52. Everything

The door flies open, leaving a dent as it slams into the wall. People swarm into the room—police and paramedics—who only need half a minute to assess the situation and take control. Orders are shouted and Chalam is revived, handcuffed and escorted bodily outside, while another gurney carries out Nail.
More paramedics drop down next to the unconscious Kai, checking pulse points, asking questions and making comments that Jet doesn’t hear. He just watches the unfolding events with an odd detachment. Why does it feel like all of this is happening to someone else?
“Jet.” Luca is suddenly there, kneeling next to him. “Look at me. They can’t help your brother if you won’t let them near him. You have to let him go. Just let go, baby. It’s ok.”
Jet’s fingers clamp around Luca’s. A tourniquet is wrapped around Kai’s leg before he too is lifted onto a gurney and placed in an ambulance, followed by Jet and Luca, who hasn’t let go of Jet's hand. On the way to the hospital, Luca watches Jet, whose eyes are locked on his little brother’s still body. The relentless wailing of the sirens blends with the endless echoes of Jet’s repeated silent mantra: “Kai, Kai, Kai…”
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In the hushed silence of the ER waiting room, Jet struggles to think, to breathe. His bloodstained hands are curled so tight his fingernails scratch against his palms. He has to keep them clenched or they’ll start to tremble. He doesn’t hear Luca and Kit approach. When Luca puts a hand on his shoulder, Jet nearly flies out of the chair.
“Hey, just breathe,” Luca lowers his hand, staring down at Jet. “It’s ok.”
“Are you going to say that to me all night?” Jet scoffs.
“Yeah,” Luca looks totally serious. “If you want me to.”
“What part of this situation is ok?”
Luca doesn’t look at all offended by Jet’s tone. Instead, he takes a seat next to him. “You want to go wash the blood off?”
“No,” If Jet leaves, then Kai will be alone, and he’s not going to do that to his younger brother ever again. “I’m fine.”
“Here,” Kit holds a styrofoam cup out to Jet. “It’s cheap and it’s black, but drink it anyway.”
“Thanks,” Jet’s answer is as automatic as the sip he takes, and his breath hisses out through his teeth.
“Too hot?” Kit’s smile is as bitter as the taste of that damn coffee.
“He prefers Iced Americano,” Luca’s smile is equally grim.
“I’ll remember that next time.” Kit hesitates, then sits down next to Jet. “I made some calls, and I’ll do all the talking, so you don’t have to worry about anything else. I called your sister, too. Rome answered her phone and he’s driving her here. ETA five minutes, he said.”
“Pepper’s working tonight.” Luca adds. “But I said I’d text her updates.”
“Thanks.” Jet takes another sip. Maybe having a cup in his hands will keep them steady. It’s better than clenching them.
Kit has no intention of leaving him alone. “I can find Em and ask her what’s going on, if you want.”
“Kai’s got a bullet in him.” Jet’s voice is toneless, but the stiffness of his body gives his feelings away. “Unless Nail and Chalam are locked in a cell, I don’t need to know anything else.”
“He’s dead.” Luca’s answer is unexpected.
Jet’s head jerks up. “I’m sorry?”
“Nail had a brain hemorrhage,” Luca repeats. “Died on the way to the hospital.”
Jet’s lips twitch just a little bit. Kai had rid the world of one of its scumbags. At least they had that going for them. The coffee is bitter against Jet’s tongue. His thoughts swirl in a half dazed mess. Nail is dead, Kai is injured, Chalam is still alive. Yes, he has two bullet holes in him, but that damn shark is still alive. Once Kai is out of danger, Jet can turn his attention to finishing what his little brother started and finish the bastard off. Footsteps sound from down the hall. A voice says his name, and Jet looks up into Em’s face.
He’s on his feet, sloshing coffee all over the floor. “Kai’s going to be ok, right?”
“The bleeding is under control, but the bullet still needs to be removed.” Em’s voice is clinically steady. “They’re prepping him for surgery now. I can give you two minutes, but then we have to take him in.”
Jet is down the hall before the words fully register. Still alive. Kai is still alive.
