*** Ash's POV ***
Mick and I arrive back at the brewery. No one should be there yet there's an unfamiliar car parked at the curb. A woman leans against the trunk.
"Fuck! That's Bebe!" Before I can say anything Mick is out of the car and hurtling towards her.
"Fuck! Mick! She could be dangerous!" As he storms towards her, she turns and it looks like she's been crying. She sees Mick and despite the murderous expression on his face she moves to him. She tries to reach out for him, but he grabs her gruffly.
"Fucking traitorous cunt!" He seethes.
"I know! I know! But I can't do it anymore. Too many people are going to get hurt! I'm so happy you're here!" She melts down onto her knees sobbing. Mick still holds her wrists, breathing heavy. I can tell he doesn't know how to respond. "The trunk...open it." She sobs.
"It's a fucking trap. Don't listen to a word..." Mick tells me.
Bebe cuts him off. "Mick she's in there."
"Who? Who is in the trunk?" Mick shakes her.
I rush up to the front and pop the trunk. "Stand back, just in case." I caution as I nudge the trunk open. Stef is laying in the trunk, unconscious.
Mick releases Bebe immediately and lurches toward Stef. Tears roll down his face as he holds her to him. "Stef! Please no!"
I rush forward and check her pulse. It's strong. I grip the back of Mick's neck hard and make him look at me. "She's okay. Look at her. She's breathing. She's just knocked out."
Mick looks down and starts to weep. "Oh thank fucking God. I love her. I can't lose her."
Bebe whimpers. "It was supposed to be me."
It's my turn to unleash on her. "Fuck you, Bebe. You used him to get to Reese."
"But I caught feelings." She whines.
"Bullshit!" Mick yells.
"Why do you think she's not in there? I stalled, but it's too late for them."
I stop cold. "Who Bebe? What has Santiago done?"
All of a sudden there's a loud boom. We all jump and take cover. Something exploded!
Then I see it. I smell it. Red, hot flames consuming my brewery.
Bebe mumbles. "It's too late for them."
I grab her and shake her. "Who, BEBE?!WHO?"
She just laughs, even as tears stream down her face. This chick is fucked up.
"Fuck. Call 911 and get Stef away from the building in case this place goes up. I'm going in. I'm taking this crazy bitch." I tell Mick.
"You can't go in there!" He protests.
"For all I know Reese is in there, I'm going in!" I insist.
Mick grabs me by the collar and I pop him in the jaw. He stumbles back.
I yell. "Do as I fucking said to do. You, you're coming with me."
"Too late...too late. No no no!" She spazs once I grab ahold. I could give two shits about what she wants. The front doors are still operational although the fire is spreading quickly. The second we walk through the doors another loud pop and Bebe goes slack.
"Let's go...oh shit!" I drop her arm when I realize she's been shot right between the eyes. She's dead.
I try to see through the smoke, but I can't see anything. But then I hear a teasing voice. Santiago.
"Four bodies tucked within your precious brewery. What's most important to you, Devon?"
"Where's Reese?" I call out, covering my face and waving away smoke.
"I can't seem to recall. This is a lesson for you, Devon. Don't play with the Fire. Or else you and everything you care about goes up in smoke." He toys with me.
"You son of a bitch! Where is she?" I growl.
"Aren't you curious about who else you might find? Maybe that Mickhead's little baby boy...I could reunite him with his momma. Maybe your momma came looking for you again...who knows...but I gotta run. It's getting hot in here. If you're lucky enough maybe the whole place goes kaboom and puts you all out of your misery. Good luck!" He cruelly taunts.
"Stop! Please!" I see him disappear through our apartment. I stay low to the ground and grope around.
My hands land on a pair of perfectly polished toes. I can tell by the build that whoever she is, it isn't Reese, but I can't leave her. I hoist the small frame over my shoulder and run out, coughing and sucking in air quickly. It burns my lungs.
Mick runs to me. "Where's Bebe? What the fuck? Della!"
I finally look down at who I rescued. It's Della. This is probably why Bebe grew a conscience. She used to be friends with Della.
"Bebe's dead. This is all Santiago. He stashed more people. Mick..." I speak quickly, my voice raw already.
"I'm going back in with you." Mick insists.
"He said there's four. I don't know who or where. Fuck!" I start to panic knowing we are losing precious time.
"Well with Della here, that makes three. Let's go." Mick stands to go.
"You should stay with Stef in case Santiago loops back." I say.
