War & Mayhem Book 1: Stone

The junkie was sketchier than normal today. Jamie was talking nonstop and was constantly looking around, like he was waiting for something to happen or someone to poke their head around the corner and look into the alley.

“Look, mate, I don’t have all day.” I tapped a cigarette free from my pack. “Thrasher said you had the money, so just hand it over, and we can both go on about our day,” I told him as I lit up.

The alley stunk. Of course, Jamie had to do this right next to the full garbage cans. I glanced at each end of the alley to make sure we were alone.

“Right, right. Of course, man. I have it right here.” Jamie kept nodding his head before he reached into his jacket and paused. He was shaking so much it was almost like he was vibrating.

I slowly moved my hand up and behind my kutte, touching my gun. Something was off.

“Do you think you could put in a good word for me about joining up?” Jamie asked, watching me from the corner of his eye.

I blew out some smoke. “No.”

Anger flashed across his bloodshot eyes. “Why not? I have done everything he told me to do!” Jamie spat and stepped closer to me.

“Because you’re a junkie, Jamie. You’re probably shooting up the product we gave you.” I took another drag of my cigarette.

“I am fucking clean.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. I couldn’t believe this guy. “No, you are not. Your eyes are bloodshot, and you’re shaking. Don’t play dumb with me, man.”

But he was dumb.

Jamie pulled out a knife from his jacket and swung at me. My cigarette slipped from my lips and fell to the ground as I took a few steps back, dodging him as he came at me. A gunshot now would draw too much attention.

“You’re all a bunch of scum! Riding around like you own the town,” Jamie sneered, showing off his missing teeth, and his eyes went wild. “There’s another crew in town, Stone, and they will take everything you own!” He lunged at me again with the knife.

But his aim was off. Stepping to the side, I managed to slam a right hook into his jaw. My fist stung, but Jamie crumbled to the ground immediately.

Shaking out my hand, I bent down and searched his pockets. Sure enough, there was the envelope full of cash. After making sure all of the money was there, I stood up and checked my surroundings.

Trash bags covered the alleyway as the cans were already full. The smell was getting really bad, and I wouldn’t be surprised if rats were crawling around here.

I stepped over Jamie and walked to the mouth of the alleyway toward the street. A sharp whistle sounded behind me, and I stopped dead in my tracks. I looked over my shoulder to see two men walking up the alley.

These weren’t random people. They each wore a black leather kutte, and their scowls were aimed at me. I noticed the patches they wore on their chests. It felt like time slowed as they each pulled out their gun from behind their backs and took aim down the alley.

Right at me.

Something finally clicked in my mind, and I dove for cover. The trash cans were better than nothing, but I didn’t make it in time.

Shots rang out.

Pain filled my entire body. I had been hit.

Once the gunshots died down, all I could hear were their footsteps as they took off. Bastards.

Holding my left side, I rolled over and used all the strength I had to stand up. The pain was unbearable. My jaw clenched and I kept pressure on my side. I had to get to any sort of safety.

My head went light as I fell into the side of a building. Black dots filled my vision. I tried to shake them away and used the building to help me balance as I stumbled out of the alleyway.

It was noon. The little shops were full of people, but now they were running away from the scene. My left arm wouldn’t move and I couldn’t get my phone out from my left pocket in my kutte. I wished I brought someone with me to this stupid meeting.

The nearest store was a coffee shop, and I staggered inside. A pretty woman came up to me. She caught me as I stumbled in, making me groan in more pain as she guided me to a seat close by.

“Oh my! Are you okay?”

Her voice was the only one I heard. Everyone in the store went quiet in shock to see someone all bloodied up like me walk in. Before I knew it, I was in and out of consciousness.

What felt like hours later, I saw flashes of tables and machines around me. Where the hell was I? I tried to sit up, but someone stopped me. Pain shot through me again, and I fell backward.

Everything went black.