by Victor Cruz
Everyone’s finally realizing the cavalry isn’t coming to our rescue. Mason thought about the boat rescue pipe dream that the radio had sold them on earlier.
While everyone began to panic, Mason and his team had huddled in a unified formation. It wasn’t time to panic for them. For them it was time to execute Mason’s mental preparations.
“Alright. It’s now or never, everyone. Ladies, stay back while we take care of business up front,” Mason ordered, while anticipating Inez’s protest. Normally she would have argued about being left out of the action, but she didn’t. Even she understood that this was not the time or the place to take a stand on principal alone. Right now, was the time to follow orders and make use of one’s self when possible.
“And Kenneth,” Mason spoke back to his neighbor who came from a different sort of background than the rest of them. The corporate 9-5 working man had no contextual reference for the term Wall Him and thus, would rely on their guidance. He had never served a day locked up in his life, like the rest of them, but they needed utilize the extra body to aid their escape.
“Yes, Mason?” Kenneth replied and was all ears. He was a good listener, with an impeccable memory for details. In the few times they had talked as neighbors, he seemed to remember everything Mason had told him. Normally, that made Mason uncomfortable. Out of paranoia, Mason thought that Kenneth could be undercover, but those fears were dismissed over the years of living next door to him.
He’s just a good man providing for his family. Like me. Just on the other side of the legal track. Thought Mason. He replied, having Kenneth’s full attention. “Follow the other guy’s lead. And don’t be a hero.”
“Sure thing,” Kenneth responded while squeezing his arm around his daughter. “I’ll do whatever I have to, for my daughter.”
Belle pulled away gently, due to her embarrassment, “C’mon Dad…. I’m fine.”
Catalina gently pulled Belle-Lyanna back and away from Kenneth while offering him a warm smile, “Don’t worry, Ken. She’s safe with us.”
“Okay, okay,” Kenneth gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Love you, Angel-Belle.”
Belle hugged her father, giving him one last peck on his cheek before sweetly offering her own words of encouragement to her protector. “I love you dad. Don’t worry, I’ll be okay.”
Kenneth reluctantly released his daughter before walking off with Mason, Maxson, Colton and Reggie. The five men had to swim through the groups of people shouting people that were becoming more aggressive with time. Panic had set into them after finally realizing that the dead weren’t only locked out, but they were locked in.
The soldiers that were requested for backup from earlier had arrived, but not only did it not help, but only served to make the mob angrier.
It was not time for Mason to watch the madness unfolding around him. Walking in such a way that went unnoticed in order to conceal themselves. Setting the example, the rest of the group behind him mirrored his casual stroll through the pushing and shoving of the crowded grouped in the gym.
Mason’s head was tucked down, but his eyes were focused on the tall and bony guard that stood in front of the staircase. The same prey that Mason had spotted from earlier.
He’s blocking your escape. Maxson’s escape. Catalina’s escape. Mason reminded himself.
The armed guard had his back against the wall, standing by the door. Overwhelmed by the scenario playing out in front of him, he was doing his best to go unnoticed. His helmet was shaking around on his sweaty head and sliding down his pale face. The rifle trembled in his hands while the rest of his body remained frozen stiff. When he noticed Mason and Maxson approaching, he nearly jumped in fear. However, the calm and casual manner the two large men approached him with made it easier for him to regain his composure.
“Sir? Can I help you?” The solder asked Mason, who had taken the lead to his younger brother.
Mason disarmed him with a friendly smile, “Yes. You can.”
“Sir…” The soldier said in a preprogrammed respond and in a confused manner. He hadn’t even noticed the wall of bodies that were Kenneth, Reggie and Colton standing behind the two brothers. “… I-I-I’m going to have to ask you to back away and return to the gym with the rest. Please.”
Mason kept his distance. A scared soldier was just as dangerous as a brave one when things became chaotic like they were. “Look, friend. We just want to take our chances out there. We’re not looking to cause any trouble for you, your unit or anybody else here.”
