Infinite Loop - Chapter 41

Firefight in a Warehouse

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Chapter 41

Near the warehouse office door, the sudden noise of two hands clapping came from the shadows. Cassidy Hugh stepped out of the doorway. Beside him was the hulking brute who played the man’s chauffeur. He held an electric lantern. Everyone noticed he had a Thomson machine gun pointing at the circle of people around Warren.

“Isn’t that sweet, Tony’s whore has a boyfriend,” Cassidy said as he focused his attention on Warren.

“It appears you have a big problem, my friend. I just heard about the loot. Isn’t funny how you forgot to tell me about those when you set this up with me,” he told him. “Apparently, I was paying real money for a forgery.”

“So it would appear,” Warren replied carefully. “Glad to see you, Cassidy.”

“Are you now? After what I just overheard, I wouldn’t be so sure. I think you are playing a nasty little game.” Cassidy told him, and his stony expression displayed no fondness for the wanted man. “You haven’t given up double-crossing folks.”

Warren gave the mobster a grim smile, “I wouldn’t say that,” he countered. “I think the term I used was there’s no honor among thieves. I decided it was time to get everyone who wants those damn statues together. In the end, I don’t care who gets them as long as I walk away.”

“Noble sentiment, but it is poor business for me.” The gangster nodded, and another thug stepped from a row of lumber behind Max and Amber. The man carried a shotgun pointed them. Max turned Amber toward his new threat.

“Who are these people?” The professor asked as his voice cracked.

“Professor, you mean all this time; you didn’t discover my partner. It seems I was going to double-cross Tony Krupin, take his money and sell those fake statues to Cassidy Hugh,” Warren told him with an air of triumph. “Cassidy is heading back to Chicago and even offered to take me along with the goods. I invited him here to help settle this.” He pointed his revolver at Max. “Let the woman go.”

“Baker, I think you might be confused,” Cassidy joined the conversation. “Considering you left out some important parts of our arrangement, I believe I will have to settle this matter in my way.”

The gangster reached into his suit pocket, and Max panicked. He turned Amber toward Cassidy as a shield. Sensing an opportunity, Amber swung around her bound fists striking Max in the face, knocking the professor sideways. She sprinted to Warren, who fired at the thug holding the shotgun. The bullet missed, and the thug let loose with both barrels, striking the lumber stack Amber jumped behind.

Immediately, the warehouse sounded like a war zone as everyone scattered for shelter while guns blazed away. While shooting at Cassidy, Warren struggled to untie Amber’s bound wrists. He glanced up in time to see Mary struck by a hail of bullets from the Tommy gun. With a look of shock and indignation, she fell to the floor. Her bloody torso appeared nearly cut in half. A howl of rage erupted from Harry when he saw her die. With surprising agility and swiftness, the big man crossed the warehouse floor. He grabbed the Tommy gun before the gangster could turn the gun on him. A spray of bullets hammered crates around the warehouse as the two big thugs struggled for control of the machine gun.

Another shotgun blast peppered the area where Warren and Amber were crouching. Warren responded with a shot back, noticing that Cassidy was working his way toward him.

Amber finally got her hands untied. “So, this was your plan? I see why you wanted me to stay home,” she said. Warren could tell her fear mirrored his own, but her tone lacked malice.

“Not really,” he confided to her. “I was hoping the cops would be here before something like this started.” The man took a shot at the chief gangster, Cassidy, who crouched behind another pile of wood nearby. His shot was not close.

“I guess you can’t shoot either?” Amber commented, now sounding terrified.

He shook his head.

“Not really, but I’ll scare the hell out of them,” he replied in a shaky tone. “I left another gun on top of the trunk. Let’s head that way.”

“No way, that’ll get us killed,” she told him.

“Well, you only live a thousand times,” he smirked, then frowned.

“I get it, but we have to hold out for the cops. Follow me and stay close.”

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