'The Escape': Alternate Ending

Raising my shotgun, I lined up Duke in my sights & fired. The shot tore through his arm & he went down screaming. Pumping the gun, I placed the cold metal barrel on his forehead. "Lights out, you son of a bitch." I said. My finger tensed on the trigger & the shotgun clattered out of my hand as a deafening blast filled my ears. I flew back, slamming hard against the concrete floor, an intense pain rushing through my chest & stomach. I reached down to my midsection...And pulled back a hand covered in blood! The cold, hard metallic crunch of a gun pumping turned my attention to where Duke was limping slowly towards me, shotgun held in his remaining good arm. "Good attempt, M-18", he said smugly, leveling the barrel at my forehead, "But not good enough. John Duke will never be defeated by the likes of you." A blast of blood erupted from the right side of Duke's head, splattering against a wall beside him. As his lifeless body crumpled to the ground, Brad ran up, jamming a fresh clip into his pistol. "Yeah? Then I guess you'll have to settle for the likes of me." he spat. Spotting me, Brad dropped his gun & ran over to me. "Samuel! Damn!" he shouted. Slinging my arm around the back of his neck, he pulled me to my feet & we inched slowly but surely back to the boat & up the boarding ramp.

Reaching the top, I let go of Brad & dropped like a stone onto the hard wooden deck. My eyes searched my surroundings, blurry from blood loss. In one corner, Nikolai sat groaning as Brandon attempted to bandage a messy wound on his arm. In another, Hannah lay sobbing over the lifeless body of Jacob, his body riddled with bullet holes, staining the wood scarlet. With trembling hands, I unzipped my jacket & lifted up my shirt to assess my own wound. Several holes, some still containing shot, peppered the side of my body & oozed bright red blood down my already-paling skin.

"Sam!" I heard a female voice cry. I swiveled my head to see Alex rushing up to me, a small cut above her right eyebrow. She & Brad kneeled next to me, attempting to doctor the horrible wound. Raising a trembling, blood-stained hand, I traced the soft curve of her jawline. "You're beautiful, you know that?" I said. "Sam, now's not the time." she said frantically. "It's always the time", I replied, "You're beautiful, Alex...The most beautiful thing in my life, even if we're not together. In case I don't make it, I want you to know..." "Don't say that!" she screamed. "You're going to be ok. Just hang in there!" "Cut the crap", I said, "We both know I'm doomed. But I'm happy I lost my life fighting for my freedom then by spending an eternity in that hellhole island." Tears streaming down her cheeks, Alex leaned in beside me. I felt our lips brush together & then lock. As she pulled away, she choked out, "You're a hero to every one of these kids, Sam... And you're my hero. I'm sorry I rejected you all those years ago." With my final breath, I gasped out, "I forgive you. Take care, Alex." Smiling, I closed my eyes & let the darkness envelope me.

Epilogue:
In a quaint, suburban home, a middle-aged woman & a teenage boy sat watching the news together. "Yes, Susan, normally the apprehension of the wanted fugitive Bud Randall would be at the top of our news list", the reporter said, "But we have an amazing story coming in from Virginia where a cruise ship filled with kids reported missing anywhere from 2 months to 5 years ago has arrived in a port." The woman jumped up off her lying position on the couch, leaning in closer, eager to hear every word. "Thanks, Jim", the field reporter said, "An apparent human trafficking ring led by ex-Navy SEAL John Duke has been broken up & almost 700 kids have been rescued from a concentration camp-like island where they were kept until sold. A daring escape plan came when several inmates busted into the armory & stole a hijacked cruise ship to safely transport everyone home. The leader's attack, Samuel Allen, died during the fighting." After the last sentence, the woman's face contorted into an expression of horrible sorrow. Her eyes flooded with tears & she thrust her face into a pillow, sobbing. The boy, dark eyes glistening, said, "Mom, is that..." "Yes", she choked out, "Samuel Allen is your long-lost brother." Jumping to his feet, the boy let out a roar of rage & slammed his fist into the drywall.

The End