Chapter Twenty-One

"We have to be smart about this." Jordan said as the group of five moved out of sight. They huddled in one of the corners of the office. Connor looked around and thought he saw something on the other side of the room but kept it to himself. The whole time, Heath had been eyeing up Connor, trying to pinpoint any distinct weak points on the political but strangely muscular man.

"What if one of us is a distraction for the others." Frank piped in. Emma instantly shot him a look and he shrugged at her.

"That isn't smart kid. Unless you want to die." Connor said as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. He dialed a number and brought the phone to his ear. He stayed quiet for a moment and then hung up the phone and put it in his pocket. "They have the building surrounded. Those men didn't just wing this. It has been planned for a while."

"Fuck. What are we going to do?" Jordan asked as he poked his head out and saw how Reg was walking around the hostages, now holding a crowbar instead of the Assault Rifle he had earlier.

"I'm gonna give myself up. You guys need to find a way out and get help." Frank said as he stood up.

"Are you fucking stupid?" Emma asked and yelled at the same time. Frank shrugged again and he dropped his gun next to Jordan, who grabbed it immediately.

"I can cross this off my bucket list." Frank said as he looked back at the group. He pushed open the door and raised his hands immediately.

"Another hostage!" Reg yelled out, raising his arms in the air. All Emma and the others heard on the other end was the sound of running footsteps and someone grunting in pain. Blood splatter splashed the windows around the door and Emma put a hand over her mouth. Connor looked across the room again.

"I think I see something. I'm gonna investigate and tell you guys what's up." Connor said. He crouch walked across the room, the blood covering him and reached the otherside. He pushed something on the wall that started to open and Jordan looked at Heath.

"I'll go with him." Heath said. Jordan nodded and Heath quickly crouched walked across the room and went into the secret room Connor had entered.

Heath walked into the secret room Connor had found and saw him standing there, adjusting his suit. He looked back at Heath and just smirked at him before fixing his collar. Heath balled his hands up into fist and could feel a strange pain from where the bullet had struck him before. He knew this douche was responsible for it but had no proof.

"Sent to play babysitter?" Connor asked.

"How did you know about this room?" Heath asked. Connor was shocked at the sudden demanding voice Heath had but he didn't let it show. He continued to smirk and looked around. It was an empty room with just the secret door leading to it. Four buttons stood out on each wall however, but neither knew what they led to.

"A keen eye." Connor said as he walked up to each wall and looked it up and down. Heath just rolled his eyes and looked back through the secret door before closing it. Connor looked back and raised an eyebrow.

"I know what you did." Heath said. Connor just laughed and shook his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Connor said. His head was slammed into the wall right after that and his vision went blurry. He dropped to his knees and grabbed his head, looking back at Heath who was seething with anger. Connor looked back at him and swung, knocking the glasses off of Heath's face. Heath stumbled back and Connor tackled him to the ground, causing Heath's head to smack against the concrete floor.

"Fuck you…" Heath said as Connor punched him across the face.

"You're delusional kid!" Connor told him, punching him again. Heath thought he heard his jaw crack or maybe Connor had knocked a couple teeth loose. Either way, Heath knew this was a fight he couldn't win by himself, but he didn't want to look like a wimp either.

"Kill me already! Do it!" Heath said as he kicked his legs around and punched Connor across the face. Connor resisted the urge to punch him again and stood up. He brushed off his suit and rubbed his head.

"Stupid little twat." Connor said as he walked away from Heath. Heath picked himself up on his elbows and stared at Connor who went back to inspecting the walls. "If I wanted you dead, that'd be done already."

"Shit they're coming." Jordan said as he looked out what was left to see from of the window. He looked back at Emma and then looked around the room. He then looked at the desk and sighed.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"Hide under the desk. They'll take me out there and you hide in a different room." Jordan said as he pushed her to the desk. She didn't have enough time to resist as the door was kicked open and Reg walked in with two men behind him.

"Mr. Ferris. It is an honor." Reg said as he stood there. Jordan walked up to him and stared him down. Reg chuckled and looked back at his two men. He then quickly swung the crowbar into Jordan's stomach and Jordan bent over, clutching his stomach. Reg then grabbed him by his hair and began to take him out of the mayor's office, his two lap dogs following him. Emma quickly stood up and ran out of the room, going into the closest available door. Inside there was a huge room filled with desks. Phones and computers were on each desk and she knew that this is where the majority of things went down in the building.

Reg walked back to the mayor's office and looked around, seeing no one else was left there. He went behind the desk and flopped down into the chair, putting his revolver and crowbar on the desk. He put his hands behind his head as a few of his men walked into the room and stood guard.

