Rage and Ruin | 2

0 | 4

K A N E

My first thought when I saw the man standing in our way was 'oh'. Apparently the Club was still in the area, contrary to what I'd just told Riley.

The three of us watched each other, standing frozen for a few moments. My eyes dropped to the man's belt where a gun in a holster was hanging.

"We need to get out of here," Riley said, barely moving her lips. "Run for your life."

She took a few steps back before turning and breaking into a full sprint in the opposite direction, away from the man. I followed closely after her, not wanting a bullet in my chest.

Riley ran ahead of me, still clutching the papers under one arm. I hoped that they wouldn't blow away or get lost in our escape.

      She reached the other open side of the building before I did, but only barely. We stood under the metal beam that had once held the roof up for a split second before the same man blocked our way again. Apparently, he'd gone around the ruins and hadn't had to deal with the blockage that we'd had to.

      Riley and I stopped in our tracks as the man pulled the handgun from his holster and aimed it at the two of us.

      "What do you want?" Riley asked, sounding as if she wasn't afraid. But the panicked look in her eyes still remained.

      "I want the both of you on the ground with your hands above your heads where I can see them."

      Riley's inky black eyes found mine for a moment before she sank down to plant her knees on the ground. My gaze stayed trained on the gun aimed for her head. I knew that she wouldn't utilize her power until she was no longer in danger of being shot for it.

      The stout man turned to look at me with his grisly, half-shaven face. "You too, or I'll blow your girlfriend's brains out."

      Despite the situation we were currently in, I caught a smile growing on Riley's lips as she stared at the ground. I pushed the thought out of my brain and focused my attention on the gun now aimed at me.

      Knowing that he'd most likely make good of his threat, I slowly got down on my knees as well. The rocky debris-covered ground dug into my legs but I didn't waver before the gangster. What would he do next?

      He held his hand out before Riley. I noticed that he had a finger missing, like it had been cut off his body long ago. "The papers," he said impatiently.

      The gun was taken off of me when he focused his attention on her. Was this my chance?

      Sweeping out my hand, I grabbed ahold of a jagged chunk of rock. With all my strength, I lobbed it into the man's direction.

      The concrete caught him in the chest. I'd thrown it with such force that he was thrown backwards and landed on his back ten feet away.

      Riley and I both scrambled to our feet before he rose again. The gang member raised the gun shakily in the air as he struggled to stand. The trigger was pulled and I grabbed Riley's arm to yank her out of the bullet's path.

      With the sound of the deafening gunshot still ringing in my ears, I lunged to the right, out of the line of fire. I let my hand drag low to scoop up a handful of gravel and threw the tiny stones into the man's face. With a protective arm in front of his face, he ducked down as he tried to avoid getting the rocks in his eyes.