A Long Goodbye

Summary: Fifteen Year Old Alex Carter has never met his unlce, Nick Reed, but when his parents are killed in a car crash he is sent to LA to live with him. Nick himself, is a Agent for the security servicces and has been on the trail of Michael Niall- a gangstar with exclusive contacts- but just when Nick and Alex think they can carry on with their lives, tragedy strikes and Alex is left with the prospect of losing a family he never knew he could ever have again.

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Prologue

“Hey Alex,”
Alex with bag on his shoulder came over to his uncle who leant against his car door wearing a navy hooded jacket, grey t-shirt, beige trousers and black shoes.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were solving that case you’ve been working on ever since I got here.”
Nick unfolded his arms and opened the boot of the car packed with equiptment and gestured for Alex to put his bag in on top of a black holdall.
“I thought that seen as we haven’t had some guy time and I have had a helluva lot of catching up to do so I thought that what better way to do that than camp out and do some mountain climbing.”
“Cool,” Alex commented with raised eyebrows as he waited on the curb while Nick shut the boot of the Black 4x4.

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Through the telescopic sight of the rifle, the sniper watched the two people talk lightly as the older man opened a car door while the teenage boy shook his head.
Focusing on his target, he found the aim with the small cross to indicate it was lined up and with a steady hand and focus, took the shot.

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Alex shook his head at his uncle’s puppy dog face but it faded when his uncle’s face turned into a frown. Nick felt like he had just been punched but then he looked at his nephew’s face which now showed a shock expression.
Before Nick himself realised, he had began to fall to his knees and land on his back before shifting to his left side, seeing a pool of blood begin to surround him as Alex bent down beside him and a small crowd began to form- a man talking frantically on the phone to what only be the Emergency Services.
Nick and Alex kept each other’s stares as Alex noticed his uncle’s skin begin to pale from blood loss. Nick’s hand clamped on the fifteen year olds shoulder as his surprised face desperately attempted to form words but no sound would escape.
“I won’t leave you, I promise,” Alex said in a quiet and choked voice.
Nick saw tears in the boy’s eyes – a raw emotion- and before losing consciousness mouthed, ‘I’m sorry’ before his grip loosened on Alex’s shoulder and his hand began to slip away.
Alex grabbed the older man’s hand tightly and held it firmly, willing the man laying beside him to hold on, as his trousers were stained with his uncle’s blood which now circled them both as sirens came into the road to try and save the injured man.

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“40cc’s of Adrenaline.”
“He’s gone into arrest.”
“Paddles.”
A team of dedicated emergency staff worked quickly in the emergency room as Nick Reed went into cardiac arrest after an artery connecting to the arm had been severed from the gunshot which resulted in internal bleeding and pressure on the lungs due to blood collection.
The middle aged doctor took the paddles of the defibrillator and rubbed the gel into them as the doctor ordered the nurse to charge to 200.
Nick’s body jumped at the shock and then stilled. No pulse.
“Charge 360,”
“Charging 360.”
The doctor repeated the process two more times after which, a faint beeping sounded in the room. The doctor sighed.
“Get him to theatre.”
“Yes Doctor.”

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Claire sat next to Alex, who had called her from Nick’s cell phone and she came immediately.
Nick had been in surgery now for six hours and the doctors had told the fifteen year old that his uncle’s condition was ‘critical’. It was almost midnight and Alex was fighting of sleep after the two had been sitting around for almost seven hours since the afternoon- Claire had been supplying them with an endless stream of caffeine in order to keep them both awake.
Alex outwardly seemed calm and in control but inside, the fifteen year old was slowly breaking apart- Nick was like a big brother and almost a second father to him even though, when they had first met, Alex had shown open hostility and even hatred toward the man who he had come to very much respect; As much as he hadn’t wanted to admit it, he loved the man.
Claire squeezed the teenager’s shoulder reassuringly and said in a quiet voice.
“He’s fighting Alex, he always does- We just need to be strong.”
Bleary eyed, Alex turned to her a with a forced weak smile, nodded unenthusiastically- the doctors had said that Nick should have been dead and that he was alive due to a minor miracle. Alex had already lost one home, on family; He feared that he was about to lose another…

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Chapter One- The Phone Call

A man of about Thirty-Eight with dark hair and Grey-Blue eyes climbed precariously up to the summit, wearing tracksuit pants and a light grey t-shirt which now had damp patches on the back as the sun beat down on the man’s back and muscular frame.

Nick Reed sat down heavily as he pulled out a bottle of water and after having a few generous gulps, washed some water over his damp hair and face as he enjoyed the beautiful scenery around the mountain- canyons, patches of greenery, and small lines of light dancing of the surface of rivers. Closing his eyes, he felt the sun warm on his tanned arms, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly; repeating the process a few more times as he enjoyed the complete silence, with an occasional call somewhere below or a silhouette of an eagle as it hovered in search of prey.

Taking a break from his hectic lifestyle as an agent of Homeland Security, Nick was having the first peace, quiet and rest in months. Living in California, Nick grew up in the city with his sister, Michelle, who lived in England with her husband and son Alex- He had never met his nephew but kept in touch with his sister through letters and the occasional e-mail and phone call. Nick’s lifestyle didn’t give him enough time for family even when he had travelled over their way for business. He had an on-off relationship with one of his work partners but he couldn’t see himself to committing to a long term relationship.

As he exhaled one more deep breath, the peace of the summit was by the sudden ringing of a cell phone.
“Damn it,” Nick cursed, thinking he had switched the phone- his only link to civilisation- off. Cursing, he answered.
“Hello,”
“Is this Mr. Nick Reed speaking?” A woman’s voice asked in a distinct English accent. Nick noted the woman’s tone and recognised it after having to use on several occasions.
“Yeah, can I ask whose speaking?”
“This is Social services. It’s concerning your nephew, Alex.”
“I’m Listening,”

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