Taking the Fall (1-4)

“You better run,” I yell. “If you come any closer I swear I’ll fucking shoot you. You hear me? I’ll fucking shoot you!” I scream the words, hoping they carry some force.

“Don’t think this is over, Layla. And don’t think Carter is on your side either.” He leaves on that warning, leaning on Marco for support.

Jeanette jumps from the bed and is at my side in an instant. “We’ve got to get out of here. Or should we wait for Carter?”

I have no answer to her question.

I turn to Jeanette and my only response is a sob.

CARTER

“What the fuck was that sound?” Saint asks.

We’re crowded behind a car outside the building Layla is in, or at least where the signal was coming from a few minutes ago.

“You know exactly what that was. Gunshots. We’ve got to move.”

As I start to move in Saint grabs my arm. “Wait, they’re coming out.” I look and see a few of O’Leary’s thugs running out of the building. Figures as soon as shit gets thick, the rats scurry. “Just wait until they clear out. We need to even the odds a bit. You’re a badass but even you can’t take twelve men at once.” Saint says.

I’m twitching with anticipation but I know he’s right. There’s another exit in the back, but we can’t move to cover both. I watch for a few more moments as the last of the men and some strung-out chicks leave. When I finally see an opening I turn to Saint. “I’m going in. Cover my ass.”

I’ve got a gun in each hand as I head towards the building. I can feel Saint close behind with his guns drawn too. It’s broad daylight now, and we’re sitting ducks if anyone feels like waiting around to take us out.

Finally we make it to the entrance and slowly enter. The main room is huge and completely empty. We both creep in quietly, not wanting to disturb anything just in case.

“Hallway, on your left,” Saint whispers, and we head in that direction.

He covers our tail, and I look in every room carefully as we make our way down the hallway. I want to scream out Layla’s name but I know I can’t.

We get to the end of the hallway and see that all the rooms are empty. “Fuck,” I hiss, not knowing where else to look.

“Let’s check the exit out back and see if they left a trace,” Saint suggests.

I tuck one gun in my shoulder holster and open the back door with my free hand. I push the door and swing it open and immediately I’m looking down the barrel of a Colt .45.

“Back up, motherfucker!”

“Jeanette!” Saint yells. As soon as she sees him her eyes start to water, but she turns the gun on him.

“I said back up!” she screams, and Saint and I stop instantly. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but this chick means business.

“Where’s Layla?” I ask calmly. I don’t want to spook her, but I need my woman. Now.

I look around, and I don’t see her. There are a few abandoned cars out here but nothing much else.

Jeanette shakes a little and it’s evident she’s shed a few tears, but the girl is tough as nails as she aims her gun at me and Saint. This isn’t her first time with a firearm. I look her up and down and notice she’s barefoot, dressed only in tiny shorts and a ripped sheet that’s tied around her chest.

“Mama, listen to me. It’s me, baby. It’s Saint and Carter. We aren’t going to hurt you. We are here to save you. Put the gun down and come here.”

She shakes her head a little as if to clear out what he just said. “Put your guns down. I don’t trust anyone right now.”

Saint immediately puts his on the ground and kicks it away. He gets on his knees and puts his hands behind his head. “Jeanette, come here, Mama. You know how much I love being on my knees in front of you.”

Jeanette cracks a small smile, and I make my move. I quickly grab her arm and twist her hand back a little. Not hurting her, just applying enough pressure to get her fingers to release without pulling the trigger. In a matter of seconds I have her disarmed, and I push her towards Saint. He catches her and wraps her up in his arms. Jeanette struggles for only a second before she melts into him and starts to cry big full sobs as she clings to him.

“Where. Is. She?” I ask through gritted teeth. I’m getting real sick of asking the same goddamn question.

Jeanette points to one of the abandoned cars, and I run over.

I get to the car and jerk the entire door off the hinges in my panic to get to her. I throw the door to the ground and see Layla is huddled on the floorboard. “Cherry!” I call out and reach for her. She looks me in the eyes but doesn’t move towards me. “Cherry, baby?” I ask and reach again. I look her over and see she’s in the same kind of torn sheet Jeanette is dressed in, and I wonder what the fuck happened.

She looks at me doubtfully but finally sits up and holds her hands out. I grab them quickly and pull her from the car. I wrap her body in my arms, and I feel her shaking. She doesn’t cry or speak, she just shakes all over.

I run back to Saint and Jeanette, scanning the area the whole time to see if anyone is still here. “Get her up. We’ve got to get out of here. I don’t know who’s left or how much time we have before the cops show up.”

Saint gets off the ground with Jeanette, and we head to the car. I put Layla beside me in the front seat, and Saint and his woman get in the back. It’s a silent ride back to the safehouse and I feel Cherry continue to shake during the journey. I take it as a good sign that she still has her arms wrapped around my waist and her head on my chest. I kiss her head and tell her it’s going to be okay, repeating those words the entire way back.