Firebomb (The Jewel Project #2)

14.1|| At the Gates

"No, Kyle, we shouldn't hurry. We should analyze all our possibilities," Jerry said wringing his hands.

"I actually think we should hurry up," Jimmy said, looking over his shoulder.

Sam followed his gaze and noticed a patrol of Snitch Gravel's men staring at them dumbstruck.

"It's just a hand full of them. Let's leave them flat," Kyle said waving his hand impatiently.

"I think you should reformulate that," Sam said.

What looked like a whole regiment made its way towards them. Sam and the others turned with their backs against the fence and stepped away from the mass of henchmen who were gathering around them like wolves. Von Crooken and Eye Patch walked to the front.

"Looky here! They're making this too easy." Von Crooken sniggered, snapping his fingers so that four men appeared by his side.

"Should we try climbing over the fence?" Tom asked no one in particular, but William got in front of them.

"Whatever you do, don't touch the fence!" he said, stretching out his arms as if he wanted to protect the group from Snitch Gravel's men.

"Why?" Jimmy asked.

William opened his mouth, but Von Crooken shoved him away. William stumbled and fell to the ground.

"No one touch that fence!" Sam ordered, stepping back warily. He didn't like the satisfied grin on Von Crooken's face.

"Get them men!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Jerry and Billy pulling Angie away and Jim grabbing William and dragging him to safety. He, Kyle, Jimmy and Tom were left with their backs to the fence. At Von Crooken's order, the four men he had called forward charged forward.

Sam crossed his arms in front of his torso to protect himself from any hits, but it became obvious pretty fast that those men weren't there to punch them. Just shove them into the fence. Sam's back hit the chain-link, and for one wild moment, he thought he'd just bounce back. But then it came. Pain ran through him numbing him as his heart started beating much faster than he thought possible. After a few agonizing second, he was blasted off his feet and smashed against a nearby tree.

Tom groaned next to him, trying to roll into a sitting position. Sam looked over his shoulder. Kyle and Jimmy were on their knees, trying to get back to their feet. They finally managed it and took fighting position, their legs shaky. Sam pushed himself off the ground, too and managed to get to his knees. Von Crooken's mad laughter rang in his ears, barely audible over his drumming heart.

Tom didn't even try to stand. He kicked Von Crooken's legs from under him. The man fell with dull thud. Sam scrambled to his feet, but Tom was faster. He jumped to his feet, grabbed Von Crooken by the collar and shoved him into the fence. The man grabbed Tom's wrists right before he hit the fence, sending them both into a trembling fit.

"Tom, let go!" Sam said desperately.

Von Crooken fell over and broke contact with the fence. Tom dropped to the ground, too, moaning in pain, barely conscious.

"Tare them apart!" Von Crooken ordered, pushing himself into a sitting position on shaky hands.

Jimmy and Kyle stepped in front of Tom, knees bent, fists raised, as though daring anyone to approach him. Sam rushed around them, grabbed Tom under the arms and tried raising him to his feet.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Von Crooken seemed to have materialized out of thin air.

He kicking Tom away from Sam, grabbed Sam's shoulders and pushed him back towards the fence again. Sam tried to stop, to sink his heels in the ground, but was weakened, taken by surprise and paralyzed by dread. He could hear the ominous buzzing of electricity behind him and wondered how he'd never heard it before since now it filled his ears, blocking out all other sounds. His entire body tensed as it anticipated the torture.