Page 26 of Hatter

A faint noise caught my attention. I cocked my head and listened and heard the telltale sign of someone trying to creep up to the front of the clubhouse.

“Everybody down!” I yelled, but it was too late. The clubhouse door burst open, and the front windows were smashed as Eddie’s goons stormed in, guns blazing. Why the hell had they made a move so fast? And how had we missed them coming?

“You’re all fucking dead!” shouted the man himself, hiding behind his little soldiers like the coward he was.

Panic erupted as thick as smoke, choking the room. My brothers scrambled for cover, grabbing anything they could use as a makeshift weapon. They turned over tables, shifted the couch away from the wall, and did their best to find places that didn’t leave them in the open. We’d been caught off guard, but we weren’t going down without a fight. As I thought about what Absolem had discovered in regard to Eddie’s plans, I had to wonder if someone had realized what we were up to and laid a false trail.

“Get the fuck out of here!” I heard one of my brothers shout, his voice laced with rage.

“Jo, get down!” I roared, spotting her near the bar, frozen in shock. My heart hammered in my chest, fear for her safety fueling my adrenaline. I needed to get to her!

“Fuck you, Hatter!” screamed one of Eddie’s men, spraying bullets wildly. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and chaos reigned. Blood painted the walls.

I had my own gun drawn and ready. The deafening sound of gunfire filled my ears, drowning out everything else. This was war, and I had no choice but to lead us through hell once more. I thought about my AR, which I’d left in my room. Hindsight was a bitch! I could have used the firepower right now.

I saw Tweedle stealthily move down the hall toward the back rooms. I hoped like fuck he was getting us more weapons. Cheshire was always carrying, and same for March. The others seemed to be mostly taking cover.

Tweedle came back with two duffle bags over his arm, opening fire on Eddie’s men. He tossed one bag to Absolem, and another to Knave. I didn’t have time to see if they distributed weapons to everyone. There was too much going on at once, and I needed to focus. My brothers could handle themselves, and I had no doubt Shake and his colleagues could as well. I’d have to put my faith in everyone.

But I’d thought Shake and his crew had taken care of fortifying the perimeter. They’d either done a shit job of it, or Eddie and his men were even better. I didn’t like that last thought. Not even a little. If a guy was going to play the role of a villain, I’d much rather he be a stupid one.

As I ducked behind a table, my thoughts raced. How many of Eddie’s men were there? Survival wasn’t just about firepower. It was about strategy. And right now, we were on the losing side, all because they’d blindsided us.

“Stay down, Jo!” I shouted again, watching helplessly as she tried to crawl toward safety. An enemy appeared from the shadows, aiming his gun at her. Rage surged through me, making my vision blur.

“Leave her alone, you fuck!” I roared, launching myself across the room toward the man. My fist connected with his jaw, followed by a swift kick to his gut. His gun clattered to the floor.

“Jo, run!” I yelled, my voice hoarse and desperate. She nodded, her eyes wide with terror, and sprinted away.

I picked up the asshole’s gun and unloaded the clip into him. Blood pooled under his body as his lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling. I felt a bullet whiz past my head, and I turned, taking aim at another of Eddie’s men.

“Got your back, Hatter!” I heard one of my brothers shout as he took out another one of Eddie’s goons, one I’d missed who’d been aiming at me. The battle raged on, each side fighting with the ferocity of cornered animals.

“Die, motherfuckers!” screamed another of Eddie’s men, unloading his weapon in our direction. Bullets flew past, missing us by inches. We were lucky, but luck was a fickle bitch. It could change at any moment.

“Keep firing!” I ordered, my own gun blazing as I took down another enemy. I didn’t know about the others, but I was nearly out of ammo. I had one more clip in my pocket, and then I’d be fucked. “We can’t let them win!”

But even as we fought, I knew the odds were stacked against us. They’d come prepared, and we were vulnerable. As much as I hated to admit it, escaping alive might be our only option.

Right when I was about to give the order to abandon the clubhouse and fall back, I saw Eddie slip away. I didn’t know why he’d leave. It didn’t look like his side was losing. What else would make him dart out of here? Unless… I scanned the room. Where the hell was Jo? Had he run around back to try and sneak in to take her? Or had he simply gotten scared?

My heart pounded like a jackhammer, threatening to break through my ribcage.

“Shake, get your men behind cover!” I barked, my voice barely audible over the deafening sound of gunfire.

“Copy that, Hatter,” Shake replied, his eyes locked onto mine for a split second before he sprang into action, rallying his crew.

“Fucking hell,” one of my brothers muttered, ducking as a bullet shattered the window behind him. Splinters of glass rained down like deadly confetti. “That was too fucking close.”

“Stay sharp!” I growled, firing back at Eddie’s men.

My mind raced, trying to keep up with the chaos unfolding around us. Our clubhouse had become a war zone, every corner filled with the sounds of destruction and desperation. Bullets tore through the walls, reducing tables and chairs to splinters.

“Rabbit, cover the front door!” I shouted, catching sight of another wave of attackers pouring inside. “Mock, help Shake’s guys hold the line!”

“Got it, Hatter!” Rabbit yelled back, taking position near the entrance. His fingers flew over the trigger, each shot precise and deadly.

“Son of a bitch!” Mock cursed, narrowly dodging a hailstorm of bullets as he scrambled toward Shake and his men. “They just keep coming! How many of these assholes are there?”

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