Chapter 98

***Levi.***

The men laughed.

They didn't need money, or they would have made their demands. Rather they seemed to be here for me.

"You have me. Take me and let everyone go." I sneered.

My lips tight as I stared into his eyes. He must have seen something in my gaze that startled him for a moment, before he regained himself.

"I heard you are very precise and a good negotiator." The man started slowly in my face. "Sadly I am here for one thing." He grinned.

I tried to buy sometime, hoping Blake found a way.

"I'll pay you triple whatever you were given. How much? A million dollars? Ten million? Name your price." I spat. The man's armor cracked and I could swear I reached him. I could pay more than that. But first he had to agree.

"I would forget this ever happened, but let everyone go and the money would be yours." I baited him.

Someone in his group took him aside. He released me. I panted anxiously.

*God I hoped that Blake had an idea. Because these men had bloodshot eyes and I hadn't been prepared for this.*

The worst thing I could do now was die. Because I made a promise to my wife. I never broke my promises.

The man gave me a look as they talked in their dialect. And I wished I could hear them.

I flicked a gaze to the woman who still had a gun pointed to her head. If I made a move for the man's gun, how many could I shoot down, before I got shot. I still had my knife in my leg. They hadn't spotted it. I could do something.

Shifting a gaze to the man who held the woman hostage, I said.

"Mind if I get a drink of your water?"

The man eyed me, dubiously. I shrugged, inching closer. I was a hairsbreadth away. My hands held in midair.

"I haven't had a drink of water in hours and if your boss there is going to consider my options, you wouldn't want me dead." I smiled.

The man was thoughtful. I saw the others had converged and they were almost all talking, except for a few, who distractedly stood around.

Sparing me another glance, the man began reaching for his canister.

Swiftly, I lowered myself and pulled my knife. Before he knew what he was about, I covered his mouth, slitting his throat. Silent and precise, I lowered the man to the floor.

I looked to ensure the others weren't looking.

*They must be arguing about the money.*

I crouched low, picking the man's gun. Then I crawled to the woman. She startled and I covered her mouth. Dragging us behind one of their cars.

I wasn't too good with the dialect, but I managed to ask her to crawl out of the area. She nodded and obeyed.

Then I heard a gunshot and one of the men fell dead. They began firing randomly. At the same time more fell dead.

*Good timing Blake.*

Looking around, I saw the men pointing in where I had been standing. They were searching for me. I fired my shots and they dropped dead like flies.

Just as I rose to my feet, attempting to take cover behind the trees, someone stopped me.

"Don't fucking move, Ruthford! You thought you could run away right."

I stilled and saw from my periphery vision, Blake had a gun raised. He gave a signal and I docked. A bullet firing and hitting the man. I panted, shaking.

For a second I thought I was going to die. Blake and two of my men rushed to me, ensuring the man was dead. I rose to my feet, my body still fighting for balance.

"Thanks man." I breathed, watching the dead man.

It wasn't the leader and I grew worried.

I turned around, wincing from a wound I sustained, while I crawled. And a shot was fired, hitting me straight on my right side. I stilled from the shooting pain. Staggering to get my balance. Blake yelled, and another shot was fired, but I didn't bloody know who did. All I know is that Blake had his hand around me.

The pain was shooting like a million nails. *Okay that didn't even cut it*. It was worse than the time I got shot by Black Pea. And all I could think at the moment was I had failed Kenya.

I didn't even know when I had my fingers on the wound. When I pulled it back up, blood covered my palm.

"Steady Levi... Someone call a fucking doctor!" Blake yelled, lowering me gently.

The floor suddenly felt cold, or did I feel cold.

"BlakeKenyaI asked her toI promised that I'd stay with her for"

"Don't speak man." I heard Blake say. I drifted in and out of consciousness. I couldn't feel anything around my side. It was like I was slipping away.

I cried in pain when someone rushed to my side, pressing the wound.

Everything ceased to exist.

*I open my eyes. Am not dead yet, right? I look and see corpses lying around me. Broken bodies. That nightmare again. I struggle to banish the sight. But this time it doesn't go away.*

*Dodging the bodies, I see mum. I freeze, watching her. She comes closer. I flinch.*

*"Don't be afraid, she says. I wouldn't bite." She says. I try to believe her, but I am mostly scared. Then she holds my hand and walks me through the labyrinth of bodies. I hitch my breath all the way. My eyes closed against the carnage.*

*We soon stand in front of a very bright light. I look at the light, wondering at it.*

"*Am I to enter the light, mum?" I ask her.*

*She smiles.*

*"Yes. Because the light means you will finally open your heart again. You'd finally allow her in your heart."*

*"Allow who, mum?" I ask.*

*"Kenya."*