Brink of Extinction | Book 2 | Stay Alive

by Shupert, Derek

  He kicked her boot with the tip of his shoe. Abby rolled on the floor, palming her face.

  I reached over his shoulder, grabbed the filter from the bottom of his mask, then jerked his head back. I plunged the dagger into his neck and twisted.

  The foot soldier elbowed me in the ribs, but I held firm. I pulled the dagger out and ran the sharp edge along his throat, slicing it open for good measure.

  He struggled a bit more, then stopped. His body went limp in my arms. I pulled him away from Abby and laid him on the floor. I kicked his lifeless arm out of my way.

  I kneeled at Abby’s side, then touched her shoulder. She flinched, lifting her arms up in defense. I pressed my finger to my lips, shushing her.

  “It’s me. Calm down. It’s all right,” I said in a whisper.

  Abby kept her arms up for a second longer before lowering them. She looked down past her boots at the dead body a few feet away. The light shone on her face, revealing the redness left by the punishing blow.

  “There’s no need to look at that. He’s been taken care of and won’t touch you again. Just look at me,” I said, putting her focus back on me.

  Jake screamed, pleading for his daughter’s life before being silenced once more.

  Naked fear loomed in Abby’s glassy eyes, her face contorted in sheer panic. She looked toward the far end of the aisle, then back to me.

  “Stay quiet and follow my lead, all right?”

  Abby nodded, but the doubt and terror remained.

  I left her side, secured the dagger, and maneuvered the rifle from the dead man’s shoulder. I ejected the magazine, skimmed over the rounds, then slapped it back into place.

  Each painful plea from Jake made her wince and cringe. She sat up from the floor and got her feet under her.

  I slipped the sling over my chest and shouldered the rifle. I tapped her shoulder. “Stay behind me.”

  Abby nodded, rubbing the side of her cheek.

  I turned and headed back the way we came. We rounded the shelf and worked our way down the long stretch of aisle toward the front of the store. I thumbed off the light mounted under the barrel of the gun, concealing our whereabouts.

  Abby stayed fixed on my back, mimicking every move I made. We turned down one of the aisles and headed for the cash registers. Our footfalls made little to no noise as we closed in on Jake’s panted breaths.

  I stopped, turned toward Abby, then pointed at the floor in front of her, whispering, “Wait right here.”

  She dipped her chin, then glanced back up to me. I crept closer to the edge of the aisle. Abby stayed put, watching me with wide eyes.

  Silence fell over the store. I peeked around the edge of the shelves.

  Jake laid sprawled out on his back, looking up at the foot soldier standing over him. The rifle was trained at Jake’s chest, muzzle an inch away from his coat. He remained still.

  I moved a few steps back, away from the shelving unit. I took aim through the small opening between the empty shelves.

  The foot soldier leaned toward Jake, then smacked his face. Jake stirred on the floor, moving his head about, slow and clunky like. The gunman slapped him again, stood up, then kicked him in the ribs.

  I lined up my shot with his upper shoulder wielding the rifle. My finger slipped inside the trigger guard, hugging the kill switch. I took a deep breath, and stepped out from the corner of the aisle.

  The foot soldier spotted me. He flinched, brought his rifle to bear, then trained it in my direction.

  I squeezed the trigger, firing a single round before he could get a shot off. The bullet hammered his upper shoulder, knocking him off balance and turning him away from me.

  He bent over.

  I kept the buttstock snug against my shoulder, with the barrel trained at him, and moved in. He turned back toward me, struggling to raise the rifle with his wounded arm. I closed the distance with a slight limp. He turned my way.

  “I don’t think so.” I lowered the rifle, then slammed the buttstock into the side of his face.

  His head turned to the side, his hands releasing the rifle. He fell to the floor and hit face first. I pried the weapon from his fingers, then removed the sling from around his body.

  Jake scurried away on his back side. Abby ran out from the aisle. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging and squeezing him tight. He held her close, then kissed the side of her tender cheek.

  “Are you okay?” Jake asked, pulling away and looking her over. She lowered her head, then nodded. “Damn it. They hurt you.”

