Click the link to catch up with ASAS: Consequence–Chapter Ten.

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The three of them gathered in the house. Ryan was prepared to afford Jay and Georgina five minutes to gather themselves and eat as much as they could to stave off any hunger; Jay didn’t hold back in that regard.

The weapons acquired from felling the two guards at the police station were passed amongst Jay and Georgina. Everyone was ready to go. All that was left now was to procure a vehicle and hit the road hard.

Ryan led them out to where he knew the cars were left at night. There wasn’t anybody around; he didn’t expect there would be. The trouble would come once the car was in motion. They could get shot at or pursued. There wasn’t enough time to sabotage the other vehicles, so that was a chance they’d have to take. A vehicle was selected—a Land Rover Discovery—and they went to climb inside when a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.

“Hey! Stop where you are!”

They each looked in the direction of the person who shouted to see Kas bearing down on them with his SA-80 pointing menacingly at them.

“Ryan, I told you not to do this!” Kas said frustratedly.

“You knew as soon as I told you that I would.”

“You have to stop or I’ll have no choice but to shoot you.”

“You have a choice Kas: join us. We don’t belong here.”

“I belong here just fine. You all would too if you’d stop thinking you have everything worked out better than everyone else.”

“Worked out?” Jay blared. “You had to kill two of your friends to show you had what it took to join this degenerate drug dealer’s crew! The only thing you’ve worked out is that you’re just as amoral as this prick!” He pointed at Ryan.

“Shut the fuck up! You were happy to sacrifice us all just to make a point, so don’t give me the—”

A bang cut Kas off. He dropped the SA-80 and went to the ground with a pained yell, clutching his left thigh; Ryan had taken advantage of the fact Kas was distracted by Jay and had shot him in the leg.

“Come on; let’s get moving,” Ryan ordered with urgency.

They climbed into the Discovery, Ryan taking the wheel. He pulled down the sun visor and the key fell onto his lap. The engine turned over a couple of times and fired into life. He was happy to see the fuel gauge needle creep up to over three quarters; plenty to make their getaway and put some good distance between themselves and the compound.

Kas was calling for assistance on his radio as he watched the car pull away. There was no point attempting to pursue, so he advised they attempt to stop the car before it could get out of the place.

Ryan sped down the road. He noticed figures appearing along the way and told Jay and Georgina to keep their heads down. Sure enough, a few bullets peppered the car, hitting the bodywork and smashing a couple of windows. Luckily, not enough men could answer the call to arms to halt the speeding car’s progress. Nobody within was harmed as they broke through the barrier and continued down the road at pace.

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Kas was urging men to get in the cars and chase the escaping trio down as a medic saw to his wounded thigh. Word quickly got out that a guard had been killed at the police station and the other had been knocked out and left in a cell.

Sharkey arrived on the scene and he had questions—a lot of them! He approached Kas, his face flush with ire. “What in fuck’s name is goin’ on? How the fuck have they been allowed to escape?”

“I’m not the one to ask, boss. The useless twats who were supposed to be watching the lab and the cells are the culprits.”

“And what about his bird? Shaz or whatever she’s called! Where’s she?”

“It was when I went to where Ryan and Shaz were staying that I discovered he was gone and probably up to something. I went straight to investigate and Sammy told me Ryan had taken Georgina for a chat.”

“Sammy?! Where is he?”

“Uhm… I’m here, Sharkey,” Sammy muttered sheepishly from a few yards away.

Sharkey stormed over to him. “Are you a fuckin’ retard or somethin’?”

“He told me you’d said he was to try and talk to her. I had no idea he was planning on getting her out of here.”

“In t’middle o’ t’bastard night?”

“I… I…”

A quick hand from Sharkey caught Sammy square in the nose and he went down clutching his face. He inspected his shaking hand to see blood was pouring from his nostrils. The time Sammy had to consider that fact was short; Sharkey pulled a pistol without warning and put a bullet into the grounded man’s forehead.

“Fuckin’ idiot! Where’s the inept prick from the police station?”

“Still out cold,” a nearby lackey answered.

“Wake him up and bring him to me. I wanna speak to that Shaz bird as well!” He turned his attention back to Kas. “You! I dunno what to make o’ your involvement in this. Needless to say, I’m suspicious.”

“Ryan shot me! I’d be out on the road with them if I was part of this, not nursing a bullet wound in my leg!”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I dunno what to believe right now. The people around me are either stupid or snakes. I don’t buy that you didn’t have at least a clue as to what Ryan was planning.”

“I knew nothing,” Kas lied.

Sharkey stared into space for a few long seconds and placed his pistol back in his waistband. “I’m not lettin’ ‘em get away wi’ this. I want ‘em found and brought back here, alive. I’m not havin’ the joy of killin’ ‘em taken away from me. Get that leg sorted, then get out there and source the sneaky pricks out.”

“There are men already out there looking. They won’t have got far.”

“You know better than I do that those three are slippery. I wouldn’t trust any o’ these to find their own dick with a spyin’ glass! You ran with ‘em; you’re more likely to know where they’ll be. This is your operation now.”

“No problem, boss. I’ll get them somehow.”

Sharkey started in the direction of his abode and spoke to Kas without looking at him. “I know you will. Not gettin’ ‘em isn’t an option!”

 

TO BE CONTINUED