Choose (M/Mm)

[Pleasurechip95]

Choose (M/Mm)

(A teeny tiny bit of violence but absolutely nothing happens. No one dies.)

Reed Rivers had a lot to be proud of. Captain of the finest fire station in all of Texas, married to the most beautiful woman in the world, and soon to be father of Casey Wilkerson. He and Diana had been fostering the fifteen year old boy for nearly two years. They’d wanted to make sure the two of them could handle the responsibility of being full time parents while serving as a firefighter and a detective on the police force.

He could remember the first time the social worker brought Casey to meet them. He’d been so scrawny and hurt and abused and afraid. No thirteen year old should have had to have gone through everything Casey had endured especially at the hands of his biological parents.

Casey hadn’t even been with them six months before he and Diana had applied for adoption. And a year later, they were finally granted their wish. The only thing they needed was Casey’s permission. It was a surprise after all. The couple had planned to ask him tonight over dinner. Diana had been the first to bring up adoption and Reed had been quick to agree with her.

Glancing over at the boy in the passenger seat beside him, Reed studied the curly headed blonde with striking blue eyes which contrasted Reed’s dark hair and eyes and tanned skin courtesy of his mother’s Latino side.

“And I got a B on my math test!” Casey exclaimed.

“Good job, Bud, I’m proud of you,” Reed replied before stopping his truck by the mailbox. “Grab the mail and bring the trashcan up for me please.”

Casey nodded and slipped out of the passenger seat. Reed pulled the car into their garage before lowering the door behind him. Something didn’t feel right as he stepped into the house. Call it a gut feeling but something just felt off.

Flipping on the lights, Reed froze as he came face to face with a man with a gun pointed directly at him. Reed put his hands up slowly and asked,
“What do you want.”

Casey causally thumbed through the mail as he walked up to the front door. Opening the door, he immediately dropped the mail when he heard Reed scream, “Casey! Run!”

Yet, he stayed where he was in shock as he watched his foster father throw himself at a very large man with a gun. River wasn’t exactly a small guy standing at six feet tall exactly. Yet, the intruder practically dwarfed his foster father. Casey should have run away from the scene and called Diana. Yet, he found himself running towards them when the gun went off. Blood splattered onto the wall behind Reed before the butt of the weapon found a home against Reed’s temple.

“Reed!”

Casey froze when the gun swung in his direction. His eyes flickered over to where his guardian lay crumpled in a heap with blood flowing from his head and arm.

“Come here!” the intruder barked.

Casey couldn’t move. He was too busy staring at Reed. Tears pooled in the boy’s eyes as he stared down at his guardian. Casey nearly cried in relief as he saw the older man’ chest rise with each breath. Thank God he wasn’t dead.

The gunman barked, “Either you get your ass over here or I’ll blow his fuckin’ brains out!”

“No! Don’t hurt him!” Casey screamed before taking a step forward. “I’ll do what you want. Just don’t hurt him please.”

The man before him smirked before gesturing for the teenager to come closer and face the wall. Casey’s eyes went wide as he slowly made his way over to the man. The boy could feel his heart racing as the man pulled his wrists behind his back. Trembling, Casey complied. The man wound tight cord around his wrists. Resting his forehead against the wall, Casey glanced down at Reed’s still form.

“Reed, wake up” Casey whimpered.

“Shut up,” the man ordered before bringing a balled up cloth to the boy’s parted lips.

“Mmphh!” Casey cried out as the large man pinned him against the wall by his sheer size. One hand held his chin still as the other stuffed the fabric into his mouth until his cheeks bulged. The teenager choked around the rag and flinched away from the man. His efforts were futile as a knotted cloth was tied around his head, pushing the stuffing deeper into his mouth. Only muffled whimpers escaped. The ropes dug into his skin when he tested his bonds. Not being able to move or fight back or even help his foster father made the horror of the situation he was in even more overwhelming.

Casey released a muffled cry of surprise as the intruder spun him around against the wall and gripped the boy’s chin. The boy found himself shrinking back as the man’s fingertips dug into his skin.

“Such a good boy you are. You a daddy’s boy or a mommy’s boy?”

“Mmphh,” Casey merely whimpered as the man replied, “For your sake, I hope you’re a mommy’s boy.”