  I set the rifle on the floor near Jake, then spotted the discarded pistol on the floor.

  “You all right?” I asked Jake, retrieving the weapon and securing the piece in my waistband.

  His face looked bruised and beaten. Blood ran from both nostrils and the side of his busted lip. The skin around his right eye was puffy and irritated. He held onto Abby a moment longer, hugging her tight.

  “Yeah. Aside from getting my teeth kicked in, I’m good. Just glad she’s all right.” Jake looked at the foot soldier laying on the floor near him. He twitched and stirred, moving his arms. “What are you going to do with him?”

  I peered down at him, then said, “He’s going to tell me where they took my friend.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CORY

  The SUV hit the parking lot of the motel at full tilt. The front end rolled over the dip in the road and slammed the pavement. Tires squealed, fighting for traction. I kept the gas pedal mashed to the floorboard and drove past the office, checking the rearview mirror for any vehicles but didn’t spot any in tow.

  The headlights shone over the fronts of the rooms on the bottom floor. I zeroed in on room 20B. I hit the brake, bringing the SUV to a skidding halt near the sidewalk.

  I killed the engine, then shoved the door open. I glanced toward the office, searching for any headlights shining through the dimness under the awning. Every muscle strand and bone ached with each step I took toward the motel room. My head throbbed, but I bore the pain.

  My hand gripped the doorknob and turned. I pushed it open and stepped inside the dark, silent space.

  Shadow rushed me from the black void of the room, knocking me flat on my ass, then my back. She straddled my body, barking and growling. Her ears folded down, and she snapped at my face. I grabbed both sides of her head, holding her at bay as best I could.

  Anna flanked the aggressive German shepherd. She trained the barrel of the Smith and Wesson at my head.

  “Christ. Get her off me. It’s me, Cory,” I said, wrestling with the angered beast.

  “Shit, Lawson.” Anna lowered her piece, stowed it in the waistband of her jeans, then reached for Shadow’s collar.

  The German shepherd’s snout wrinkled, fangs snapping at my face. I leaned away and pushed up, trying to keep the large canine from tearing my throat out.

  “Shadow, come on.” Anna pulled her back into the room, giving me some space.

  I lay in the doorway for a few seconds, gathering myself. My heart punched my chest, and I struggled to catch my breath.

  Cindy emerged from the side of the room near the window, slow and cautious. She extended her hand and helped me to my feet. I collapsed against the door and stumbled inside the motel room.

  “What the hell was that all about?” I asked, slamming the door shut behind me. “And why was the door open?”

  Anna sat on the edge of the bed, patting Shadow’s side to calm the beast down. Cindy turned the lantern on, giving us some light in the darkness.

  “A couple of assholes got the drop on us outside, but we took care of it,” Anna replied, palming her arm. “I thought it might’ve been more trouble and was being cautious.

  I leaned against the wall, keeping my distance from Shadow. The German shepherd stared at me from between Anna’s legs.

  “Jumped you?” I looked at the Anna, noticing the bloody bandage wrapped around her right bicep. Streaks of blood stained her flesh, running past her elbow.
“Where at and why did you leave?”

  Anna removed her hand from the wound, then pointed toward the parking lot. “We went across the street to a thrift shop. Found some coats and other threads for us to change into. These three guys snuck in and well, let’s just say that between Shadow and myself, we handled it.”

  “Not before they tagged you from the looks of it,” I shot back.

  “Yeah. One of them got me with a blade before I could put a round in his head. It’s not the worst injury I’ve ever sustained. I’ll be fine.” Anna studied the wound.

  I glanced over to Cindy, who continued trembling, and looked her over from top to bottom. “Are you okay?”

  Anna nodded at her. “She stayed here.”

  Cindy paced the motel room. She couldn’t sit and relax. I understood.

  “When we got back, we turned the lantern off and laid low in case anyone else was out there,” Anna said. “We heard the vehicle rolling up hot on the motel room and thought we had trouble inbound. Glad it was just you. Thanks for scaring the shit out of us, Lawson.”

