Page 4 of Who Said Mobsters Were Scary?
My stomach twists a little in excitement when a group of cute-looking college girls board the bus at the next stop. They keep throwing glances our way, but it’s hard to say whether it’s because we are foreigners or because they might be interested in hooking up.
Honestly? I hope it’s the latter. After my long day, and even longer last couple of months, a good time with no strings attached is exactly what I need.
Chapter 3
I get the thirdguy with a headshot.
Then I run out of bullets.
“Shit.”
His two buddies look at each other. I swallow, flexing my fingers and regretting not having checked my clip. They charge at me.
I throw myself to the left and dodge, putting some distance between us. I could take them on. They are massive and have bulging arms, but I’ve beaten up stronger opponents. The problem is the second SUV that just parked about a hundred yards behind them, at the opening of the alleyway. The four or five armed men riding in it? Yeah, that’s a bit beyond even me. I am good, but I am not invincible.
Cursing under my breath as one of them uses the millisecond of distraction I allow myself to lunge at me, I spin sharply on my heel and duck, propelling myself past him. The second guy is waiting for me, ready to punch mein the face, but I kick out with one leg and trip him over before he can ruin my handsome face.
Then I reassess my options. As much as I hate the conclusion I reach, my best bet is to leg it out of Sakae’s gang-infested back streets. I can’t go the way I came, so I head toward the opposite end of the alley, hoping that the Nebisu Gang didn’t send more of their hitmen after me.
I’m in luck, but just barely, as the SUV revs and starts chasing. Kicking garbage cans and bags, I sprint as fast as I can. I take a left just before the opening, darting into a passage where the car can’t fit. Behind me, my pursuers get out of their vehicle, swearing and yelling. They don’t have a good view of me because of the old furniture littering the small street, otherwise I’m sure they’d have emptied a few clips my way.
I reach the end of the passage and take a right. I can hear the bustle of the main street, but I must be a few blocks off because there are still no signs of people. Trash and flickering lamps guide me toward the noise, but before I can slip out into the relative safety of the crowds and tourists enjoying a Saturday night out, that second SUV I hoped I won’t encounter makes its entrance. It cuts me off as I catch its custom number plate with the numbers four-six-four-nine, pulling a snort out of me.
My appreciation for the plate doesn’t last as the guys inside the car waste no time jumping out and shooting at me. I duck behind a foul-smelling container, just barely avoiding getting hit. I’m a sitting duck here though, and the gang is closing in on me from both sides.
Squeezing my useless gun, I evaluate the surroundings. Across from me and about fifty feet away is a fence I can jump over. I don’t second guess myself; I just act, darting out from behind the bin when the shooting pauses somy enemies can reload. My blood thrums in my ears and I feel hot all over, but I grit my teeth and don’t stop. I grab onto the top rail of the chain-link fence and pray I’ll manage to pull myself up and over before they get to me.
I somehow make it, not pausing to see exactly how much the gangsters are struggling to follow me. Their swearing gives me an idea, but I know that it won’t be long before they’ve either cut their way through it or gotten over.
My breathing turns labored as I press on. I keep turning right in hopes of getting to the main street and losing them, but I hit a dead end—a concrete wall and a metal door with a chain.
“Great.”
Yelling tells me exactly how fucked I am if I don’t get moving, so I backtrack to the last intersection and carry on straight. I end up at another dead end, but this time, the smoking back area of a night club offers me a way out.
My heart gallops as I stalk over to the door, the promise of safety on the other side slowing down the adrenaline flooding my veins. I grab the handle, twist it, and freeze. The damn door is locked.
“Today really isn’t my day.”
This was supposed to be a quick drop-in to one of the front companies, but clearly someone tipped off the Nebisu or those assholes wouldn’t be here. I really need to do a purge and figure out who’s stupid enough to sell me out, but my father is being overly difficult about it. Before I worry about any of that though, I need to survive tonight.
I squeeze the handle as hard as I can and shake it, trying to force the door open. If only it would budge.Seriously.Who the fuck locks the door leading to the smoking area?
A shot that flies by too close for comfort sends me scrambling away.
“Akiyama! Come willingly or in pieces,” one of the six men who’s caught up to me threatens. I can’t tell which one; they all look the same with their shaved heads, gray suits and sunglasses.
I take a defensive stance, letting them surround me. Only the one who spoke and the guy next to him have their guns up and pointed at me. I quickly scan the rest of my opponents, finding no bulging vests or telltale holsters.Are they trainees?I heard that the Nebisu doesn’t allow itsmembers to carry until they prove themselves, but I didn’t think it was true.
Before the guy who spoke can say anything else, I’m onto his buddy, yanking the gun out of his hand. Using the momentary shock my actions cause, I shove him at the still armed man, dropping the weapon in the process. He stumbles in an attempt to catch the huge body, and I snatch the remaining gun, kicking it out of the way. It ends up somewhere under the dumpster where the first one went.
With no weapons to threaten me anymore, I go for the nearest guy, knocking him out with a jab he doesn’t see coming. He sprawls on the ground, but I have no time to celebrate, moving onto the next one. This one goes down too, but that’s where my luck runs out as the rest have had enough time to recuperate.
“You little piece of shit,” the one with the smart mouth growls, murder in his eyes.
He throws himself at me and tries to grab me by the neck, but I block him with my arms. Ducking to the side, I elbow him in the flank. He shrieks in pain and anger, but before I can finish him off, someone clutches my sleeve andsends me crashing into the dumpster. My shoulder takes the brunt of the hit. Fire explodes along it and slithers down my arm. I clench my teeth, cutting off a groan as I blink to regain focus.
I don’t see the kick coming until it’s too late. I also don’t see where the man who collides with said kick appears from, but I also don’t care. He just saved my life. Jumping to my feet, I take on two trainee gangsters as they charge at me together. Despite their obvious inexperience, they put up a bit of a fight. Under different circumstances, I’d have toyed with them, but the rest of the Nebisu men will be here any minute, so I have no time to waste.
