Defenseless (28 page)

“He told me himself, Mrs. Durden.”

“And you believed him?”

Rayford's smile dropped. “What do you mean?”

“I mean just that. He doesn't have the coin.”

Rayford blinked, then shook his head. “I don't believe you.”

“Suit yourself.”

Rayford lowered his gun slightly to contemplate whether or not to believe her. That was just the break Laura needed. She shouted,
“Duck”
to Sharon while helping to push the other woman's head down.

Laura extended her arm with the gun pointed to Rayford and fired.

Rayford had no time to react as he slammed back into the door, dropping his weapon.

Blood poured out of his shoulder as he stared blankly at her.

Sharon retrieved his gun just as the room was swamped with agents.

James pushed his way through the agents, then gathered his wife in his arms. “What happened?”

“He works for Gaetano. He was going to kill us.” Sharon buried her face in James's chest.

Agents quickly grabbed both women and tried to handcuff them.

“No. You don't understand,” Laura screamed.

“Stand aside,” a voice thundered, coming into the room.

The women looked up to see a towering man with jet-black eyes and distorted features enter.

“Who are you?” Laura asked first.

“I'm Wade Harrison, the agent-in-charge. Suppose someone tells me what the hell is going on in here?”

M
alik and Dwayne arrived at the Cambridge Apartments.

“Do you know which apartment?” Dwayne asked. His adrenaline pumped wildly through his veins.

“William has a man stationed in the back.”

“How many men work for your brother?”

Malik gave him a you-don't-want-to-know look.

“Hey, isn't that one of Curtis's men?” Dwayne nodded to a man standing nonchalantly in front of an apartment building. It was hard to see the face clearly in the dark, but Dwayne was certain the man worked for Curtis.

In that instant, they were recognized. Curtis's guard wasted no time to draw his weapon and fire at the approaching vehicle. Malik and Dwayne ducked just as two bullets penetrated the windshield.

“Reach inside the glove compartment and get that gun,” Malik shouted.

Dwayne did as he was told. “Can you see where you're going?” Dwayne asked, knowing Malik could crash at any second. And he did.

 

“We still don't have the real coin,” Jack yelled, looking at Curtis.

Curtis's men agreed, shaking their heads in agreement. Curtis eyed every man with contempt. “Don't you think I know we don't have the coin?”

“Do you have a plan to get it back?” someone shouted from the back of the room.

“The FBI must have it. How do you suppose we get it from them?” Curtis sneered.

“So we're dead men?” Benjamin asked. Every man in the room knew that Gaetano was in town, and he knew every man working for Curtis. They were in just as much danger as their boss.

“Not necessarily. We still have the girl.”

“Mr. Gaetano wants the coin, not the girl,” Jack said, shaking his head.

“But she's bargaining power for the FBI,” Curtis defended.

“We have company,” one man announced, rushing in the door.

“Damn!” Curtis swore as his men filed out of the small apartment.

Within seconds, Cambridge Apartments was turned into a battle zone. Dwayne climbed out of Malik's late-model Thunderbird and was instantly encircled by William's men.

“Where is she?” Dwayne yelled to a nearby man.

“She's in that building over there, downstairs.”

A bullet whizzed by Dwayne's ear. He ducked lower then tried to calculate a plan to rescue Sonya.

 

Sonya listened to the gunfire outside the apartment.
They found me.
She ran to the door of her small room. She knew before she reached the knob that it would be locked. She banged on the door. “Let me out,” she screamed. But of course no one heard her cries.

She listened as the battle continued.
What's going on? Who's out there? Is Dwayne here?
She raced to the barred window in hopes of seeing what was happening.

When the door burst open, Sonya jumped. By the angry expression on Curtis's face, she, for the first time in her life, feared him.

“This is all your fault,” Curtis accused.

Sonya backed away.

“Come here. You're going to be my ticket out of here.”

Sonya took another step.
He's going to hurt me.
Curtis walked farther into the room. Sonya's eyes stayed glued to the opened door. She had to get past him, but how? He edged closer. Sonya felt trapped. There was no way she was going to get past his towering frame, not without a fight—a fight she knew she would lose.

A bullet pierced through the window and hit Curtis directly in his shoulder. He fell to the floor, howling and clutching his wounded shoulder.

Sonya wasted no time racing for the door. She dodged past two surprised men and made it out the front door. Three shots nearly missed her as she made it outside.

“It's Sonya!” Dwayne grabbed Malik's arm. “I have to get to her.”

Malik jerked him back. “You can't just waltz through there. You'll get shot.”

Sonya crawled to a nearby car and hid. Violent tremors shook her body along with the night's cool air. She searched frantically around her, looking for an avenue of escape. The streetlights were out, making it almost impossible for Sonya to make out her surroundings.

The shooting stopped. Sonya held her breath until a dull ache forced her to expel it.
What happened?
Time seemed to have stopped as Sonya tried to gather the courage to peek around the car. She couldn't see anything. She didn't hear anything. She crept back until her foot hit something solid. Swiftly, she turned. She released a startled scream the moment she saw Curtis crouched behind the car with her.

Curtis reached for her, but she sent a powerful kick to his wounded shoulder. Curtis reared back with a thud, giving her plenty of time to jump from behind the car and race down the parking lot. Gunfire immediately erupted.

