Page 49 of Waves of Fury

“Like I said,” Gunter bites out to anyone who’ll listen. “New world. New rules. In this town, there ain’t many people left, which means we’re in charge. Women are the new currency around here.”

Bile creeps up my stomach. Is this guy for real right now? We have a tsunami and a few sinkholes around the world and suddenly it’s a lawless free for all?

“Please,” Hailey begs, fat tears streaming down her cheeks. “Mom! Dad! Help me!”

Nicky discharges his weapon at the earth beside Dan’s head, making everyone jump. “Don’t fight it, pretty girl, or your daddy’s gonna pay the price.”

Hailey freezes, mouth gaping in horror. She doesn’t fight her captor, aside from a full-bodied tremble, even when he crudely gropes her over her shirt. Jesse is tense, ready to charge at Mike, but if he tries, I’m certain Gunter will spray the forest with his brain.

What the hell do we do?

We can’t let them take her. They’ll rape her and God only knows what else. But I can’t let my brother eat buckshot for breakfast for her either.

It’s then I see movement behind the men.

Someone darts past the trucks, crouched low. Another someone follows after. I know the two someones. It’s Aaron and Kellen. Do they have a plan? Will it result in Jesse getting his head blown off?

“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Gunter says, glowering at my little brother, but speaking to all of us. “This sweet girl is gonna pay the price for your theft. And because I’m gentleman as fuck, I’m not going to defile her in front of y’all. Consider this the ‘kindness’ you think you’re owed.” He tilts his head to the left. “We’re going to get into the trucks and leave with our prize. But if you follow us or steal from us again, we’ll put you all down like dogs.”

Hailey, resigned to her fate, sobs and drops her head. Mike grins, nuzzling his nose into her hair. I’m disgusted and powerless to do anything to help her.

“You sure we shouldn’t make them watch?” Mike asks and then laughs when Hailey shrieks. “Five bucks says she’s a virgin. I fuckin’ love virgins.”

“No one wants to see your baby dick,” Gunter says with a smirk. “Put her in the truck with you and Nicky. There’s rope in the bed of mine.”

As Mike begins manhandling Hailey toward the trucks and Nicky backs away from us to go with him, Aaron and Kellen snap into action.

I keep my stare on Hailey as Kellen smacks Mike in the head with a large stick. Surprised, Mike bellows, releasing Hailey in order to face off with Kellen. But, shockingly, Kellen is quicker and tackles Mike to the ground. Aaron knocks Nicky off his feet. The blur of both Kellen and Aaron attacking two of these dickheads zaps me into doing the same. I rush Gunter, grab hold of his shotgun, and shove with all my might.

Boom!

The shotgun blasts, vibrating my hand that’s wrapped around it as me and Gunter crash to the ground.

I can only hope I was quick enough to save Jesse from the discharge of the weapon.

Please, God, let me have been quick enough.

Kellen

Another gunshot goes off, echoing all around us, but I have no time to see if anyone got hit. Mike clearly didn’t spend the past few days locked in a flooded building with little to eat, drink, and with zero sleep because he’s not easy to take down. I managed to disarm him, but he’s landed several dizzying punches across my jaw.

There are more of us than them.

They’re not taking Hailey or hurting any more of our people. We’ll make sure of it.

Since no one is screaming in pain or grief, I’m hoping that means the discharged weapon didn’t strike anyone. I continue wrestling with the younger man, trying my damnedest to get the upper hand. He manages to flip me onto my back and produces a pocketknife out of nowhere. The dull blade presses into the side of my neck, no doubt bruising the flesh but not puncturing it.

I manage to knock the knife out of his hand. A sharp bite across my skin makes me grunt, but it’s shallow enough I know it’s not anything to be worried about. Mike gets his hands around my neck, but then I flip him until he’s beneath me, pulling from his tight grip. I land a punch on his nose, cringing at the sound of breaking bone. Mike groans and gurgles as blood gushes from his nose.

“Don’t. Fucking. Move.”

Every muscle in my body goes rigid as the masculine voice booms from above me. It takes all of two seconds to realize the shotgun barrel entering my vision from the right is not pointed at me but at Mike. I glance up to see Kyle shakily holding the weapon.

Jumping up, I leave Mike on the ground, moaning in pain, as I quickly take in the state of the rest of our group. Tyler has a shotgun pointed at Gunter, who’s sitting on his knees, and Aaron has Nicky’s rifle pressed into the little shit’s back.

We overpowered them.

Thank God.

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