XXXII.
BLOW UP THE OUTSIDE WORLD
The rain in Detroit was starting fresh. The old city of brick and steel, famed for its rich history with the motor industry, was a shell of its former self. A relic for those with memories old enough to remember, but for this younger generation, nothing more than a decomposing haven of crime and poverty.
For one man in particular this was home and just like any other home it came with it's many inner problems. Most particularly the need to raise some money to pay the "bills" or else be forcefully evicted.
Dice sat on his spot around the table and watched the other players adding chips to the pot. It was a high stakes game, Texas hold 'em and he wasn't having the best of luck.
"What's it gonna be, boys?" Another of the players grinned at the rest, making it clear he held a good hand.
"Fuck you." Another spoke and folded.
"Eat shit you fuck." So did another and soon everyone around the table began to drop their cards in surrender.
"What say you Dice?" All eyes were now set on him as he stared at his cards with zero interest, his poker face.
He stared long and hard at his two cards, sitting perfectly still and not making a single noise. Keith stood behind him, leaning against the wall watching the game. He could see the cards his boss held and made sure to not give it away with any recognizable facial expression. So instead he remained focused on his new joint that he was lighting up to smoke. He could have waited downstairs, but Dice told him to stick around and learn something from this game that was being played.
His eyes steady on the prize, with his free hand he reached for more chips, all three worth a total of $300 and tossed them into the center.
"I raise." He declared.
That was not expected. Guess this game would reach its final round. After one last pitch of chips added into the mix both remaining players were ready to reveal their cards and see who wins the pot. Dice goes for and reveals two pairs of kings and sevens, a good hand, but the man across from him begins to chuckle much to the gangster's confusion.
"Oh man, you really had me there. You should have folded." He lays down his cards and reveals three of a kind, all kings.
"Motherfucker." Dice mutters as everyone around the table laughs and chats.
As the new cards were being placed, he leaned back to face Keith, "You win some, you lose some."
"Whatever it takes." Keith replied back, keeping the knowledge that he had been given. At first it was only words, but since that night it has taken on a whole new meaning. That boy still haunted him in his sleep, the way Johnny stabbed him directly in the heart without question nor remorse always sent a chill up and down his spine.
He's been smoking hash and taking pills to ease away those dreadful thoughts, shit he was becoming a junkie and Dice wouldn't like that at all. He was here to learn how to sell and in Dice's eyes be a proficient asset to the gang. That was too much commitment and expectation to live up to, was he really cut out for this? Truly was he?
"Keith, hand me another hundred!" Dice reached out to him attempting to grab the cash.
Stretching his arm back and leaning his chair to reach too, the evening game was interrupted by the shattering of glass and a sole bullet hitting it's mark. Falling to the floor Dice groaned in pain as his right shoulder burned in pain as well leaked out blood from the bullet buried into his flesh. The whole erupted into chaos as everyone scattered about, trying to avoid being caught by the unseen shooter.
"Oh fuck!" Dice groaned as Keith immediately lifted him up, despite the pain he was unintentionally causing him by holding on to the injured shoulder.
Another bullet broke through and missed Dice's head by a few inches, embedding itself into the wall behind him. Keith shoved him away towards the door that led out downstairs. The other had mostly exited out while others hugged the walls with their weapons already drawn. More bullets were shot, tearing the room up. In desperation Dice and Keith grabbed one of the table players crouching by the table and forcefully used him as a human shield.
"What the fu- '' the man was cut off by a bullet engraved into his skull. The shield idea ended up working after all.
Reaching the door, Keith kicked it open and dragged Dice away into safety. Now away from the windows and in the stairway both quickest their pace downstairs as Dice pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. The bullet wound on his shoulder ached, but not as much if he didn't erratically move said arm around. Keith pulled out his own gun and walked ahead downstairs to check if the coast was clear.
"Vance! Vance! Shit just went... fuck...sideways, check the storage! Protect the... fucking warehouse! I think we just got made." Dice grinded his teeth in pain as he leaned against the wall.
