Fight 4 Us (Book 9): Settlement

by Grenda, Brian

  I look at a pallet of products and say, “I think we load up everything that we can fit in the electric truck today and then come back another time.”

  “What should we take today?” asks Shaun.

  “Anything that we can easily fit into the back of the electric truck,” I answer Shaun.

  Shaun, Phil, and Jon start loading up shopping carts with items that they want to bring back home with them.

  I look around the Big Club and see that we still have so many items left and there is no way we can fit anything really big into the back of the electric truck.

  I see a radio sitting on an empty pallet and grab it.

  Phil sees me pick up the radio and asks, “Are you breaking radio silence?”

  “I think I have to, I think we need Bobby G and everyone else to bring a couple trucks and larger vehicles to load up the items from this place,” I answer Phil.

  “Jacob might hear you though,” says Phil.

  I look at Phil and ask, “What should I do?”

  Phil takes a second and thinks about what he would do.

  “I would ask for help. I don’t think them hearing you ask for people to come to the Big Club will hurt anything,” answers Phil.

  I nod my head and turn on the radio.

  I call for Bobby G, Lauren, William, and Matt over the radio.

  “I wonder if anyone has their radio on?” asks Phil.

  “We will find out,” I reply to Phil.

  Several minutes go by and no one answers over the radio.

  I walk around the Big Club and put everything I would like to bring back with me into several shopping carts.

  Shaun, Phil, Jon, and I have tons of items in several shopping carts.

  “We will need at least three large vehicles to take all this stuff back with us,” says Jon.

  I pick up my radio and say, “Bobby G, Lauren, William or anyone hearing this. We could use your help here at the Big Club. Please drive a large vehicle to the Big Club if you can. We need multiple large vehicles here.”

  A loud siren goes off inside the Big Club.

  “What the hell is that?” shouts Shaun.

  Jakobe runs into the office and talks with another Haven guard.

  I walk into the office and see Jakobe and another Haven guard talking.

  “What is it?” I ask Jakobe.

  “It’s a Haven truck actually,” answers Jakobe.

  I look at the security camera monitor and see a large box truck pull up to the main entrance of the Big Club.

  “Did you set up the cameras and motion sensors at the front of the store?” I ask the Haven guard that is looking at the security monitor.

  “Yeah, we got three cameras working. One at the front, one at the side, and one at the back,” answers the Haven guard.

  Another loud siren goes off inside the Big Club.

  “What the hell is going on?” asks Phil as he enters the Big Club office.

  The Haven guard looks at the front, side, and back camera monitors and he sees another large box truck enter the front parking lot of the Big Club.

  Phil and I look at the camera monitors, and we see the two large box trucks parked at the front entrance of the Big Club.

  I look at Jakobe and see that he looks scared.

  “What’s wrong Jakobe?” I ask as I look at Jakobe.

  Jakobe just stares at the camera monitors.

  I look at the camera monitor and see two large groups of people get out of the box trucks.

  I shout, “Shaun & Jon get in here!”

  I turn and look at Jakobe and ask, “Who are these people? Are they people from the Haven?”

  Shaun and Jon enter the office.

  Phil talks with Shaun and Jon as I talk with Jakobe.

  “What’s up Phil?” asks Shaun.

  “We got company, and they don’t look friendly,” answers Phil.

  “Who are they?” asks Jon as he looks at the security camera monitor.

  “It’s Donnie,” says the Haven guard as he sees Donnie’s face clearly on the security camera monitor.

  BANG!

  The security camera at the front of the Big Club is shot out and turns static on the camera monitor.

  “Donnie?” I ask.

  Jakobe snaps out of his trance and says, “Donnie. You met him before. He used to go out with Hailee.”

  A loud noise is heard outside.

  BOOM!

  Several shots are fired into the Big Club concrete walls.

  DAKKA! DAKKA!

  I pick up my radio and shout, “The Big Club is under attack! If anyone can hear me, please come immediately down here and help us!”

  “What should we do?” asks Jon.

  “We need to block the entrances and get someone on the roof!” I shout.