“Sir. You need to back away from me,” The soldier creakily spat. He wore a scared face, while waving the rifle at them.
Mason slowly put his hands into the air, “¡Tranquilo, ese! ¡Tranquilo!”
It was something that his Latina wife had said often and that Mason enjoyed. Catalina would usually say it when she was pulling him out of another man’s face. Which would usually happen when someone had too many beers and said the wrong thing to him.
“I said back away!” The soldier repeated, angrily. His rifle pointed directly at the two, Mason could see his finger grazing the trigger. The soldier looked over towards his comrades, but noticed only a wall of men blocking his visual.
Kenneth, Colton and Reggie were all standing shoulder to shoulder in as subtle of a manner as they could conjure. Even so, the soldier realized that if he couldn’t see the rest of his unit, then that meant their visual of him was blocked off as well.
And that’s how you wall someone in the pen.
The sudden epiphany suddenly alerted the guard to the potential danger that were the two brothers standing directly in front of him. Cut off from the rest of his unit, he was a lone wolf and was now, solely facing an entire pack.
Maxson slowly leaned over and whispered something to him, “Mase, more soldiers are coming. Things are getting out of control just as you said.”
Mason turned to look, but a loud thunderous boom caused everyone to lose balance. Something had just exploded outside and whatever it was, made the entire place shake. The scared soldier that was standing near the door had stumbled and let go of his rifle to keep himself balanced against the wall behind him.
Now or never. Mason kept repeating to himself while building the courage, before accepting the former.
Before the soldier could stand back up, Mason had driven his fist into the man’s helmet-strapped jaw. The soldier was sent back against the wall behind that he stood in front of. His helmet covered head roughly bounced off the wall making him stumble forward.
Meanwhile, Maxson had joined the fight and grabbed the rifle from the soldier. With a jerk and a tug, he had pulled the younger man’s finger away from the trigger. Now, he couldn’t shoot it and alarm the other soldiers that were still preoccupied with the disorderly masses in the gym frenzied by the explosion.
The two men silently wrestled the soldier briefly, before Maxson ripped the rifle completely away from him. Before the soldier could react, Mason had thrown another fist, directly into the young man’s large nose. It broke with a crunch and immediately gushed blood before he fell backwards against the wall. The guards back slid down the wall behind him, until he was now resting flat on his butt. Holding his bleeding face, he curled up to groan in pain.
Kenneth scrambled to grab the pistol that was the soldier’s sidearm. The injured younger man didn’t put up any resistance as the gun was taken from him giving Kenneth liberty to take the extra clip of ammo as well.
“You know how to use one of those things?” Mason asked Kenneth, referring to the gun.
“Yeah. The trigger is the thing that makes it shoot.” Kenneth joked.
The younger Devereaux brother smirked before reaching over and flipping the switch of the safety. Maxson then added, “Now it does.”
Kenneth gave Maxson a dopey smile before Reggie returned with the ladies. Inez, Catalina and Belle-Lyanna, had all fallen in line and were now ready to roll.
Mason finally reached into the back of his waistband and pulled h
is .45 pistol. It was a basic blue steel and nothing particularly interesting, but reliable in terms of semi-auto.
Unsheathing his weapon, made Reggie, Colton, Maxson and Inez unsheathe their own. The group were well verse in the art of subtleties. Each had their guns out and at theirs sides before Kenneth took notice.
“You guys have been armed this whole time?” Kenneth didn’t understand before his eyes fell onto the leader of the group. “Mason. I never asked, because I had an idea, but I didn’t really want to know… but what did you all do before this?”
Mason was unsure of what to call themselves. Over their lives, they had boosted cars, robbed drug dealers, trafficked illegal weapons, performed high-end heists, worked for organized crime families and smuggled goods for international cartels.
“Professional criminal,” Mason finally settled on.
