In a Hail of Bullets

Chapter 19

Again, Gerard didn't know he had drifted off to sleep until a rough grab of his hip from behind stirred him awake. For a brief, blissful moment, he imagined Frank and smiled softly, until the person behind him sighed, sending over a scent of cheap cigarettes and alcohol. That couldn't have been Frank.

Gerard nearly jumped a foot when he cranes his neck to see Bert sliding in behind him. Clawing at Bert's hands to get away, Gerard started to panic.

"You can fight all you want sweetheart but you don't have anywhere to go" Bert said in a husky voice.

Realizing that Bert was stronger than him and was forcing his body between Bert's and the wall, Gerard tried to claw his way out. It didn't take long for him to realize he probably wouldn't win in this situation. Tears stung his eyes at the thought of what was going to happen.

"Just relax sweetheart, you'll enjoy this" Bert breathed out against the back of Gerard's neck as he moved his hands from his hips to the front of Gerard's jeans, unbuttoning and yanking then down roughly.

His jeans and boxers bunched around his thighs but Bert didn't seem to care much. He grabbed Gerard's right ass cheek roughly while humming in approval.

"P-p-please stop. Please!" Gerard sobbed, trying to will his frozen body to move or do really anything. It was as if Bert didn't hear him because his calloused fingers reached around to grab at Gerard's member. Stroking it back and forth roughly, Gerard yelped in surprise. The sudden action sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins as he swung his elbow, smashing it into Bert's nose, hard. While Bert yelled in pain and clutched the gushing part of his face, Gerard took his chance to leap off the bed. Standing away from the cot, he was shaking like a leaf.

"You little fuck!" Bert tried to yell but it came muffled through his cupped hands.

"I-I told you to stop" Gerard said in a shaky voice. Just then the door burst open, showing what could only be described as a sad looking scene: Bert trying to climb off the shabby cot with undeniably a broken nose, and Gerard standing in the corner with his pants around his thighs. Gerard closed his eyes and waited for the searing pain of a bullet that was sure to come.

————————————————————————

It was nightfall when the mafia convoy finally made their way towards the warehouse. Frank wanted to go right away but Ray insisted they wait and use the cover or darkness to their benefit. Brendon was instructed to go further ahead and knock out any look outs. That was his expertise: sniping. The rest of the cars would wait a mile down the road until Brendon came back or signaled for back up.

The plan was to go in as quiet as possible. Frank wanted to storm in and make as much of a ruckus as he could but John made a point to go in quietly. Take out as many men as possible before Bert learned they were there. He knew they would come, how could he not. He had the one person most important to both men.

John and Frank were seated in a car together which Frank was instantly hating. How was John so cool and collected when Gee was probably being beaten or worse. Frank was fidgeting so much sitting and waiting that he finally had to sit on his hands.

After what seemed like forever, a figure began making its way towards the car. Frank would be nervous but a hostile wouldn't casually walk up to their car. Rolling down the window, Brendon removed his black beanie and face mask.

"I took two lookouts out" he whispered. "Everyone else appears to be inside or dug down".

"It's time" John said with authority. They would drive much closer to the warehouse. The last 50 yards or so they would walk and sneak attack. The lower ranking men would go through the three entrances first, taking out lower ranking McCrakken men. The rest of the men would fan out and take out any body else they may pass. John, his right hand man Mark, Frank and Ray would head up to the second floor to find Gerard.

Whether Bert lived or died during this raid didn't matter much to Frank, he just hoped to be the one to give the final blow. Parking the cars, over 20 men dressed in black and Kevlar, armed to the teeth began making their way towards the entrance. Stopping only briefly to listen out, it was quiet. Either they were expecting a raid and ready to fire, or they weren't expecting a thing.

The moment the door was kicked open, all hell broke loose. Being tangled in with the men, Frank and John had to wait a minute or two for the front line to clear out so they could push in. It didn't take long, and Frank was able to determine that no, they weren't expecting anything like this tonight.

Red began staining the cement floor of the warehouse as McCrakkrens men were slowly picked off. Seeing a set of rickety steps, John grabbed Frank's shoulder and pointed.

"Let's go!" Frank yelled over the chaos. Both men broke out of the pack that was heavily weighed in Frank and John's favor, as they made their way up the wooden steps. Once on top there were about five men they had to shoot before being able to get too much deeper.

This building was nuts. The outside and main area looked almost like an abandoned warehouse, but upstairs was recently reframed to allot for rooms. They weren't nice by any means but it was odd to have this area remodeled.

"Which room?" Frank panted, seeing several closed doors.

"Not sure. Start kicking open doors until you find him" John growled. They did exactly that, kick in doors until they swung open. It's not like they probably needed too, these didn't look much like lockable doors but Frank felt better anyway. It was the third door Frank got to when he saw it: Gerard.

Fuck. He was almost half naked, his eyes and face black and blue with dried remanence of blood. He looked absolutely terrified and Frank's heart sank thinking he was too late. To Frank's left was Bert with bloody hands and eyes that were already starting to swell. Frank didn't need to think twice before grabbing a fist full of Bert's hair and shoving the barrel of his gun under Bert's chin.

"You should have fucking known better. You should have known I'd come in and bring you down in a hail of bullets" Frank gritted through his teeth.

"So much chaos for one slut" Bert chuckled dryly. He knew he was done for, might as well go out with a bang.

It took every ounce of restraint in his body not to pull the trigger right then and there. But he knew he and John would have more fun with Bert back in Frank's basement. The hands of Mark and Ray came up beside Frank, grabbing Bert roughly as he started to shout, finally grasping the realization that he was losing.

"Let's go, you piece of shit" Ray murmured as both men all but dragged Bert out of the room and out of the building.

Frank looked back at Gerard, trying not to wince at his painful looking appearance. Stuffing his gun into his holster, he took a tentative step forward.

"Gee" he whispered. "It's alright, come on". Gerard looked shocked, almost like this wasn't real. Frank took another step forward, almost close enough to touch Gerard's face, which is really what he wanted to do.

It was like something that had snapped and Gerard fell into Frank's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Frank reached down and pulled Gerard's pants back up before comforting the boy.

"Shhhhh it's ok" he whispered as he lifted Gerard bridal style. Frank may have been shorter but hell was he strong. He carried Gerard all the way back to the car. Only a few minutes into the drive, Gerard fell asleep, feeling finally safe for the first time in a while.