Chapter 18
Bargaining Chip
The Kronic 92.2 hip hop station's very own DJ Clinton got into bed with key members of Saints Row after Julius saved a lost soul on a violent street corner. Since then, both Valderamma and he have put the word out year round how the soldiers in purple kept things real, and Stilwater safe from other gangs. However, Clinton was concocting a new tune that was to warn the city of such things. He cracked on the mic and spat his opening line to listening ears, "Drive by Radio 92.2, this is Clinton Sparks. What's goin' on out there? Year '07 is reaching the end; that means the holidays are 'round the corner. To those who are Jewish, Yiddish, or whatever, my dude Vordul Mega will get ya into the holiday spirit."
The studio cut off his closing line when he noticed a call number coming from a disposable phone. "We'll get to him in a sec 'cause looks like we got a surprise caller. What's good, what's good; you on the air?"
"Yo, Sparks, put me on every frequency. No censors. I got a message for Vogel, the Brotherhood, the Samedi, but especially Saints Row."
Listening to a voice as stern and threatening, Clinton knew who it was almost immediately. He activated every frequency playing his station around Stilwater from Shanty Town to Mount Claflin. Gat's voice went live, letting everyone know what was to come.
"Brothers and sisters of Saints Row and the other shitheads listenin' in, y'all know I'm not a sentimental guy. I ain't even a decent motherfucker. People say I'm an irredeemable monster, and you know what? They're goddamn right. But the one thing I love, the one thing I had spilled blood and bullets over...is the Row.
Since our leader Julius disappeared, losing a soldier who was once closest to me, I raged, oh you bet your ass I did. But today ain't senseless murder. It's simply taking back what we bled so much for in the past. It's been an ongoing struggle with the same outcome every time. Everything we do, all our flaws, all our wins, and all our losses are for Stilwater. We thrive on chaos and have no fucking regrets. I send my voice out to all Saints who are willing to fight and die to the Saint next to them, and if you can't get behind that, don't bother showing up. Natasha, most of you probably know her as Selina from Tee 'N' Ay. Very few chicks can take a punch and then some.
She'll hold the line until we get there. You can hate us and wish us dead 'till your throat gives out, but no matter what happens tonight, my love for this city won't change. This is Gat talkin' to the assholes that drain this city for all it stands for. Ah, enough talk. Let's end this shit once and for all."
And just like a gust of wind moving violently in a storm, Gat's personal PSA reached out rapidly to surrounding radio stations and any gang members listening in. Metal heads and truckers alike turned No Holds Barred into an uproar when the music cut off and played the message, but all Ian saw in the middle of the arena was a pissed off gang leader taking off. "Way to get their attention, bro…" He told himself revving the engine and backing up into the starting line. War had brewing within the three main gangs for a year and a half; many were tired fighting small turf wars reclaiming business investments and shot up strongholds.
Jenni on the other hand got what she needed profiling the Ultor Agents. She grabbed her drones as she struggled to slip away from the stampeding crowd. The wind chill suckered punched the right side of her face while she ran to her jalopy. At that point, she had no intention jumping into any gang wars that were happening outside her four doors. However, when one of the Ultor Agents ran out and talking on his cell phone, Donatello Eames caught her eye. That was when her phone sent a startling jolt in her body and noticed Paul's caller ID.
"What the fuck did ya do now, girl? I get outta town for a couple weeks…"
She replied sarcastically, "Missed you too, Paul. Did you talk to Jake yet?"
"No, I just got back. Jen, please tell me you had nothin' to do with this?"
"No, mate, Gat's the one stirring the pot on all this. I've kept my vendetta separate. Apparently, the Brotherhood's leadin' man got stir crazy, heading to this Farm by the city campus. He's called all Saints to help."
"C'mon, Gat, for God's sake; alright I'll get ahold of my team and meet the Saints there."
"You sure that's a good idea?"
"In Stilwater, there's no such thing. I see some Ultor trucks headin' the University's direction."
Through all the craziness of people going rampant in the streets, both on foot and performing vehicular manslaughter, it occurred to Jenni there were no cops on the road. No Oppressors with snipers, or SWAT Teams doing perimeter sweeps. Another thing that stuck out was Eames staying in his company car keeping a steely eye on her all of a sudden. Right then, she was sweating like she got made. She then told Paul, "You and Jake get over to the Farm. I'll be right behind you." She turned the ignition with her eyes fixed on Eames as he stared back. She then drove away from the arena with the company car speeding past her, nearly clipped the left side of the jalopy. She floored the gas pedal with everything the car had and said to herself, "Let's see what you got, company man."
On the northeast end of the arena's parking lot had two Monster Truck competitors flying out onto the main road where the sky was pitch black and the street lamps were dim. It was odd in Ian's eyes. Usually, the city would light up like a ghetto Christmas tree, especially with the holidays around the corner. All he knew was that he didn't want to die in a car crash. Skirting around street corners and running other drivers over, Maero couldn't concentrate.
Not because of the rally, but how mentally fed up he was over the Saints thinking their shit doesn't stink. Since coming to Stilwater, all he ever wanted was to be accepted by the community. Granted, there were extortions and break-ins involved, but in his mind they were a mere handful of criminal acts compared to the large kill counts other gangs have had. Matt radioed in on Maero's walky talkie, wanting to know what the hell was going on.
"Fuck man, what the shit's goin' on? Jess and I are going crazy over here!"
"It's the fucking Saints, Matt! They just took out our boys at the truck yard. I want every available member not doing protection detail to get over to Copperton now!"
"Okay, okay relax man, we'll take the yard back. Should we bring the new guy with us?"
"No, have Jessica keep watch over him at the shop. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Jessica got on the radio and said, "Be careful, baby…"
"Don't worry, darling. You two lock down the shop and keep weapons on hand. Saints Row is done."
