeill. Horrified, Edmund saw ONeills immediate and well-trained response and reacted instantly, without thinking, hurling himself on top of Jonathan once again. And for the second time in as many hours, he heard the ominous sound of a gunshot ring out in his ears.
Edmund felt the hot metal tear through his flesh, the warm rush of blood as the wound opened up to the air, the piercing, fiery pain as his body reacted to the invasion. No! No! No! What have you done? Edmund wasnt sure who he was asking. He just knew that this was wrong. It wasnt supposed to end this way. Not after everything not now. Cassie, Edmund groaned. Edmund tried to stay present in that moment, tried to hang on and make sense of what had just happened. But perhaps this was it, he thought. Perhaps this was what he deserved, after all. And it was all far too much for his already exhausted body to take. He couldnt hang on. The last thing that Edmund saw before the blackness engulfed him for the last time was Cassies beautiful, adorable, frantic face as she watched Edmund close his eyes and fade away.
