Depravity

Garden

I spoke to her the first time at a small café. I saw her in my peripheral vision, I knew it was her because the colors were back. I had to speak to her as she was the cashier on duty. I told her my order and paid with every intention to never see her again.

She asked me my name.

"Ira." I replied.

"That's really unique, what's it mean?"

"Wrath." I responded as I received my coffee and left. As I exited the cafe my phone rang.

"Yo." I answered.

"Ira. The Kings moving on 76th."

"Where are you?" I asked.

"The garage."

"Be there in 10." I hung up, and looked back at the café to see her face one last time. To experience the color of life. Our eyes met for a second...then I turned away to get in my car and head to the garage.

I pulled up exactly 10 minutes later and as soon as I opened the door Levi approaches.

"We got four in the garage plus me and you. Is six enough to get all of 'em in one place?"

"Depends on the place." I responded.

"They in the lot off 76th by the corner store."

"Cars or no?"

"Three cars."

"Shit." I lit a cigarette. "Okay, tell the four in the garage to come up the east side of the lot. We'll come up the west."

"Alright. What we packing?"

"Get me two stun grenades, a gallon of gas, a siphon hose and an M4. Everybody else can get whatever. Make sure they vested up, and call Ash to see if he can get in sniper position. If he can't don't worry about it. It won't bother me, but it may help the other guys."

"Got you bro, today's the day huh?"

About half hour later we pulled up on opposites sides of the lot out of eyesight. Fortunately Ash was able to come through and he's in position. I got a text from him telling me the 20 Kings and their leader Bel is present. That means if we do this right, we own the East and West sides of the city.

"Make sure nobody moves until I give the signal." I told Levi.

"Word." He responds.

Now for the tricky part, I crouched down and began my approach to the cars in the lot. When I got there I started with the furthest. This is something I only could have done at night.

I opened the gas cap, put the siphon hose in and suck some gas out to spill on the ground. I pour more around the tank of the car and repeat this with the other two cars, and drag a gasoline trail from all three cars back to Levi.

"You ready?" I asked.

"Man, I been ready." He responds with a smirk.

"Alright, throw me my rifle when you get to me." I say as I light the gas trail and walk to the entrance. It should take about two minutes for the fire to reach the cars and blow the gas tanks.

"Hey! We need to talk!" I projected from my position. All twenty Kings turn, guns drawn on me.

"Talk? You here alone in our territory. We should kill you right now and claim the city." Bel yelled back.

"I'm tryna find a way to do this peacefully, ain't nobody gotta die tonight. Let's work something out." I just needed to stall.

Bel puts his hand up and the Kings lower their guns. "A'ight nigga, you got 30 seconds to impress me before the amount of holes in you gets impressive."

"Look, I know you been scouting us and we been scouting you. Neither one of us want the losses from a war between us. We both Raymon born and raised. We gotta do better and settle this without bloodshed, it's a loop. So what can I do to help end it?"

Bel looked me in the eyes. "You really gonna come here with that bullshit? While you got a sniper aiming at us?"

"You 20 deep, I brought one. Yeah...may be he gets a couple of you but not before you get me. He won't shoot if you don't."

I could see the gears turning in his head and then...I clapped loudly. The Kings raised their guns back on me and...

BOOM!

The cars exploded and my four guys came through the East entrance firing as Ash started picking them off. They didn't know where to shoot. I tossed a stun grenade at them and started moving to the left, and as soon as it landed I felt a hand on my back. I reached back and felt the M4 drop in my hands. I dropped a knee near the last burning car, Levi rushed to the opposite side and we emptied the clips.

They didn't get a single shot off. We killed them all.