Albee hugged the frightened Aaliyah.
"There, there. Don't cry anymore. I won't let them hurt you." Albee mumbled closely to her ear. Those men didn't bother to tie Albee again because... what could a tiny little boy like him do to them? But Aaliyah's wrists were still bound and seeing the red marks the rope leaves her skin made his heart ache. He wished he can get her out of the place at once.
"Albee, bring me the lighter." Arianna beckoned him. They only have thirty minutes before the boss of these thugs comes back. They need to start devising a plan to escape.
Albee ran to his mother's side and took out the cigarette lighter under his shirt. He hugged her mother and positioned his other hand behind her, beneath the rope binding her wrists. They can't afford to let the guard know they were up to something! He only moved away after he successfully cut the rope binding his mum.
There were four people inside the warehouse with them. The other men were guarding outside. On their left were the wooden boxes containing firearms, but of course they weren't loaded so they can't use them. On their right were cardboard boxes containing unimportant things. The four men guarding them were sitting at the only table in the middle of the old warehouse. The only window is located above the pile of boxes on the far end.
Looking at the place, Arianna was reminded of what she experienced when she was just a child. She was deeply traumatized by that incident! How can she allow these kids to suffer the same fate? Tonight, she needs to relive the past and risk her life to save her beloved children...
"Albee... can you find out a way to cut off the electricity?" she muttered. They will have a higher chance to escape if these men couldn't see them.
Albee understood and looked around. There were five light switch on the wall across them but only three LED lamps were working. How can he turn all of them at once?
Albee took out a glass bottle and a packet of gauze pad from the inside pocket of his jacket. He then stuffed the neck of the bottle with the gauze pad; the one used to dress wounds. "Here mamma..." he whispered, giving her the bottle and the lighter from an angle hidden from the thugs' view.
Arianna furrowed her brows. She sighed after inspecting bottle. Albee was so obsessed with medicine that he carries first aid stuffs all the time. Well, this rubbing alcohol sure came in handy this time.
While everyone wasn't looking, Arianna lit up the wick of Albee's makeshift firestarter and threw it into the pile of cardboard boxes. Very quickly, a fire started which attracted the men's attention and sent them to a state of panic. Albee used this chance to switch off the lights. Now, half of the warehouse was lighted and the other end leading to the only window is totally dark.
"Albee, take Aaliyah and escape through the window. Don't look back. Your mission is to protect her." she whispered.
Albee was initially hesitant. What about his mum? But when his gaze fell to the little girl who was silenced by fear all this while, he was instantly convinced his mother was right. He grabbed Aaliyah's wrists and pulled her towards the dark end. They need to climb the boxes to reach the window and jump from a certain height. They need to succeed so they can call for help.
Arianna crawled under the table and was planning to grab a gun but one of the men saw her and attacked her. Unfortunately for him, Arianna was not disabled this time. She was able to snatch his .45 calibre pistol and knocked him out. The other three men all fired at her at once but she quickly rolled and ran away, hiding behind the stacks of riffles in the dark.
"Come out now!" one of the men shouted. Her answer though was a bullet in his brain. Arianna shot three bullets, killing all of them instantly.
***
"What's happening?" Maddog asked. He was inside his car, making a phonecall when a fire broke out inside the warehouse. He quickly got out to check what was happening but they suddenly heard four consecutive gunshots being fired. What's going on?
"You! Check what's happening!" he ordered three of his men. But the moment they entered, they all were ambushed by someone beside the entrance. All three of them fell dead as bullets came flying in the air.
Maddog clenched his fists. Good. The woman was good. Then he'll gladly play with her. There's only one exit to this warehouse and that is this guarded entrance. If she comes out, then she's dead. If she doesn't, then she'll die of suffocation if not of the fire. He wondered what she'll do about this!
"You! guard the south window!" he told another one of his men. "If anyone comes out from that small window, take them down!" he yelled. She pisses him off so she must pay for it!
Ten of Maddog's underlings guarded the entrance while three watched the south window. They waited for several minutes but there weren't any sign of Arianna and the kids. Were they dead? But they can't take the woman lightly. She had already succeeded taking down seven of them, so they waited for another several minutes. Soon, the fire died down and the smoke lessened. The whole warehouse was once again enveloped by darkness.
"All seven of you! Go check if they're still alive!" he roared. Even if they're still breathing, the smoke alone should render them unconscious by now.
Carefully, three men entered the building. When no gunshot was fired, the rest of them followed inside.
A minute passed and Maddog's eyes narrowed. None of the armed men who entered the building were able to get out. What was happening? Did they faint because of the fumes? What to do now?
"We weren't prepared. It looks like she's well trained." a man behind Maddod commented.
"You think so? What do you suggest?" he asked.
"I'll take three of the remaining men and enter the building. The other one will stay here with you. I'll try to take her down my self, what do you think?"
Maddog stared at the man wearing an army green pants and jacket. He then nodded. "Let's do that." he replied. "You're the underboss. I trust you."
The man sneered and led the other three subordinates inside.
Inside the building, Arianna took a deep breath. The air was finally clearer and she wouldn't have to cover her nose and mouth with her coat anymore. But suddenly, she sensed another batch of footsteps. Danger was slowly approaching.
Arianna raised the long gun he snatched from a dead man earlier. He aimed at one of the men and pulled the trigger. She was very good at fighting in the dark. She fired another shot but although she was able to hit the second target, the third one managed to injure her left arm.
Arianna was taken by surprise and her injury weakened her arm. She dropped the rifle in her hands and stepped back until she hit the wall. She's so screwed. She cursed thinking she should have taken a pistol instead. Then she wouldn't need both her arms to manage a gun. When the man in front of her fired a shot, she could only close her eyes as sparks flew along with the bullets.
But nothing. A second later and she felt nothing. The bullets didn't hit her. Instead, she felt strong arms hugging her. She was instantly stunned by the occurrence.
"I'm so glad to see you again!" A familiar voice resounded next to her ear.
Arianna froze. It's him...
***
"Boss! Everything is taken care of!" someone yelled from inside the building. A few moment later, a man went out carrying an unconscious woman in his arms. She was covered in blood.
Maddog sneered at the sight. "Good! I know you can subdue her!" the man praised. "I already called for additional men and they are on their way to take care of this place."
Behind the bushes, the kids watch in horror as the man lowered the seemingly lifeless body of Arianna to the ground. Was she severely injured? Were they gonna kill her? Albee's heart raced as his mind ran wild. Should he go rescue his mum? But how? He was about to ran towards her mother when a man suddenly appeared behind them and held his shoulder.
"Don't move." he commanded.