“Right on,” Kenneth digested, then asked to the amusement of the entire group, “Does that pay well?”
“There’s no benefits, but all your money is untaxed, so pick your poison,” Mason responded with a pleasant grin.
Yeah. I think I’ve decided. It’s still a little too early to tell, but I like Kenneth.
…
Gunfire suddenly erupted behind them ending their comradery. Mason heard gunshots from behind and looked back to see that one the soldiers had opened fire on a couple of the civilians at the main staircase.
Before they hit the floor dead, Mason had opened the door for his group. “Time to go! Move! Move! Move!”
Nobody argued and everyone immediately funneled themselves into, and down the staircase. Mason proceeded to follow them at the back, behind Kenneth. More shots were fired from inside the gym full of screaming civilians behind them as descended down the staircase.
The door closed, but shortly opened as Mason made it down one floor. Taking aim with his pistol, he restrained himself from firing. It wasn’t soldiers pursuing, but civilians.
Others in the crowd had noticed them fleeing and responded by following. Without their own plan, they must have presumed they had no other choice besides stay in the gym. The soldiers weren’t executing those who stayed, but those who were insubordinate and those who were trying to escape.
Still, some of them decided to risk their chances with Mason’s group leaving those who chose to stay in the gym. By the time Mason had reached the bottom step he could hear gunfire and screams at the top of the staircase. Nobody else would be coming down the staircase.
“Ah-hell, them god-damn soldiers are trying to kill us!” Colton said with a light southern drawl. He stopped for a moment with his revolver raised, but Mason pushed him straight and forward. They didn’t have time to pick a fight.
“Keep moving! Now! Go! Go! Go!”
Our protectors have now become our executioners. Mason was unsure if they were following orders, or if the situation had just gotten that out of control. They weren’t taking any prisoners, so it mattered little either way.
The group reached the basement which was a simple hallway that was long, narrow and straight. There were a few doors on each side of the tight and repetitive corridor. One lead to a gym, another to the boxing ring that Reggie had trained at and yet another lead to a swimming pool. Each door passed lead the group closer to their destination.
“The garage is on the other side of that door!” Reggie yelled back to the others as he effortlessly jogged, while still maintaining the lead. He was the most athletic out of everyone and had endurance that only professional athletes held.
The group continued down the hall with more people following behind them. Mason could hear some of them shouting to wait, but he didn’t stop. Predicting that they would catch up as soon as they got to the door, he became distracted by a beautiful woman.
“¡Ándele! ¡Ándele!” Catalina shouted back to the group while holding the door ahead. She was waiting for Kenneth and more importantly, Mason.
They stared at one another while he caught up and she stood at the door.
Now or never. Mason repeatedly urged himself with Catalina in his sights.
Impulsively, Mason stopped Catalina at the door and grabbed her. His arm wrapping around her slim waist and he pulled her feminine body in tight. A surprise gasp released from her, but was stifled by Mason’s lips. Embracing her with his arms and holding her with his lips, he passionately kissed her.
Those from the gym that had followed behind them were now passing by Catalina and Mason, and entering the garage.
A pair of men who could have been brothers ran by with a scrawny man trailing close behind them. They all snickered when one of them cackled, “Get a room!”
The married kissing couple didn’t hear and even if they did, they wouldn’t have cared. The world around them had vanished momentarily and they were lost in each other.
It was a kiss that could never have been long enough, but it would have to suffice. Mason released her begrudgingly and her eyes remained closed with her lips pursed; still holding onto their moment.
Mason fought his own softness to return to her soft warm lips and grabbed her attention by giving her butt a firm smack to bring her back to reality. She had always accused him of ruining the moment, but this time he did it intentionally.
Her eyes opened and she clicked her tongue, but Mason could see the devilish smile she contained in her lips.
“Let’s go, we don’t have much time, kitten,” Mason would sometimes call Catalina.
