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When I reach the ground floor, Danny is already helping Violet up. I take off my shirt so that she can be covered up. “Where’s Daniel?” I ask terrified of the answer. Violet and Danny look at me exhaustedly. They are both beaten up really badly, and fall forward. I catch them pulling them up onto me. We limp to the exit, finding that we are not alone. Orion is on the other side ripping what I can only assume to be Patrick Callahan to shreds. On the other side of the room is J.D. He lies against the cage. Around him are the remains of several bodies. He is bleeding and breathing shallow even as he hums a quiet tune. Claw marks and other wounds riddle his face and chest. But wrapped up in his arms is Daniel. Hurt as he is he holds a smile on his blackened face.
Danny and Violet make us help them over to him. They wrap their arms around him. He winces and coughs, blood trickling from his mouth
“I kept him safe. Like I promised.” He whispers. I think it hurts him too much to do more.
“You did, babe.” Violet tries to reassure him. Stroking his hair back and kissing his mouth easily. Danny clings to him as the building shakes. It has happened a few times since we arrived but this shake is stronger. Closer.
“You have to get out.” He pleads, pushing Daniel into my arms. “This place is going to drop. I know the signs.”
Orion reaches out to him. “Come on man we got you.”
“I’m not goin’ anywhere just now. Legs busted up, lungs are all fucked up.” He coughs again. More blood this time. “I’m sorry I won’t be around to see him grow up.” He chokes, tears in his eyes. “I didn’t mean to break my promise, Danny. I forgot to look out for myself.”
Danny kisses him. “It’s okay, you’re gonna be fine.” She tries to lift him and Orion tries to help. But J.D. snarls and lashes out with his claws.
“You need to get them out of here!” He barks. “I love them too much to let them see me die.”
I reach down taking Violet by the arm, as Orion reaches for Danny. Both women scream, trying desperately to get J.D. to get up. But he’s stopped moving.
They sob as we urge them into a run to get out of the building. We don’t stop running until we get to the solar. With J.D. gone who is going to drive? I am afraid to ask, but someone is going to have to.
“Guys, I hate to break it to you but who can drive this thing?”
Violet shimmies into the driver seat. “Just get in and tell me where we are going!” She pushes back her sobs, and turns the engine over. We follow the internal map and find ourselves on the Ferry Dock in a matter of minutes.
Montgomery is waiting on the ferry, the rope ready to be thrown. He’s managed to get the attention of many people and the ferry is full of them.
He shouts happily as he sees us approach. “I was worried I’d lost you!” He smiles, then he realizes we are down one. He doesn’t say anything but we can feel his shock.
The girls jump from the solar and climb onto the ferry. As we push off at Montgomery’s signal to the driver we can see the smoke and fires that are consuming most of San Francisco. The warehouse explodes, the kerosene igniting and destroying any evidence of the carnage inside. Violet and Danny crumple there on the bow. Holding each other and crying.
They may have found each other again, but they lost a pivotal part of the family. Kale leans into me, as I sit down. My leg is aching from the gunshot. But it has been a through shot. No worry of my dying on him.