Chapter 25: Ambush

Altering the plan, we went to meet Audra first. We were walking for ages. Then, I spotted a small, shady shop and the corner of a busy street called "Cinser's Bargain". Compared to all the neon-lit signs and modern shops, that one looked like it was built decades ago and no one ever thought of updating it.

"Now remember, don't get her into bargains. She may be friendly but we maintain to avoid the 'bargains' ok?" Jorge said stressing the word bargain a little too much. I did nod though. Ivy looked at me, amused.

"The Cinser bargains are always unfair. They're legal though, and that's the problem. They look for loopholes. A simple yet effective trick. And the bargain can start by buying a bike's handle to a lifetime slavery." Ivy ended darkly. I made a mental note to keep that in my mind. Any warning coming from Ivy is bound to be true, or so it seems. She just has a way of emitting the 'boss energy' and etching it into her words.

"What exactly is between you and her-us I mean," I asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," Jorge said.

We made it inside. If it looked out of place on the outside, then the inside could only be called ancient. Everything was covered in inches of dust and if not that, then rusty. The passage was so narrow that we barely had space to move through. In the end, we were facing a counter and behind it were thousands and thousands of shelves, all rusty and dusty.

"Long time no seeee," a hoarse voice spoke. I flinched. An old woman, as ancient as this place, might be appeared behind the counter. Her hair was all silver and knotted tightly in a bun. Her face was entirely wrinkled and her eyes sunken.

Ivy elbowed me. "Don't speak for your own sake." she said and I reluctantly obeyed. Jorge spoke.

"One of your men broke in at our HQ. Explain." Jorge said, his voice full of authority. I felt like they were keeping me aware on purpose. So that they could play leaders instead of me. But a voice back in my head suggested that they could be defending me, provided they are assuming that I lost my memory and it could be dangerous.

"Really, I don't much know," Audra said.

"You know exactly what they were up to. You sent them. One of them turned you in." Ivy said.

"Well, you keep your secrets and I keep mine." Audra replied.

Why did they refer to her as a friend? She is most definitely evil if she could stand up to thug dawgs. I was trying not to panic. I felt like something bad was about to happen.

Silence

More silence

"Very well then, my hostages have arrived." she said. It took me a moment to process what she had said.

Oh no

We shouldn't have come here

why aren't we running?

The next second I knew, Ivy had me by my wrist and we were running towards the exit.

"GUNS OUT!" Jorge had time to yell. Audra had done the same. We made it outside but her men had arrived and were chasing us. Ivy was still pulling me out. She was shot-on her right arm.

She fell.

I had my gun out but someone had just hit me with something heavy. My head felt sore. My whole body felt heavy. Someone, probably Jorge yelled but darkness cornered me.

I collapsed.