Saving The Gangsta

t h i r t e e n

a s t r i d 

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We must always fight for what we love. As long as we remember that what matters most is who we are when our war is over.

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"I want teams deployed all over The Scars territory. At the moment, they're outnumbering us. We're shooting to kill."

I study Rebecca Clarke carefully, my brows furrowing. She's worried, visibly worried. Rebecca had been acting weird since Asher died, understandably so, yet this woman was completely different to the one I met.

She was scared, but she was still a bitch.

"Didn't you hear me, Cleveland?" She snaps, "You're with Addy, Devil and Hayden. Hurry the fuck up, and don't mess this up."

I step forward, narrowing my eyes at her. Rage leaked into my tone, "You might have everyone else bowing down to you, everyone's respect. But I promise you, you won't be getting any off me. Not now. Not ever."

I walk off, pausing at the weapons display. I shove a pocket knife into my sock, a gun in my waistband and knuckle dusters into my pocket.

There are no winners in this game. Only survivors.

***

" Xander?" My brows furrow naturally as the young boy stares at me.

He leaned forward and whispered, gazing at me curiously. "You're gonna fix everything, I can see it - like a shooting star on a stormy night. You're not like us, are you?"

I don't reply to his question, visibly swallowing as his words shock me.

"Taylor, Rebecca, Alexi, all of them, even me, are products of a corrupt society. We were born into a war zone and made to play soldiers. We're all past saving. But you, you're not like us. You're better. You'll save him, Astrid. You're going to save all of us, for better or for worse."

I turn away and then look back, only to find nothing left where his small form once stood.

His words baffled me. How was I better than any of these people?

They was born into a war zone? Well, I was the reason for the war zone occurring.

How can he say I'll save them all when I'm the reason their lives are so messed up?

"We're all gonna die." I finally spoke, addressing my 'team' and looking at the rivals base apprehensively.

I heard someone cock their gun and I spun around to see Hayden, stood with Devil and Addy, with an eyebrow raised in my direction. "Forever the optimist, my dear Astrid."

I let out a small chuckle, shaking my head. "You know me very well, Denny."

"Denny?" He counters instantly, raising his eyebrow at me.

"My new nickname for you." I smiled widely and turned around fully so my back was too the building.

"Hey, Devil?" I spoke quietly but loud enough for it to echo slightly.

"Yeah?" Devil studied the area around us, pushing his knife out of his sleeve by a millimetre.

"2nd building. 44th floor. Silent sniper in the left corner of the window aimed at Jesse's group in the 1st building. 1 bomb planted 5 metres behind me which is activated when stepped on. Their explosives guy is smart but not smart enough. They're not too good at camouflage either seen as I can clearly see 3 men stood about 250 yards behind you with knives." I informed, quietly but quickly.