◼️◼️◼️◼️
The tang of antiseptic stings Jet's nostrils as he comes into Kai’s room—the same size as the one he was previously in. But this time there are no beeping machines, no tubes, just one person on one bed. His little brother’s eyes are closed, his face is pale against the pillows under his head, but his chest rises and falls steadily. For now, that’s enough.
“Kai.” Jet moves to his brother’s side. “Kai, can you hear me?”
“Took you long enough.” Kai’s eyes snap open, a cocky grin splitting his face. “Hia.”
Jet’s heart stutters at the sound of that word. “Thought you weren’t ever going to call me that.”
“You’re my older brother, what the hell else am I supposed to call you?” Kai rolls his eyes, his snark back in full force. “Besides, what I said was I’d call you ‘Hia’ before I died.”
“But you’re not dead yet,” Jet laughs, relief rushing through his bloodstream. Kai’s ok. He’s fine. “And that’s the third time you’ve said it tonight.”
“Counting?” Kai’s lips curl in a lopsided grin. “How long was I out this time?”
“Long enough.” Jet’s expression sobers. “You scared the hell out of me, you know that?”
“Big brothers aren’t supposed to be scared of anything.” Kai wrinkles his nose in mock disapproval. “You look like shit. Go wash your hands—they’re disgusting.”
“In a minute,” Jet reassures him. “I wanted to see you first.”
“I’m good.” Kai gestures to the tourniquet around his leg, looking almost annoyed. “Couldn’t go anywhere even if I wanted to.”
Jet returns to grin, reluctantly.“The hell have you got to smile about?”
“Chalam. We blew that shark out of the water!” Kai’s eyes sparkle, his grin widening. “And, I got another internship—a better one. Kam told me I could start at Manirat Nexus on Monday.”
Jet raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”
“No.” Kai sticks his tongue out at him. “Like you said last time, it’s a completely different branch. I took a shark down and got a new internship all in the same day. So I’m celebrating.”
“With another hospital trip?” Jet’s grin widens in spite of everything.
“Just paying the price.” Kai quips.
“Pretty shitty price.” Jet lowers himself onto the side of the bed, careful not to jar Kai’s leg. “Was it your idea to hijack the press conference?”
“That was Zone’s. But I organized everything else.” Kai presses his hands to his temples. “My head feels weird. Fuzzy. Like I’m floating.”
“It’s the painkillers.” Jett’s tone softens. “They do that before surgery.”
“Painkillers suck. Makes me dizzy.” Kai leans back against the pillows, giving Jet a lopsided smile. “Which is worse, a hangover or getting shot?”
“Depends on how many Black Russians you’ve had.” Jet retorts. Kai chuckles, closing his eyes for half a second. “You ok?”
“A little tired.” Kai’s eyes are open again. There’s a faint flush in his cheeks. “Do painkillers make you tired?”
“Some of them.” Jet takes Kai’s hand. His little brother’s fingers are warm, slightly lighter than before. Given that Kai has experienced both blood loss and an adrenaline crash, Jet doesn’t blame him for feeling drained. “You don’t have to pretend.”
“Pretend what? I’m not scared!” Kai’s grin slips just enough Jet to catch it. “It’s just a little hole in my leg.”
“I survived my surgery.” Jet reassures him.
“You got stabbed.” Kai counters. “You didn’t have a bullet in you.”
“No, I had a box cutter blade in me. But I still survived.” Jet leans closer, stroking his thumb along the back of his little brother’s hand.
“Jet.” Kai tilts his head. “Are you checking my pulse?”
“No.” Jet removes his thumb from Kai’s wrist, relieved to feel a steady beat. “Kai, you don’t have to worry. Em will make sure they take good care of you.”
Kai’s fingers clamp around Jet’s wrist. “You’re not going to disappear again, right?”
“Only when they take you into surgery,” This time Jet’s smile is easy and reassuring. “They won’t let me in the operating room.”
“I know that!” But Kai still hasn’t let go of him. “What about after?”
