Paul Kirk - Devastation Point

“Phoenix, you okay?” asked Luke. His team converged on the hobbling form of Phoenix Justice as he walked toward their position on Brownsville Road. Luke came to stand before him.

“Luke, the best I can say is… I’ll live… to find that little Renaldo motherfucker!” The raw fury emanating from Phoenix made the men around Luke instinctively check Phoenix’s hands for a weapon. They’d witnessed this level of fury before and, it never ended well for someone nearby. On the other hand, the cold charisma that still simmered from Phoenix was captivating. Luke smiled at the intensity. Seeing Phoenix stumble, he grabbed ahold of his left shoulder, assisting him in his frenzied walk back toward Arlington Road and his remaining army.

“What happened?” asked Luke.

“Larry neglect to fill you in?” Phoenix growled to hide his embarrassment.

“No,” said Luke, “but I want to hear it from you, so I can fuckin’ believe it.”

Phoenix stopped. He stared at Luke to assess his comment. Gratefully, he took the water canteen offered and drank deeply, trying his best not to scream in raw rage at his circumstances. “I need a gun. Now.”

Luke’s team glanced around at each other and then into the fury of Phoenix. Calmly, Luke handed him the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm strapped in his thigh holster. Phoenix took the weapon and slipped out the magazine to confirm ammunition, before slamming it home. He checked the top of the gun, noting that the special indicator confirmed a nine-millimeter load was live in the chamber.

“I appreciate that quick gesture, Luke in giving up your firearm. I won’t forget it. I know this M&P’s your pride and joy.”

“No problem, sir.” Luke tracked the M&P, as the gun was slipped into Phoenix’s pants. Phoenix noticed.

“Don’t worry. I see you staring. I’ll return it when I get my Judge back.”

“You lost it?”

Phoenix trembled at the question, so much so, that he nearly fainted in fury. Luke held onto Phoenix’s left side, easing him to sit on the ground.

“No! I didn’t fuckin’ lose it—that punk-ass kid fucked my uncle over, but good—took his Berretta and bullied his way to escaping.”

“Heard that—hard to believe.”

Reenergized, Phoenix stood once again, ignoring the flash of incredible pain. He regarded the men around him. “Oh yeah, that little fuck’s something special. I’m gonna seriously enjoy teaching him a lesson.”

“And his name’s Renaldo?”

Phoenix stared at Luke. “Yeah, his name’s Renaldo… c’mon, we got shit to do. Let’s go.” Phoenix walked toward the trucks and quads barreling down Brownsville Road with the army of men behind them. He tried his best not to limp, though the pain was intense.

“Someone’s run through here, may be here now…”

“Nully?” Gabriella tossed her apple core away and tried to see what her brother saw.

Absently, Renaldo handed her the remainder of his half-eaten apple, slipping the Taurus from the small of his back. He sniffed the air. “Smell it, Gabby? Meat cooking. And smoke. From cigarettes.”

“I don’t… oh, yeah.”

“Those houses there, see? The front weeds and grass are crushed. Not a lot, but not long ago.”

“Where?”

“That gray house next to the green one. With the black gate. See those little paths in the weeds to the gate. Hey, look! There’s a dust swipe across that car window. Huh. Someone looked inside. Fresh. Clean. New.”

“Today, Nully?”

“Probably. Probably—”

“Oh.”

Renaldo dropped into a crouch and Gabriella did the same. He critiqued the area ahead of him as trained, thinking. “Any binoculars in that bag?” He knew none were there, frustrated that the well-fortified backpack he’d hidden before being caught by those men was now so far away.

“No, Nully. I have some matches… I can—”

“Did I ask for matches?”

“No, Nully.”

“Okay. Keep an eye out behind us while I check on them houses.”

“’Kay.”

Renaldo studied the gray house in particular, since it had the best view of the alley and beyond and had the advantage of significant weeds stuffed into an overgrown yard. The top dormer windows were open to the street, easily giving height and an unobstructed view further down the alley. His best recall told him those windows were closed the last time he and Gabriella had made their way to the Kroger’s hideout, though that was well over a month ago. But, the gray house would be a house his father would pick for an ambush. It was certainly similar to others they’d used on occasions in the past.

“Nully?”

“Shhh, I’m thinkin’”

“’Kay, Nully.”

Renaldo calculated options. Definitely, the big army behind him was searching for someone. Someone named Connor MacMillen from what he was able to decipher from the radio guy talking. And, the lead man, Phoenix, wanted the man, too. He wanted him badly.

“Fuckin’, puta.” Renaldo spat into the dirt while they stayed hidden behind a Buick. He took his time assessing the area as he was taught. He knew patience was often the difference between death and surviving to live another day. Gabriella had still not fully mastered the art of patience.

“Nully?”

“Shhh!”Renaldo considered that maybe there was more than one man hiding in the gray house. He wondered if maybe these men were preparing an ambush surprise for the Phoenix army. It made some sense. Or, maybe it was simply his luck to have got him and his little sister caught between two opposing forces seeking vengeance.

“We can run that way east and hide…” said Renaldo aloud.

“Now?”

“Shhh!” Renaldo had seen the fury of Phoenix after shooting his foot. Deep down, he knew the crazy man would devote his entire army in retribution. And, there were a lot of men, certainly not 3000 like he’d boasted, but at least many hundreds. And, he knew he and Gabby would be hunted from this point on, or until they were—dead. He shivered at the thought of what that man had likely planned for his sister, and—probably him. He regarded Gabriella, so little, and crouching so close. A fierce determination rose. He weighed his options, wondering if the men being hunted, this Connor MacMillen, were any better than Phoenix. He recalled his father’s words about going it alone and safe with Gabby until he was ‘ proof positive’ that joining up with a new crew was secure, advancing his well-being.

“We’re gonna have to at least explore that option this time—Papa.”

“Nully, what?”

Renaldo turned to his sister, who was watching him closely. “Gabby, now listen. This is very, very important.”

“’Kay.”

“You know Johnny Dunlop, right?”

“Uh, huh… I don’t like his dog… he wants to bite me.”

“Right. I know. But, you know how to get to where he lives from here?”

Gabriella glanced around. Renaldo patiently waited for her to regain her bearings. She nodded. “Yeah, he lives over there. A blue store. Not too far.”

“That’s right, the Best Buy.”

“Why, Nully? We going there?”

“Um, no. Not yet.”

“’Kay.”

“But, you see, I’m gonna go over to that gray house. I’m gonna see if the men hiding there can help us.”

“Now? But Papa…”

“I know, Gabby.”

“Not safe…”

“I know , Gabby, but, those bad men behind us? They won’t stop hunting us. Like ever .”

“But—”

“And, I think they’re after these guys.”

“But—”

“I know. I know. They could be bad men, too. Like Daddy says. Except, I think I want to take a chance this time and see, okay?”