The Knight Rises

Ch. 3 - Entering Hell

Malachi's POV:

We're at the door getting ready to open it when we're  immediately met with a stream of bullets.  DeVante and I both fall back as we look at each other.  We both know this is a cluster fuck getting ready to go down.  DeVante says, "You go high ... I'll go low."  I nod in agreement.  As we move towards the open door, Devante takes a knee.  We both lean out and fire a few return shots at the goons inside.  I hit one of the big guy between the eyes as Devante hits another one in the chest area.  Both guys fall to the floor as three more big figures move towards the back of the building.

We move in, Liam fires two shots at one of the guys that running by.  He hits him in the leg.  A bullet flies by Liam's head and we all look up to see Jackson standing at the top of some stairs shooting at us.  "He's mine," I tell them as we split off into different directions.  I fire two shots at Jackson but the squirrelly fucker dodges them.  Abe fires three shots at Jackson's bitch as she runs towards a back hallway with  the dude that got hit in the leg limping behind her.

Next thing we know, one of Jackson's guys steps out with a flamethrower and sprays the area ... putting a wall of fire between them and us.  Everything in front of us is on fire now and we can see  some of the men start to move near that back hallway where that bitch was. 

The fire spreads faster than it should, but I manage to see Jackson through the flames and fire two shots, he falls back against the wall.  I can see him pull himself up and run down the hallway bleeding in his upper chest/shoulder area.  The guy with the flamethrower continues to set the whole building on fire.  I can see a door with Ke'Shawn behind it.  Even though the door is right in front of me I can't get to it because the flames are blocking everything.  The fire is too intense and shit is starting to fall from the ceiling.  Ke'Shawn and I make eye contact as I  pull my mask off, he's looking at me.  I can see it in his eyes ... he's telling us to leave him. 

"Trevor .... Solomon ... get the F-150 and Jeep ... pop that back wall near that window," I say into my earpiece.  I nod my head at Ke'Shawn and we pull back, Devante almost gets hit with falling debris.  The look in Ke'Shawn's eyes is like he's saying goodbye.  The flames are all around the room he's in and I can see smoke seeping into the room.  We make it outside and try to catch our breath before heading to the back of the building.

Ke'Shawn's POV:

I hear it ... off in the distance ... gunfire.  I check the window outside, I see two red lights on the hill behind the warehouse.  I'm starting to hear shouting and the gunfire getting closer.  As I move to the door I look out the small window in the door and see one of Jackson's goons run past limping with that bitch Jackson is with.  She flips me off as she pass the window.  I hear Jackson yell to the goon behind him, "Light 'em up ... burn this bitch to the ground ... light it all up ... let's go."  Then he's hit by a bullet from Malachi's gun but gets up and runs by, I yell his name but he keeps going.

Fuck, i say to myself because i know he's the only one with a key to this room.  Then the other goon follows behind Jackson burning everything with what looks like something straight out of the movies.  Immediately, the smoke starts seeping into the room.  I grab the blanket from the bed and wet it in the sink that's in the bathroom section of the room.  Thank good for the bathroom.  I stuff the blanket at the bottom of the door to keep the smoke out.  Which isn't helping but so much. 
I look out the window and see four figures standing there looking at the door, cut off to the room by the flames outside the door.  I can hear shit in the warehouse starting to fall from above as the flames shoot up. 

One of the figures raise his head and lowers his mask ... it's Malachi.  He's looking at me with so much concern and fear because they can't get to me.  Even if they could the fucking door is lock and Jackson has the key.  All of the sudden Malachi grabs his ear and says something and they start to leave ..... We make eye contact and i know  they can't get to me.   I start to think ... this is how I'm going to die - death by smoke inhalation - burned.  After all the shit I've been through in my life looks like I'm going out in a literal blaze of glory.  What the fuck.  I lean my head down and close my eyes for a second to think.