2007 was a month away from entering the New Year. The Saints who heard Gat's message drove out armed to their necks without hesitation or second thoughts. As much as they loved Stilwater however, the Prawn Court Saints in particular were starting to ask themselves if Johnny made the right decision to converge three gangs and possibly Ultor to one night of seeing who would survive. Dani and TK rode out from his studio apartment as they saw Jacob speeding through Chinatown to get to the University. The night was ramping to be one of remembrance.
Tyreese and Scott took twenty-six purple soldiers out of P.C. as they drove block after block, seeing not one cop car in sight, but more Samedi Wellingtons and jeeps coming out of Elysian Fields and the Industrial District. The streets littered with red and green tail lights like everyone was heading to the biggest rave of the century.
Back in the blue Hammerhead going 90 miles an hour, Dani and TK loaded up their Kobra Pistols and SMGs while Tommy tried maintaining a clear head on the road. His hands were shaking; nerves ran up and around his shoulders, tensing him up. Dani looked at him and said, "Nat's gonna be fine, bro. We just need to get there and put a bullet in Sunshine's dome."
"Oh ho, I plan to do much more than that." He replied making a sharp turn.
"Lace and I will give him hell. He won't have any Loa to fuck with our minds, so we should be good."
"Slap me for sayin' this, god knows I did, but Johnny…he's out of his goddamn mind. I know he called all hands on deck, but still. He shoulda waited, but you know him…"
"Never listens to anyone except Aisha and you. Maybe this is a good thing." Dani replied.
"Ha, things changed with him since I came back from the service. He's a whole different animal now." He replied turning his head to her. "How about you; are you ready to drive into a massacre with Ultor watchin' us?"
"They can watch all they like. I'll give them a show." She said loading up to SMGs. "Plus, it didn't stop Aaron when he did it. Ty and Scott are gonna meet us there. They're the most experienced shooters of the Row."
"Bloody oath to that, now let's get our girl back." He smiled and continued driving.
When it came to fraternity chaos, Stilwater University was a reflection of the chaos that ensued outside the sticky walls of dorm rooms. But when chaos hit the drug farm, Nat, Pierce, and Shaundi had gotten more than their fill. Mr. Sunshine stomped on Nat's phone after forcing Gat's hand and had his men dragged them out of the damaged mill. All three were feeling pain that was only temporary to Shaundi after being stoned and banging her head against the wall at a keggar. The harsh, cold ground was as scary as was feeling hopeless in doing little to stop it.
Pierce caught a quick glimpse at Larry in a burning field with his heart cut out, making him clench his eyes with regret in his own chest. As they were brought closer to one of the mills still left standing, Natasha with her broken ribs saw the Samedi setting up perimeter watches on the three exits. Out of one dark place and into another; Sunshine had an affinity for instilling fear to those who didn't respect the General. Inside the mill had a small audience of green flags holding lit torches with the soldiers dragging them being ordered to bind their hands. Surprisingly in Nat's mind, Pierce was quiet about the whole thing instead of pleading for his life.
However, when Sunshine walked in as a shadow towering them with a torch in one hand and his machete in the other, jitters came into play, especially for Nat. Her fear of needles and sharp things not being used herself caused her to sit up against the mill's foundation and kept her breathing to a minimal.
"There is no question the Saints are on their way, but this does not concern me. We lived in the wind for nearly two years, learning the mistakes the Brotherhood and Saints Row have made. Stilwater is in rough shape. My mentor will preach the path of the Loa to its people, making them see reason….complacency. Unfortunately, our supply has run dry. I know the Saints are behind it, cutting off our supply lines and forced us to use savagery as a substitute to gain favor."
With a chill steaming out of Shaundi's mouth, she slowly opened her eyes and said, "You…killed Ted…and Larry. They…had…"
"Nothing to do with this, I believe they weren't stupid enough to steal from us. Now, the outcome of this night falls to the three of you. Which one stole the last sack of our Loa?"
Nat opened her mouth immediately with Pierce's shivering words forming, "It was me." Sunshine raised his left eyebrow as he kept expressing, "These two had nuthin' to do with it. I stole your product, I was only thinkin' of my friends and this farm. So, just let them go, and do what you gotta do with me."
"Pierce…" Shaundi called out.
"I deserve it." He insisted. "I was Rebadeaux when it happened. I snatched it when no one was lookin'. Do wha'chu gotta do, man. I'm done for anyway."
Sunshine then steered his eyes to the men in the mill. Each of them gave a cold sweat running down their backs as they stood firm before him. Then, out of nowhere, they spoke in the Haitian language in an apologetic manner before pressing glocks against their heads. "We need to learn." Those were their last words before pulling the trigger at the same time, falling like dominos on the ground.
Even with her head pounding, Shaundi crawled up next to Pierce fearing what Sunshine might do next. All Natasha felt at that point was anger. Every fiber of her being wanted to take his machete by force and drive it repeatedly into his head until blood and brain matter were all that was left. He then turned his attention back on them and said, "We need to learn." The path of the Loa is a dangerous, yet educational path all followers must face.
These men were my most trusted brothers. They had one task to guard our will, and now their journeys have ended. Pierce, is it? It takes brass to admit one's faults. You are admirable…for taking the fall for someone else. As I've said, the Saints are to blame for our dry fortune, and you my friend are not from the Row."
Sounds of gunfire started forming outside the mill when three of the members came rushing in to warn him. Nat breathed a sigh of relief the Saints arrived in the nick of time. Usually, when an interrogation is interrupted, the person running the show leaves the victim to stew in the marks of their own screw ups. Sunshine got up and told them, "Take the outcast and the hippie outside. Execute them with the rest. I want to deal with the brash female myself."