“After the surgery, I’ll be right here.” Jet gently pries Kai’s fingers loose, interlocking their little fingers. “I’ll be right here. Everything’s going to be ok, Kai. No one’s going anywhere. I promise. After your surgery, you can tell me all about how you came up with your heist plan.”
“Brag to my big brother about how I took down the shark without professional help?” Kai’s grin is back, though it’s softer, as if he’s savoring this moment. “Deal.”
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Jet is on his second cup of the horrid cheap black stuff masquerading as coffee when Mali and Rome arrive at the hospital. Kit answers Rome’s questions while Jet just sits there, forcing himself to take sip after sip of that nasty sludge.
“Jet,” Mali’s eyes meet his, anxiety tightening her voice. “How’s Kai? Really?”
“They’re still operating.” Jet’s fingers tighten around the coffee cup. “So I don’t know.”
There are tears in Mali’s eyes. “I’m sorry. Maybe if I hadn’t texted you—”
“Kai would be bleeding out in Chalam’s front room.” Jet finishes. “This isn’t your fault, Mali. None of it. You were looking out for Kai, just like you always have.”
Luca resumes his seat.
“How long does surgery usually take?” Jet says the words just to make his mouth move. Luca shrugs.
“Half an hour, maybe longer, that’s what Em said.” He lets Jet take another sip of coffee before breaking the silence again. “Chalam’s room is down the hall.”
Kit’s eyes shoot daggers in Luca’s direction. “I thought we were going to keep that to ourselves.”
“You thought wrong,” Luca is speaking to Kit, but his eyes are locked on Jet’s face. “Jet needs to know.”
Jet’s expression hardens. “Where?”
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There are two policemen in front of the room. Jet keeps his face neutral when he strides past them, his expression changing only once he’s inside. A private room, a single bed, easy in and out. Jet bolts the door behind him. Chalam, handcuffed to the bed and hooked up to various machines, smirks defiantly.
Jet strides forward, each step a testament to the fury inside him. His hand locks around the bandage around Chalam’s knee. Chalam’s body tenses, refusing to cry out as Jet applies pressure. The damaged skin gives way under Jet’s fingers. He digs deeper and deeper until the bandage is soaked with fresh blood.
“Kai is fighting for his life because of you.” The words come from between Jet’s clenched teeth.
Chalam’s smile is mocking in spite of the pain. “I was not the only one who pulled the trigger.”
Jet’s fist connects with Chalam’s jaw. Chalam’s head snaps first to one side then the other, as Jet pummels him again, and again. A sickening crunch. Blood trickles from the shark’s broken nose. Another punch, and now his lip is split.
Chalam chuckles, a wet rasp in his throat. “Pathetic.”
Jet’s fingers close around Chalam’s neck, his thumbs pressing into the soft flesh of Chalam’s windpipe. The beeps of the heart monitor become more erratic. Jet’s grip tightens, vision reddening as his rage builds to an almost primal instinct, ready to cut off the bastard’s air supply.
Someone is pounding on the other side of the door, shouting words Jet can’t quite hear. Chalam’s breaths grow shallower, face purpling, eyes bulging, tongue poking out between his lips. One more. Just one more squeeze, and it’s all over. Blood from Chalam’s lip drips onto Jet’s hand’s, mingling with the blood already dried there.
Kai’s blood.
Jet’s fingers loosen. His mind snaps into focus. Chalam’s death would be a release—one Jet very badly needs. But not like this. Killing the shark is too quick, too easy. Better to let him suffer as he answered for his crimes. Let him rot in a cell—suffer in the same way Kai is suffering now.
Jet lets go. Chalam collapses back on the bed, sucking in ragged breaths, his face pale and slick with sweat.
“You bastard.” Jet spits. “Not even worth killing.”
He turns away from the gasping shark, every muscle trembling with the adrenaline coursing through him, forcing himself to walk out of that room. One of the police guards rushes inside while the other reaches out to steady Jet. He shakes the guard off, leaning against the opposite wall. He presses the heels of his head against his eyes, forcing his breath to return to normal. His entire body is screaming, every nerve ending blazing with the need to end that shark’s life. But it’s not over. Not yet. Jet has Kai to think about.
