Until We Bleed (boyxboy)

Meeting Once Again

The ranch house was small even before Gabriel got a full look at it. It was a small dot from a distance but is smaller in person. Honestly, Gabriel wondered how Jacob could live there when he was raised in a high-class penthouse.

The drive was bumpy and uncomfortable. Gabriel would go for cement roads over dirt ones any day. Hell, even driving over dead bodies is easier.

Gabriel checks and rechecks gun. The man preferred knives over guns. Knives were cleaner and less messy than guns. Guns leave too much evidence. Except Jacob proved to be easier to handle when using a gun. The boy knew how to maneuver through a knife-fight. A gun would be the easiest weapon to use against Jacob.

The roar of thunder that tumbled in the distance gave Gabriel an ominous feeling. Call it superstition, but hearing thunder made him think something horrible is going to happen. Of course, he was about to fight one of his best fighters, but he didn't know how it will end. This will end with bodies lying in a pool of blood.

"Remember to be on your toes. I don't want to lose any more men." Gabriel warned as he steps out of the car.

Paulo and Johnny climb out of the car. Both men were armed in Kevlar and large guns. To be honest, Gabriel thought that they were overdressed for this battle. They would be lugging their weapons around as if the things were chained to their legs.

"It's three of us against one guy. How hard can this be?" Johnny sneered. Despite not having his pinkies, the man was good with a gun. He's just cocky when it comes to fighting.

"Say that when you're on your back with a knife in your chest." Gabriel said as he pushes the gate open.

His eyes run over the property. From where he stood, the ranch house was probably thirty feet away. Gabriel couldn't see anything that might say 'traps'.

"Eyes sharp. We don't know if Jacob set up traps around here." Gabriel warned before he starts walking forward.

The thundering grew closer and closer. He couldn't hear his feet crunch against the ground. Gabriel was tense as he moved. Even with a gun, he didn't feel safe. (Not every crime boss is cocky.)

The three moved quickly and silently. Paulo moved ahead, scanning the ground for anything. Unlike most of Gabriel's men, Paulo knew to keep his guard up. The man was trained at combat, especially guns, because he was once a cop. He took bribes to help his family. Unfortunately, he was caught and let go from the force. Now Paulo is Gabriel's right hand man.

They crossed twenty feet when hell broke loose.

Johnny collapsed to the ground with a bloodcurdling cry. There was the sound of metal clamping from the rusty gears. It made Gabriel jump as he looked around for anything. "What was that!?" he said.

"AHHHHH!" Johnny cried in pain. "MY LEG!" he screamed.

Gabriel looks at his colleague and was horrified at the sight. Johnny's left ankle was being held tightly in between the teeth of a bear trap. Blood was squirting out of his leg like a fountain. Gabriel could see that the rusted teeth had dug into the leg and appeared to have clamped down on the bone.

"Fuck." Gabriel cursed as he gets down on his knees to help his friend. But before he could, a gunshot went off and the ground in front of him exploded. He jumped away in surprise, his heart beating harder a drum.

"Move and I'll shoot."

Hearing that voice made him both jittery and frightened. Gabriel looks up from his bleeding friend to find Jacob standing on the front porch of the ranch house with a smoking shotgun in his hands. The man was dressed all in black and appeared to be armed with other weapons.

"Hello, Jacob." Gabriel greeted as he slowly climbs back to his feet.

________________________________

Hearing that spine chilling scream alerted Jacob of their presence. The scream sounded similar to a banshee's shriek. Nothing is worse than being caught in a bear trap. Especially after Jacob sharpened the tips after years of rust.

'And Patricia thought that Uncle Troy was crazy in getting those traps.' Jacob thought in sick amusement. He thought of who could be trapped. Hopefully, it was Gabriel. Then Jacob would be able to end this quickly.

He grabs his gun, checks that it's loaded for the thousandth time, and goes outside.

Sadly, the one trapped in the trap's teeth wasn't Gabriel. Instead it was Johnny Four-Fingers. That bastard always taunted Jacob. Johnny tried to break Jacob's spirits each time he tried to escape. Now he's gonna lose more than his damn fingers.

Gabriel hurried to help his friend but Jacob wouldn't let him. He aims the shotgun and fires.

The bullet hit the ground just inches away from Gabriel. Of course, Jacob purposefully missed. He wanted to shoot Gabriel but not yet. First, he wants Johnny to suffer.

"Move and I'll shoot." Jacob threatened.

Gabriel moved away from his screaming companion and looks toward Jacob. His eyes run up and down Jacob's figure. "Hello, Jacob." Gabriel greeted calmly. The man picks himself up off the ground. "I'm used to you in shorts and covered in blood. Never in clothes and armed to the teeth." he said casually.

"Trying to flirt your way out of this?" Jacob asked scathingly. "Oh, I know I can't escape. You have that look in your eyes that means I'm not getting out of this." Gabriel replied. He looks at Johnny and winces when he saw that the man had fallen unconscious from the blood loss. "Where did you get that bear trap?" Gabriel asked. "My uncle doesn't like coyotes eating his sheep." Jacob said.

"Now, if you excuse me," Jacob began before he fires again. The bullet doesn't hit Gabriel but strikes Paulo in the stomach. Paulo let out a grunt and collapses to his knees. "I want us to be alone with no damn body guards." Jacob finishes with a cold grin as he watched Paulo clutch his bleeding stomach. "I want to have a chat with you, Gabriel. You know . . . manager to client." Jacob said.