In that brief moment of escaping unscathed became a fleeted memory. Pierce shouted harshly and explicitly as two of the Samedi took hold of a squirming Shaundi, trying to fight them off when one of them hit her gut with the butt of an assault rifle. She coughed up blood being carried out. Pierce followed suit when every time he attempted to punch a Samedi, his cut up leg caused him to pass out from the blood loss. Flashes moved like gunshots going off in the sky back and forth as Nat called out their names in pain. Right then, she felt his hot breath on her left cheek. Tired and out of luck, all she could do was wait.
He held his machete close and said, "You are quite the role player, my dear. Even the Brotherhood recognized that." He said as she looked at him with shock. "Did you honestly think they couldn't tell a mechanic using a fake Brooklyn accent? Perhaps you played the part of your "admirable" friend to throw us off."
"Fuck you. Stilwater doesn't need sadists like you." She said, coughing soon after. "Lord knows I'll outlast you tonight."
"The Loa believes you." He replied, gently sliding the blade down her face. "But I don't…"
A second turf war waged and pursued as Jacob and Paul came rushing in from the east exit with his crew in tow tossing grenades, and rendered the green perimeters disjointed. They circled around the farm as Jake performed a U-turn towards the south exit where sharp shooters in Wellingtons were lying in wait for Johnny's crew to arrive. With only seconds to spare, Jake hoisted an RPG his boss Chad gave him for his eighteenth birthday and performed his diligence for Saints Row. One rocket made quick work of the four green vehicles holding the sharpshooters, giving him the rush that came out of nowhere as he went to town on the stragglers trying to get away. They shot away at his car as he ran one over, and did a full on reverse offing two other green flags trying to take him out.
There was a reason Paul received the nickname "Neo" on the racing circuit. When it came to having a ten second car taking center stage at any location, the world slows down and fades away, giving him that liberating feeling that did away his nerves and allowed him to concentrate on the prize. Although he felt he didn't complete his goal in restoring the respect racing once had, South Cross taught him the one thing he lost sight of as his popularity grew. "At the end of the day, winning for yourself is an overnight achievement. Winning for the people in itself is forever." Saints Row weren't as much in his wheelhouse as they were in Jacob's, but after spending some time away from the city he realized he missed the noise and chaos street gangs provided.
Doubling back to the south exit, they were about to get a double dose of gang warfare. Maero and the Brotherhood drove through the traffic in the streets and darted for the farm like a missile to a target. Paul and the others took evasive action while using grappling hooks to get up close and personal with the metal heads wired up for carnage. That was when another wave of Samedi soldiers drove in and gotten acquainted with the Prawn Court Saints. Ty and Scott led the charge on the northern end of the farm, shooting out Wellington and Stiletto tires, causing them to flip over on side streets as the twenty-six man purple crew pursued the ones that drove on ahead.
It was not every day a kid from Elysian Fields gets to see the Saints in action, but seeing ten Hummers circulating around the farm gave off an invigorating feeling he felt for the first time during Rooftop Warriors. He cheered as he drove through, firing off another rocket at two Brotherhood cars and seeing them flying past his orange Hammerhead. With the adrenaline rushing through his veins, he almost forgot the radio call he kept getting from Troy. When he picked it up, he said, "Troy, what's going on?"
"Johnny and I are gettin' close to the farm. Who's there with you?"
"Prawn Court just showed up with the Brotherhood giving 'em some hell. Paul and his team are wheelin' against a group of Samedi sharpshooters and giving the Saints some breathing room."
"Fuck yeah! That's what I like to hear!" Johnny shouted in the background.
"What about TK, Lacey, and Danielle? Judgin' from the streets, we need everyone on board."
Another Hammerhead came cruising down the east side of the farm and immediately engaged some red flags on Sabretooth motorcycles wielding Mac-11s. Jake seized another opportunity to toss another grenade against an incoming Wellington speeding his way. The blast radius nearly sent his car tilting on the left side until he got himself back in control. He put himself back on with Troy and shouted, "They're here, too! It's like the goddamn Alamo out here."
"Keep on the move, man. We'll be there soon." Troy concluded.
Staying on the move was the only reason anyone in Stilwater was still alive, especially for TK and Dani. Perseverance and discipline in the fields of mixed martial arts and Wing Chun has brought them to a higher state of awareness, to consider anyone you don't know an opponent. Getting close to the main entrance to the farm, Dani did the honors of offering an explosive welcome to a group of Samedi soldiers barricading the way. Once they broke through and charged inside, they saw the aftermath of a fruitful drug investment gone to hell. But that wasn't the only thing receiving that one way trip.
Tommy noticed three green flags placing both Pierce and Shaundi on their knees. She tried to find the right words to sway them not to kill them. Promise of free koma product for a year as well as exclusive access to any frat party they wanted. Their ears deafened to the cries of a loose hippie with Pierce on his knees with his head down; no pleas to spare his own life. The green flags circled them and recited a Haitian mantra aiming their weapons at their heads.
Shaundi's eyes then saw two distinct Saints sneaking up behind them. Dani broke one guy's kneecap and slit his throat while TK sliced another one's head off and finishing the last one with a stab through the neck, followed by a swift slash to the torso.
"It's just us. You guys okay?" Dani asked cutting off Shaundi's wrist restraints.
"We got here as soon as Gat made the call. You guys look like shit." Tommy said looking at both of them.
"That's how I feel right now…" Pierce spoke under his breath.
"I got a major headache; feels like my skull is split in half." She brought up as Dani helped her up. "Wait, Natasha!"
TK's head darted and said, "Where is she?"
"She's alive, right?" Dani asked.
