Chapter 3: Chapter 3

: Salvage Mansion

As Chad walked away, Justin turned back to the wall, leaning against it heavily, trying to support himself, while licking the blood off his lip. His fingers reaching out to his face and feeling the dried trail of blood that formed from the small cut on the side of his face.

He often wondered what had happened to his brother, finally settling for the fact that it was the years of working hard, trying to sustain the both of them.

Chad hadn't always been the tough type, he never used to beat his brother before their Dad died.

However, Justin really didn't blame him. Chad had gone through a lot and even through his stone cold heart, He could see that Chad did love him... Somewhere somehow.

He just had to.

Yes, Chad was now the leader of the so called Wolves, and yes Justin knew he had done some unforgivable things, but he couldn't just stop loving his brother, he could do well when he wanted to.

He had let Justin live freely under his roof, allowing him to get a job working at a nearby barber shop that was actually a front for the wolves hideout but Justin hadn't minded as he did not participate in their criminal activities. At least not until now.

Chad had told him it was Time for him to get involved in their new ' family business' or so he called it.

Justin shook his head, gently trailing his back against the wall, before sitting on the dirty street floor.

Is this what life was all about? Is this all he would ever amount to?

He buried his face into his arms trying his best to see past the darkness in his life, wasting the minutes away till he felt a hand settle gently on his shoulder.

He got startled at first, looking up suddenly, finding himself caught in the clear blue gaze of a girl with blond hair and a familiar gentle grin.

Her face was dirty as if she had been working and her hair was hanging out of her hoody as it fell a little ways past her shoulder, wearing a pair of knee ripped jeans.

She was pretty if one would look past the small scratches on her face and the beauty of her long eyelashes that made her eyes look more radiant than ever.

He stared into them for a moment then removed his gaze off her. " I'll have to do it tonight Clair," he said.

Clair looked down at him sighing out loud before she squatted beside him, "Chads right you know," she began gently bumping her shoulder with his, causing him to glance at her, while covering the pain, "it's time you got involved, just like the others."

Justin shrugged as he pulled away from her, " I said I'd do it so I have to, there's no choice, " he replied standing up as he wiped his hands on his dirty jeans.

"Justin" Clair called as he began to walk away from her,

"Just leave me alone, Clair...I need to be alone”

He heard a bunch of noise and the shuffling of feet before Clair tapped his shoulder with a slight huff, standing beside him, "okay, but just remember, this is not what we wanted, this is what we had to be" she replied with a soft smile before she left him standing alone in the alley.

Clair turned sixteen a month ago but she had already been 'working' with the others since a very young age.

It was easy to say that she was born into the gang and she was a skilled pick-pocket and very organized.

This wasn't the kind of life we wanted

Justin thought to himself as he walked aimlessly around. Was anyone really born into the life they wanted? Most importantly could anyone get out?

After a few hours it started getting dark and he began to make his way to a certain shop off the corner of the street, one that looked like a barber shop on the outside but at the back was The Wolves headquarters.

He passed the barber man called Clean, gave him a fist bump then went upstairs where there was a large upper room.

Here he found Chad and the others preparing for the heist Chad had so very much wanted Justin to be a part of that he had resulted to physical violence until the boy said yes.

"Where have you been?" Chad asked roughly, "If you're in the heist you have to be aware of the plan, stop acting like a dumb kid Justin this isn't play time. Get your bitch ass with the rest of 'em, it’s time you started acting like a fucking man."

"Get your ass in here!"  Royce, Chad's right hand man and Clair's brother called to him a table away.

“It’s too late to review the plan for you but stick with Clair she knows what to do,” Chad growled out.

Justin could only nod, looking at the back of the room where he spotted Clair, sharpening her knife.

He wondered why, why would she possibly need a knife? How bad was this heist?

Clair noticed and laughed, “relax homie, something's got to cut through the wires of the security system, don't think your teeth are sharp enough."

The other guys laughed and Justin tried to let out an amused snort which ended up sounding pathetic.

His eyes landed on the various weapons and guns laid out on the table in front of him.

"What are you waiting for? Pick one" Clair eased lifting up a pistol.

He gritted his teeth, his hand slowly tracing one gun.

He hovered over it for a few seconds before deciding to just settle for a knife.

"Don't cut yourself sleeping beauty," one guy jeered as he passed by Justin.

Justin eyed him sternly as Clair walked toward him, "don't mind Henry, he was always one to speak when not needed. I think a knife is quicker to use, easier to hide and more precise" she finished swinging the knife in the air like master, bending it to her will, with a quick curve. She grinned as him as Justin watched in awe before tucking another knife under her jeans.

Justin nodded slowly as she continued to explain the advantages and disadvantages of various kind of weapons.