The boy couldn’t fight the shiver that ran over his body as the man shoved him to the ground. He made quick work of binding the kid’s ankles together before turning his attention to his other hostage.

The man frowned before disappearing. Casey writhed in his bonds as he screamed into his gag trying to get Reed to wake up. yet, his guardian didn’t even stir. Eventually the intruder returned with a first aid kit. He seemed satisfied by his doctoring skills of slapping a Band-Aid over his hostage’s skull from where’d he’d pistol whipped the man before tying a bandana over the bloody wound on the man’s arm.

The stranger then went about binding and gagging Reed in the same fashion as Casey. Reed didn’t even stir as he was thrown over the man’s shoulder and hauled away. Casey was trembling as the man returned and reached for him.

.

Diana was definitely not okay. Not only had her shift not ended in time, her husband and son were nowhere to be found. Her heart rate sped up as she pulled into the garage and found it down one truck.

Where was Reed? Did he have Casey with him? Where had he or they gone? Why didn’t they answer her phone call earlier? Were they in a wreck? Had her husband forgotten about the paperwork for Casey? She’d even ordered a cake if he said yes to making it official.

A million different thoughts flooded her mind as she climbed out of her car. Diana gasped when she found blood smeared on the wall of her home after entering through the car port.

Her gun immediately was unclipped from her belt as she called out, “Reed! Casey!”
.

Reed found himself coming to with the worst headache of his entire life. Blurry vision and a splitting headache definitely equaled a concussion. He couldn’t help but release a muffled groan as he tried to take stock of his surroundings.

The captain’s arms were bound to the arms of an old wooden chair. His ankles were tied to the legs of the chair and he was gagged. An old bandana was tied around his arm where a tiny trail of blood seeped through. Definitely a graze from a bullet. Great.

Yet, one thing for certain was that Casey was nowhere to be seen. If that bastard laid a hand on his kid, he’d kill him. With any luck, the kid would have run and called 911. Hopefully. Casey was probably safe at the station with Diana.

“You’re awake. Scared I hit you too hard for a minute. If you would have just cooperated, you wouldn’t have been hurt.”

Reed had to strain his head to catch a glimpse of the man coming up behind him. He couldn’t place the stranger anywhere. The captain was nearly certain he’d never laid eyes on the man before. The man came to a stop before him and cracked open a bottle of water after pulling the knotted cloth from Reed’s mouth. Reed immediately spat the cloth at the man’s feet.

Dodging the bottle, Reed growled, “What have you done to my son?”

The man slowly recapped the bottle before replying, “My daughter, Rose, was about his age… Someone broke into my house and murdered them. My wife, Amber, and my Rose, my baby girl. Your wife was the one to respond. She let them both die and she let their murderer walk free.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. I truly am. But, this is not the way. My wife would have never-”

“She did! She let them die and now she’s not going to save you either!”

Reed swallowed the lump in his throat before calmly replying, “I know you’re hurting but this is not going to bring your family back. You have me. You don’t need to hurt a child. Just let him go. You have me.”

The man shook his head and responded with, “No… She has to choose. You or the kid. Be grateful I’m not killing you both… That is if she can respond in time.”
.

Casey was scared. No. Scratch that. He was absolutely terrified.

No one would blame the boy. You would be terrified too if you thought your guardian had been murdered, had been tied up and gagged, shoved onto the floorboards of your guardian’s truck, driven around, brought into a condemned house and then locked in a closet.

Worst part was that he was alone. Where was Reed? Who knows what that asshole could have done to him? What if he was dead?

The boy squirmed in his binds. He had to find his guardian. He had to get out. He had to do something. Anything. Reed needed him. If he could just get to Reed, he’d be okay. Reed would know what to do. They’d be fine.

Casey scooted out of his position in the corner before slowly inching his way to the door. Rolling onto his back, he pulled his knees into his chest and kicked his bound legs at the door several times. The doorframe rattled before it was thrown open.

The teenager blinked against the bright light as his kidnapper glared down at him. The man latched onto the boy’s bound ankles and proceeded to drag Casey across the old moldy carpet into a different room where Reed sat tied to a chair.

“Get your damn hands off my kid! ¡Mierda!”