Pierce took the initiative to literally point them in the right direction. As far as anyone on the farm knew, Sunshine had her in his clutches inside the only mill left standing. He asked Dani to stay with them while he was going to check it out, but vehicles of red, green, and purple entered the aftermath and the turf war continued on campus grounds. A few Brotherhood guys went for a sneaky approach as well as trying to get the jump on the two Saints. Their lives got cut off by the itchy trigger finger of none of other than Tobias, limping yet pissed enough to give the Samedi hell for torching his van. They turned around and saw him limping towards them. TK ran over and said, "Good to see you up and about, T."
Dani then brought up, "Shit, you kidding; this man fought off a bear that was givin' Carlos a problem over at Claflin. He only had a nail file on him."
"I was saving it for a friend." Tobias chuckled before seeing Shaundi and Pierce. "Oh, thank god they're safe."
"Neither are doin' too well. Do you know anyone on campus who can fix them?" TK asked.
"There's this one nurse I sold the occasional ganja to. I'll take 'em to him."
"We'll make sure no one's on your ass." Dani said.
"Save a few Loa freaks for me, eh? Those fucks torched my van." Tobias replied getting the others out of harm's way.
Looking behind them with sounds of gunfire drowning out other sounds and taking precedence over the farm, both agreed to fight their way to Natasha by any means necessary. Dani then nudged his shoulder by pointing to Lacey riding in on Nat's bike with a twelve gauge on hand. All that was left was Stryker and Ian to show up, and knowing Aaron TK thought, he was surprised he wasn't by Gat's side causing mayhem to the Brotherhood. Before running off, he told her, "Let's win this for the Row. We all go home tonight." She playfully punched his arm and said, "Count on it. LET'S GET THIS SHIT STARTED!"
Aaron took a little longer reaching the farm due to the 5-0 coming out of retirement and doing their jobs other than jerking off on their stakeouts. After leaving the truck yard and hauling motor to the nearest Friendly Fire he found, the store was shut down by Masako security guards running perimeter duty. He cruise controlled in the shadows while keeping his head down as long as he could. The only other gun store he could think of that hadn't been touched yet was Brass Knuckles in the High End Retail District. But as soon as he realized he didn't have the gas or patience to drive to Nob Hill, he pulled over a few blocks from the Ultor controlled avenue and did things the old fashioned way.
The street he was on felt like a ghost town, no annoying pedestrians or corner salesmen selling bootlegged watches. There were plenty of cops though he thought, and made a break for it by hiding in one of the dumpsters at the back of the store to avoid their line of sight. After a minute, he slowly opened up the lid and quietly got out with no one in sight. It was a damn shame it wasn't Ian's store. Aaron had broken into the place after hours practically eight times since he was friends with him, stole $320 worth of ammo and an exclusive pimp cane shotgun. That was when the price shot up for it; twice the security risk since Ian updated his cameras two years before.
He made his way to the back entrance and much to his luck it opened with some creaking in its hinges. The inside of the store was just as dark as the outside; he scavenged whatever weapons he was able to carry when all of a sudden his phone vibrated. Taking cover inside the storage room, Aaron noticed Ian trying to reach him.
"Stryke, where are ya, bro?"
"Oh, you know…just hiding in a storage room so I don't get shot by Masako guards." He whispered sarcastically.
"Why the fuck are you hid…" Ian asked before getting shushed. "Why're you hiding in a storage room?"
"I offered to get more weapons for the farm." He said before turning the light on. "Yes, jackpot baby."
"Good to hear it, Stallone. Now get your lazy ass in gear. You got your exit?"
"Just save a few moving targets for me. I won't be far behind." He said hanging up the phone.
He grabbed two boxes of rifle ammo and C4 before heading out. Regretting he could have gotten more, he slowly opened the door and saw lights bouncing all over the ceiling with radio speech giving the two guards outside procedure. Aaron took one box at a time over to an abandoned van next to the alley exit. So far, no guards were coming around inspecting the area. He took it upon himself to discreetly grab more boxes to load up the truck, but after another six minutes of trying not to get shot, the two guards then decided to do another sweep of the alley when sounds of doors slamming indicated more guards nearby. "Shit…" He said closing up one van door and thought up an idea to distract them.
He tossed a grenade far enough to cause a loud enough boom to make a hasty retreat. Grabbing the keys from under the driver's seat, Aaron knew it was the store of Kevin Walker. He and Ian were competitors to see who sold the most ordinances in their respective stores. To this day, Ian still didn't want to talk about it. The van backed out of the alley and skirted out of the area until Ultor was in his rear view. Seven boxes of explosives, .44 Shepherds, a couple of Tombstone shotguns to boot; the next destination was the battle royale.
As far as Ultor was concerned, the corporation at this point had no shortage of employees and outside contractors to do Vogel's work off the books. The other board members were still vacationing in god knows where with only a fair couple returning to yet another chaotic episode of Stilwater's finest hour.
Jenni after being made by Eames, he ordered the other agents who were at the Rally to chase her down and take her into custody. She took side routes as far as her jalopy was able to take her, and it wasn't until she found herself a mile up where City Council was located. Beyond the district was where Ultor was by only another three miles to go. She had the hacking equipment, but still cooking up a plan in her mind on how to execute it. The other company vehicles in pursuit broke away from Eames' route, and took other roads trying to cut her off. She had nothing else than the goal at hand: take down Dane Vogel and anyone connected to her friends' deaths. It was both nerve-wrecking and reaming with anticipation.
"Are they still followin' me?" She asked looking at her rear view window. "You fucked up this time, Jenni. You pay off a pilot to borrow his Oppressor model he'll end up taking it back. Next time, actually steal one."