She began walking into the garage with Mason’s hand on her wide hips to help guide her. She was tough, but as a lady, she always gracefully accepted a chance to be pampered. And like the gentlemen Mason tried to be, he held the door, and waited for her to enter, before following behind her.
Ladies first. Mason reflected on what his father had always instilled in him and Maxson.
Entering the garage, Mason could see his brother had already made his way down the steps that lead to the garage’s ground level. The garage was larger than Mason expected and had a few floors off to the side that were connected by a steep spiraling ramp. There were civilian cars that he presumed must have belonged to employees that worked in the offices on the top floors of the main building.
Maxson and Reggie had reached a bus that was conveniently close by. As they entered the bus, the stranger’s from the gym followed.
Like sheep being herded into a trailer. Mason cynically thought. They were planning to ride their coattails out of there and the way Mason saw it, the more, the merrier. Afterall, a bus could fit a lot of people on it and even as cynical as Mason was, he still held onto his compassion.
The younger Devereaux brother meanwhile had hotwired the bus in a course of minutes, but that was all the time it took for the soldiers to begin to catch up. Screaming under gunfire was emitting from the same hallway that they had just entered from. As solemn as it was, it gave them warning of their impending armed opposition.
An older man wearing a cowboy hat shouldered his way through the door while holding his hat on his head. He had a thick mustache and a solemn face that was void of emotion.
“These soldiers can’t shoot for shit. It’s no wonder why our country has gone to Hell,” The old man said as he hobbled through. He wasted no time in making his way towards the bus that was running and that everyone else was getting on.
Tough old bastard. Mason thought briefly of the old man whose name he didn’t know.
A second man followed. He was tanned and Mason recognized instantly that he was of some sort of Latino descent. In good shape, there was something about his innocent brown eyes that made Mason trust him. He was around his brother’s age, maybe a little younger. The man smiled politely to Mason in passing towards the bus, which only further cemented the good vibe the man gave Mason.
Mason held the door and looked through it. Peaking his head back down the hall revealed a group of soldiers walking down the stair case on the other side. A few more people ran through the door while Mason held it open for them. One of them w
as a big strong individual that had a fierce red beard and grunted in appreciation of him holding the door as he slowly ran by.
Mason peered back down the hallway, just in time to see the soldiers making their way to the bottom of the stairs on the other end. Others were running from them and the hallway was filled with people fleeing towards the door he held open. The soldiers collectively entered the hallway and calmly lined up in an organized manner before raising their rifles to point down the hallway. The end of their rifles facing in the direction of Mason, he suspected there were at least a dozen men and women in between him and the soldiers.
“Shit! Get down!” Mason yelled out to the others in the garage, while rolling away. The door closed in time to catch the first rounds of the soldier’s automatic fire. Women screaming and men wailing were slowly silenced until all that was left in the hallway was a short and dismal silence. Its calmness soon ending under the sound of the soldier’s boots thudding against the hallway floors as they continued their advances towards him.
I need to buy us some time. Mason thought, before opening the door and quickly releasing a few rounds from his pistol towards the soldiers. The sounds of them yelling and taking cover could be heard from down the hall.
There was no chance of taking on automatic rifles with a handgun at this distance, if at any distance, but he could at least slow them down. He waited a few more seconds and hurled a few more rounds down the hall, but this time he was met with return fire.
They respond fast. Mason disapprovingly realized. He had been in gunfights before, but usually against low level street thugs that shot a gun sideways with one hand holding up their baggy pants. Not government trained professionals that could coordinate, improvise and maneuver as one cohesive unit and were armed with the world’s leading tools designed to efficiently kill.
A whizzing bullet hit the door right by his head making him fall back in reaction, but not before Mason fired a few more rounds back in retaliation. A handful of puncturing noises pinged as bullets shredded the door into swiss cheese. There was no denying that retreat was the only option and Mason began to withdrawal from the door.