Rising Volume 2, Issue 6

Gauntlet and Rose waited until late in the night. The Bullet Head post went relatively unchanged until about one in the morning, so Gauntlet checked by the watch he kept in his pocket. Around that time a few more gang members left, which left Ryan and a couple others alone to man it. It was either very organized or lax - Elliot wasn't sure. But now was as good as any time to act before the rest came back if they just went to get something to eat.

They snuck across the street up to the front door which was a set of double doors that led to a hallway that separated the apartments. There was no one outside guarding the hall thankfully.

Gauntlet knocked on the door as Rose was on standby with her bat.

The door opened. The man on the otherwise was wearing the mask and stared down at Gauntlet.

"What the fuck do you want?" They said as Rose came around and hit them in the nads with the bat.

They curled up as a loud moan droned out of their body. Gauntlet stepped over them and entered the room, which was a messy living room with two couches.

Another gang member came along, and Gauntlet had to reach to jab them in the throat, nearly breaking their Adam's apple.

Ryan got up next but froze in fear.

"You have to go." He said.

"You're coming with us." Gauntlet said.

"You're nuts. Just like my brother."

"I think we're all off the deep end. Whatever Adam is doing, isn't good." Gauntlet continued as Rose cautiously entered the room with her bat ready to go.

"Don't you think I know that? but at least I'm on the winning team."

"I don't see it that way."

"Then I'm sorry El. But you and Sofia have to go. Now."

In a split second, a pain screaming out of the side of his neck, where Rose landed the bat. He just about blacked out when he heard Rose speaking.

"Sorry Ryan. It's for the best. So now what?"

"Now we're leaving and taking him with us."

"But where are we going?"

***
"What in the world are you doing here?" Robert said as he and Rose dragged the barely conscious Ryan into the room. Rose took a chair from the kitchen. Gauntlet popped out some rope and tied Ryan's arms and legs to the chair as he came around.

"We need to find Adam. Ryan doesn't want to cooperate." Gauntlet said as he backed away from Ryan.

"So your solution was to drag me into this? What the Joe?"

"Robert, shut up." As Ryan finally came around and started fighting the chair he was strapped to.

"Now we're really in it." Robert walked away.

"So, are you willing to talk now? Is is safe?" Gauntlet said as he stood before Ryan.

"Just what do you plan to do when you see him, El?" Ryan said. "What will this solve? The Bullet Heads have done nothing too you."

"On the contrary, they have already broken into my house once. And now they are terrorizing my town and are making us victims of our own environment. This ends." Gauntlet said.

"It won't end." Robert said from the corner of the living room. "We've made an unstoppable freight train. It won't end til we're dead!"

"Robert! Shut up! You wanted to help before - here's your chance." Gauntlet said.

Gauntlet walked away giving Robert some breathing space.

"How did you guys even get him here?" Robert asked.

"Back roads. Plus it is late at night. Where are your parents, Robert?" Rose asked.

"Out of town, thankfully. I don't know how I would explain this crap to them! I had to see a psychiatrist after that stuff! For four months!"

"You should have thought about all that before offering to help in the first place, Robert! It's too late now to back out!"

Then the lights go out throughout the entire house. Only the light of the street lamps were coming through.

"What the fuck?" Sofia said.

"Watch your mouth, Sofia!" Robert said.

"I think we have bigger problems than my language, Rob."

"Watch out!" Ryan said. "Something is coming through the window!"

Gauntlet barely had the time to react when a Molotov cocktail crashed through the living room window and set the rug ablaze and orange light washed over half the room. A second and third cocktail crashed through a window in the kitchen and another in one of the bedrooms. Then another followed in the living room, and by now there was no way to get out the front door. They had to go out the back. Gauntlet quickly released Ryan from his seat and led them to the back, past erupting flames of the kitchen, down a long hallway that led into the backyard.

Gauntlet opened the door, and the flat steels face of a garbage can lid was the last thing he remember seeing.