Any semblance of a plan she had getting to Ultor was scrambled the moment a grey and blue Bulldog knocked the rear end of her car. It sent her spinning down half a block before she was able to get the car straight. For a second, her heart felt like it got hit against the wall like a basketball, but suddenly her jalopy started letting out smoke from the hood and came to a complete halt. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the wheel with the fear of failure drawing closer to her back. The Bulldog's door slammed with nothing but dimly lit streets presented ahead. That was when she opened her eyes and got out of the smoke with her Desert Eagle held close to lower stomach. Looking at the Hummer with its blinding front lights, after a minute she broke the icy air by defending herself.
"I know my rights, mate. If this is another one of Vogel's tricks, it won't bloody work. Come out!"
A human shaped figure stepped forward in front of the Hummer's lights and replied, "Kay, you got me. You must be Jennifer Torvin. Your reputation isn't shinin' at the moment. There's a turf war going on at the drug farm."
"And…I care why?" She asked keeping her gun fixed on the guy.
The mysterious figure revealed himself with his hands up and retorted, "I think we can help each other."
"You crashed my shit bucket on wheels to tell me that? We haven't even gone out for drinks."
"Ah, such a dry sense of humor. You'd fit in with the more casual types of the city. Look, I have a grudge against Vogel too and…"
"I didn't swan dive outta my mum's vagina yesterday, stranger. I don't look like much, but I know things, and I know you have a hidden agenda of some kind. Now, you look. My arm's freezing so let's get this over with. You work for Ultor judging by the company's insignia on your coat flap, Wall Street haircut only Jermaine Kennedy can perfect, and…you strike me as the mercenary type. Were you in the marines?"
"Ha, ha, ha, ha I suppose there's no bullshittin' you, is there? Vogel gave me a role in one of his personal projects. I do my part he pays me a sum that rivals any Wall Street severance package. But it seems like I'm not the only with a personal stake in this. Just answer me this and I'll call a tow truck to take you home."
"Not so fast." She said adjusting her shooting arm. "If you want to help me, there were Ultor Agents at the Monster Truck Rally before this farm business happened. Donatello Eames was one of them. I need to make sure he never saw my face."
"If you want to take Vogel down, come take a ride with me. And by the way, it's nice to meet the thorn in Ultor's side; name's Davey Hoss."
It went from the inner parameters of the farm to three blocks of turf being fought by three, menacing factions. Stryker was the last to enter the fray while Ian pushed through Brotherhood members with an AS-12 street sweeper clearing the path. Stryker zig-zagged through the tightened streets a block over to see fifteen Prawn Court Saints engaging over thirty ballsy, red flags pinning them down. He looked on both sides to see who needed his help more. Dani, TK, and Lace had the Samedi on the ropes inside the farm while Jake and Paul's crew were keeping a jagged barricade intact to prevent any more flags from getting inside.
He pedaled down and high tailed it to where Ty and Scott were held up as one grenade after another was tossed to thin out the red wave. While they struggled to compose themselves, Stryker pulled in front of the remaining Saints with van doors wide open and purple brothers cheering as they replenished their weapons. "Good lookin' out man!" Scott shouted. Ty ran over and praised, "Those bitches had us pinned down for a good stretch. Shit, bro, I'm gettin' too old for this."
"I got a fuck load more ammo where that came from." Stryker replied giving out ammo boxes. "Where's Gat?"
"He's in the thick of it as usual." Ty said.
"Motherfucka was always crazy as hell, but…I dunno. I think he's takin' this shit too far."
"We just got to hold the line, brothers. The night's still young." Stryker said before driving off to another part of the fight.
As they ran back to finish off the last of the red wave, Scott said, "Ty, if this night goes sideways, I need you to know sumthin'."
"Brother, if this is about what happened back at the label."
"I flew off the goddamn handle. I'm just lookin' out for our own when the Row isn't."
"We're all on edge, Scotty. All that matters is getting through this."
After Scott reloaded his AK and saw Ty and the others moving closer, He took two steps and suddenly got a sharp pain from his abdomen. His right hand was covered in blood. That was when he looked up and said, "Here's hoping it all ends soon…"
As the turf war continued, few were wondering where Mr. Sunshine was and why they couldn't reach him. Lacey in particular boxed and shot her way through a dozen Samedi soldiers with Dani at her back giving any red stragglers broken bones when they tried sneaking up on them. Even with the intense cold flowing throughout the neighborhood, an even more intense heat hit TK the most. As a marine, he was in the thick of it regardless of any season, but heat sent up red flags in his head that something didn't feel right. From a distance, he saw one of the surviving mills with someone walking out like a zombie after its midnight snack.
The person had blood all over his body. Lacey then caught a glimpse and assumed it was Natasha walking out. She screamed out her name as she ran towards the mill. When Dani looked up after breaking a Brotherhood's neck, she said to herself, "Where the fuck they going…?" She got up from the corpse infested ground before being brought down on one knee after most of her adrenaline was knocked out of her system.
She briefly thought back to what Tommy said about Johnny being out of his goddamn mind in starting a turf war just to rescue one potential Saint. In all honesty she thought, the only gang that gave her any true grievance was the Conway crime family. She felt a sense of déjà vu when she walked over purple flags with their limbs cut off and posed a certain way. With nothing but the sounds of gunfire and explosions in the background, she then saw Johnny and Troy neck and neck shooting down any red flags they saw. Maero appeared before them carrying an Ultor grade AR-50 rifle. Johnny as usual was the first to step forward as both went toe to toe to see which gang leader would persevere.
A feverish feeling took hold on Dani's head as she tried to stay focus to stay alive, picking up a Samedi's machete and slashed two necks before grabbing a human shield, and pressed forward to where TK and Lacey were heading. Suddenly, a burning Wellington rushed towards her and she leaped within a quarter second with some fire on her sleeves. The car crashed into a burning trailer. She then looked up and saw five Saints running her way and shooting at anyone following them; one by one got mowed down with the Samedi being ever relentless in staying out of the sidelines for once. She scavenged for any weapon she could find, all were low on ammo except a grenade to get some breathing room.
