Game(60)

I had one guy on each side of me. I locked my elbows straight and waited for my opening. It really never came, but I didn’t have the time to waste. Me getting my ass kicked was not going to do a thing to help anyone.

So I started to stand.

The crowd cheered.

I quickly threw an elbow into Mikey’s gut. That left me exposed to Malley, who swung and got me good with a left to the side of my face. I groaned and spit, a chunk of blood splattered on the ground.

Malley came right after me. See, the guy was a meatneck kind of fighter. That meant he was big on muscle but not on brain. Mikey and Malley were used to being matched up with smaller guys to just destroy them. That was the entertainment value in them. They could bench press a car but they couldn’t cover their faces.

So Malley walked at me with his hands at his sides. He was so open, I had ten places I could hit. But I wasn’t here to entertain these people. I was here to end this f*cking fight and get to Shayna.

I spun and cocked my right fist back. My feet were planted like cement to the floor. As my fist flew forward, I knew it was going to knock Malley out. He never saw it coming, or he never thought my fist would do what it did.

The sound of my fist hitting his face was like someone stepping on a bag of potato chips. Malley stopped walking and he started to shake. He then toppled to the left like a falling statue.

Mikey was already on the move. He swung hard and fast, powerful punches, but he had no aim. I simply just walked back and let him have his fun. I kept my hands up and waved my fists at him, pissing him off. When he finally lunged at me, I ducked, slid by him and then I was facing his back. I got him in the lower back with a one, two punch that left him reaching back and falling to his knees. His head fell back, mouth open as he gasped for air.

I then took a couple steps back and ran forward, letting my knees smash against the back of his skull. That sent Mikey forward and to the floor.

Two down. Two out.

Just like that I had won the fight. Not that it was really much of a fight.

I quickly spun and looked up, finding Fiore and Shayna.

He stared at me.

I pointed at Fiore and shook my head.

Mara then appeared, standing next to her father.

That was the cue.

Now I just had to wait for the bomb to go off.





44.


(Shayna)



It sounded like a bomb had gone off.

The building shook.

There was smoke.

There was confusion.

I jumped back and got a small distance from Fiore, but I had no idea what was happening.

My back hit the wall behind me.

Dust filled the air all around me and I stood there, waiting.

A second later I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.

Something had gotten me. Hit me. Maybe I was shot.

I couldn’t see a thing though.

I dropped to my knees and let out a cry.

The pain was intense. I grabbed my belly, fearing the worst. Fearing I was going to feel blood. Find a wound. Then I’d just sit there and die alone. I’d die without Finn. I’d die without telling him how much I loved him.

The pain ripped through my stomach again. And then there was a new pain. A pain in my heart. I was going to feel the loss Finn had felt…



~



Hands touched me, grabbed me. I kicked and swung. I yelled and fought back.

You’re not taking me again! You’re not going to hurt me. I don’t give a f*ck what happens now. I’d rather…

“It’s me, sweetie.”

The voice was rough yet soothing.

Through the smoke and dust I saw Finn crouched down before me.

“We have about ten seconds to do this,” he said.

I threw my arms around him and he lifted me up.

We made it three steps and two figures appeared before us.

Fiore and Zander.

And they both had guns.



~



“I thought he was dead,” Zander said.

“So did I,” Fiore said. “How did you do it?”

“You killed the wrong guy,” Finn said. “You’re going to pay for it, Fiore. You’re going to f*cking pay for it.”

Finn kept me at his side. I held my stomach, still unsure what was happening to me. There was no wound, no blood. Just pain.

“Fucking kill him,” Zander said. “Kill her too. This has gone too far. We’re under attack.”

The two leaders of a dangerous underground world stood in the way of our escape.

Finn let me go and leapt forward. He punched Zander right in the jaw. I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d ever see that. He hit Zander three more times and had him almost knocked over. I heard the sounds of guns going off, people yelling and screaming. I wasn’t sure if the building was damaged or what was actually happening.

Fiore took out a gun.

“Finn! Gun!” I yelled.

Finn turned and I saw Fiore gritting his teeth.

I swore I could see him pulling the trigger.

I couldn’t watch it happen.

I turned my head and shut my eyes, not wanting to see Finn get killed.

The gun went off with an echoing blast. I winced and opened my eyes. Fiore stood there, his face turning to shock. I looked and saw Finn down… crouched down. He popped back up. Right behind him was Zander, taking his final step backwards before falling. There was a bullet hole through his head.