"I'm fine. I'm..."
"Stef, oh my God!" Mick launches himself at Stef. She weakly hugs him and holds her head.
"Fucker knocked me out with a crow bar. Holy hell! Ash, your brewery!" Her blue eyes go wide as she sees what's happening.
"Baby, there's more people in there. I need to go in with Ash." Mick reveals.
"People?"
"I think they meant to put you in there too." Mick says quietly.
Stef gasps with the realization. "Is Reese..."
"I don't know, but I need to go back now." I grunt.
"I'm going too." Mick says.
"No!" Stef shouts.
He stops and presses his lips to hers fiercely. He pulls back quickly. "I love you, but I'm doing this."
"You...you what?" Stef asks, completely taken off-guard.
He nods and starts to walk away. She calls to him. "Mick, I love you too." He blows her a kiss and keeps walking.
"If I die today, at least I die happy." Mick mutters.
"Stay low and move quick. There's risk of explosion, but also collapse. I love you, man." I say to him, unable to control the tremble in my voice.
"Don't start that shit. Our waterworks ain't putting this fire out." Mick says firmly. We bro hug and then go in separate directions. I go towards the back. He goes towards the apartment.
It feels like I am searching for hours. It's getting harder to see and harder to breath. I reach the backroom and hear a hissing noise. I see a shoe. An adult male shoe. I don't know if I should be relieved that I didn't find Reese or concerned that I haven't. No matter. Whoever this is, he's coming with me.
"Fuck, you're heavy." I mutter.
I hear faint, muffled mumbling. I try to wave away the smoke. I barely make out a man's face. He's gagged. I pull the gag down. He mumbles something. That's when I realize who this is...
"Luis?"
I don't wait for a response as I hoist him on my shoulders. I stumble as one of the tanks bursts and explodes, shaking the ground.
"Leave me. She can't lose you." His voice is weak.
"Fuck no. We're both getting out of here." I insist.
I see the back door may be the better bet, but it's usually locked and I have no keys, but I may be able to kick it down. I have to try. I drag Luis. He's barely conscious from smoke inhalation.
I kick the door once. Twice. It doesn't seem to budge and I'm starting to feel woozy. I know I have to fight. Leaving him. Burning alive in my own brewery. Never seeing Reese again. None are an option.
"Shit. Reese." I don't know if she's in here too. "Come on, Luis."
I deadlift him, grunting and struggling as I do. This guy is built like Mick, but I have to try. We make it out of backroom somehow and we're met by firefighters who run to us and get us out to safety.
I look around as the relatively cool air enters my burning lungs. Della is on a gurney receiving oxygen. Luis is having an IV line put in. I don't see Mick.
"Where the hell is Mick?" I go to run toward the brewery, which by now is engulfed. A portion of the roof collapses and a firefighter holds me back.
"My best friend...my girl..." It's all I can manage.
Mick appears through the smoke like some viking God coming out of the mouth of Hell. He's carrying two bodies as he comes into better view, a man and a woman.
"Carter! Let me go! That's my brother!" Della jumps down and runs to Mick. The scream she lets out pierces through me. "Please help! He's not breathing...he's..."
Mick gently lays the other body down. I brace myself and when I see the woman's face I am shocked.
Bebe.
He didn't leave her even though she's already dead. Stef shoves past me and topples Mick over.
I look around me. It's chaos. Firefighters trying to contain the fire. Paramedics treating burns. Two paramedics are trying to revive Carter frantically.
A firefighter asks if there is anyone else in the fire. I hear him, but I can't answer. I'm going into shock. My girl...I don't know where my girl is.
"The lunatic who orchestrated this...he said four bodies. Della, that guy, Carter, and Bebe. That's four.
"No. No!" I take off with every ounce of energy I have left. I have to look for her. She could be in there. Scared and alone.
I'm caught by two firefighters that try to reassure me that the building has been cleared. That it is unsafe to enter. I fight them, but to no avail. I sink to my knees and cry out in anguish. "Reese!"
"Ash, man. I don't think she's in there. Other than the apartment, I checked everywhere to the right." Mick tries to assure me.
"The office...the apartment...please, I can't lose her." I huddle down into a small ball. I'm trembling. I can't bear the thought.
My brewery is gone, but I can rebuild that. But Reese...if Reese is gone...Everything starts to fade around me as I feel like I'm consumed by darkness. Reese's face is the last image in my mind as I pass out.