It shocked him to realize how much the barely sixteen year old girl knew about violence, no wonder Chad was always saying he wished Justin was more like her.

"OK ma' brothers," Chad began, after 4 hours of final touches, he looked at Clair, tipping his head in a polite nod, "sister."

Clair smiled in response with a slight nod as he continued his speech, “today’s the day we raid Salvage, and if we find what we’re looking for, The Don moves up to the next Level. I'm talking rolling with the big boys, upper class suicide doors and shit"

The Wolves grunted and howled in approval.

"There is no room for cowards" he paused his eyes lingering on Justin, "or mistakes, we have one job to do, the biggest one yet, so no bitching around! Are you ready?!"

"Yes sir!"

"I said

ARE

YOU

READY?! "

"YES SIR!"

"LETS RIDE,"

"AWOO!" they all howled as they started putting on their masks.

Justin looked at the clock, it was almost midnight.

Had he heard Salvage? Were they crazy?

Salvage was the name of a nearby mansion owned by a very rich widow. It was so huge it was rumored to have its own zip code, and it also had maximum security.

He remembered passing by the mansion surrounded by a large black fence and a tall golden gate.

How the hell would they get in there? He felt a hard thump on his chest and found himself face to face with a masked figure.

“Wear this," Clair said from beneath her mask. It was easy to identify her since she was the only girl.

He got the mask and put it over his face.

Then they started to leave one by one out the door as He watched until the last one walked past him then said, "let's go Justin, Chad said you should stick with me," Clair informed as he followed her out the door.

***

An average of thirty minutes passed by before, Justin found himself staring at the large golden gates of the Salvage mansion. Towering over him, engulfing him in its shadow which was only visible through the street lights.

Its black and gold bars seemed to be daring him, as it loomed over.

"Fuck boy, get your ass here and help us with this" Royce called out over his shoulder, "fucking weird ass pretty boy."

Before he knew it, everyone was busy getting equipment out of the van that was parked a little ways off the street.

Tech, one of the Wolves, who was an expert in hacking, put a device on the voice box security system at the gate. He then whispered to Chad, “In five minutes the alarm system will be down but only for ten minutes."

After saying that Chad nodded beckoning the others as they gathered around him. "Alright wolves, here" he began motioning to the place around them,” it's time that matters. If you brought shit today now aint the time to release it. Precision is the key. Be fast and diligent. Now aint the time for no mistakes, I'm I clear?"

Everyone nodded. Then the device on the wall beeped.

"That's the signal dogs, let's go, go, go!" He yelled in a loud whisper, throwing his two fingers up in the air in a circular army type motion.

Chad and two other guys headed for a wall near the gate. Then they started climbing.

Tech and Royce headed back to the van because they were the groups eyes and ears.

Then they were three left at the gate, Justin, Clair and Henry a guy slightly older than Justin, he was taller but had a baby face and was the rather rude guy who had said Justin looked like sleeping beauty.

As Justin watched his brother and the other two men, who he recognized as Shawn and Luke smoothly climbed up to the top of the wall fence, they turned motioning to Clair through the thin golden bars.

Clair threw the knife she had just sharpened and Chad caught it with one swift swoosh.

They cut through the wires of the alarm system and threw down a rope.

Clair took a hold of it and started climbing. She then communicated to Henry and Justin to do the same.

With much difficulty, Justin managed to climb over the wall.

His heart was racing and his hands shivering.

One thing raced through his mind, if they got caught, it would all be over for all of them.

After three more minutes they were all at the other side of the wall fence.

The beautiful green lawn and trees spread out before them like they had just walked into a fairy tale.

Then, just as He touched the ground, the alarm system came back on.

He breathed out nervously as Clair patted his back, "you doing alright" she whispered ignoring the ugly look Chad was throwing their way.

Through ear pieces, Chad was able to contact Tech and Royce who had hacked into the security cameras, so they knew what sort of danger lay before them.

Before they could take another step, Justin spotted three large black dogs come galloping to wards them.

Oh shit.

Bull dogs.

His first extinct was to run, but Clair held him down firmly taking his hand in hers.

Chad motioned to Henry and Henry quickly put his bag down and took out three large pieces of meat and threw them before the dogs.

The bull dogs looked confused but stopped barking and started feasting on the delicious meal infront of them, but after two or three bites they fell asleep.

It must have been seasoned in sleeping medication, Justin figured.

Chad quickly walked passed them and through the shadows.

They all followed behind. At the entrance of the house were two body guards.

Luke and Shawn quickly took out two small spit cannons and aimed then fired. Swiftly and diligently they hit the two guards on their necks and they fell into a deep sleep too.

At least that's what Justin would like to think.

