AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Two of you get outside, and stop whoever that is,” I said. I began jogging over to a door on the other side of the shelves. When I moved the knob, it opened. As I headed inside, I almost tripped when my foot got caught on something. It took a second or two to right myself and I was just happy I’d not fallen, as I’m certain my assault rifle would have gone off. The sense of relief I felt when I scanned what had been in the way was huge. I recognized the three crates we’d been missing.
“Yo Taz, I need the crowbar,” I said, knowing Taz was still checking the middle of the first space.
A shot rang out in the night when Taz handed me the crowbar. I didn’t hesitate, and wedged the metal in the seam of the top and used my energy to work the top off. I moved on to the next two so I could repeat the process. Taz went behind me and started counting. The commotion outside was getting louder, and I figured everyone else was outside.
“It’s all here,” Taz confirmed.
“Thank fuck!”
“Let’s see if we can help outside. As soon as we get rid of that threat, we need to get these crates packed and out of here. I don’t want to lose these.” I said.
Taz was already ahead of me, going back through the space we’d first checked. I ran behind him, my gun poised to use if I needed to.
Taz slowly opened the door and peered out. A bullet hit above our heads and ricocheted off the building. His immediate response was to close the door.
“They’ve got them pinned down. Let’s go back that way,” he said, pointing with his finger, “maybe there’s another door. Another vantage point will help us find the targets.”
We jogged back through the second door and scanned the area. A swatch of light was pouring through from the moon. As we approached, we could make out half the door as made of glass. We quietly opened the door and stepped out into the night. Taz nodded his head, and we both proceeded slowly in opposite directions. On my end, I came out to the front of the building and in the distance; I made out a few individuals taking cover behind the old pickup truck. I knew they were my brothers, working in tandem to cover as one would pop up and take aim. There was a truck with its high beams illuminating the space about 300 feet ahead. Behind it, more light was coming through and I made out a few shadows. The other truck must have only had time to stop right behind the first one before we’d made ourselves known.
I inched my way beside the building, staying in the dark. I used my rifle strap to put the gun on my shoulder as I pulled out the Glock I had strapped to my waist holster. I aimed at the driver's side door and pulled the trigger. A loud cry rang out, and another shot fired from what sounded like behind the second truck. A scream echoed through the night, and I flinched as something hit the dirt in front of me. Four more shots sounded in the distance and then nothing. The silence was unnerving.
I waited until I heard Taz declare, “clear.”
Each of us walked forward as we took in the carnage. There was a guy lying motionless on the passenger side of the truck near the trunk. His dead eyes looked up at us. Around the vehicle, there was a bigger guy sprawled and howling from what looked like a gut wound. I walked closer and put a bullet in his brain. Just ahead, right by the driver's side door, was a tall guy with a shaved head holding onto his arm as he lay flat on his back. He was wincing in pain as I got closer. He hurried his free hand to pick up the gun he’d dropped, but I was already over him with mine cocked and ready.
“What the fuck are you looking at?” He screamed at me.
“How many more at your compound?” I asked.
“Fuck off, traitor.” he seethed.
“Pretty sure you're the traitor, but it’s okay, we’ll find out soon enough,” I said as I aimed my gun at his eye. The blood spattered out onto the dirt, barely missing my boot.
The first signs of light were creeping up the horizon.
“We found the crates. Let’s get them loaded. Boa, you stay here with the crates while we sort out the living quarters.”
“Prez, I noticed an entire box of grenades and gasoline containers,” Whiskey said.
“Outstanding, we’ll use their supplies to light them up.”
***
The northern part of the property was quiet. We cut the engine down the dirt road and jogged the rest of the way. There was a farmhouse, a barn and a detached structure toward the back.
“Let any animals in that barn out,” I said to Roar.
The rest of us went to work splashing gas all over the ground by the buildings. The porch groaned as I ran around, adding more to the wood. We moved quickly as the night became day ever so slowly. The sound of hooves filled the air. A gun fired somewhere to my right, but when I looked over my shoulder, the assailant was on the ground. I kept moving. I found a loose brick surrounding the flower bed and chucked it through the front window; it shattered as I pulled the pin out of the grenade. I tossed the small device in through the window as I ran. We didn’t bother to watch as we all got in the stolen truck and Bones hit the gas pedal as we sped backwards. Booms reverberated as plumes of smoke and fire bloomed up; the vibration of the explosions caused the truck to shake a little. Bones took the wheel and got us in position to turn around, and he floored it down the lane. In no time, we were back at the supply outbuilding. We drove away with big billowing black smoke filtering up into the sky.
With little effort, we traded the truck for our SUVs, and were heading out of the state of Arkansas. We’d drive to the outskirts of Shreveport and ditch the SUVs. A guy Bones knew was outfitting a van for us to haul the crates in while the rest of us came back in an old Toyota Camry. The cages would be non-descript as we headed back to our warehouse in New Orleans. I couldn’t wait to have Piotr’s men take the entire set of crates. The whole shipment was cursed from the start. My brothers and I had a lot to think about and one thing was for sure, we were taking a break from gun running. We also had to make sure the missing Rogue Boys weren’t in the wind. With any luck, we charbroiled them in Hope.
As we drove, I thought about Piotr taking Ivy to his island. I wanted to see her, and I wasn’t sure if she was going to want to talk to me after what he did. The thought made me cold with dread. I was also fucking jealous, not knowing what they were doing.
As the miles flowed by, I let my mind drift. Piotr and I had known each other for a long time and I didn’t expect this glitch to cause much of an issue between us. I expected Piotr to laugh it off like nothing had happened. He was always good at letting things go, whereas I struggled. My father was a real bastard and always droned on about how turning the other cheek was for pussies. I shook my head to get rid of thoughts of the past.
I pulled out my burner cell phone when I saw the sign informing travelers that New Orleans was 60 miles away.
“Package in hand,” I texted.