  I limped over to the window, then peered out to the parking lot. I scanned it over, but spotted no movement in the falling gray ash.

  “Looks clear for now.” I turned toward Anna. Shadow watched me like a hawk. Her ears twitched, her eyes glued to my every move.

  “Why did you come barreling through the parking lot anyway?” Anna asked as she rose from the bed. “I take it you found more problems than solutions.”

  Cindy paused, then asked, “Did you find Jessie? What did he say? Does he know what they want?”

  I held my hand up, stopping the barrage of questions. “I found out enough before they arrived and killed Jessie. They almost got me too, but I lost them back in the city, I think. We probably need to move soon and see if we can find another ride. They put a few rounds through the windshield when I drove away.”

  Cindy walked toward me, then asked, “What did they take? What did William die for?”

  “Information from what Jessie said. They robbed the McCones and sold the data to some guy named Sanchez Domingo,” I replied, looking at Cindy, then over to Anna.

  “Great,” Anna said under her breath, then turned away. She sighed and shook her head.

  “I’ve heard of the McCones before from the news,” Cindy said, eyes wide. “They’re some sort of crime syndicate or something like that in Utah.”

  “Yeah. A pretty nasty one at that.” Anna faced us. “McCone is almost as bad as Mr. Coleman. Sanchez Domingo is a ruthless thug as well. I think he’d kill his own family if it would further his agenda. He’s been wanting to take over the McCones’s territory and power for some time. That’s not a feud that we’d want to get in the middle of.”

  “You’ve had dealings with both of them, I take it?” I asked, curious.

  “I did a few jobs for Domingo a few years back. It wasn’t pretty, and he was explicit with how he wanted the job executed. Gruesome stuff. I’ll spare you the details. Things went sideways, and he didn’t care for it,” Anna answered, favoring her injured arm. “I haven’t done any assignments for the McCones, but their reputation precedes them.”

  Cindy clenched her jaw, ran her fingers through her brown, matted hair, then turned around. “I can’t believe Jessie dragged William into this mess. I rue the day that man ever came into William’s life. He destroyed my family.”

  I cleared my throat and contemplated telling Cindy what Jessie had said, but figured it was a moot point now. I left it alone and kept it to myself.

  “That doesn’t matter right now,” Anna said. “The people they stole from are some of the worst, and the one they sold it to is just as bad. We need to figure out our next move and leave the city while we still can.”

  Cindy looked to Anna. She sighed, then turned away.

  “Agreed. Since they’ve already sold the data to Domingo, there’s nothing else we can do but leave the city and get you to your son. After that, you’ll just need to disappear someplace where the McCones can’t find you,” I said to Cindy, who paced the dim motel room.

  Anna grabbed a wad of clothes and threw them at my chest. “Put those on. I guessed at your size, so hopefully they’ll fit.”

  I cradled the musty clothes, then glanced down to them. “Thanks. They should be good.”

  “I’m going to load up the weapons and ammo.” Anna snapped her fingers at Cindy. “Can you keep a look out for us through that window?”

  Cindy continued pacing the motel room, ignoring Anna’s request.

  “Hey.” Anna raised her voice and snapped her fingers again. Cindy flinched, stopped, then looked her way. “I know you’re scared right now and struggling to process everything, but we need you to focus here and help out. You and your son’s life depend on it.”

  Cindy turned, and walked toward the window.

  Anna stared at me, lips pursed.

  I glanced at Cindy, then walked around Anna and Shadow.

  The German shepherd growled, but didn’t snap or attack. I hauled the clothes back to the bathroom, leaving the door open to give me some light.

  I emptied the pockets of my trousers and set the contents on the counter. The screen of my phone had a crack that webbed outward from the center. I thumbed the power button on the side. It didn’t come on. I considered dumping it in the trash, but decided against it seeing as it was the only tether I had to Janet and Peter, regardless if it worked or not.

  I took off the coat and sat it on top of the toilet seat. I removed the smirched rags I wore, tossing them to the floor near the tub. The cool air nipped at my exposed flesh. I shivered, and my teeth chattered.