They couldn't possibly be dead.

Right?

The operation was seeming to be a success.

At least so far everything was going according to plan, smoothly and flawlessly.

They triumphantly walked into the mansion and there Justin saw the difference between a palace and the ghettos.

It was big and fancy with a warm feeling around, yet he wondered why a widow would need all this space.

This was a place someone could actually call home.

Or palace.

Its cream and black colored walls spread up before them leading to a magnificent stairway that could have been fit for a queen.

Chad motioned to Luke and Shawn and they both took out their guns and went in opposite directions.

Justin became very uncertain when he saw the guns, though it wasn't his first time, he couldn't help but wonder if Chad even gave his conditions a thought.

Clair squeezed his hand which she was still holding, whispering lowly for him to relax, they were only scanning the perimeter.

"Such a fucking child" Chad commented his eyes focused on the point where Clair's and Justin's hand connected.

Justin pulled his hand away from her trying to ignore the look on her face as his face turned red.

After a few minutes Luke came out pulling a beautiful pregnant woman who was breathing heavily, she was no doubt a beauty with her light brown hair and her scorching green eyes, a sight to look at although she looked as terrified as hell.

The size of her baby bump was huge giving the away the fact that she was almost due, She was sweating and very nervous and scared, “don’t kill me! Please! Take all you want!" She screamed.

Chad shook his head and dragged her by her hair, ignoring her screams " If u scream again or refuse corporate, I assure you your Highness," he mocked with an unpleasant scowl, "you will be dead" He finished coldly tossing her across the marbled floor.

Justin shivered as he felt the cruelty in his brother’s voice.

"So I'm going to ask you nicely, as nice as I can be, where is it?" Chad asked making himself comfortable on a chair Luke had dragged in for him, the woman seated on the floor right before him.

"I-I d-don’t K-know what you're t-talking about,” the woman stuttered cradling her baby bump protectively.

Chad grinned rubbing his chin, he turned to Luke, "why do they always have to be stubborn?" He asked before sharply turning and slapping her.

Justin's eyes widened as she fell the floor, hair lovely almond hair covering her face.

His fists clenched uncontrollably, what the hell was his brother thinking? The woman was pregnant for God sakes!

Chad stood up, pulling her head up roughly by her hair, "talk."

"P-p lease just t-take all m-my money....in my bedroom, there's 3 hundred thousand dollars, just t-take and l-leave!" She pleaded.

Chad looked up at his gang, "did I happen to ask her for any money?" He asked them.

"No sir" Luke, Henry and Clair replied roughly.

"Then why does this bitch think she can decide what I want?" He asked growling lowly in her ears.

Justin could visibly see her fear, her eyes darting to and fro. She was visibly shaking.

"P-please h-have m-mercy, Can't you see I'm p-pregnant? I'm a mother, I beg of you, think of your mother too, I can't lose my baby, please just t-take t-the m-money." She begged.

Chad laughed, really hard, letting go of the woman's hair. Justin stared at the woman sorrowfully, finally looking away from her, sighing lowly in defeat.

She didn't know she had just made the biggest mistake of her life, involving their mother.

"I don't want your money, as for my mother sake, well she can rot in hell," Chad replied sighing, he fidgeted with his mask before turning to the woman.

"I'm going to do you a favor and ask you again one more time, bitch....where are the documents?"

The woman remained silent.

"You asked for it," Chad muttered, grabbing her by her hair and pulling her up to her feet.

Justin's heart began to pound loudly, something inside him told him things were about to get ugly.

Chad pretended to walk away then suddenly swung around delivering a perfect back handed slap , back and forth, four times until she screamed in pain falling to her knees with a thud, spitting out blood.

Justin's eyes widened, his fists clenching and unclenching, "easy, easy" Clair whispered pulling his hand again.

"Now that was for my mother," he said with a wicked grin.

The woman looked up at him in horror finally realizing she had made a fatal mistake.

He hit her again and again, till the whole room was filled with her terrified screams until she just lay there on the floor, breathlessly and barely motionless.

Justin could not watch such cruelty anymore so he looked away during the assault.

This document must be very important if the woman was willing to risk her life and that of her unborn baby, he thought.

He closed his eyes waiting to hear another sharp sound but before Chad could land another slap on the woman Shawn came out from the other direction, “look what I found boss," he said dragging in a small teenage girl who looked no less than 14. He couldn't see her face because her brown hair fell over her face as she fought against him.

Justin's heart thumped even harder, he knew, he just knew that what was going to happen next would haunt him forever.

Chad turned and looked at the girl then grinned wickedly as he gazed at the fallen woman said, "Well, well, well. Look at what the dog dragged in. This just got a whole lot more interesting."