Pulling the pin and throwing it blind, she ran as fast as she could towards the mill when the person who emerged wasn't Natasha at all, but the Haitian Boogeyman himself. Dani felt like time slowed down the second she laid eyes on him. The moment returned with a big bang of thick white smoke, covering ground from the mill to where Dani was standing. Ty and Scott got ahold of her as they hauled ass through the field looking for cover. However, such things were nonexistent to TK. When they both saw Sunshine, there was no "maybe" in going after him.
Lacey's temper kicked in while TK felt he got kicked below the belt when the thick smoke struck his face, knocking him on his back. Sense of time and place became clouded by fear of what was coming. His throat closed up and his eyes irritated, but his mind played a vital role in taking him out of the now and throw him to a time he kept repressed.
Being the first of a few to rise through the ranks to Master Sergeant was something unheard of to his superiors. He went from two years of boot camp with the dregs to being in charge of a special Black Ops team to take on objectives that can unsettle the experienced soldier. When he came home to Stilwater, he kept the things he'd seen concealed in the hopes of never speaking of them again. But the nightmare came in the guise of pure Loa dust. This wasn't the kind of drug to get high on or see distorted images. It was one man's hell in full view of his surroundings. He then stood up with his hands constricted and with each step the Loa flowed past his skin like sandpaper.
The worst of his mind came out when he heard screams of one of his men being chopped piece by piece. Each sound banged the top of his head like a cinder block. He pushed himself through the smoke until a familiar voice fell on his ears, speaking in a haunting tone, "I can't…feel my…legs…" Next thing TK knew he was in his marine gear running through an insane asylum-like hallway with dying voices of his comrades as their limbs were getting hacked off. His steps then brought him to a meat locker of sorts, towering above him.
After placing his right hand on the handle, nerves flying like violent butterflies in his stomach, he opened the latch and was swarmed by decaying body parts that moved like ocean waves over and around him. That was when he found himself swimming to a soldier that was left untouched of what was done before. By the time he pulled himself up from being waist deep in death, his eyes opened wide witnessing a good man survived; Sean his name was. Lieutenant Sean Fredericks, another one who rose through the ranks as quickly as Tommy did. 28 years old.
Before both were able to form words, the slow agony of Sean's arms and legs were hacked off before his eyes. Every time he tried to stop it, a force knocked him back and rendered him motionless. Silence came into being with no feeling or afterthought on Tommy's side, but Sean's words echoed to him on what to do.
"Remember, soldier, whatever happens next, don't be too hard on yourself. The Red Sun demands justice from all but one person. You know who I'm talkin' about. He may be your best friend, but what you saw from these bodies…even after all you've suffered, fighting a war on two different fronts, you can still go home; you and her. It's your choice: live as a soldier, or die a Saint?"
The violent flashback brought him back to the harsh reality of the night. He woke up to a red flare sitting next to him, and looking to his left was a nightmare come true. Both he and Dani were shivering with their clammy skin as they looked up to see Lacey crying over Natasha's body. With his throat as hoarse as ever, he called out, "Lace…! I'm coming…" He looked back at Dani still pretty much out of it. That was when Stryker, Ian, and Tobias came running inside the mill calling out their names to see if they were alright.
"Aw, shit…" Stryker said looking over Nat.
"Lace, babe, talk to me, tell me you're real." TK asked as he saw Nat unconscious. "Oh my god…"
"That bastard Sunshine cut off her eye." She replied looking up at him. "She's still not breathing."
Ian chimed in, "Y'all cover me. I know some CPR. If anything, she's just passed out."
"Is everyone five by five?" Tobias asked keeping a close eye on the mill's opening. "It's best we all split. Stryker here's got a van just outside the farm. I'll stay behind to make sure the other Saints make it out."
"No…Aaron, can you get her to the nearest hospital?"
"You got it, man." He agreed as he and Lace helped Nat up.
"Shaundi and Pierce are ridin' along too. I had a nurse looking after them, but the Dean was getting nosy. Johnny's still going toe to toe with the red chemo-sawbi last I saw him and Dani's with Tyreese and the other Saints from P.C." Tobias said. "I ain't gonna sugarcoat it. We're getting slaughtered out there."
"What're you talking about? Dani's right over…there?" He asked in disbelief.
"There'll be another time, Tommy. I'm not letting this slide. For now, I need to get my girl out." Lacey promised him.
"Then we gotta move before…" Ian said as Masako soldiers charged through the mill with rifles aiming at them.
Ultor stepped with its military prowess as it pummeled through the wreckage getting to the farm. As the remaining Saints were being escorted outside, Masako guards kept getting thrown away from breaking up the fight between Gat and Maero. Both were getting the facelifts of their lives as one tried getting the upper hand over the other. Maero placed him a chokehold as he whispered in his ear, "You're un-fucking-believable, Johnny. We coulda shared the wealth, run Stilwater together, but you're just too damn stubborn to see it." Johnny pulled a knife from the hilt of his shoe and jammed it into Maero's kneecap, head butting him soon after and landing on the ground.
Johnny stood up in a blind rage looking for a weapon until his eyes feasted upon an AS-14 Hammer to send a nice final "fuck you" to the metal heads jerking off in his city. With chopper lights shining above him and seeing three guards go down with his shotgun, he looked over Maero with blood all over his face and said, "You shoulda stayed the fuck outta my city. I burned Copperton and your boys to the ground. You're next." Another trigger was pulled and out of nowhere, he got hit with a silver hollow point courtesy of Davey Hoss. Johnny screamed as he collapsed on the ground feeling more pain than usual.