Reed strained against the ropes holding him as his boy was dropped right in front of him. Casey felt his eyes water the second his eyes locked onto Reed’s. His guardian’s eyes looked cloudy and dried blood was caked against his head from where it had seeped through the bandage. An old cloth was tied over his arm where a slow trail of blood dripped down his arm bleeding through the makeshift dressing. But, he was alive. He was live and screaming in Spanish but he was alive.

“Todo va a estar bien, hijo. Everything is going to be fine,” Reed promised as their captor left the room.

Casey slowly shuffled his way over to his guardian. He was able to make it back onto his knees before laying his head against the older man’s thigh. Reed ran his fingertips through the boy’s curls briefly before reaching for the rag tied over his mouth.

“Daddy’s boy then,” the asshole, whom Reed would love to drive a firetruck over, cooed as he entered the room with what looked definitely like a bomb.

Reed snarled, “Don’t touch him!” as Casey was ripped away from him.

Casey released a muffled cry as he was deposited back onto the floor with a boot to his sternum. The teenager teared up for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Reed was busy yelling death threats to which the man merely replied, “This will probably be the last time you ever see him or the last time he sees you. That’s up to your wife though. I didn’t get a choice but she will.”
.

Diana was on the verge of a breakdown as she made her way back to the station. Her partner, Royce was the first to reach her as she hissed, “My husband and son are missing.”

Before the man could even start, he was interrupted by a phone call. Diana had never moved so fast as she immediately answered the familiar number.

“Diana,” the voice spoke into the line.

Her heart practically melted as she replied, “Reed, thank God, where the hell have you been? Where’s-”

“Baby, listen. I don’t have much time but I’m so thankful for the time we had together. You can’t save us both. You have to choose. He’ll call you back in a few minutes with two separate locations. One for me and one for Casey. You won’t have time to get to both… I love you. You take care of our son.”

The last sentence was rushed out before the call ended. Diana stared at her phone in horror before looking at Royce, who laid her hand on his partner’s shoulder. Nodding his head, Royce instructed, “It’s gonna be okay. When he calls back, I’ll get your husband. You get your kid.”

.

The numbers continued to count down on the clock as Reed futilely struggled against his binds. There were so many things he’d never said. There were so many things he’d never done.

At least Casey was safe.

Trying to gain some clarity from the raging headache, he sat still for a few minutes before engaging in the struggle again. Reed found himself screaming into the rag resting between his teeth as the door was thrown open.

Diana’s partner immediately came through the door with a bomb squad on his heels. The detective took one look at the firefighter before radioing for the medic to come up when cleared. He then removed the gag as Reed frantically asked, “Diana? Casey? Were they hurt? Are they alright? Please, did they get there in time? Are-”

“Just take it easy. I’m sure they’re fine.”

.

Casey tried his hardest to be brave. He really did. But after the phone call and after the man had dragged him away from Reed and thrown him back in the car, he started bawling. He didn’t want to die. He really didn’t.

His parents never wanted him in the first place. His foster parents had each other. Sure, they’d miss him for a little while, but he wasn’t their real kid. They’d be okay. They’d move on and get another kid. They’d be okay.

Casey kept having to blink past the tears as he watched the timer slowly count down. He tore his eyes away from the timer as footsteps slowly approached. He let out a muffled scream for help before falling silent as the door was opened by the man, who had put him in this predicament.

His eyes were filled with anger as he glared down at the captive teenager before hissing, “She’s cheating. I won’t let her have you both.”

.

Diana had never felt so stressed and worried in her entire life. The house where Casey was supposed to be was empty with no curly headed teenager in sight. What she wouldn’t give to have her husband and her son safe.

She’d gotten half her wish. Reed was safe but where was Casey? If anything had happened to that boy, she didn’t know what she would do. She sent a call straight to Royce, who put Reed on immediately. He was practically screaming to know if she’d found him before he could even get a word out.

Diana’s voice quivered as she replied, “Casey isn’t here and he disabled the bomb… Reed, I… I-”

“We’re going to find him, baby.”

Pushing the tears back, she whispered, “I don’t even know where to start.”

Reed went quiet for a minute before replying, “Amber and Rose. He said you failed them… And he can make a bomb… Think, baby.”

.

Casey had never felt so terrified and helpless in his entire life than he did in that moment. He wanted Reed. He wanted Diana. He wanted Reed to ruffle his hair and Diana to hug him and both of them to give him a smile that seemed to make everything okay.

