The Archer (18+)

XV

At least a dozen cars raced in our direction, just as the girls and I ushered inside the vehicle.

"Ask them what they want!" I ordered Jackson before slamming the door shut.

I could not risk us blowing our identities especially since we were out in the open collecting a huge shipment of weapons.

The cars slammed to a halt and a door shut with a bang. I squinted as a single man in a grey suit exited first. He stood for a moment evaluating the van. His eyes swept over the tinted glass and briefly our eyes met. I held my breath. He could not see me, I knew he couldn't, but my mind was already running haywire.

The man steadily advanced towards Jackson and his two men. He strolled leisurely with his left hand cradling his side. He unknowingly was giving us a full view of the sharp outline inside his tailored suit. He was armed.

"Take the lid off the boxes." I whispered quietly in the van, never tearing my eyes away from him. No matter his intention, though it wasn't looking very positive, he was the prey. I suddenly felt the need to have the upper hand, even if it meant doing something illegal.

A soft gasp echoed in the van before Raine fell to her knees and started to pry one of the crates open.

"Well what do we have here?" The man closed the distance between Jackson and himself.

Car doors began opening and closing sinisterly. Hoards of men evacuated their vehicles. They sneered at our parked van and the far too obvious remaining three crates.

I cracked my neck and my knuckles, paying keen attention to their body languages. These men were prepared for the worst. Something was off.

"Is there a problem, sir?" Jackson shoved his hands in his pockets smiling gently.

"Not at all." The stranger smiled balefully in return, "I'm only here for the party."

"You must have gotten your venues mixed up." Jackson politely answered.

"I hardly think so. What's in the boxes?"

"Perishables." Jackson smiled.

"Then you wouldn't mind me holding on to it, now would you?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible."

"I'm not asking." The tailored suit man punctuated.

"Oh fucking hell." Raine snarled quietly getting frustrated with the crates. They were sealed tightly. I began to notice the steady footsteps of men by the van. They were slowly surrounding us. This was an ambush!

The top of one of the boxes finally popped off and relief flooded me. My pounding heartbeat slowed tenfold.

"Any makeshift masks?" I whispered.

Raine hummed and tossed me a black piece of plastic. I fastened it around my head, hoping the others did the same. We were bending rules but no mask was where I drew the line. This was not a mission, so w did not have our official equipment. However, we could always make do with what we had.

The tailored man stepped in the direction of Jackson, both still smiling with very different intents.

"If you know what's good for you kid, you hand over those boxes."

"Then take it." Jackson's smile fell immediately.

I ducked immediately and took out two hand guns. I looked around and Raine's weapons mirrored mine. Both Bleu and Cutthroat had no weapons but Bleu was quickly wrapping her hands and knuckles in thick gauze.

Cutthroat sat in the van with a slight fidget. I dared not to question her weapon choice- or lack thereof.

"Oh really?" The tailored suit man whipped out the gun he had in his waist band.