Soul - Colby Brock

One Hundred and Thirty-Five

Heaven shot upright at the sound of banging downstairs. Her gun was still clutched in her hand, the metal burning where it made contact with her skin. She hadn't REALLY used one for a while. The banging continued, someone's assault on the front door.

The woman got up from her bed and slowly made her way down her stairs. The banging stopped for a moment and so did she. Just then, there was another bang but it was much closer to a knock, like a gentle rap on the door.

"Who is it?" She called out, her gun pointed at the door. There was a short pause before someone said:

"It's just Dale! Dale Riley from the house next door." Heaven dropped her hand down. She hid her gun in her waistband as she walked up to the front door and slid the chain back across.

"One sec..." she mumbled, turning the knob and opening the door. There stood a man in his mid-forties holding a small wicker basket in his hand and a bright smile on his face. He wore an old pair of jeans that looked too long for him, a pair of those boots men wear, and a baggy polo shirt with a small brand symbol I didn't recognize on the chest. Definitely a father and, based on the ring on his finger, also a husband.

"I apologize if I woke you up." He had an adorable happy voice that was deep yet far from intimidating. He held out the basket. "My wife and I heard someone was moving in here and we saw your car this morning. She made these cupcakes for you, the kids did some of the frostings so you might wanna stay away from the blue ones."

Heaven took the basket from him with a smile. She couldn't be rude to such a sweet man. "Thank you so much." She glanced at the house just opposite to see a woman looking around the same age as Dale standing behind to young kids. A boy and a girl about a year apart.

"Yes, that's the wife and kids." Dale motioned behind him. He waved at them so they waved back.

"What are the kids' names?" I asked politely. 

"The eldest is Connor and his little sister is Avery." I looked between the two little kids. "Connor is seven and Avery is nearly six." Six. That number. The little girl reminded Heaven of someone who had seen just yesterday and said goodbye to. Someone she already missed.

"They're lovely ages." She told him with a gentle smile. Dale turned back to her and took a step back.

"Why don't you come over for some lunch?" He suggested. God, why did he have to be so nice? Heaven opened her mouth just to shut it again. "Busy?"

"Um, a little. I will one day though."

"No, that is perfectly fine, miss." Dale kept backing up the drive. "It was lovely to meet you."

"You too. I'm Heaven, by the way. I will see you around." The man nodded and turned around to look at the road so that he wouldn't get run over. Heaven watched until he was at his front door. The two waved at each other before she slipped into her own house, locking and bolting the door behind her. She placed the cupcakes onto the kitchen counter then slipped upstairs to change...

Heaven hopped over the large wall and dropped down onto her knees. She looked side to side to make sure no one had seen her then crawled slowly forward for cover. The sounds of idiotic gang members filled her ears and the smell of weed blocked up her nose.

"Nah, bruv!" Someone yelled with a laugh. A loud gunshot echoed throughout the area not that anyone would be around.

"We fucking ANHIALATED those bitches." Another laughed out loudly. Maniacs. 

"I know, dude. Like, bang bang bang. And they all just hit the floor just like that." A third man reminisced, God knows who they'd done that to. Heaven quietly crouch walked to another area. She could see them sitting around a literal campfire. There were ten of them altogether, more than Heaven had anticipated but still not impossible.

"What about that Rowland Gang?" The first man asked the others. Member six rolled his eyes.

"They ain't no match for us."

"Their bitch left, remember?" Member seven added.

"They still got that Callum dude and he's a problem. Especially when he's with that Faith bitch." Member ten said responsibly. He was looking between his members like he was the boss.

"That's why we're hunting down Octavia." Member nine reminded him. "Callum can do nothing if he's grieving." 

"But we all know they're like. Especially you." Member ten pointed at member four, who Heaven recognized as someone who'd constantly been a pain in the ass for her. Always causing trouble she had to hide from her man. That's when she realized that member eight was the man she'd met in person, the main threat.

So, targets: Ten and Eight.

Heaven quietly slipped around the back of a car and pulled her gun out. She took off the safety and gently placed her finger over the trigger. She watched as member nine stood up and headed toward one of the small shed-like buildings they had set up around the place. She pulled her phone out and pointed it at member ten, who she guessed was the leader of sorts. She snapped a photo of him and member eight. She rushed silently back to the wall and climbed over it.

Almost an hour later, she watched member ten get into a car, which she snapped a photo of, and start driving off. She waited for member eight to get into his car before she rushed back to her own. She left off the lights as she memorized the plates and the faces. They'd be important very soon.