Bad Dream

Chapter 14: Fallen for me

 "It has now been 6 weeks since Sahara Schade has gone missing and the Fatal Gang are still active within the city. Police are losing hope of finding Miss Schade alive as no missing person has ever been found alive after being kidnapped by the Fatal Gang due to their sheer brutality ". I turn away from the television. Yaegar and Basilius come into the kitchen ,I smile at them as I offer them coffee. They both nod happily.

Magnus and Kassim walk into the room. I inwardly groan, I have been avoiding being alone with either of them. I cannot think straight when they are in the room. Avoiding my feelings is better than facing them in this situation.

I turn to Ambrose once again, "I understand this might be a sensitive question, but what got you all into the life of crime?".

Salem who has sat down next to me averts his gaze. Ambrose kindly smiles at me , suggesting that I have not offended him with my question.

"My parents were killed at a very young age in a car accident. I always thought that it was just a tragic accident ,however when I was 14 I learnt that the man who killed my parents was a gang member. So I snuck away one night from my foster parents to find him" , I see sadness in his eyes.

I gesture for him to continue.

"I walked into bar and confronted him. He just laughed in my face , I was so angry at him. I left the bar and he followed. He was taunting me and telling me how he remembered my parents death and that he enjoyed the fact that they were holding hands when they died. I flew into a rage and I stabbed him. Afterwards I was so consumed with guilt that I ran away. I ran to this place", he signals the warehouse we were in.

"Here I met an older man who I came to know as Aries . He looked after me and taught me things . He recruited all of us, like the lost boys. There were 12 recruits and Aries ,life was good".

I look at Ambrose , "12? Where are the others now? Where is Aries?".

Cain answers me instead , "One night we all went out and like what happened a few weeks ago we met the Rebel Gang . Except this time it wasn't planned we walked into an ambush , one of our own Zeus had become like Judas and betrayed us all. Aries ,Leon and Killian were all killed and Zeus went with the Rebel Gang".

I shake my head

"I am so sorry"

Kassim scoffs, "Don't be, we don't need your sympathy".

I leave the bench and go to sit in my room. All of these men are orphans, they have no ties to anybody but each other. That could make them even more dangerous. I have been acting these past few weeks that I am their friend. What if they found out? I am torn between feeling sorry for them and being scared of them.

Jai walks into my room, "Are you okay Sahara? You look a little white, are you sick again?".

I compose myself, "I am fine Jai , just a little tired I guess".

He looks at me questioningly , "Good".

As he leaves the room the confusion I felt before intensifies. I fear that like the change in the direction of the wind they could turn on me and hurt me.

"Police and families of victims have pleaded for people to come forward with any information about the Fatal Gang. Police are offering a 2 million dollar reward for anyone who can help locate the Fatal Gang. Detective Constable Smith has refused to comment further on the matter except that he hopes that this gang will be brought to justice . Back to you Sally".

Jager stands, "Ambrose this is bad. Could someone inform on us?".

Ambrose' eyebrow is furrowed and he looks concerned. "No, other gangs don't know where our home base is and no one knows our real names".

Despite Ambrose' answer no one looks at peace.

The silence makes me uneasy and I see the worry on everyones faces.

I retreat to my room and change into a pair of flannelette pajama pants and a baggy black hoodie . I pile blankets on the bed and slip under the sheets. I welcome the heavy warmth as it warms the cold that I feel in my heart.

**********

I awake in a cold sweat and my heart beating out of my chest. I can hear loud bangs coming from outside my door . I slowly creep out the door and see lights flickering in the main room. I reach the end of the hallway ,as Ambrose yells for me to step back I have already stepped forward. The world seems to go in slow motion as I hear two loud shots go off. I am aware of sharp pain in my abdomen and chest. I look down and see a dark liquid spread across my hoodie .I collapse, as the boys begin shooting back at the police .

"Stop". I manage to shout as a police officer rushes to my side . The gun shots stop and when the Detective flicks on the lights I find that I am relieved to find that none of the boys have been shot and only one police officer is cradling a wound on his forearm.

Ambrose steps forward with his arms up, "We will come with you willingly, but please let us talk to Sahara first".

Following Ambrose' lead all of the boys step forward.

Various policemen come and handcuff the boys .

They all lean down , I find myself crying.

"We have to go Sahara, you are ours now so if you survive this remember the price of betrayal is a deadly one and we will always find you no matter where you go ". They all stand and walk away with the police officers. I am loaded into an ambulance and the world slowly fades away from me . Before I go unconscious I hear the sound of Ambrose whispering , "I'm sorry".