  My reflection in the mirror over the sink revealed hints of bruises and cuts all over my body. I ignored the grisly sight and slipped on the long-sleeve, red-flannel shirt and denim jeans. A bit tight in the waist, but it would do much better than the torn, blood-stained rags I had on.

  I grabbed the phone from the counter, shoved it into the back pocket of the jeans, then retrieved the coat from the top of the toilet seat.

  Shadow growled, then barked a warning. I put the coat on and stepped out from the restroom, looking toward the front of the room.

  “Why is she barking?” I asked Anna.

  Shadow ran toward the entrance of the motel room. She lowered and barked louder.

  Cindy stepped away from the side of the window. Her chest heaved and her eyes bulged with fear as she stared at us. “They’re here.”

  “Who’s here?” I asked, leaving the dark bathroom behind. “McCone’s men?”

  Anna zipped up both duffle bags, then glanced up at me. “You still got that Beretta?”

  “No. I lost it fleeing Jessie’s apartment.” I rushed to the king size bed.

  “Here.” Anna handed me the Smith and Wesson. She shoved a pistol inside the waistband of her jeans, then pulled the top of the white jacket she had on over the weapon. “We need to get out of here now. How many are outside?”

  Cindy peeked around the curtain for a split second, then closed it just as fast. “A handful. I’m not sure.”

  “Be more specific,” Anna shot back, short and curt. “Three? Four? More than that?”

  “Maybe three. Could be more,” Cindy replied, panting.

  Anna loaded six shells into the magazine of the black-tactical shotgun and one into the chamber. She jerked the fore-end, making it hot.

  Shadow reared back on her hind legs and scratched at the door. Each bark boomed like thunder through the motel room.

  I looked to the side of the bed and spotted a door in the wall. “Our only way out of here is through that door.”

  “It should lead into the next motel room.” Anna turned toward the entrance, then rushed to Shadow.

  Cindy ran from the window to my side.

  I grabbed the doorknob, then twisted, but it didn’t turn. “We’re going to have to bust through the door. It’s locked or jammed.”

  Anna lowered the shotgun, then tugged at the canine�
��s collar. “Do whatever you need to do, but get through that door now.”

  I stepped away from the door, then rammed the bottom of my shoe near the doorknob. The door rattled, but didn’t give.

  A sharp, stinging pain lanced through my knee, then up my leg. I cringed, bent over, and palmed my knee.

  Cindy tapped my shoulder. I turned and looked toward the entrance of the room. Shadowy silhouettes moved across the window, then hovered in front of it.

  “Come on, Lawson.” Anna pulled back with Shadow’s collar in her hand.

  I limped toward the door and hit again, ignoring the pain. The noise made challenged Shadow’s deep-throated barks. I dipped my shoulder, then rammed the door.

  Wood splintered. The door flew open into the adjacent room. I tumbled inside the dark space, hitting the floor on my side. Cindy grabbed my arm, and helped me to my feet.

  A shotgun fired. The deafening boom of the weapon pounded my ears.

  Anna stood near the opened doorway, shouldering the shotgun. She popped off two more shots, then came in after us with Shadow by her side.

  I swept the empty space, favoring my left leg. I turned toward the entrance of the room, noticing the closed door.

  Gunfire hammered the motel room door from the room we’d just left. Anna hugged the wall near the doorway and waited for the men outside to breach.

  I advanced through the dark motel room toward the entrance, skirting past the king-sized bed. A thin bead of light shone through the narrow opening between the curtains that covered the window. I looked at the door, then back to the curtains.

  My shoulder pressed to the wall. I pulled the edge of the curtain back and peered through the window to the parking lot. I caught flashes of movement from McCone’s men moving around the vehicles parked in front of the building.

  Anna’s shotgun barked its harsh report. She ceased firing and ducked inside the motel room we stood in.

  The door next to me shuddered. I flinched, then turned toward it. Two sharp reports popped off from right outside the room. Bullets punched through the door near the doorknob.