“Jet.” Luca’s voice breaks through the chaotic storm of his thoughts.
Jet opens his eyes. Luca stands in front of him, face impassive, but eyes dark with worry.
“I couldn’t do it.” Jet’s shoulders slump. “I wanted to, but…I just couldn’t.”
“You hesitated.” Luca confirms. “Why?”
“That shark ruined my life.” Jet shakes his head. “But I can’t be like him. I won’t.”
“Jet—”
“I’m fine.” Jet takes a shaking breath. “How’s Kai?”
“Out of surgery.” Luca swallows hard. “They got the bullet out, but—”
“But what?” Jet’s heart rate stutters.
“They’re keeping him comfortable.” Luca’s gaze drops. “I’m supposed to come find you.”
“Everything’s going to be ok, Kai. No one’s going anywhere. I promise.”
The hallway dissolves, and Jet is running, stumbling past other medical staff that don’t even glance at him. Luca calls his name, but Jet doubles his pace. All he can think about is Kai—Kai lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life.
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Kai’s body is on fire. Every nerve, every muscle, every fiber of his being screams in agony. His skin burns as though it’s being peeled off, layer by layer, exposing the raw flesh underneath. Shards of glass tear at his lungs. Sandpaper scrapes inside his throat. His vision blurs, the room tilts, and Kai is falling, spiraling down into icy darkness.
Agony pulses through his leg in time to some distorted beeping he can’t quite place. He focuses on that sound in an attempt to ground himself. Half formed thoughts chase through his head, circling back to Jet. Always back to Jet.
He has to tell Jet he’s sorry. Sorry for the fights, the misunderstandings, all the secrets and lies. He’d also made a promise—one he’d never thought he’d have to keep. So had Jet.
You promised you wouldn’t disappear. You promised, Jet. Where are you? Where are you?
How long has it been since he last opened his eyes? Time seems to stretch and bend, an endless expanse of fear. He’s sinking, immobilized, freezing and lost in a tormenting maze. The isolation is overwhelming, a profound suffocating loneliness.
The door to his room slams. Kai’s eyes snap open to a colorless blur. Footsteps, heavy and hurried, as if someone is racing to reach him. A flicker of light, of safety, pushes the darkness back. A voice slices through the fog of his mind, fighting against the roaring in his ears.
“Kai…”
The word is clear, steady, a familiar lifeline in the chaos. Kai forces his eyes to stay open, blinking against the burning light. He struggles to pinpoint on the source of the voice.
“Kai?” The face that emerges from the murky fog is unmistakable, etched with concern, bringing with it overwhelming comfort. The person he’s been wanting to see for so long is here. Jet is finally here.
“Jet…” Energy courses through Kai as he says his brother’s name. He reaches out, desperate to bridge the gap between them, to make sure Jet really is there.
“It’s ok.” Jet’s fingers tighten around Kai’s hand, the heat of his touch seeping into Kai’s frozen skin. “Everything’s ok.”
Jet’s grip is firm, and Kai focuses on that pressure, letting it guide him back. The strength from Jet’s hand spreads through his body, wrapping him in a protective cocoon. Agonizing cold retreats, giving way to a bone melting warmth. His heartbeat steadies, the erratic thumping becoming a reassuring, easy pulse.
The turmoil and pain are no longer a consuming fire. Just a distant ache he can push easily aside. With each passing moment, the blackness dissolves. The light expands.
Everything is ok.
Jet is here. Jet has him. He is not alone.
A sense of peace envelops Kai.
He is safe.
He is loved.
Everything will be ok.
◼️◼️◼️◼️
Jet shoves the hospital room door open, hinges screaming in protest. Mali sits frozen on one side of the hospital bed. Rome’s arms are locked tight around her, holding her upright. The air in the room is thick with antiseptic and the metallic tang of blood.
