“Yeah, why don’t you do that? That sounds like a good idea.”
He skirted off to collect the last duffle bag of weapons. I thought that would be the end of it, but I was wrong. Rafe and his smartass strolled over and gave me a brotherly slap on the back as he said, “I was thinking about something.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“You got a thing for shotguns, and your road name is Shotgun. Now you got a woman whose name is Remington.” A mischievous smirk crossed his face as he said, “That’s pretty fucking cool if you ask me.”
“Well, I didn’t ask ya, so get your ass in the truck, and let’s get ready to roll out.”
Rafe’s smile never left his face as he nodded, then turned to get in the SUV with Axel, Copper, and Hawk. Viper was already waiting in his SUV with Country, Menace, and Lynch while Ransom and Cletus were waiting for me in mine. Knowing they were eager to get moving, I sent Widow a message, letting him know we were heading out. As soon as he replied, I got in my truck and started the engine. With my brothers following close behind, I sped through the gate. Hell, it seemed I couldn’t get there fast enough. I was ready to get this shit done so we could put an end to this whole thing and move on with our lives.
Menace had already searched the blueprints of the building and the entire surrounding area. Following his suggestion, we parked behind another abandoned building next door to the Tyson plant where the Punishers were set to have their meet. By the time we got out of our SUVs, it was well after dark, and a light misting rain was starting to settle over the parking lot. I looked across the alley at the abandoned Tyson building and was pleased to see that several of the Punishers’ cars were parked around back. We each got out and gathered around, listening intently as Viper ordered, “We do this just like we discussed. Shotgun will be the first one in with Hawk and me following behind him. Rafe and Country will cover us. Menace will use the security feed to keep an eye on all the entrances and exits, and Axel and Ransom will be there to secure the perimeter in case someone tries to slip through.”
We’d already gone through every detail of the plan during church, but Viper wanted to make sure no stone had been left unturned. I couldn’t blame him. Wars like these were messy and chaotic. They never went as planned, which made them almost impossible to prepare for. I didn’t mind. I liked the thrill of the hunt, and after what these motherfuckers had done, I was feeling like a predator ready to seek out its prey. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me as I listened to Viper continue, “Lynch and Country will go around back with Cletus and Copper. You’ll head in the back so we’ll have them covered on all bases.”
“Understood,” Hawk replied.
With that, we all gathered our weapons and dispersed to our assigned locations. I could feel the tension crackling around us as I led Viper and Hawk towards the west end of the building. Country and Rafe stayed a few steps behind, covering as I searched for the entry door that Menace had told us about. With the misty haze, it was difficult to see, but as we got closer, I finally spotted our way in. I looked back at my brothers, checking to make sure they were ready for what laid ahead. Like me, they had a thirst for revenge and were eager to get inside.
After Viper gave me the nod, I kicked the door down and stormed inside. I aimed my shotgun ahead, preparing to take my first shot as Viper and Hawk came up behind me. With Country and Rafe covering them from behind, we continued forward, and it wasn’t long before we found the Punishers congregating in the main foyer. Three large thugs were sitting behind a long table, and from the looks of it, they were the ones in charge. There were stacks of cash and dope piled in front of them, and they were dishing out orders as they held their handguns in the air, using the weapons to threaten their cohorts and maintain some level of control of the mayhem. It was a sad state to see. It turned out Alfonzo was right about them. There was no respect, no code among them.
Worried for his safety, I glanced back at Viper and said, “You sure it wouldn’t be better for you to hang back. Hawk and I—”
“Fuck no,” Viper growled. “I’ve been looking forward to getting a piece of these motherfuckers. Now, let’s do this.”
I nodded, then stepped forward. When I was certain that Hawk and Viper were set on go, I aimed my shotgun at the man I believed to be the Widow Maker, pulled the trigger, and killed him.
As soon as the Punishers realized what was about to go down, they each pulled out their weapons and dropped for cover, but it was too late. We’d already gained the upper hand. In a matter of seconds, a full-on battle had ensued. Bullets started whipping past me, plowing into the concrete walls, but I was too cranked up on adrenaline to care. Like a man possessed, I continued to charge into the crowd, firing off round after round as I took out anyone who stood in my way, and with each body that dropped dead to the ground, I gained a sense of satisfaction. As far as I was concerned, they had it coming. These assholes were stupid enough to think they could come into our territory and take us down, and now they were paying for that mistake with their lives.
The battle had just begun, and the causalities were mounting up. Those that were still in the game were in full panic mode, shooting wildly as they tried to stop us in our tracks. In hopes of gaining some cover, Hawk motioned for us to follow him behind a tall row of wood pallets. Once we were in position, Viper quickly looked me over, checking to make sure I was okay, then asked, “You good?”
I nodded. “Let’s finish this thing.”
After reloading my 590M shotgun with a second twenty-five-round magazine, I felt another kick of adrenaline pumping through me like an intoxicating drug. As I prepared to take my next shot, I glanced around the room and was pleased to see there were only a few Punishers remaining. We continued to push forward, dodging the bullets that whipped through the air. When they realized their end was imminent, several of the Punishers left their positions and tried in vain to stop our advance. When a bullet struck the wall above Viper’s head, my instincts kicked in, forcing me out of the protective shield of the wood pallets.
I’d only take a few steps when gunfire erupted around me, and I knew then time wasn’t on my side. As soon as I spotted the shooter, I aimed in his direction, and with a single shot, his lifeless body fell backwards onto the concrete floor.
I was standing in the wide open, surrounded in chaos, when I noticed Cletus lying on the ground with blood pooling around his body. I rushed over and pulled him out of harm’s way, but I was too late. He’d been shot in the chest, and he was struggling to breathe. I pulled him into my arms, and in a matter of seconds, my leather jacket was drenched in his blood. Cletus was still clinging to his gun in desperation, unwilling to stop fighting, and I knew then the guy would’ve made a hell of a brother. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get that chance. With his gun still clutched in his hand, he let out his last breath.
“Fuck,” I shouted as I eased him to the ground.
The deafening sounds of gunfire continued to erupt around me, but my focus was still on my fallen brother. When a bullet pierced my flesh, a stabbing pain shot through my arm. I swallowed the burning sensation, letting my mind shut down the thoughts of how much it hurt as I lifted my gun once again. I stalked towards the shooter and fired off a single round that immediately brought him to his knees. Once I was sure he was dead, I made my way back to Viper and Hawk. As I looked around at the Punishers’ casualties, a wave of satisfaction washed over me when I realized that Cletus wasn’t alone in his death.