AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lela didn’t go far. She paced the polished floor in front of the row of seating, the agents’ eyes flicking toward her. Hefting her bag, she adjusted the shoulder strap across her midsection. The few items of importance to her were stashed inside, along with her cash. She hugged the bag close.
Looking around the station, Lela noted the other waiting passengers. A couple of kids wrestled over a cherished toy, until their mother handed over treats to distract them. A business type tapped on his laptop, his eyebrows drawn together in concentration.
Then new faces appeared. Three men entered, no luggage in tow, and walked toward the seating area. Their arrogant saunter and baggy clothes marked them as gang members. Each sported similar menacing tattoos, which meant trouble. The tats were on the face, plus covered the neck and arms.
The tallest one had a goatee and bushy hair. He walked shoulder to shoulder with a shorter, squat guy with a wide face. The third man was a step behind, his eyes searching the waiting area. He was narrow, with a thin face, but his lighter build didn’t fool Lela.
The way the thin guy held his shoulders telegraphed a message that he was meaner than he might appear. He gave off clear don’t-fuck-with-me vibes. Lela kept the men in her peripheral view, but didn’t stare. To challenge the rough trio would mean risking her life.
Despite the feds close by to protect her, Lela wasn’t isolated from the gang threat. She was all too familiar with the drug gangs that had proliferated in Houston. Any one of their members would kill, with little provocation and no remorse. And members were often armed with high-powered weapons.
Simmons nodded to his partner, who took a more attentive pose. Neither one looked directly at the gang, as doing so could be considered an insult. It was best to avoid provocation, and Lela was relieved to see that the feds were savvy about gang mentality.
The gang appeared to be on premises with a purpose. Their matching scowls conveyed that whatever their reason for being there, it wasn’t recreational—unless murder and mayhem was considered sport.
Other passengers glanced at the gang, but minded their own business. Lela doubted any citizen would get involved. Even without the insight she had about vicious gangs, the men’s demeanor was frightening. So far, the men hadn’t actively threatened, but their presence was alarming enough.
The mother pulled her kids closer, and the businessman squinted at his computer screen. The room seemed quieter, as though each waiting passenger held their breath, praying for the gangsters to leave, and quickly.
Lela tried to stay calm. She had enough happening without any unwelcome encounter with the drug purveyors of the city. But she wasn’t naïve enough to assign the gang member’s appearance to mere coincidence. The reason she was being ushered onto a train, headed toward protective custody, was because she was scheduled to testify in a drug-related case.
Could these thugs have any connection to that case?
The feds were on alert, though outwardly staying cool. Robertson stood up and positioned his body in front of hers. He said in a low voice, “We’ve got our eyes on them.”
Why didn’t that make Lela feel any better? If she’d been the only one perceiving a threat, she could have brushed it aside. It was a nerve-racking day to start with; she was worrying without cause. But if the feds were on high alert, there was a greater chance that trouble was about to find them.
A group of passengers stood up and grabbed their luggage, momentarily blocking Lela’s view. Then they moved toward the gate, leaving the three gang members in full view. The gangsters were too close for comfort.
Lela’s heart raced. The gangsters were within smelling distance when they made their move. The tall one shouted, “Grab her!”
The thin guy had his arms around Lela before she could move. The feds engaged with the other two gangsters. A glimmer of a gun barrel caught her eye. Then the first shot was fired.
