No words came out.
I did my best to appear innocent.
Jean-Pierre dialed someone, brought the phone to his face, and spoke. “Hey, have you heard from him yet?”
I leaned his way, but couldn’t catch anything from the person on the other end .
Jean-Pierre put his back to me. It didn’t matter that he did as he proceeded to yell at the other person. “Get him on the fucking phone! Government? Country? You tell the president, that if he doesn’t answer his phone, I’ll send somebody over to stick their cock deep in his ass!”
Kazimir and Jean-Pierre have a lot in common.
Jean-Pierre hung up, pointed to the door across from us. “Go that way. We should leave.”
Okay. He’s not focused. He didn’t realize I took his phone. Can I get it again?
One of the guards opened the door for me. The back of the restaurant shown on the other side. Horns honked louder. Tires screeched. Smoke thickened the area.
Scanning the space, I walked out and spotted his limo now parked next to two full dumpsters.
And then a woman screamed behind me.
Was that the black woman with the afro? Why is she screaming? Did they kill her? No!
Gun shots blared next. Fast, Jean-Pierre pulled out his gun, ran to me, and held me close to his side. “Don’t try to escape. You’ll end up getting killed.”
I put my arms around him.
He looked down at me. “What are you doing?”
“Staying close.” I slipped my hand in his pocket and grabbed the phone. “Too close?”
“Too damn close.”
I slipped the phone back in the long sleeve and edged back from him. “Did you kill the black woman?”
“The who?” He raised his gun and pointed in front of us. “No. Why would we kill her?”
“She screamed.”
“Not because of us.”
“Okay. That’s good.” My hand shook as I held his phone within the sleeve. My hands stumbled over buttons while I tried to shut it off. “W-what’s going on?”
“Your lion’s looking for you.”
I looked all over, hoping to see him or my men anywhere. The screams came again. All the guards had their guns out now and circled us.
Jean-Pierre kept his gun in the opening of the alley leading to the back of the restaurant. “Where are you, lion?”
My heart pounded in my chest.
You shoot him and I’ll break your fucking neck.
The limo’s engine roared on, and then pulled up in front of us.
No. I’m not getting in the car.
And then a crash came from deep into the restaurant.
“Fuck!” Jean-Pierre opened the door and shoved me inside the limo. “Get in!”
I hurried inside and came close to dropping the phone.
A gun battle ensued from inside the restaurant. I couldn’t see anything. Gun shots came loud as the building began to collapse.
What happened?
Kazimir’s or my men must’ve been here. The ground trembled. Something exploded. I tried to get to the door. I needed a better look.
“Get back!” Jean-Pierre shoved me further into the limo.
“You better not hurt him!” I wanted to push out and run forward, but Jean-Pierre turned his gun to me and shook his head. “Get your ass inside and shut up.”
Goddamn it.
I climbed deeper into the limo.
Another explosion sounded several feet away from us. A cluster of thick, white smoke rose in the air. The ground quaked, shaking the limo, and us. And then an additional sound rocketed. The limo’s windows vibrated. The scent of fire rose, mingling with the smoke.
“Shit!” Jean-Pierre must’ve spotted somebody. He hurried to the limo door and opened it.
Who’s this?
Louis, Rafael, and the black woman with the afro, ran outside of the restaurant, and piled into the limo. Dust covered some of their hair. Rafael and Louis had their guns out. Terror filled the black woman’s eyes. I could tell she wasn’t used to any of this.
And then the driver sped off.
I held onto the sides of my seat as the vehicle rocked me from side to side. Rushing to get my balance, I checked the back window and only spotted destruction. The restaurant no longer resembled a building. It was just crumbled bricks, busted pipes, and shattered glass. One of the diesel trucks drove around it. Another raced toward us.
Jean-Pierre still held his gun as he touched his forehead. The weapon shook in his trembling hand. “What happened?”
“A truck plowed through the front window! Fucking Russians,” Rafael yelled. “Get us out of here!”
“Don’t worry.” Louis put one gun down, got on the phone, and spoke to someone in French.
The limo stopped in the middle of the road.
Is Louis on the phone with the driver or someone else?
I looked through the back window.
A fire truck rushed past us and blocked the diesel.
Louis kept talking in French.
Maybe, he’s talking to the fire department.
The fire truck blocked the way. The diesel could not get around it.
That’s okay. Kaz is close.
Kazimir. You’re close.
Hope filled my heart.