Gangs Aren't My Style (A Black Death Novel)

Chapter 49 - The Daring Rescue

Gangs Aren't My Style

Book I of the Black Death Trilogy

PART THREE :: Cast Your Armor Down

Chapter 49 - The Daring Rescue

James stepped out of his black armored car and surveyed the warehouse that rose up from the ground across the road. The rest of his men followed his lead, but hung back as not to disturb their leader. Only one man moved forward to stand beside him.

James nodded at Kyle in appreciation when he placed his hand on James' shoulder as a way of comfort. His friend was communicating without words that everything would work out alright in the end, a relief that he especially needed at that particular moment.

Regardless, it was time. "Aiden, I don't care how you do it but I need to know how many people are in the building and where my sister is," James instructed.

James had expected Aiden to start with surprise and then scramble to fulfill his impossible command but instead the youth stepped up to the challenge. That in itself earned him respect from the hardy gang leader.

Aiden dug around in an oversized gray duffle bag as everyone else watched with amusement, waiting for the new recruit to fail. Despite the doubt, James could sense that his newest member would not be giving up so easily. As if to prove his point, a moment later, Aiden produced a pair of black sunglasses with metallic blue lenses. The men snickered.

James observed him with interest, having recognized the glasses from a prototype he had briefly seen a year before. "Glasses that recognize heat signatures."

Aiden nodded in confirmation and slipped them over his eyes.

James was amazed. "Sometime you're going to have to tell me how you got those before I did."

The comment pulled the first genuine smile from Aiden that he had ever seen. The new member did not bask in the praise, however, but fixed his gaze on the warehouse in the next moment. He adjusted his sunglasses slightly, fiddling with some setting that was virtually invisible to human eyes, before looking again.

Aiden sucked in a breath. "The bottom level is crawling with men, all seemingly armed. However, the top level only has two people on it, one standing and one seated. It would be my guess that the second is your sister."

James cursed at Aiden's description of the crowded lower level. "There are too many men. Someone must have alerted them to our approach. Could that man have realized the deception of funds?"

"No," Aiden assured him, "all funds will seem to remain in his accounts for twenty-four hours. Only then will they mysteriously disappear without a trace."

They would have to find another way in then -a way using stealth instead of brute strength. That was when James saw it.

A tree stood alone along the back of the building, it's leaves and branches growing up the side, almost resembling vines. A ledge ran horizontal across the building, halfway up, settled just below the lone window at the back of the warehouse. The windows were made of darkened glass to block prying eyes, but in the bottom left-hand corner of it one of the nine glass frames was busted out.

"Wait here," he instructed his men, taking a step towards the abandoned building. "If you hear a scuffle, send in back up."

James stopped below the tree, hoisting himself up onto a low branch. He then stood to his feet and reached his hand above his head for the next branch. Grabbing one branch after another and pulling himself up little by little, he finally able to get level with the ledge.

Holding onto an overhanging branch with one hand, James stepped onto the ledge with one foot. Shifting his body weight forward so that he wouldn't fall backwards off the narrow shelf, James moved to stand completely on the ledge. The heels of his feet hung over the edge and thin vines served as his only form of handholds but still James was not deterred.

He swiveled slightly so that he was no longer leaning against the wall and leaned forward to see in the broken window frame. The few remaining jagged shards blocked his view slightly but he could still make out the image of his sister tied to a chair, unconscious. A lone male stood guard at the other end of the room, slouched lazily against the wall. He was fighting to keep his eyes open and would periodically jerk himself awake when his chin slumped to rest on his chest.

Sensing his opportunity, James reached his hand in through the shards of glass and began to slowly turn the lock that prohibited the window from opening. When it was loosed, James quietly lifted the old frame until it was nearly perpendicular with the outer wall of the warehouse, sticking straight out from the building. Only then did James carefully climb over the window sill, keeping his steps light as he jumped to the floor. He let the window fall back into place behind him.

Stealthy, cautious steps propelled him further into the warehouse and closer to the now-slumbering man that stood on the opposite side from where James had entered. When he was within touching distance, James wrapped his arm quickly and swiftly around the unsuspecting man's neck, squeezing lightly to silence any cries for help and send him to unconsciousness. Only seconds later, he began to slump against James and the gang leader lowered him to the floor softly.

So great was his worry that he had to force himself to keep his steps light and unhurried as he made his way back to the unconscious form of his sister. There, he pulled a knife from his boot and cut through her bindings. He scanned her over for signs of injury but was relieved not to find anything worse than small cuts and scrapes.

Reassured, James pulled her gently over his shoulder and locked his one arm around the back of her legs, just above by the knees. He pushed the window open once again, looking down at the narrow ledge. He was not a foolish man; he knew that there was no way he would be able to carry Ally back the way he had come.

Instead, he lifted two fingers to his mouth and let out the whistle that Kyle and he had oftentimes used as boys. James knew that his second-in-command would understand the summons and was unsurprised when he saw Kyle come running from across the road.

Be that as it may, it was only when Kyle stopped at the foot of the warehouse that James dared to loudly whisper instructions, still mindful of the many rival gang members that milled around beneath his feet. "I can't carry her back down. You're going to have to catch her."

Kyle nodded his consent but James could tell the request had worried his friend. It was because of this worry that James trusted him to catch his baby sister. The man was in love with her and would protect her with his life.

James gently lowered Ally from his shoulder and moved to cradle her in his arms instead, holding her out of the window. "Ready?"

Kyle nodded in reply, spreading his legs to brace himself in preparation.

James released her.

She fell through the air like a rag doll, her comatose form giving no resistance.

Then, Ally was landing safely in Kyle's arms. James let out a relieved breath. Climbing out of the window himself, James backtracked his original route that he had used to get to the window and jumping from the tree. Once on the ground, he ran over to his sister, needing to verify that she was, in fact, alright for his own sanity.

He had only just began to look her over when an unexpected shout from inside made them jump, exchanging a glance before simultaneously breaking into a run. As they got to the cars, James only stopped to help Kyle put Ally in the backseat before he yelled out a direct order. "Everyone move! We need to get out of here!"

Everyone scurried away to their respective cars and James hit the gas, his tires squeezing as he took off. However, not even the worry of being pursued could bring him down in that moment though because he knew that his sister was safe in the backseat.