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I growled through gritted teeth as his blow landed on my shoulder, the force sending me sprawling onto the ground. My vision wavered dangerously as I tried to focus on my assailant.
I couldn't afford to lose this fight. Not when I had so many people depending on me.
Fueled by rage, I pushed through the pain, forcing myself to my feet once again. The man’s mocking laughter echoed around the walls of the alley, fueling my determination. I threw myself at him, catching him off guard.
He grunted as I rammed my shoulder into his chest, knocking him back against the van. Before he could recover, I lunged with the knife, tearing through his shirt and into his side. His pained scream was music to my ears, and with a swift kick to his knees, I brought him crashing down to the ground.
My entire body protested in agony as I stumbled back from him, gasping for breath. The adrenaline rush that had kept me going was quickly fading, replaced by a nerve-racking pain that threatened to consume me. But there were two more men, and if I wasn't quick, they would kill me.
Swallowing the pain, I kicked away the pipe from the third man's reach. My gaze then snapped towards the two unconscious men. Just as I had anticipated, one of them was already stirring. With a hard kick to his head, I sent him back into darkness.
"Good boy," I muttered mockingly, wiping my brow with the back of my hand. Sweat and blood mixed on my skin, leaving a sticky trail that made me grimace. I searched his pocket for the van keys. "You're coming with me."
The sound of sirens in the distance caught my attention. The cavalry would be here soon but so too were the cops. And with the way I looked now - bloody and holding a knife - it wasn't a scene I wanted to stick around for.
Hoisting the unconscious man up, I hauled him over my shoulder. Every step towards the van was a test of willpower, the sirens echoing a painful rhythm in my ears. I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, the metallic taste of blood on my tongue growing stronger with each breath. Heavier than he looked, the man was a burden not just physically but mentally as well. If his friends woke up before we were out of here, I’d be back in square one, if not worse.
The inside of the van smelled like stale beer and unwashed socks. I tossed him in the back, wincing as my shoulders protested violently against the strain. I needed to get out of here fast. The sirens were getting louder, piercing through the relative quiet of the afternoon like a loud alarm.
I slammed the van doors shut and jumped into the driver's seat. My fingers fumbled over the keys—damn nerves—and they slipped from my grasp onto the dirty floor of the van. Cursing, I bent over to retrieve them, gritting my teeth against a sharp pain that shot through my ribs.
With the keys back in hand, I quickly turned on the ignition. The van roared to life, lurching forward as I gunned the engine, the pain in my side fading to a dull throb as adrenaline coursed through my system again.
The sirens were deafening now. My heart pounded in sync with the blaring noise, threatening to burst free from my chest. With one last look at the bloody scene behind me, I steered the van onto the road and drove away just as a pair of police cruisers pulled into the alley.
The sun-drenched streets were a blur as I maneuvered the van through traffic, constantly checking the mirrors for any sign of pursuit. The guy in the back groaned and I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles white against the grungy plastic. I didn't want to go to HQ straightaway, not even if there was a small chance that the police might be watching me.
I needed to get him somewhere safe. Somewhere we could question him without interruption.
And I had to do it without losing my cool.
Unbidden, images of the last time I was in this situation flashed through my mind. Blood-soaked concrete, screams echoing off the buildings, the stench of fear and death heavy in the air.
No, not again. This time would be different, I told myself. Everything was different now.
With that thought, I felt a wisp of hope curl through the fear and the pain. It was a chance to turn the tides, to finally seize the control we'd been gradually losing. An opportunity to gain some much-needed answers, maybe even find a way to end this bloodied game.
The guy in the back groaned again, louder this time. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my mind pulled in multiple directions. He was starting to wake up, and I had no idea how long he would stay subdued. Maybe it was foolish to hope we could get information out of him. After all, people like that—they were more likely to die than betray their comrades.
But still…we had to try.
I glanced at the rearview mirror just in time to catch a glimpse of him stirring on the floor of the van. He let out a strangled groan, his hand reaching up towards his head as if trying to find answers for his sudden discomfort.
"Stay still, asshole," I said. "I'm taking you to my boss."
His hand fell back to his side, defeated and trembling. I smirked, feeling a perverse satisfaction from his discomfort. Every lurch of the van drew a pained grunt from him, each one making me feel better about the situation.
It felt good to be in charge for once.
The drive to our safehouse was filled with a tense silence, only punctuated by the man's intermittent groans. Nestled in the warehouse district, the van wouldn’t be out of place–and no one would hear him screaming.I grabbed my phone to call Bash, splitting my gaze between the road and the guy coming to in the back.
"Bash? It's me," I began, keeping my voice low as my gaze flitted to the rear view mirror. "Got a package for ya. He ain't too happy about it."
Bash's voice was gruff on the other end of the line, "You okay, man?"
I sucked in a hissing breath as a fresh wave of pain surged through me. "Been better, but I'll manage."
"You alone?" he asked.
