The Collective Read Online Free PDF Page B

of him. He’s interrupting my
fun.”
    “Ok, Reap.” The goon replied, still unsure. Abel had a
calmness about him that made the gang members hesitate. Guns raised with
fingers on the trigger, they could not figure out why this man was unafraid. 
    “No. I want Reaper to handle me.” Abel said sharply. “Or
does he just deal with women?”
    “What!” Reaper yelled as he turned around clearly
aggravated by the interruption and Abel realized his full size. He was hunched
over the woman making his build deceiving. Bare chest exposed in his open
jacket, Abel saw the zigzag of scares. He was no stranger to a fight and had
the wounds to prove it. Stepping forward, Reaper sucked his teeth as he spoke.
“You must not be from around here. This is none of your concern. Go on now
before you get hurt.”
    Abel opened his mouth to retort in a similar sarcastic
manner, but the words left him as he caught the eyes of the woman he had come
to protect. She looked at him with a teary smile. It was Keera. They had grown
up together, chasing game and learning the realities of their life in Gravope.
Abel was witness to her transformation from a tomboy to the beautiful woman
before him. According to her father, they had left the village in pursuit of a
better life. It was rumored her father had acquired work at the Water Facility.
If someone died, occasionally a person of little means could be in the right
place at the right time to receive an offer. How did she end up here? Abel
thought. This town was worse than Gravope by far.
    “Abel?” Keera asked puzzled, unsure why he was in Bourdain.
Abel could tell she was glad to see him regardless.
    “Oh, look at this boys. They’re sweethearts. Ain’t that
romantic.” Reaper laughed seeing the fear in Keera’s eyes and the determination
in Abels’. “Hopefully there’ll be something left when I’m done. Kill him.”
    Before his henchmen could react, Abel reached in his vest
and threw two concealed knives. The first lodged in one of the thug’s throat.
He dropped the machine gun, clutching his neck while his eyes rolled to back of
his head. Choking on blood he fell to one knee. The other gang member stared at
the knife stuck in his arm at the shoulder. Abel’s throw had missed its mark
and his opponent was enraged. Grunting through the pain, the biker brought the
gun barrel up to fire. They wrestled as Abel attempted to rip the gun from him,
but Abel was caught with a blow to the face from his foe’s free arm. Staggered,
Abel was surprised by the brute’s speed. Abel was being strangled from behind
and lifted off the ground. He jerked downward using his weight to toss the
biker over his shoulder. Abel lifted his foot high in the air and his boot left
a permanent mark across his enemy’s face. He spun in a crouched position to
face Reaper just as the shot from Reaper’s gun rang out over his head. Diving
to catch Reaper under the arm, they tumbled to the ground. The leader was
beneath him but far from being subdued. Suddenly, Abel felt his chest burn as
the knife slashed across his chest. He jumped back holding his torn vest, blood
sprinkled his hand. Thank goodness for the vest, he thought, or the damage may
have been severe. Reaper was on his feet, blade in hand ready to charge.
    “Looks like you got some of your blood on my knife.” Reaper
gave a sinister laugh. “I hope you got more to spare.”
    He crouched back to leap at Abel. Pulling the 9mm from the
small of his back, Abel fired two shots striking him in the arm and leg. The
gang leader crumpled to the ground. Abel walked over and pressed the gun
against Reaper’s head. The gang leader was sprawled out on the ground, eyes
closed waiting to hear the trigger squeezed. Abel flexed his finger.
    “No. Please.” Keera intervened, grabbing Abel’s arm.
“There’s been enough bloodshed.”
    Abel kicked Reaper, rolling him on his stomach and moved
back to pick up his weapons.  In the fray, Abel had forgotten about Keera