  Shaun sees a sniper rifle sitting against the wall in the office and a box of bullets for the rifle on a table.

  Shaun says, “I’ll get up to the roof.”

  Shaun grabs the sniper rifle and the box of bullets.

  Shaun, Phil, Jon, Jakobe, the other Haven guard, and I exit the office.

  “What do we do Ryan?” asks Jakobe.

  “We defend this place,” I answer Jakobe.

  Phil takes Jakobe and the other Haven guard to talk with Wesley and several other Haven guards.

  I see Shaun exit through the side entrance of the Big Club with two Haven guards.

  “Do we have any more guns here?” asks Jon.

  “I know we kept a couple guns here, but we took a lot of them back home with us,” I answer Jon.

  BANG!

  Another loud noise is heard outside the front entrance of the Big Club.

  “That little shit Donnie is trying to take over this place I bet,” I say.

  Jon and I search the Big Club for guns, and we find a rifle, a handgun, a grenade, two shotguns, and a few boxes of bullets for each gun.

  I have my handgun in my right thigh holster and so does Jon.

  Jon and I take the guns that we just found over to Phil and Jakobe.

  BANG!

  BANG!

  Two gunshots are heard outside of the Big Club.

  “Umm Ryan, these assholes look to be making their way towards the front door,” says Shaun over the radio.

  “Is that you firing up there? How many of them are out there?” I ask Shaun over the radio.

  BANG!

  “One less now,” says Shaun over the radio.

  “Stay hidden bro,” I say to Shaun over the radio.

  CRASH!

  The metal fencing at the front of the Big Club is ripped away from the entrance as one of the box trucks drives into the parking lot and pulls the chain that is attached to the metal fencing.

  “They are coming towards the front entrance now. They destroyed the metal fence,” says Shaun over the radio.

  KNOCK! KNOCK!

  Someone knocks on the front door of the Big Club.

  Jakobe and the other Haven guards nervously point their guns at the metal front door of the Big Club.

  Phil says, “Calm down everyone. They want in here, but we will be okay. Let’s get a plan together.”

  “They have to be coming in the front as the side entrance is very secure,” I say to Phil.

  Jon and Phil see what weapons we have, and they come up with a plan.

  “What’s going on out there Shaun?” I ask over the radio.

  “They are doing something at the front entrance of the store. They are hidden right now, but I’ll keep picking them off as they come out,” answers Shaun over the radio.

  “How many of them are left?” I ask over the radio.

  “About ten, I think,” answers Shaun over the radio.

  I walk over to Phil, Jakobe, and Jon and tell them what Shaun told me.

  BANG!

  A gunshot is heard outside of the Big Club.

  “Shaun is picking off the people outside. Can we get around to the front from the side or no?” I ask.

  Jakobe a
nswers, “I wouldn’t recommend it. It was made to keep people out.”

  KNOCK! KNOCK!

  Someone knocks on the thick metal entrance door of the Big Club again.

  “We know you are in there! We are willing to make a deal!” shouts someone from outside the metal door of the Big Club.

  Phil, Jon, Jakobe, and the rest of the Haven guards look at me.

  “I’m not making a deal, but I think we can use this to our advantage,” I say as I look at the entrance door.

  I step closer to the thick metal entrance door of the Big Club and shout, “What’s the deal?”

  BANG!

  A bullet comes flying into the thick metal door and gets stopped by the thick layers of metal.

  I move away from the entrance door as I see the bullet mark in the thick metal door.

  I hear the people outside laugh and cheer.

  I walk away from the front metal door and say, “So much for that.”

  I see two empty bottles of liquor, and I get an idea.

  I shout, “I have a plan! Keep an eye on the front door, but Jakobe and Jon follow me!”

  I run towards the aisle that has the cleaning supplies.

  “What’s up Ryan?” asks Jon as he and Jakobe catch up to me in the cleaning supplies aisle.

  I answer Jon, “I’m going to trap those assholes and burn them.”

  I grab a bag of rags.

  “Do we have any bottles of alcohol?” I ask Jakobe.