The second the door opened, Casey scooted back as far as he could before he was pulled out kicking and screaming. Making it his goal to be as difficult as possible, Casey wasn’t going without a fight. The man nearly responded by slamming the boy’s head against the door frame. Casey’s struggles lessoned as stars floated around his vision. As if he weighed nothing, the man slung the teenager over his shoulder.

Shaking his head to clear his vision, Casey’s eyes widened as they stomped through the grass in the dark of the night. Outlines of tombstones filled his vision. The boy couldn’t help but start squirming again.

“Hllphh! Mmphh! Nnghh! Hlphh!”

The teen’s squirming immediately stopped the second was dumped from the man’s shoulder. His side collided with the marble slab drawing a muffled moan from the boy. Casey curled in on himself as the man stared at the double grave in pity.

“My wife and my child are here… I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to hurt you. You’re just a child. But, she left me no choice. Close your eyes.
I’ll make it quick.”

The teenager’s eyes widened as the man pulled a gun from his pocket. He shook his head rapidly as he trembled with his back against the headstone. Casey stared at him with pleading eyes and mumbled muffled pleas.

“Phhlss!”

“I’m sorry. She has to know how it feels to be too late… I didn’t want to hurt you but she has to know. Close your eyes. You won’t feel a thing.”

“Phhlss,” Casey tried to plead before the cold metal pressed against his head.

“Shhh. You’ll be okay. It won’t hurt.”

The man didn’t have any emotion on his face as he stared down at the boy. He didn’t have a choice. He didn’t. She had to suffer. She had to.

“Drop your weapon and back away from my son now!”

The man shook his head before placing his finger on the trigger. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

.

Reed practically had to shove Royce off him as they pulled into the cemetery. Diana’s car was there. They had to have been there. It was the only place that made sense. Reed just prayed that they weren’t too late.

He was stumbling out of the back, shoving his crew out of his way. Running off of pure adrenaline, Reed ran through the cemetery shouting for his wife and child. He only pushed himself faster the second the shot rang out.

“Diana! Casey!” he shouted before praying, “Please God. Let them be okay.”

“Reed!” Diana answered him back.

Reed ran towards the direction of her voice. He froze when he caught sight of the trembling teenager sobbing in her arms. Casey had been freed from the gag but was still bound. The man lay just behind them in between his wife and his daughter. His hands had been cuffed behind him as blood poured from a wound in his shoulder.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re safe. I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you,” Diana whispered to the teenager she held against her.

Royce came breathing heavily up beside them as he offered Reed his knife. The man took it with a nod of thanks before dropping down beside them. Royce went to deal with the suspect as Reed ran a hand through Casey’s curls before silently sending a prayer to the Heavens. He wrapped an arm around each of them before whispering, “It’s alright now.”

Reed sliced through the ropes holding his kid captive before returning the hug as he felt a hand tightening around his shirt.

.

A few hours later, Reed pouted from the hospital bed as he mumbled, “I’m fine.”

Diana could only roll her eyes as she added, “You aren’t fine. You have stitches on your face and your arm.”

The couple bantered for a few minutes before they noticed the teenager sitting quietly with his fingers twisting together in his lap as he stared down at the tile.

“Casey, are you okay, sweetheart?” Diana asked.

“You picked me… You shouldn’t have done that… You… You shouldn’t have thrown yourself at that man… You called me your son… You… You can’t,” he murmured.

Diana and Reed nodded at each other before they moved across the room to take a seat beside the teenager. Reed patted the kid’s knee before Diana reached over to wrap her arms around him.

“We’ve been a family for a while now… Of course, I’m going to come after my son. Of course, Reed would put himself between you and any sign of danger… We were going to try this at a nicer occasion but no time like right now, right?” Diana asked.

Casey felt his throat tighten as he shook his head. “You can’t… I’m not your son.”

Reed shook his head. “I’ve got a piece of paper that says otherwise once you sign it, Bud… We want you.”

The End.... unless you want more.

[Smythdean]

Great read

[Pleasurechip95]

Great read

Thank you

[harveygasson]

Very enjoyable story, well done!

[Pleasurechip95]

Very enjoyable story, well done!

Thanks so much