Chapter Four
"There's nothing there."
"What do you mean, there's nothing there?" Clara asked.
T-Bone was driving around the city, in the slim hope that he might stumble upon Aiden's trail. He knew it was futile, but his search at the Merlaut had left him frustrated and scared for Aiden and he couldn't stand not doing anything. He had been recounting his excursion to the hotel to Clara, who reflected his frustration.
"I mean the place is deserted. I walked right through the front doors without so much as a glance in my direction. The South Club has cleared out."
"I don't understand. Why would they do that?"
"I don't know. Aiden was there though. That much I could tell. The place was riddled with bullet holes. They may have done a good job cleaning the place up, but they couldn't hide those."
"So Aiden might have succeeded?"
"It's hard to say, but I don't think so. If someone like Lucky Quinn gets taken out, it's sure to start a riot in the media. But there's nothing on the news about it. And I doubt they would try to hide his death. Quinn's a celebrity to the public. All those too stupid to realize he's the biggest crime lord in the whole damn city. Aiden might have finally bitten off more than he can chew."
"But, you don't think he's..." Clara couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Luckily, T-Bone didn't let her get that far anyway.
"No. I doubt they got him either. Quinn would be plastering Aiden's face all over the news if he stopped the infamous vigilante. Don't forget that Aiden's not exactly on good terms with the police." T-Bone changed tack, uncomfortable with talking about Aiden's potential demise. "Any luck with his phone?"
"No. Nothing. But there's not much I can do. Unless Aiden's phone comes back online, it's impossible to track."
"Just keep working on it. I'm gonna keep poking around the city. See what I can find."
With that, T-Bone's drive lapsed back into uncomfortable silence. With nothing to distract him, a war of thoughts raged in his mind, each fighting for dominance.
Aiden had to be alive. He was... well, Aiden. He always had a way out. Always pulled through somehow. But at the same time, Aiden wasn't exactly rational when it came to his family. To avenge Lena, he would have gone to any lengths. Even Aiden didn't fully know what he was walking into when he went to the Merlaut. Were they waiting for him? Was it a trap? No. Aiden was smarter than that, right? But maybe he didn't even care. As long as he killed Lucky Quinn, maybe he didn't care that he made it out alive. But Aiden's mission had grown into more than just revenge since he started his vendetta. He was out to protect the people of Chicago, not just avenge Lena. And he was no use to anyone dead. He had to know that.
T-Bone couldn't stop the torrent of thoughts flooding his head and they drove him more and more crazy the longer they flowed. Until, miraculously, Clara called.
"I found him!" she exclaimed.
"What? How?!"
"It was just like before. His signal just popped up out of the blue."
"Where?"
"South side of The Loop. I'm sending the coordinates to your phone."
"I'm on my way."
T-Bone had been patrolling the northernmost sector of Chicago. The Loop was on the other side of the city. It would take him awhile to get there. And his gut told him Aiden didn't have that time. What was he doing down there? And why was his phone off?
Clara echoed his thoughts. "T-Bone I don't like this. Aiden mysteriously disappears and then shows up on the other side of town without a word of explanation? Something's up."
"I know, but I don't think it really matters. Yeah, it's probably some kind of trap, but this is Aiden we're talking about; and damn it all, but I like the guy. We have to at least check it out."
"Just be careful, T-Bone. It won't help Aiden if you end up dead."
"Hey, careful's my middle name," T-Bone joked. "Plus I've got a whole armory in my car here. If the South Club shows, they'll be sorry."
Now that T-Bone had something to do, something to focus on, his usual sarcastic personality had returned. It was the helpless waiting that set him on edge. He just had to go get Aiden. And bring Aiden and himself back in one piece.
After what felt like an eternity, T-Bone pulled up on the coordinates Clara had sent him. They had brought him to an abandoned area under a highway overpass. It was littered with shattered concrete blocks, broken pallets, and rusted oil drums. The area looked as though the homeless had once camped there, but even they had abandoned it. It stood in a complete state of disarray.
The only way in or out of the area was the way T-Bone had come. The area backed up onto the river on two fronts. It was the perfect site for an ambush.