  “Yeah, we have a couple bottles of whiskey and vodka left,” answers Jakobe.

  “Great, I need a couple lighters and a bunch of empty bottles,” I say to Jon and Jakobe.

  “For what?” asks Jon.

  “You’ll see,” I answer Jon.

  Jakobe and Jon get the bottles of alcohol and the lighters.

  I pick up my radio and say, “Shaun, I need you to keep those idiots by the front door. Don’t let them come out. We will be coming up to you shortly.”

  “Roger dat, we will keep them trapped,” answers Shaun over the radio.

  Phil comes over to Jon and Jakobe.

  I bring the big bag of rags over to Jon and Jakobe.

  “I see what you are doing here,” says Phil.

  I look at the alcohol bottles that we have, and I tell Jon and Jakobe to put the bottles of alcohol, the bag of rags, the empty bottles, and the lighters in a bag that someone will be able to take up to the roof.

  BANG!

  BANG!

  BANG!

  Shaun and the Haven guards shoot at Donnie and his group.

  “We are starting to run low on bullets Ry,” says Shaun over the radio.

  “We are coming your way shortly, and we won’t need that many bullets for what we have planned,” I respond to Shaun over the radio.

  Phil and Jakobe are ready to take the bag of supplies up to Shaun.

  “You see what I’m doing here Phil?” I ask Phil.

  “Yup, it’s gonna be lit,” answers Phil.

  Phil and Jakobe exit through the side entrance of the Big Club and make their way up to the roof.

  “Phil and Jakobe are on their way up to the roof. Let me know when you are all set to make it rain,” I say to Shaun over the radio.

  “Make it rain?” asks Shaun over the radio.

  “You’ll know what I mean when you see Phil,” I answer over the radio.

  I walk over to the Haven guards who are standing near the front entrance of the Big Club and say, “I want you behind the pallets or something solid. Keep your guns pointed at the entrance. You’ll probably hear screaming in a couple seconds, but don’t be scared.”

  The Haven guards nod their heads, but I can see that they are worried about what is about to happen.

  “We are ready,” says Phil over the radio.

  “Drop when ready,” I reply over the radio.

  I clip the radio to my belt and point the shotgun I’m holding at the front door of the Big Club.

  Phil says over the radio, “In 3,2,1.”

  CRASH! CRASH!

  CRASH! CRASH!

  AHHHHHHH!

  The screams of people burning and being terrified are heard outside the front entrance of the Big Club.

  The smell of burning flesh and hair fills the air.

  AHHHHH!

  “Help us!” shout several people as they are being burned alive in the Big Club parking lot.

  KNOCK! KNOCK!

  “Let me in! Please! It’s me Donnie! I’m sorry!” shouts Donnie from outside the thick metal entrance door of the Big Club as he knocks on the front entrance door of the Big Club.

  I walk towards the front entrance of the Big Club and think about opening it.

  “You sure Ry?” asks Jon.

  CRASH! CRASH!

  Two more bottles drop and burn another person.

  AHHHH!

  Two people scream in pain outside of the Big Club.

  “Please! I’m injured!” shouts Donnie from outside the front entrance door of the Big Club.

  I wait two more seconds and then open the thick metal front entrance door of the Big Club.

  Donnie falls into the Big Club as I open the thick metal entrance door.

  Donnie’s left arm is on fire.

  “Stop, drop, and roll man!” shouts Jon.

  Donnie rolls on the cold concrete floor of the Big Club and the fire that was on his left arm goes out.

  AHHHH!

  A man, that is on fire, enters the Big Club.

  I take a big step backwards and then fire my shotgun at the man that is on fire.

  BOOM!

  The man, that is on fire, flies backwards and hits the concrete floor.

  Jon grabs a fire extinguisher and sprays the man’s burnt body.

  I kick the handgun, that Donnie dropped, away from Donnie as he lays in the fetal position on the concrete floor.

  “Don’t drop anymore bottles!” I shout over the radio.

  “We are all done,” answers Phil over the radio.

  “Go check outside,” I order the Haven guards.

