Everything or Nothing ! ( AMBW )

Chapter 22

Ty's POV

December 28, 2019 (3 a.m.)

Port of Shanghai area (directly outside of Lei's warehouse)

Shanghai, China

  I can't believe he lied to me. On top of that, he was confident enough in his lying skills to think that I would believe him. Don't worry Lei, because I got something for that ass once we get home. "Ty...I don't think this is a good idea. Maybe we should just go home." NiNi suggests. "Stop being chicken, NiNi. Damn, I'm really starting to think you not really from East Cleveland." Day says to her. "We can't go home anyways. It's 3 a.m. At any moment the Greeks can pop up. If we try to leave now, we're risking being seen by them. Our best bet is to stay hidden and keep quiet." I whisper. NiNi opens up her mouth to respond, but it's quickly covered by Day's hands. I hear footsteps. Good job Day. She must've heard the footsteps coming before the rest of us. We crouch down lower behind the stack of crates we're hiding behind. "Yes, I'm here now. It's deserted like our source said it would be. You sure?...Fine, I will start unloading the shipment. Where do I put it? Are you sure? Fine, the code is 0712 right?" the man is saying into the phone. The Greeks are going to store the shipment in Lei's warehouse, but why? It doesn't makes sense at all. The code? I peak above the crate and look over into the direction of the warehouse. There is a huge silver and black keypad on the door. 0712? Ugh, my birthday. Really Lei? That is so easy to predict....yet, the gesture is so sweet. I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't recognize that many more Greeks have arrived. Judging from the conversation, I'd guess there are at least six guys standing outside of the warehouse, which is only about 15 feet away from the crates we are crouching behind. "What are we going to do?" NiNi mouths. "Give me a minute." I mouth back to her. How could I be so stupid? I talk about Lei lacking foresight....yet here I am, placing my friends and myself in a dangerous situation for what?...to catch Lei lying or to stop the guys from doing something stupid? Then, Day sneezes very loudly. The area that was filled with booming voices and laughter before goes silent. Shit. I hear footsteps walking into the direction of the crates. Run or fight? Run or fight? Run or fight?

  "Well what do we have here?" a stout guy with a sinister smirk on his face says to us. We have to get away no matter what. Before I can react my face is covered in wet, gushy red stuff. I look up to see that the guy's head has been blown to bits. Which only means one thing...NiNi starts screaming. I can't move. The warm stuff is sliding down my face. NiNi is screaming. Gunshots are being fired. I can't move. The warm stuff is sliding down my face. NiNi is screaming. Gunshots are being fired. Day is tugging my arm. I can't move. A sharp slap to the face brings me back to reality. "We have to move now or we are going to die!" Day says to me. She's right. Day grabs NiNi's hand and starts running. I follow behind her. Bullets are whizzing around us. The street is about twenty feet away. It's filled with bright lights and taxi cabs. If we make it, then we are safe. "Come on Ty! We're almost there!" Day hollers at me. Day and NiNi are about ten feet in front of me. Keep on going Ty. I hear the gunshots. Keep on going. I smell blood. Keep on going. Then, I hear Lei's voice. Day hears his voice too. "Ty, don't look back!" Day pleads with me. Strangely, the snow falling around Day gives her a heavenly glow. Her hand is reaching out to me almost as if she is offering me salvation and protection. She looks every bit like a savior in this situation. She is trying to save me. