Page 6 of The Ghost of Rage's War

Once alone, Sharp joined a gym and began working on his fitness. He’d lost weight and felt as weak as a kitten. Sharp needed to build his strength back up. Meanwhile, he was searching for an in with Santos. From everything he was reading, Sharp had decided to aim for Romeo and not his father, Miguel.

Sharp could already see the writing on the wall. Romeo would make a move on his dad sooner or later and dispose of Miguel. Being on Miguel’s team wouldn’t assist Sharp in his mission. He began making several plans on to how to pierce Romeo’s inner circle. And with Rage on the line, Sharp didn’t mind getting his hands dirty. Still, he’d need Anderson’s help, and Sharp also needed to be one hundred per cent fit.

Sharp - six weeks later

Sharp ordered a beer, took a stool in a bar in Hermosa, and kept an eye around him. Investigations had led Anderson to believe that one of Romeo’s lieutenants would be present tonight. If they came, they’d be getting a beatdown. All part of the plan.

With his back to the wall and sitting sipping a beer at the bar, Sharp was alert.

Half an hour after he arrived, he spotted the asshole entering. He had someone with him, supposedly a bodyguard. That was a shame because he’d also get beaten.

Bingo. Sharp sent a text confirming eyes on the target and waited.

Toxic, as the idiot’s name was, ran dealers around this part of South Dakota. Sharp studied him and shook his head mentally. What a little prick. Toxic swaggered in here, acting like he was someone he wasn’t. He wasn’t a tall guy and rather thin, but he gave off an aura of power. The cocky, smug look on his face made Sharp want to smash it off. The guy with him acting like some sort of hard man was equally a joke.

Sharp waited as they downed a couple of beers before Toxic looked at his watch. Sharp and Anderson had watched this target for four weeks and knew his routine. He would leave here at seven-forty-five. From the bar, he’d cross to a local park where his car was parked. Once there, he’d wait for his six primary dealers to bring their week’s earnings. Those would appear in labelled bags. When collected, Toxic would go to a counting house and the money was checked and laundered. From there Toxic would report back to Santos.

Except tonight was going to be different.

Sharp hugged the shadows, watching as the drop-offs went as planned. Once they were placed in the trunk of the car, four men crept out and attacked Toxic and the weak-ass bodyguard. Toxicimmediately tried to fight back but was heavily punished by those attacking.

Two guys grabbed the bags and ran while the bodyguard had been downed with one punch. The remaining two guys kept beating the shit out of Toxic and his guard.

Finally, Sharp stepped out from the shadows, shouted, and began running towards the attack. The attackers looked up as Sharp launched at them and swapped a few punches. When Sharp pulled a knife, they ran off.

“Fuck, you want me to call the cops?” Sharp asked as he put his blade away and reached down for Toxic’s hand.

“Nah,” Toxic choked out. He was curled in a ball and writhing in pain. The attackers had knocked his bodyguard clean out.

“Dude, what about an ambo? Your friend is out cold here,” Sharp persisted.

“No!” Toxic snapped, rolling to his knees and hauling himself up. He leaned on the bumper and peered into the trunk. “Fuck!”

“Want me to put him in there?” Sharp asked, and Toxic slumped back against the vehicle. “Whatever you was doing weren’t exactly legal, and I ain’t hanging around.”

“Yeah. Get him in. You’re carrying,” Toxic said, his eyes narrowed at Sharp’s waist.

“What makes you say that?” Sharp sneered as he lifted the piece of shit bodyguard and dumped him inside the car.

“Dude, I’ll give you one hundred bucks to drive and ask no questions,” Toxic hissed as he tried to get to his feet.

Sharp gave off the illusion of hesitating.

“Two hundred.” Toxic increased the offer.

“Need help getting in?” Sharp asked.

“Yeah.”

Sharp helped Toxic into a seat and climbed into the driver’s side. Sirens wailed in the distance.

“Get us the fuck out of here,” Toxic ordered.

Sharp nodded and pulled out just as sirens rounded the corner, then he hit the accelerator and sped off.

A black and white dropped in behind them, and Sharp looked in the mirror.

“Hang on,” he stated and floored it. He weaved in and out of traffic as the cops fell behind, and finally, he drove into an alley and killed the lights. Seconds later, the cops flew past him, and Sharp smirked.

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