Chapter 40 #2
The crunch of aluminum echoes through the hall. I look back, my gaze zeroing in on the soda can under Cricket’s boot. I narrow my eyes at him.
“My bad,” he remarks sheepishly.
Before I can break my foot off in his ass, bullets tear through the door and walls. We dive onto the floor, narrowly escaping death. A higher power is looking out for us, and it ain’t God, so it must be the devil. Chunks of debris rain down on us, creating a cloud of dust over our heads.
“Nice going, dickwad,” Smokey growls, elbowing Cricket in the ribs. “You almost got us killed.”
“Lick my hairy balls, man. It was an accident.”
“What’s the move?” Snake asks, looking to me for answers. “We can’t stay here with our tails between our legs.”
“Give me a fucking second to think,” I bark. Maybe my chances would’ve been better alone. As I’m contemplating what to do next, the bullets stop. I stiffen, hearing muffled voices from inside the room.
“Go check. They gotta be dead or booked it back downstairs.”
“And get my head blown off? Nah, I’m good.”
“You’re the lowest-ranking member here, which means you do what the fuck you’re told.”
Spider. I recognize his voice from the few run-ins we’ve had over the years. I can’t let him leave this house alive.
“Let’s light ’em up.” I leap to my feet and kick the door open with a resounding bang.
I aim my bullets at Spider, but the big bastard is too damn fast. He jumps out the window, leaving his men to fend for themselves. Spineless fuck.
Snake guns down the man making a break for the bathroom. Two others, posted behind a dresser, return fire. We dart back into the hallway, pressing against the wall for cover. One of the men attempts the same escape route as his leader, but he isn’t as fast. We turn that fucker into swiss cheese.
“You’re dying tonight,” I state matter-of-factly. “Might as well come out and face God’s Wrath.”
“Enough blood has been spilled,” the man calls out. “How about we call it a night?”
A slow, venomous laugh slips past my lips. “Too late for that, wouldn’t you say?”
“Come on, fellas. I got a new baby at home.”
“Should’ve thought about that before you fucked with the Gods,” Snake snarls.
“I’m out of bullets,” he says, and two pistols clatter across the floor. “Don’t shoot. I’m coming out.” He cautiously emerges from his hiding place, his hands raised. “Listen, I can be an informant for the Gods. Fuck Spider. He left me for dead, so anything you want, I’m your man.”
“Not interested.” I step into the room, my weapon trained on him.
“You wouldn’t shoot an unarmed man, right?”
“Wrong.” I smile and light his ass up. “Night, night motherfucker.” He crumples to the stained carpet, dead as a fucking doornail.
The familiar roar of a motorcycle echoes into the bedroom. We rush to the window, seeing Spider speeding down the street.
“We have to go after him,” I growl.
“How?” Cricket asks. “He’ll be long gone by the time we get outside.”
“Fuck that.” I launch myself out the window without a second thought. I land on my side, cracking several ribs on impact. “Fuckkkkk!” I bellow, rolling onto my back.
“What the hell, Sandman!” Snake yells down at me.
“Crazy asshole. Just because you got a tattoo of a bird on your neck doesn’t mean you can fucking fly.”
“Shut the fuck up, Cricket!” I stand, ignoring the sharp pain just under my left pectoral and sprint to the SUV, determined to catch up with Spider.
I hop into the driver’s seat, fingers tightening on the wheel. Just as I’m about to floor it, the back door swings open. Snake and Smokey climb inside. Cricket dashes around the front and slides into the passenger seat.
I smirk. “Decided to jump?”
“Can’t let you go off and be stupid by yourself,” Cricket says dryly.
“Psycho motherfucker,” Snake mutters under his breath.
“You’re a God baby, bro. Psycho is in your DNA too,” I quip, then slam my foot down on the gas.
All four tires squeal on the asphalt as I peel around corners and blow through red lights. The streets are mostly empty, so it doesn’t take long to find Spider. He has a good head start, but his luck is about to run out.
“Blast that fuck,” I tell Cricket.
“With pleasure.” He rolls down the window and serenades the night with gunfire.
Up ahead, warning lights begin flashing at the railroad crossing.
Within seconds, the blaring horn of an approaching train cuts through the air.
Spider makes it across the tracks moments before the gates drop.
I press forward, refusing to let victory slip through my grasp.
The leader of the Lawless Disciples dies tonight.
“What the hell you doing?” Snake snaps, leaning forward between the driver and passenger seats. “You got eyes, so I know you see that fucking train coming.”
“We can make it,” I growl.
“No, the fuck we can’t,” he argues back, his eyes locked on the locomotive barreling full steam ahead. “We’ll get Spider another day.”
“Snake’s right,” Smokey says, panic rising in his voice. “It’s coming too fast.”
“You know I’m usually down for whatever, but this is some insane shit,” Cricket adds, shaking his head at me.
I click my seatbelt into place. “Buckle up. It might get a little bumpy.”
They all strap in under protest. Tough shit. I’m too close to ending this piece of dog shit to turn back now.
“If we die, I’m gonna spend the rest of eternity whooping your ass in Hell,” Cricket grumbles.
“We ain’t dying tonight.” I have Zilphia and our unborn child to live for now, and neither will be safe until Spider stops breathing.
We’re nearly clear of the tracks when the train clips the rear panel, sending the SUV into a violent tailspin. My head slams against the window, and everything blurs as I fight to stay conscious. Blood pours down my face, filling my vision with crimson red.
We crash sideways into a tree. My head hits the window again—then everything goes black.