"The city is ours boys." Reg said.

Connor and Heath pressed one of the buttons, but nothing happened. They looked at each other and watched as the button slowly slid back out. Everytime Heath looked at Connor though he just wanted to punch him again, but knew he couldn't or he would never get out of here.

"We are so stupid." Connor said as he walked around the room and pushed the buttons in. Each one made a clicking noise and eventually the wall in front of Heath had another secret door that slowly slid open.

"Why did the ex-mayor have a secret room with secret doors?" Heath asked himself out loud. Connor walked up behind him and just shook his head.

"Guess we'll never know since you and your friends killed him." Connor said. Heath raised an eyebrow and his eyes went wide.

"What are you talking about?" Heath asked, not turning around. Connor placed a hand on Heath's shoulder and he could feel the smug grin that was forming on Connor's face behind him.

"I know a lot of things." Connor said as he turned Heath around.

"How?" Heath asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Connor said. He swung at Heath who ducked it and then turned around, running outside. He looked to his right and left and saw he would have to jump a fence either way. As he started running again, Connor grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back towards him. He threw Heath into the brick wall of City Hall and then punched him across the face. The strength of the punch caused Heath's face to slam into the wall, knocking him out. Connor caught him before he fell to the ground and then threw him over his shoulder.

"Let's go on a trip buddy." Connor said as he carried Heath away.

Reg sat at his desk while his men carried in Jordan and pushed him down onto his knees. Next they carried in Frank who was bleeding from his head and had a black eye. It was so badly injured he could barely see out of it. Reg smiled at their arrival and leaned forward onto what was now his desk. Jordan and Frank looked up at him and he shook his head.

"You men are brave, I'll give you that. Walking into the face of danger. Wow." Reg said with sarcasm obvious in his voice. He chuckled to himself and then stood up. "I wish I had courage like that though. I really do. You see my courage is limited. My bravery is limited. I do what I'm told most of the time. You think I thought this plan up all myself? Well you dumba than me if you gon' think that."

"Go to hell." Frank spat out. He was hit in the face with the butt of a gun again and he fell forward, lying there. Reg stared down at him and then cleared his throat.

"As I was saying. I ain't never worked by myself. Shit's scary. I know you guys ain't working alone. That's plane stupid. So let's strike a deal. Tell me where the others are, and I will spare you. You walk away freely. I want the chief of police that's all. Well, sleepy head over here can walk freely. You Mr. Ferris are very special. The head honcho wants to see you." Reg explained.

"Please don't hurt me." Jordan said as Frank began to lift himself up again. Reg shook his head yet again and now sat on the desk.

"My first boss. Man was he a hard ass. Do this. Do that. Give me this. Give me that. That nigga even stole my girl. Was with her for what? Two years? She just up and left me for that fucking dumb ass nigga. Now where he at? Death row that's where." Reg said, recounting the memories to himself.

"No one gives a fuck! Just shut up!" Frank shouted at him. He could sense the swing coming again and this time dodged it. He grabbed the gun as it reached where his face would be and pulled on it. The gang member fell to the ground and Frank stood up, but was instantly sent back down to the ground when Elijah hit him in the side of the face with his gun. Frank's left side of the face continued to get more injured with every move he made. The gun was grabbed from his hand and Reg stood up, in front of the two kneeling men now.

"Things are different now. I run a strict agenda. No more white mediocre hood rats. I ain't gettin' fucked ova no more. My old boss nearly killed me for what he did to me. Stupid fucking Alex Polk." Reg said. Jordan's eyes widened when he heard the name but he was looking at the floor so Reg couldn't tell.

"He should've killed you." Frank said with a laugh. Reg looked over at him and pulled brass knuckles out of his hoodie pocket. He slid them on and then punched Frank on the left side of his face, causing a blood vessel in his eye to pop so it became red.

"As I was saying." Reg said as he waved his hand, causing Frank's blood to splatter onto Jordan's face. "That white shithead almost got me killed. Not no more. He dead sooner or later. My boss now wants to make sure of it. And as for my old one, he doesn't know I'm the one who sold him out to the cops. I didn't give myself up or nothin' just called anonymously. I ain't that dumb. Well actually maybe he knows, but that nigga gonna die so what's it matta right?"

"Nice story." Jordan said, not looking up.

"Thanks Mr. Ferris." Reg said. One of his men handed him a bottle of whisky and Reg held it up to the sky with a smile. "This one goes out to you. Soon to be resting in pieces to our old leader. Rest In Peace Maddog."