Invincible(42)

Phantom was scared to death, but not of my fists. There was something he needed to tell me and tell me right now.

I threw a soft punch and smacked him in the jaw. He threw his head back harder than my punch warranted. His arms opened and he jumped at me, hugging me. I wiggled as he hit me, but not hard.

“Listen to me, Wes,” he whispered. “He’s here…”

Phantom broke away when the crowd boo’ed him. He shook his right fist and then swung. I had plenty of time to dodge the shot. I cracked him in the ribs and he jumped, screaming. He put a hand to my shoulder and pulled himself close to me.

“Don’t knock me out yet. I have to tell you…”

Phantom pushed away and fell to one knee.

I stood there, surprised.

The crowd cheered me again to just finish him.

Phantom looked up at me.

His eyes… his eyes… they were real.

“He’s here,” Phantom said. “He’s coming for you next, Wes.”

“What the f*ck does that mean?” I asked.

I realized we weren’t fighting now. The people were getting pissed. The scene was getting a little obvious.

My hands were balled tight into fists, just in case this was some kind of scheme to throw me off my game.

My answer came a second later and it wasn't from the mouth of Phantom. It was in the form of a bullet that tore through Phantom’s skull. I heard a pfff sound and then there was a spray of blood and brain before Phantom went down.

The crowd burst into screams.

I stood for a second… I shouldn’t have stood for a second.

I needed to move.

He’s here. He’s coming for you next, Wes.



~



I kept my shoulders wide and ran like hell. I knocked people out of my way. Nobody dared to question me. I was the fighter. I was the caged lion let loose now. The people who sat there betting on me were now close enough to touch me. I could touch them. They had seen what my fists could do. And they had no idea what my true anger was capable of. Hell, I didn’t know what my true anger contained.

My mind had one focus and that was to get to Rose.

She was nowhere to be found. The place was breaking up pretty fast. Someone in a hoodie came and grabbed Phantom’s arm and started to drag him away, leaving a smear of blood on the floor.

I ran to a corridor and stopped there for a second. I had to keep my eyes open and keep my ass alive. This fight was a terrible idea. Part of me wanted to find Danny and punch him in the mouth again.

Was it Luke here? The Assassin? Was he the one who dragged away Phantom’s body? Was he the one who shot Phantom?

I gritted my teeth and made a run for it.

I stayed close to the wall, running in the opposite direction of everyone else. Typical Wes, right? As people were fleeing from the flames I was diving into the fire. Maybe that’s what kept me so invincible for so long. I wasn’t afraid to get a little burned.

This time it was far different. I was diving into the fire for a woman. For a goddamn woman. Of all things. Somewhere inside my head I tried to justify leaving Rose there. Let Luke get her. Let him…

I couldn't imagine what he’d do to her.

I turned for another door to a hallway when a hand grabbed my shoulder. I threw an elbow and spun around to find Danny hunched over.

“Wes! Goddammit. Come with me.”

“No.”

“The cops… there’s a detective here…”

“Fuck. Is that where Rose is?”

“Forget her!” Danny yelled. “She’s going to give you up. I know it.”

“I need to save her,” I said.

Danny reached for me again and I grabbed his wrist, twisting it.

“Wes,” Danny said with wide eyes. “Don’t do anything crazy.”

“Stay the f*ck away from me. I shouldn’t have come here. I’ll break your f*cking wrist and then your neck.”

I tugged at Danny’s wrist and that brought him to his knees. Sweat poured from his forehead as he nodded. “Fine, Wes. Fine. You go get made. I don’t give a shit. I was trying to help you.”

Danny never helped me. He would never help me. He was up to something…

I didn’t have time to think about it. I had to get to Rose and save her.

This didn't make sense to me. Why would the police come and not break up the fight? They came just for Rose? Hell, how did they know Rose was even here?

I charged down the hallway knowing there would be more questions and answers.

I didn’t care - just as long as Rose wasn’t hurt.

I thought I was running as fast as I possibly could - until I heard a gunshot.





29.


(Rose)



I sat behind a desk. It wasn’t my desk, obviously. It wasn’t the detective’s desk either. It was some random old desk in the random old building. He shut the door and locked it. The room was a little dark. He took out a cigarette and started to smoke. He grabbed a chair and put it on the opposite side of the desk but didn’t sit in it. Instead, he put his leg up. The tip of his cigarette glowed with each deep breath he took.

“Rose, Rose, Rose,” he said. “What were you looking for doing that? Huh? Did you think she had money? Or was it just pure jealousy?”