Ever so carefully, he placed himself between peril and Chloe, inching forward with painstaking intent as if the viperous slithering creatures surrounding them were as harmless as garden worms and not the fierce instruments of death that the salesclerk had described. With a growing admiration he took pride in the fact that Chloe too kept her calm, and was grateful that their aggressor did not know how potentially deadly the snakes were. Likewise, his approval soared when she tossed the debris aside, making it look haphazard and unconcerned, while in actuality keeping the agitated and striking reptiles at bay thus freeing him to concentrate fully on defeating their adversary.
And Chow would be defeated, as Ling would pay, for what honor was there in wounding an innocent? Excruciatingly aware of each bruise and cut marring his little sun, Brady felt her injuries deeper than his own--fractured arm, broken rib not withstanding. And yet looking into the cold, bored eyes of a killer, he pushed that agony aside and took a defensive position, content to redirect the energy of his opponent, simply moving his head out of the way with each and every high punch whizzing past his face, side-stepping what blows he could and forming the knife hand to block what he couldn't. Then as Chow's momentum seemed to tire slightly, he let loose with a rapid succession of front-snap kicks driving his foe backwards and reading the motions when his attack was answered with a low rising kick. Grunting in pain, Brady captured the hurtling foot with the cross of his arms and then flipped his wrists to solidify a grip while twisting, sending Chow spinning to the floor as the deafening crack thrummed through his ears and the fire in his wounded arm urged him to finish it. He didn't even hear Kevin's shocked scream of 'Chloe look out!' as he hurtled his leg downward like a hammer meaning to crush the fallen man's throat with the back of his heel, yet meeting shoulder bone instead as his enemy rolled out of the way. It left him slightly off balance, and consequently he landed hard on his back when Chow reached over to grasp his ankle and flip him off his feet. From this new vantage point, Brady finally caught sight of Chloe, a coral snake winding around her legs, Kevin at her side trembling and stuttering while she pursed her lips in fowl disgust. The sight of it nearly choked him with fear, and surely he thought he was going to die when he saw her pick up the snake and tell Kevin to 'give it up, the plan is off'. But he didn't die. But he could of died. For, if he hadn't chosen that exact moment to turn over Chow's hidden knife would have buried itself deep inside his jugular instead of into flooring. And Brady lived. And yet who's to say if he would of lived or not, if it hadn't been for Chloe throwing the coral snake--which she thought was a scarlet king snake even though Kevin had franticly been trying to tell her otherwise, near desperate to inform her that the aquariums she had upset in the stock room were indeed full of Micrurus fulvius-right at Chow's face. Instantly, the displaced creature struck sinking its fangs deeply into the thwarted villain's nose. Where which, Chow immediately collapsed and went into convulsions, the venom extra potent due to a severe allergic reaction. As Kevin raced for the phone, yelling 911 and Chow continued to jerk and spasm, Chloe didn't know what to think. Her confusion tripled when Brady limped his way over and abruptly hugged her fierce and tight whispering that she was 'never to do that again' before pulling away with a gaze of naked adoration. "Once more, you saved me. I am pledged to give my life for yours and yet you continuously risk your life for mine…why?" He murmured awed. "I risked my life?" She answered dumbfounded now taking in with dread how Chow was foaming at the mouth. "I risked my life." She repeated in a daze all the pieces falling into place inside her frazzled mind. "Why?" He gently prompted, still worshiping her with that tender look upon his face. Under its heat, she felt herself grow warm and light headed, her voice suddenly hoarse and thick with an emotion she hadn't realized she felt. "Because you're worth it," She sighed, right before passing out.