Due to the clutter, T-Bone couldn't drive any further. He would have to continue on foot. He cautiously stepped from his car, loading up on weapons, ammo, and grenades.
He glanced around, but couldn't see Aiden anywhere. It was dark. Only two street lamps lit the space, one flickering on and off.
"Aiden!" T-Bone whispered his shout. It was a strangely contrary act, but one that felt somehow appropriate in the situation. When he received no reply, T-Bone wound his way through the concrete pylons of the overpass, keeping his gun at the ready. It wasn't until he was halfway to the water that he saw a foot sticking out from behind one of the concrete blocks.
"Aiden!" This time, his shout was not hushed. He ran forward, spurred on by hope and dread in equal measure.
T-Bone rounded the corner to find Aiden slumped against a row of concrete blocks. His phone lay haphazardly in his lap as though someone had thrown it on top of him. The light blinked from the multiple messages both Clara and T-Bone had left him, trying to reach him in vain.
At first, T-Bone feared the worst, but upon closer inspection, he could see a thin plume of breath issuing from Aiden's slightly parted lips. He knelt down to feel Aiden's pulse. It was thready and weak. Satisfied that he was alive, T-Bone took in the rest of Aiden's condition. He could see burns covering Aiden's exposed chest and his right leg sat at an abnormal angle.
What did they do to you?
T-Bone quickly dialed up Clara to give her the news.
Her worried voice didn't give him a chance to speak first. "Did you find him?"
"Yeah, he's here. But he's in bad shape. Very bad."
"What happened?"
"I don't know yet. Look, I gotta get him out of here. I'll keep you posted." T-Bone stowed his phone and returned his attention to Aiden.
T-Bone grasped Aiden by the shoulders and shook him slightly. "Aiden? Come on, man, wake up. Aiden!" Aiden stirred faintly.
In a weak voice, Aiden slurred, "T-Bone."
"Oh, thank God! Aiden, we have to get you out of here."
"T-Bone, run. It's an ambush. You have to leave me."
Just then, four black SUVs came barreling into view. Screeching to halt, South Club cronies began pouring from the cars, wasting no time in starting to shoot at T-Bone and Aiden.
T-Bone ducked into cover next to Aiden. "Shit!" he swore. "Looks like it's too late for that. Time for plan B," he said, raising his rifle meaningfully.
While the gang was still gathered around the cars, T-Bone lobbed a grenade over his head at one of the SUVs. A break in the fire was accompanied by the panicked shouts of "Grenade!" and the sound of men diving out of the way. Five weren't fast enough. In a blinding flash of light, the SUV exploded, sending glass and shrapnel flying. The car came crashing back to the earth with a sickening crunch. It sat ablaze, pluming black smoke.
In the confusion that followed, T-Bone took down two more South Club members with his assault rifle. Taking down seven men in the span of a few seconds was a feat, but it wasn't enough. The remaining men scattered, seeking cover behind the numerous concrete blocks and pylons; all the while laying down an endless barrage of bullets. T-Bone continued to pick off a few here and there, but they crept ever closer and Aiden was still immobile. The grenades were effectively useless with the enemy so spread out.
T-Bone started to panic. He didn't have a plan C. They were hemmed in by the water behind them and to their right and the Club was moving around to their left to flank them. It was only a matter of time before they had direct shots. Kenney was handy with a gun and he could hold his own, but he had always been more comfortable behind a computer. Firefights were more Aiden's thing. But it didn't look like Aiden was in any fit state to help.
T-Bone threw another grenade around to the left where a group of men were just about to flank them. It killed one of them and gravely injured another while the final man fled back to the safety of a nearby column. That bought them a few more minutes.
Ducking back behind the bullet-ridden concrete, T-Bone took a moment to reload. For the first time, he had the thought that they genuinely weren't going to make it. Maybe if they made it to the water, T-Bone could swim pulling Aiden behind him. Underwater, the threat of the guns would be nullified. But they probably wouldn't make it to deep enough water without turning into Swiss cheese. T-Bone thought about drawing them off somehow and coming back for Aiden later, but he didn't want to take that chance.
They were out of options.