Masako guards slowly gathered around the two gang leaders with Hoss walking in front and center. Blood dripped out of his left shoulder, making it a clean shot. Johnny kept his breathing in check as he struggled getting on one knee before Hoss and a blurred Vogel standing next to him.
"Tell me, Mr. Hoss. What was in that bullet? Johnny Gat never stays down with just one."
"Scorpion venom; he ain't getting up, Vogel." Hoss assured him.
"Johnny!" TK shouted as the guards kept him restrained. "You're fucking dead, ya hear me, Hoss?!"
Vogel got on Johnny's level and asked, "Did you hear what your best friend said, Johnny? Thomas Kwong is going to kill my associate here. How do you think I should answer to such a threat?"
Hoss intervened, "You got what'chu you wanted. Let's stick to the timetable, huh?"
"You're right. Time is of the essence." Vogel said quickly swiping the revolver from Hoss. "But I have some things to say to this man and every Saint who follows him. Maero, take your boys and leave the farm. I'll make sure Copperton is returned to the Brotherhood."
Maero got up and said, "With respect Mr. Vogel…"
"Did you not hear me? Your crew is exhausted. There will be another day to show off what you can do. You will also be compensated for what happened at the truck rally. Now, go."
Maero gave Johnny a passing glance and a smirk to add insult to his shoulder injury as he told all his boys to clear out of the farm, and ride back to the Industrial District where Matt and Jessica were held up. It took a few minutes, but as soon as they all cleared out Vogel ordered Hoss to keep an eye on Johnny. Over 2,000 of Ultor's cutting edge arsenal took residence over the entire farm and exits leading out of the campus. The first face Vogel saw walking over to the captured Saints was Natasha looking worse for wear with one eye cut out and severe bruising on her ribs. He then ordered one of the guards, "Take Ms. Martinez back to the building for medical treatment."
"Like hell you will!" Lacey shouted as he walked over.
"I understand how precious she is to you, but if her wounds aren't treated, that won't matter."
"If you change her in any way, I'll break off both your arms and your eyes so you'll never touch, or see ever again."
"Mr. Hoss, this girl's got a fire in her!" He chuckled. "Russian beauties tend to have more bite than your typical blonde number."
"I wouldn't antagonize her." TK told him. "If you value your sight and all…"
"The tensing of the jaw, conviction in your stance, so you're the discharged marine I've read so much about. Tell me, what led you to leaving the service after five years, only to come home to another war? The details haven't been sound on your profile."
"Well, where do I start? Enlist in the service, go through two years of boot camp, bust your ass in every which way but the fun way, rise through the ranks and…" TK listed before getting hit in the face with the revolver.
"All you Saints keep shitting on my goals." Vogel replied before announcing to everyone. "You all know why we came in force tonight? Stilwater has had enough of these turf wars. The people are finally wising up, speaking out against Saints Row for the actions of a single psychopath. Now, I'm well aware of how the Saints came to be.
Julius Little, he had an idea to bring together lost criminals from the darkest corners of the city, give them a home and a purpose for as long as that purpose was for the benefit of the people. Over the years, said ideals and being a positive force for street gangs everywhere went astray to the point of being lost in the bloodshed and under the fryers at Freckle Bitches. The Row's downfall began with the actions of a silent member; saved by Julius from getting shot in the face by a Vice King. Six months later and hundreds of members dead on three fronts, the late Chief Monroe made a side deal to get rid of Mayor Marshall Winslow. When he was dealt with, I'll admit, I let it slide because politics and the figures with enough brass for them is what keeps this city in check.
It's what helps us stand out from other cities like Steelport and Ironton. Then…the death of Alderman Hughes; when the silent but deadly Saint burned with him, this man went ape shit on Channel 6's finest reporters and cops." He pointed at Johnny. "Gentlemen, ladies, do any of you have minds of your own? I see individuals with pasts they're trying to run from: hide from dangerous mobs, teenage blackmailers, and strippers playing soldiers. All of you have serious problems that need to be mended, but you keep making them worse by joining the Row. The people of Stilwater feel that every one of you should be taken to prison outside the city to be executed on live TV."
Troy interjected, "Is that what Stilwater wants, or are you so arrogant to see you're no better than us?"
"Shut your mouth, Bradshaw!" Hoss called out.
"Hey, fuck you! Should I list all the shit Davey Hoss has done as well?"
"That won't be necessary." Vogel said pressing the gun to his head. "'Cause no matter what you tell me I'd hate to have a World War III if the Saints knew where your true loyalties lie."
"What does he mean by that?" Jacob asked Troy. "Troy…?"
"We'll talk about it later, man." He whispered to Jake.
Even in searing amounts of pain, Johnny couldn't help but give a broken chuckle on all the bullshit he was spewing about the people not wanting the Saints around anymore. He didn't buy it from that one Brotherhood member at the truck yard, and he wasn't buying it from the likes of a flashy suit. Johnny called out to Vogel on recalling the events on what led to the cold, dark place everyone was at this point, how the Sons of Samedi or the Brotherhood were any better. Vogel retorted on the fact the Samedi were the least hostile, kept a neutral presence since rumors of new gangs came to light. One accusation thrown after another, Vogel was getting impatient and wanted to speed things along.
Hoss was then told to bring Johnny before his fellow Saints as Vogel placed his right hand on Gat's shoulder and said, "Something's missing, Mr. Gat, or someone. Other than Troy, two other members have remained by your side since the beginning of the Row's inception. Enlighten me, who is missing?"