  “Get down here guys!” I shout over the radio to Phil.

  Donnie’s left arm is badly burned.

  “Never fear Bobby G is here!” shouts Bobby G over his radio as he pulls into the Big Club parking lot.

  Jon puts out the remaining fires outside of the front entrance of the Big Club with the fire extinguisher.

  Jon sees Bobby G pull up in his new SUV followed by Lauren in an electric car.

  Phil, Jakobe, Shaun, and several Haven guards walk over to me.

  Bobby G and Lauren enter the Big Club through the main entrance.

  Bobby G has his handgun in his hand.

  “Better late than never, but it’s all over. Holster your weapon,” I say to Bobby G.

  Lauren sees Donnie on the concrete floor and asks, “What happened here?”

  I answer, “This idiot tried to take this place over.”

  Donnie mumbles something that is hard to make out as he has his face pressed against the concrete floor.

  I look down at Donnie and ask, “What was that?”

  Donnie shouts, “You are the reason Hailee dumped me! I was coming to kill you and take this place!”

  “Get him up!” I shout.

  Jakobe and Wesley pick Donnie up from the concrete floor.

  I tell Jakobe, “Sit him on the chair there.”

  Jakobe and Wesley push Donnie down onto one of the plastic chairs near the front entrance of the Big Club.

  I say, “Tie his arms behind his back.”

  Donnie grimaces in pain as Jakobe ties his arms behind his back.

  “I should have killed you,” says Donnie to Jakobe.

  “You tried to,” replies Jakobe.

  I see the black eye under Jakobe’s left eye and now understand how he got it.

  “Why did you attack Jakobe?” I ask Donnie.

  “Because he tried to stop me,” answers Donnie.

  I look at Phil and say, “See if you can
get William on the radio. I want to know what they say about Donnie.”

  Donnie gets a terrified look on his face.

  “They didn’t know anything about this. Please don’t tell them,” says Donnie.

  Phil asks, “You don’t want Hector coming here right?”

  I look at Phil and answer, “No, tell him to stay where he is. I only want William here.”

  Phil picks up his radio and talks with Hector and tries to reach William.

  Donnie starts to cry.

  I look at Donnie and say, “We will see what is what. Who are all these people you had with you? The people you got killed.”

  “People that were fed up with you and William and the way the world is now,” answers Donnie.

  “Dude, you are like twelve years old. How are you fed up with us and the way of the world?” asks Shaun to Donnie.

  “I’m nineteen asshole,” replies Donnie.

  “Oh, to be young and dumb again,” jokes Shaun.

  I look at Donnie and say, “I’ll make you a deal. I won’t kill you, and I’ll hand you over to William in exchange for something.”

  “What do you want?” asks Donnie.

  “I want to know why? Why did you do this?” I ask Donnie as I look into his tear-filled eyes.

  “What a deal,” jokes Jon.

  Phil walks over to me and says, “Bruce, Hailee, and William are on their way.”

  Donnie looks down at my feet.

  Donnie hocks up some saliva and spits at my feet.

  I look at my right shoe and see the spit on it.

  I take a step back and say, “Fair enough.”

  WHAPP!

  I roundhouse kick Donnie’s jaw with my right foot.

  Donnie is knocked out of the chair and lands onto the concrete floor of the Big Club.

  I grab a bottle of alcohol that is sitting on a nearby table and pour it on Donnie’s badly burned left arm.

  AHHHHH!

  Donnie screams in pain.

  “You had to be a little shit, huh!” I shout at Donnie as I finish pouring the alcohol on his burned left arm.

  I place the alcohol bottle on a table and walk away from Donnie.

  “Keep an eye on him,” I say to Jakobe as I walk by Jakobe and over to Shaun.

  Jakobe replies, “Yes sir.”

  Lauren walks over to me and asks, “Was that necessary?”

  “No, but it should have been done,” answers Shaun.

  I look at everyone around the Big Club and shout, “Let’s load up our vehicles and the box trucks! I don’t think Donnie and his group will be needing the box trucks anymore!”