Burning Sage

Chapter Thirty One

The scene came to a standstill with Sage at the top of one flight of stairs, Junior and Morris a step below and Marcus a few steps down.

Brian was by the entrance with Ashley close to him, as though he were her shield.

Nicole stood behind her husband, confusion played on her face as shock took over her body.

Sean, along with Joe and another employee of his were by a fountain that stood in the centre of the room, where everyone's attention was.

"Sage, go upstairs," Junior told her.

Sage didn't move an inch and Junior looked back, "Listen to me," he stressed, attempting to sound calm.

Sage shook her head vigorously, unable to control the tears that stained her face.

Sean shook his head and looked around, he walked towards Brian, so as to be seen clearly by everyone, "So let me get this straight," he looked down with a finger on his chin, "Y'all offer up those two bastards to save your precious girl?" He looked from Junior to Brian, "And you're in on it?"

Brian widened his eyes, "No," Fear was evident in his stance.

"Mane, let's off the nigga, I ain't got time for talk," Marcus said to Junior.

Joe and his partner drew their firearms and pointed them towards the people on the stairs. Marcus, Morris and Junior pointed theirs back.

Sean raised his hand, "Lower your guns," he ordered and reluctantly his workers obliged followed by Junior, Marcus and Morris.

JP, Wade and Wes rushed in only to come to a halt.

"Now," Sean clasped his hands together, "That everyone is here, let's have a family meeting," he announced.

"What the fuck-" JP started.

"I'm talking," Sean boomed. His authority was felt as he paced before the fountain.

"Marquise, my dear friend," he went and patted Brian on the the back, "You finally grew balls after so long," he smiled and shook him, "I'm proud."

"What are you on about?" Brian asked.

Sean let him go, "Well look at the mess you caused here," he waved his hands in the air, "Twelve men, just to save your ass, or your son's or even stepdaughter's," he pointed towards Junior and Sage, "I don't care which but you know that I can't let you leave here alive," he walked away from him and motioned at Joe with his head.

"No! No! I didn't do anything, I just got he-" He didn't complete his sentence as his body jerked to the three bullets that hit him all at once.

Junior and his crew drew their guns immediately.

Ashley and Nicole screamed, and both women rushed to his body that convulsed lightly.

"Oh my God," Nicole wailed.

"A happy family," He grinned towards his niece and Nicole, "Let's hope your husband didn't sleep with you and give you Aids."

Ashley looked up at her uncle with teary eyes as Nicole gasped and stood up.

Sean looked towards Junior, "What are y'all planning on doing with those?" He was smug and nothing irritated Junior more than that.

He pulled the trigger and it hit Joe in his forehead. A loud thud was heard as Joe's body hit the floor before multiple gunshots went off.

Joe's partner lost the battle to Marcus, Junior and Wade whom fired back.

Sean didn't move or flinch, "Well then, that leaves us," he smirked whilst walking to his workers' bodies and retrieved a handgun.

"You have no chance," Junior said.

"Shoot him already," Marcus urged.

Sean turned around, studying the metal piece in his hand as though it were his first time seeing it, "I built this empire from ground up," he stood by the fountain, "With my wife by my side. It was for her and my daughter," he didn't look up as everybody watched him, "I struggled too much in my life to allow the same to happen to my family. When my wife was murdered, my world shattered, I became vengeful and ruthless, it wasn't about food on the table anymore but anger."

"We ain't got time for your sob stories," JP said.

Sean looked up towards him and his eyes were red, "But when my daughter was killed, my heart was ripped out. Then I had no limits, no boundaries to the hell I planned on raining on those two bastards and everyone else around me."

An eerie silence took over, everyone on their tiptoes uncertain of what was to happen next. The crew knew Junior wanted to be the one to end Sean hence they stalled on firing a bullet his way.

Sean placed the gun firmly in his right hand, and raised it towards Sage, "I can't be hurti-" a bullet exited his forehead and a shot went off from Sean's gun hitting the ceiling, before he slowly tumbled over.

Behind him stood a badly injured Eli, swaying from the weight of the gun he held in one hand, "Damn, how'd y'all make it through that?" He collapsed.

...

Later that evening, after everybody had returned to their respective homes, Ashley was in the huge mansion on her own, replaying the scene in her head.

After being pounded by investigators, bombarded with questions from other police officers, she stuck to her story: she returned from a day at the mall to find the bloodshed and called for assistance.

She was seated on the steps, watching the spot that her uncle had laid and then at Brian's spot. Her heart ached, she felt a loss.

She had nobody left in the world to turn to. The last family member she had was murdered not so long ago.

While sadness covered her like a wet blanket, anger warmed her up from within.

She couldn't let them get away with it. She concluded as she shook her head with tears sliding down her face.

She had to take matters into her own hands. Kill for the dead, for the hurt she went through due to all those she once loved.

She was fed up with being the back burner, the second choice and a middle man, she wanted to be the starring of her own life.

A gush of wind entered the open space from the open door, flapping the yellow tape put by officers.

Ashley stood up and went towards the door she broke into earlier and stopped to turn back.

"I'll get your vengeance uncle," she whispered into the house, "I'll get it."

She put the hoodie to her jacket over her head and walked out of the house with new found determination.

Whatever it took, she swore to do. Whatever.