The scorpion venom in his body became worse and worse to manage, leading to him saying the one name he'd brand a traitor at this point. "Dex…"
"Balls and brains, Mr. Jackson is not among the surviving Saints. In fact, he hasn't been seen in quite some time; troubling, yet curious. You're still reeling from Julius abandoning you as well as "Playa" dying on that boat. Have you ever asked yourself on what really happened that night? Channel 6 said it was remnants of a street gang itching for retaliation, others say it was an inside job. Betrayal, Johnny, you know this feeling all too well."
"It doesn't matter." He replied with a dry mouth and struggling to breathe. "I'll patch myself up…then I'm comin' after you, you shark smilin' twat."
"Ah, such a witty termed insult." Vogel replied concealing a cell phone behind him. "One of many I shall miss from you after tonight. Now, can you spot who else is missing? I'm sure if you heard her voice, it'd ring a name. I'm sure Stilwater has heard her vocals more than once. Let's give her a call, shall we?"
At that moment, both Saint and Masako scratching their heads had an idea who Vogel was referring to. It didn't take long for Johnny to realize Ultor found out Aisha was still alive and in hiding. His face lost all color as well as his defenses came down one by one after each number he dialed on his company phone. His love for her begged him to negotiate some kind of truce that would only be one-sided, but his pride forced him to remain vigilant in the face of an egomaniac. From his point of view, Vogel was really taking in the moment of making Johnny miserable.
TK and Ian kept trying to break free of the guards' grip, but became immediately still when a sniper from one of the choppers fired a warning shot at TK's feet. The deep sound of the dial tone made Johnny both numb and angry at the same time. He placed the phone to his ear and asked, "Do you have her in your custody?" His smirk and positive confirmation was enough to know Aisha was being held hostage. Vogel then said, "Put her on the phone. There's someone here who wants to say goodbye."
"Hold up! How the fuck did you find Aisha?!" Johnny demanded.
"I'm a meticulous man, Johnny. I looked into the cover up at the Kingdom Come Records label. I knew Benjamin of all people wouldn't kill off one of his treasured investments so I looked into each surviving Saint's profile. Who'd have thought some ghetto rat from Mission Beach would rise to fame? If you have anything to say to her, I'd say it now."
He put the phone close to Johnny's right ear with Aisha's "lovely" voice asking, "Johnny, what is this? How did they…?"
"Eesh, listen to me, whoever has you…do as he says. I'll make sure nothin' happens to you."
"I thought the Row was good, Johnny. You promised me you were gonna take it easy. What the fuck happened to you?"
"I know, babe. It's all wrong." He said with his voice cracking up. "Whatever happens next…all that I've done, all I was gonna do if you didn't make it out of that label in time. I only had you to keep me grounded. Be strong for me, Eesh…" Johnny said before having the phone pulled away from him. "I love you!"
"He's said all he needed to say. Do it." Vogel spoke in a cold tone.
The shrieking sound of her screaming "wait!" was loud enough and impactful to send Johnny from feeling numb to reverting to an animal state. Vogel saw it in his eyes; the satisfaction he himself felt after the gunshot was heard over the phone with a thump to complete the moment. It sent a cold shiver down everyone's spines, even some of the guards were mentally questioning his actions. Dried blood and tears formed under Johnny's eyes and cheeks as he looked up at a dead man and shouted, "NO!" before he got up and pinned Vogel onto a dead Brotherhood member. The rage kicked back up as he threw one punch after another and began strangling him.
It took six Masako guards to restrain a man flailing his arms and bellowing in pain, but only one loan shark to knock him out by the back end of a rifle. Commotion went amok all over the place until one of the Oppressor choppers caught fire and spiraled down to the east exit of the farm. The entire perimeter was then surrounded by purple reinforcements wearing a different insignia other than the 3rd Street Saints. Carlos came cruising down through the chaotic confusion as the Claflin Angels followed suit, picking up every Saint they could find. Sixty members, all riding pale and dark purple ATVs with the fallen angel insignia riding passenger side.
Masako guards opened fire while Carlos greeted them with a rocket launcher to one of their Ultor tanks. Hoss grabbed Vogel as he ordered his men to get Johnny out of the area and locked in a cage before heading to the prison outside the city limits. Carlos then signaled the other Angels to head back to Mount Claflin and not to be heroes on the way out. Tommy and Stryker especially couldn't believe they came to help, albeit a little too late.
"Get on guys; vamanos!" Carlos said as Stryker shook his head in disbelief and got on.
"Wait, Johnny's been taken. I-I gotta go get him." TK said.
"We won't save his ass if ours gets shot up first!" Stryker told him. "C'mon, bro. Gat wouldn't want us to stick around."
"Fuckin' Vogel…" TK said to himself as they drove off when one of the Angels drove up to him.
Tommy looked behind him and saw Ultor tanks destroying what was left of the farm. The chaotic image of an egotistical man's desires made him wonder how the hell Saints Row got to this point. They went from gang bangers protecting Stilwater to enemies of the state according to the people. He didn't know whether to feel proud or ashamed; not to mention not imagining the anguish Johnny was feeling after hearing Aisha's head being blown off. His brain was rattled and couldn't concentrate on what to do next, or if there was anything after this night.
Natasha was gone, more than half the Row's strength diminished, and instead of doing something about it they were fleeing from the problem. Ten miles later with no military activity on their tails, Tommy got some of his senses back.
"Where are we heading?"
"Back to Mount Claflin; Carlos's word. You guys will be safe there."
"Stilwater isn't safe anymore." He spoke with regret. "God, a year and a half; what happened to the time?"
"Times are changin', amigo. Name's Dean. If it were up to me, I'd gather every Angel I could find and give Dane Vogel a lesson in humility." He replied looking at a pale Tommy. "Hey, you're not gonna throw up on me, are ya?"
He kept his eyes on the dirt road leading to the mountain, feeling the exhaustion catching up to him. All he told Dean was, "Just get us to safety. I'll do the rest."
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