“I have to go after her!” Dwayne jumped from his secluded spot, giving Malik no time to stop him.

“Dwayne!” he heard Malik call from behind him.

Sonya made it to a gate behind the complex. She made a leaping effort to climb the fence, but her foot was snatched from underneath her.
How did he catch up with me so fast?

“Come here you little bi…ahhh.” Sonya again attacked his injured shoulder. By the time Curtis recovered himself, Sonya was halfway over the fence. He leaped to catch her and was again successful in grabbing her foot.

Sonya screamed the moment her body was slammed back into the fence. He had a strong grip on her foot. She swirled to free her foot. Finally her foot slid from her tennis shoe, causing her to fall to the ground, but she had made it over the fence. She forced herself up and disappeared into the woods.

Dwayne made it to the fence just in time to see Curtis disappear into the woods after Sonya. At the sound of approaching footsteps, he sprang around to see Malik coming up behind him.

“What happened?”

“They're in there,” Dwayne answered, already climbing the fence.

Malik followed.

 

The woods became increasingly dense as Sonya struggled to race through them. The low-hanging branches clawed at her arm, leaving long scratches. Curtis had to be coming after her now—she could feel it.

Sonya settled into a jerky rhythm of running and stumbling forward. The ground felt soft beneath her feet.

Then she heard him crashing about behind her.
Faster,
her mind screamed, and she fumbled trying to do just that. There was a clearing just ahead. She made it. But when she took one look around, she realized that she had made it only to an isolated street. She continued running. She knew she couldn't afford for time to become her enemy.

 

Dwayne made it through the woods, suffering from minor scratches. He looked around the quiet street, not sure which way he should go from here.

“Where did they go?” Malik said, appearing at his side.

“I don't know,” Dwayne answered between breaths.

“Let's split up then. You go that way and I'll go this way. Whoever finds Curtis, beat the hell out of him.”

“Deal,” Dwayne yelled, already running in his appointed direction.

 

Sonya ran as fast as she could down a dark street. She could feel her heart making loud whumping sounds as she sweated profusely in spite of the nasty, steady, cool night air. Blood pounded furiously in her head, while every muscle and tendon in her body strained. She ran like the wind, crying inside, holding back the tears as she tried to escape.

She passed ghost store after ghost store that were boarded up with dark, rotting plywood and decorated with graffiti.

Faster, faster,
her mind screamed. Her neck and arms were on fire and she could feel her stomach clutching hard.

Sonya raced onto a new street just as a car screeched to a halt to avoid hitting her.

The driver wore an Atlanta Braves cap pulled to the side, and loud rap music boomed from inside.

“Help me, please,” Sonya begged, running toward the driver's side. The man shook his head and screamed that he didn't want to get involved. He then slammed on the accelerator and sped away.

“No! Come back!” Sonya watched the car's taillights fade into the distance. What was left of her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Then she heard it: footsteps. He was getting closer.

Sonya turned and continued running down the empty street. She was covered in sweat and her breathing was labored. Her tears were flowing now, blinding her with every step. Help me, her mind yelled.
Somebody help me.

 

Dwayne sped down another dark street. His blood roared and echoed in his ears. He could feel his heart throbbing hard as his adrenaline pumped furiously. He didn't want to think what could happen to Sonya if Curtis ever caught up with her again.

Dwayne turned down another dark alley. Dead End. Dwayne panicked.
Where are they?

“No! Come back!” Sonya's voice echoed down the isolated streets. Dwayne followed the direction of her voice.
I'm coming, Sonya. I'm coming.

 

Curtis jogged behind Sonya with a sinister smile in place. “I'm going to get you!” he taunted.

Sonya turned abruptly, causing her to fall. Excruciating pain shot through her legs, but she pushed herself up.
Ignore the pain. Keep going.
She ran faster, trying to conquer a steep paved hill. She heard him pounding behind her. He was close, very close.

“Hey, Sonya. I'm right behind you. Here I am.”

Sonya turned around. Curiosity and terror got the best of her.

He was gaining easily and laughing at her.

The pain in Sonya's legs slowed her down. All hope of escape fled her. She experienced a jolting moment of shock and disbelief as she cried out in anguish. She was going to die right here.

Out of nowhere, Dwayne flew into the air, tackling Curtis. Their bodies hit the cement with a thud, then rolled down the hill. When they stopped, Dwayne won the top position and delivered a powerful punch across Curtis's jaw.

Curtis bucked, trying to throw Dwayne off him. But Dwayne was obviously the stronger man as another punch made a cracking sound when it connected.

Sonya slumped to the ground, feeling relief when Curtis's body finally went limp beneath Dwayne. It was over. Loud sirens filled the air as Malik trotted up the hill.

Dwayne stood above Curtis's unconscious body. His eyes leveled with Sonya's. She lifted her arms in invitation. Dwayne rushed to her side and encased her in his embrace.

“You came for me,” Sonya sobbed between the kisses she showered upon him.

“Of course I came for you, my love.”

His words warmed her body. He truly loved her.

She managed to pull away and smile at him. “I love you.”

Dwayne's heart burst with joy and love at hearing her accept his love. He gave her a kiss that made them oblivious to the swarming blue lights that now surrounded them. They were lost in a world where only they existed.