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“You two can’t be here for much longer,” Shiloh warns us.
“I know, but I needed to get some things out of the office,” I say.
Mom looks at me with understandable concern. “It’s out of our hands now, isn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so,” I reply with a heavy sigh. “I am sorry, for what it’s worth.”
“Meh. As long as you get results, we’ll be fine. It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve raided the shop, anyway. We weathered the 2008 financial crisis, and we’re going to get through this, too.”
Ariana gasps. “Wait, did you say raid?”
“Yeah, they’re coming,” Shiloh says. “The lawyers told me as soon as Spike and I got out of the joint.”
“Where is Spike?” I ask, my mind firing rapid responses for each incoming development. We’re about to go into the fast lane, and I need every possible exit clear and visible in the back of my head.
“Already doing what you asked,” Shiloh responds. “Sky, I swear to God, if you don’t buy us that lakeside house when this is all over, I’m going to kill you with my bare hands.”
“I still can’t believe you got involved over a house,” Mom exhales sharply.
“She’s kidding, Mom,” I remind her. “Shiloh is in it for the long run, out of loyalty and sisterly love. Come on, we’ve been over this so many times already. We have to end them. We have to destroy the Black Hand if we’re ever going to see peace again in Everton.”
Mom sighs and walks over to a safe in the wall. She punches a code into the keypad and takes everything out—rolls of cash, a couple of guns, ammunition, and several important documents—putting it all into a duffel bag. “You might as well take this while you’re here,” she says, handing the bag over to me. You’ll need it.”
“These are the deeds to the shop and Dad’s house,” I mutter, staring at her.
“Just take it. Keep it safe. We know how the cabal operates at this point. We don’t want to make it easier for them,” Mom says.
POP-POP!
Guns rapidly fire outside. We can hear men shouting through the walls. A glass breaks inside the shop, signifying they’ve made entry into the building.
“Shit, they’re here,” Shiloh says, the color suddenly draining from her face.
My heart stops for a moment, and a loud bang rattles me to the core. “Flashbang grenades,” I say.
“Shiloh, we need to go out there and surrender,” Mom cuts in.
“I just got out on bail, and I have nothing to surrender for,” my sister replies.
“Sky, get Ariana out of here,” Mom says, then looks directly at her. “I’ll see you again, honey, I promise, and under better circumstances. But in the meantime, you two need to leave.”
Shiloh nods at the back door. “Go, Sky. Now!”
A bullet pierces the door of the office. It whizzes right through my sister’s shoulder, drawing blood. She cries out in pain and falls to the ground.
“Shiloh!” I yell, but Ariana grabs me by the arm.
“My baby!” Mom screams.
“Get down!” I shout, unable to do anything else for them.
“POLICE! We’ve got a warrant!” a man calls out, following up with a hail of gunfire.
POP. POP. POP. POP.
My mom and sister are on the floor, covering their heads.
Everything happens so fast, yet my body is accustomed to this sort of action. Survival becomes key for me and Ariana, and I get us both out the back door just as the SWAT officers break through the office.