"Hurry up man!" Keith yelled up to him.
Both reached the first floor and could hear the gunfire erupting outside, most likely Dice's men engaging the unknown assailant outside. They had parked in the back and that was where they were heading too. Soon enough the police would arrive and form a large perimeter, they needed to be long gone by then.
The shop owner bumped into them both as he ran for cover, "What the fuck happened upstairs!"
"Not my fucking problem!" Dice shoved him aside as he and Keith ran for the back door.
Out in the back alley the same Camaro that the three of them had used that night in pursuit of those two kids remained parked. Sporting a different color and different license plates it was without a doubt the very same he had used in an attempt to run them over many weeks ago. As Keith frantically unlocked the car, Dice leaned on the backside nursing his wound; the entire right side of his shirt was now stained red as he applied pressure with his hand. Both of the men who were guarding the entrance came out with weapons drawn, glad to see their boss alive albeit wounded.
"Boss, are you good?" One of them asked.
"Fuck no I'm not!" Dice growled, ignoring the pain as much as possible, "Let's get the fuck out of here."
With Keith driving, he rode shotgun as the other two rode on a separate vehicle and led the way out of the back alley parking lot. Dice bitched at his wound as Keith tried to maintain his cool and drive normally. Reaching the exit that led to the main street their escort in front drove out, but we're immediately barraged by a hail of gunfire coming from the side of the street which they could not see as a building obstructed their view.
"Holy shit!" Keith yelled out as both men saw their fellow gang members be taken out by intense firepower from a high caliber automatic weapon.
The entire left side of the car was shot up and riddled with bullets. The driver was hit multiple times and slumped down on the steering wheel dead with his foot on the gas pedal. The car drove straight forward where it crashed against the brick wall of a boarded up townhouse. Keith shifted to reverse to get out through the other side, but crashed against a steel dumpster, damaging the rear bumper.
"Dude get us the fuck out of here!" The panicked tone on the seasoned drug dealer and longtime gang member was evident as this ambush was getting more and more dire by the seconds.
As Keith switched gears to get back on track a lone figure walked around the corner. Sporting a black trench coat, and face hidden by a bandana with a bull logo. The only thing they could make out was the large automatic rifle that person was wielding. A modified Colt M4A1 with a suppressor and a foregrip with flashlight. Looking ahead the attacker raised the weapon with the LED light blinding them and aimed down the sights.
"Oh sh-"
The assailant opened fire with no mercy and the entirety of the Camaro's front side was destroyed by the rapid fire of bullets. Both men ducked down as best they could to avoid all of the bullets aimed for them. It was chaos as both were pinned down and fearing for their lives.
The shooting stopped and they checked to see the person reloading their gun. Keith was frozen in fear and couldn't hear Dice's screams to run them over while they had an opening. Was this karma for what they did? Was this the reaper in human form coming to collect for helping these two kill a young child without question nor objection?
As the gun was loaded again it raised its rifle this time aiming for the kill, but was intercepted by gunfire from their back. The gangster riding shotgun on the first car was alive and bloody. Exiting the car he opened fire on the vigilante, striking said person on the back at least twice. The vigilante stumbled a bit in shock due to the impact of the bullets, but swiftly turned around, crouched down on one knee and returned fire, killing the thug with keen precision.
"Fucking drive God-damnit!" Dice barked and Keith snapped out of it and stomped on the gas pedal.
Screeching tire and roaring engine, the Mustang drove straight towards them with full intent of running them over. Hearing the car behind, the attacker turned back around to open fire, but was instead hit on the hip by the front bumper sprawling said person to the ground. No fatal nor critical injury but one that left them stunned long enough for those two to make their getaway.
Drifting hard, Keith raced out of the area as far away as he could get them. Dice kept groaning at his wound and dialed another number.
"Who the fuck was that?" The younger of the two exclaimed, his heart accelerating with adrenaline. Getting shot at mostly does that to people.