Jet’s breath catches when he sees Kai. His little brother’s eyes are glassy, skin almost transparent under the harsh fluorescents. A thin tube feeds oxygen into his nose, emitting a faint hissing sound. Each beep of his heart monitor is weaker than the last, as if the machine itself is growing tired.
“Kai.” Jet’s knees buckle. He drops next to his little brother’s bed. His hands hover over Kai’s body, afraid to touch him, afraid to hurt him. “Kai?”
Kai’s pain glazed eyes shift toward the sound of his name. Several agonizing heartbeats pass before a flicker of awareness crosses his face. In that moment, Jet sees a glimmer of the snarky little brother he knows and loves.
“Jet…” The name escapes Kai’s lips, more a breath than a word. His hand twitches, attempting to reach in Jet’s direction.
“It’s ok.” Jet murmurs, allowing his hand to close around Kai’s, willing his strength to transfer into that fragile body. “Everything’s ok. I haven’t disappeared. I promised, right? No one’s going anywhere, remember?”
Kai’s grip is almost nonexistent. Limp fingers barely curl around Jet’s. Pale lips move, trying to form words just out of reach.
“Kai, can you see me?” Jet swallows against the catch in his throat. His free hand hovers over Kai’s face. He needs his brother to respond, to stay, to fight. “You’re still here, right? You’re still with me?”
Kai’s eyelids droop. He gives a barely perceptible nod.
“Yeah…” The word is almost lost in the harsh sound of his breathing, but it’s there—Kai’s confirmation that he’s still here, still fighting. “Need…”
“It’s ok.” Jet leans closer, fighting to keep his voice steady. “It’s ok, Kai. Tell me what you need.”
Another twitch of Kai’s hand. “Pro...prom…”
“What?” Jet watches helplessly as Kai’s chest struggles to rise, his ribs straining against the thin hospital gown.
“Pro...mise…”
Jet’s brow furrows. He glances at Rome and Mail, who look as nonplussed as he does. Kai has made snarky comments and ultimatums and declarations. Never promises. He couldn’t be talking about the first deal they’d made, could he? Spending time together had been more of a bargain, and ended on Christmas.
Jet’s eyes widen.
The Manirat Christmas party. Truth or Dare.
Jet’s dare. “Call me ‘Hia’…because I’m your older brother and that’s how you should address me.”
Kai’s snarky response.“Ok, asshole. Before I die, I’ll call you ‘Hia’.”
Realization slams its iron fist into Jet’s gut, his breath strangling inside him. Kai’s eyes find Jet’s. There’s clarity, and a flicker of something else—resignation, or acceptance.
“No.” Jet’s voice is raw. “Not like this.”
A small, sad smile plays across the corners of Kai’s mouth. The tension in his body dissolves, the fight draining out of him. “Pro…”
“Stay with me, Kai.” Jet tightens his grip on Kai’s hand. Kai’s pulse flutters beneath his fingertips—one last, fragile thread. “Please, just stay.”
“…mise…” Kai’s breath stutters. Air leaks from his lungs in a soft, broken sigh.
“Don’t…” The words stick in Jet’s throat. Both his shaking hands are clamped around Kai’s now, refusing to let go. “Kai, don’t…”
“Hia…” The word is barely audible, a ghost of sound that falls from Kai’s lips. His hand goes slack, slipping from Jet’s grasp, leaving an empty space between Jet’s hands.
“Kai?” Jet’s voice breaks. He stares at his little brother, begging him to twitch, to take another breath, to say something.
But there’s nothing.
Kai’s eyes are closed. His chest no longer rises. His heart monitor emits the long, piercing tone of a flatline.
An unearthly sound rips from Mali’s throat. She surges forward, her fingers wrapping around Kai’s limp hands as though she can pull him back to life through sheer force of will. She screams Kai’s name over and over, her voice reverberating off the walls.
“No.” Jet cradles his little brother’s body while his little sister’s sobs rip him apart. “No, no, no…”
Kai had kept his final promise.
The last thing Jet heard, the last thing Kai said before he died, was “Hia”.
And Jet is left alone, drowning under the weight of that single word. Kai is gone, and there’s no bringing him back.