“How’d you beat them up here?”
“They don’t know the way like I do.”
“Thanks, Randy,” I said, turning away.
“Wait,” he called out. “You hold on now. We ain’t done here.”
I turned back to him and he was holding an old pistol pointed directly at my chest. I cursed softly. I hadn’t realized he was packing, since he showed up so damn fast. Another stupid mistake.
“Drop your piece, son,” Randy said.
I nodded and slowly placed the gun on the ground. I stood back up, hands in the air.
“What do you want?” I asked him. “We need to leave before those men get here.”
“Money. Everything you have.”
“No,” I said. “We can’t do that.”
“You don’t have a choice, son. Money or you die.” He walked up toward me, getting closer and closer. I waited patiently, letting him get within range.
“We need that money to get away from these men. If you rob us, you’re killing us.”
“Not my problem, kid,” he said. “You’ll figure it out. Your daddy was a bastard but he sure was resourceful. I’m sure you’re the same.”
Fucking asshole. My father was a piece of shit, but that didn’t give Randy the right to talk shit.
Randy got closer and closer and I could see the fear in his eyes. He’d never held up a man before and probably never shot one. His grip was too tight and I could see the sweat on his brow.
It was now or never. I struck fast, slapping the gun with the outside of my right hand. He pulled the trigger and the gun went off, but the bullet flew harmlessly into the air.
I followed that move by stepping forward and turning slightly. I grabbed the wrist of his right hand and pivoted my body, shoving my left hip into his gut. I tossed him over, throwing him to the ground. I held onto his wrist, twisting as he hit, causing him to scream in pain. I put on a little more pressure and made sure it broke. He dropped the gun instantly.
“What’s happening?” Piper said, terror in her voice.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Randy here was just trying to rob us.”
“You broke my damn hand,” he yelled. “Oh you bastard, you broke it!”
“You tried to kill me. What did you expect?”
He groaned. “Let me go, you son of a bitch.”
I squeezed tighter then kicked him in the gut before releasing him. I quickly patted him down, making sure he had no other weapons, but he was harmless.
“Asshole,” he groaned as he rolled over.
“Come on,” I said to Piper. “Get your stuff. We have to run.”
“Run? Why?”
“Randy here said that some tough guys in a nice truck came around looking for us.”
“They’re here,” she said and the fear intensified.
“They must be checking anywhere that my family has any connections to. I don’t think they actually know we’re here.”
“Okay. Okay. Let me get my stuff.” She ran inside.
Randy rolled off the porch and onto the gravel. He was slowly crawling away and I just watched him. That piece of shit. I would have paid him something if he hadn’t pulled that gun, but he had to be an asshole.
I went back inside and gathered what little I had. I got a bag from a closet and threw some supplies in there. Some food, some water, some survival gear. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I wanted to be prepared. Five minutes later, we were out front and ready to go.
Randy was sitting behind the wheel of his truck, breathing deeply and trying not to look over at us. I smirked at him but didn’t push it. I knew there wasn’t much honor in beating up an old man, even one that had a fucking gun pointed at my face.
“Ready?” I asked Piper.
“Ready.”
We stepped off the porch.
Just then, the sound of gravel churning up came echoing up the road.
I looked at her and we walked faster. Randy climbed out of his truck and peered down the hill.
“That’s them,” he said.
“Fuck,” I answered. “Is there another way out?”
He shrugged. “Might be.”
“Listen to me, you motherfucking cunt. You’re going to drive us out of here, and now.”
“No,” he said. “Don’t think I am.”
The truck was gaining, coming faster and faster. They could see us as well as we could see them, and the truck was flying now.
“Listen to me,” I said, pulling my gun. “How about I just kill you right here?”
“Then you’re really stuck.”
“Gates,” Piper warned.
“Fuck.” I wanted to break this bastard’s teeth in through his skull. “Fifty dollars.”