"How the fuck should I know? Dice rebuked, both mad and stressed out at the whole situation, "The BMF, fucking Detroit Family, our own guys, some random guy, I don't fucking know!"
"They wanted you."
"Oh that much was clear alright."
They ran past a red light, cutting off the traffic from the opposite lanes, much to the annoyance of the late night drivers, "TJ listen man I need some fucking assistance right now."
As Dice spoke on the phone, Keith checked his rearview mirror and took notice of a fast approaching car. Too fast for it to be any ordinary motorist. The car's beaming headlights grew in size as it sped up closer and closer to them. It was soon made obvious as to who it was to the scared driver.
"Oh fuck." The incoming car crashed with all it's accelerating momentum against the back of the mustang, busting open the trunk and ripping off the bumper. Spinning out of control Keith failed to get back on track and the car crashed against a bus stop, collapsing the shelter and getting trapped in it.
"Son of a bitch!" Both their bodies were hurting, much more Dice's as he was the most wounded of the two.
Before another word could be uttered, they were quickly besieged by a fury of gunfire; same M4 carbine rifle as before. Over half a clip was wasted on the destruction of the vehicle in which both men desperately hid inside from the clutches of death. Having had enough, Dice climbed out the window, ignoring the pulsing pain on his shoulder and left a disoriented and scared Keith behind who was trapped by his own seatbelt.
"Fuck!" He ducked as he was shot at, but used the cover of the badly damaged car to sprint across towards a dark alley up ahead, his only hope of escaping his would-be killer.
The heavy rainfall alongside the pitch darkness of the long maze-like alley camouflaged him from his pursuer as he heard no more gunshots coming in his direction.
A heavy ray of flashlight shined his direction exposing him from the darkness and the gunfire resumed. Spoken too soon.
As he ran for cover a bullet clipped him on the back of the leg in the calf and another shot him in the same arm connected to his already wounded shoulder. No wobbling with an injured leg he cut a corner and dragged his feet until reaching a good hidden spot on the wall. The rain was slowing down, thunder cracking the night sky as the man bred and raised on the streets and criminal in all aspects hid in absolute fear from a lurking monster.
He could see the approaching light connected to the end of the barrel flashing down towards his location, searching, searching for it's target, searching for him.
Looking around Dice noticed the sprawled bottles of liquor by his foot and kneeled down as best he could to pick one up. That sole bottle was his only form of defense and he knew it wouldn't be enough. Wet and bloody he pushed himself against the solid brick wall, waiting in fear as the person hunting him down neared closer and closer. His heart beating out the blood flow through his veins which were leaking out of his bullet wounds was accelerating his senses as well his fears of dying.
The assailant was just a mere feet away and he decided to take his shot or else be the one getting the last shot.
At the last possible second when the person's body came into view armed and aiming the rifle down the dark alleyway he swung the bottle with his bad right arm no less and struck the vigilante square in the face, shattering the glass bottle into hundreds of smaller pieces. Opening now provided Dice ran away as fast as his injured leg could carry him as his attacker was left behind groaning in pain from the unexpected blow to their head.
Taking another turn he ran up further and could now see the street ahead. Panting in exhaustion he skipped with his one good leg and made it out into the clear opening once more. Except he managed to collide with another individual who was strolling by the sidewalk.
"Ow, what the fuck?" The lady he crashed into caused him out as she reached for her umbrella that had been knocked from her hand.
Not hesitating he reached out and roughly grabbed her by the neck and yanked from the floor. Producing a pocket knife he held it against the woman's neck, pricking it enough to draw blood. Soon after the armed vigilante stepped out of the shadows with an assault rifle still in hand. Looking ahead she spotted her target holding an innocent hostage.
"Stop! Don't you fucking dare shoot at me again!" Dice screamed out as his arm wrapped itself around her neck and the shape tip of his knife scraped her skin, blending water and blood as one.
"Oh God, oh god, please don't kill me!" Terrified, this innocent bystander pleaded for her life as she was the only obstacle between two killers.
He now had a clear look at his adversary, the rain had simmered down and the lights of the many light posts brought about the needed light-source for both sides to see each other. For one the person before him was shorter by a few inches, had a slender athletic build even though the dark leather trench coat hid away most of it as well the bulletproof vest neatly attached to the chest. Another thing he took mental note of was the face. A blue and yellow bandana with a logo of a bull's skull hid the bottom part of the face shield. The upper section held a cap to protect the head from the still, yet dwindling rainfall. A bloody gash where he had struck, the crimson oozing down the side of the face.
The eyes were what held him in place the most. Such hateful eyes. He didn't believe it possible to witness such emotion on a faceless stranger.
"Hey...listen now. I'm shot, I'm bleeding and I just want to go to sleep, okay!" Dice held on to his hostage and dragged her along slowly walking backwards away from the armed shooter who kept aiming the rifle at him.
"You ain't gonna shoot as long as I have this bitch blocking your view. You ain't gonna risk it, you would have gunned us both down by now if you didn't give a fuck." Looking around in panic he couldn't see a way out, all he could do was hold on to this woman as his human shield.
"What you and your friends did that night...sealed your fates." Her voice, the voice of a female, shocked him, not what he was expecting at all. This assassin that had been hounding him all night was a woman.
"I will kill you." She proclaimed, pure venom in her words, "All three of you, I will send you all to hell."
"Who the fuck…?" He was at a loss, unable to think straight for a proper question to direct back.
Each step he took backwards one step the vigilante took forward. There was no escaping in this scenario. He was beyond fucked.
Apparently fate had other plans for a black SUV coming racing down the street behind the now apparent female shooter. Turning around she opened fire at the approaching vehicle. The driver ducked down and floored it, aiming straight for her. She jumped out of the way, but her rifle flew the opposite direction leaving her unarmed.
The SUV came to a screeching halt in front of Dice who felt a huge wave of relief as he saw who was driving it.
"Get in man! Get in!" The driver shouted at him as the passenger across from him lowered his window to return fire with his Uzi.
Pushing his hostage away he hobbles towards the car and is pulled inside by a third man and fellow M.C.M.G. member. Inside he found Keith banged up and taking cover on the backseat. Now safe, the driver let go of the brakes and drove away, leaving behind smoke and tire marks as they continued to return fire to the vigilante who ran back to the alley for cover.
Lyra pulled out the Glock and broke cover to return fire, but by then they were too far away for the bullets to ever reach them.
"Fuck!" She angrily cursed.
So close, she had been just a bullet away from blowing his brains out, but she refused to risk the life of that innocent woman. Said woman that had regained her bearings and wisely ran away from the chaos. Taking a breather, she walked over to her rifle and picked it back up. Pulling down the bandana she spit in frustration. Her head was aching, but it was the least of her worries. He now knew. Knew that the reaper had come to collect his head and would be on guard 24/7 as of tonight.
She could hear the sirens of the police approaching her location and left the area.
"Hey...he got away." Lyra spoke on the phone, "Got him multiple times, bastard will live, but I sure fucked him up. I got hit...no, not like that... motherfucker nailed in the head with a fucking bottle. Yes...fuck you. Hold up I got another call coming in, see you soon."
Checking the caller ID, Lyra sighed, it was her father. It was already past 10pm, past her curfew.
"Hello." Lyra
"Lyra, please come quick." Lyra was alarmed to hear her mother's voice instead of Lincoln'. Bene more alarmed at the tone of her voice.
"Mom?" Her heart swelled up in fear for some unknown reason, as if this call was bearing terrible news.
"Lupa...Lu-oh god... she's in the hospital. Please, you need to come. I don't care where you are, please come quickly! She needs you! Needs us!" Luna cried out.
Nothing seems to kill me no matter how hard I try
Nothing is closing my eyes
Nothing can beat me down for your pain or delight
And nothing seems to break me
No matter how hard I fall
Nothing can break me at all
Not one for giving up though not invincible I know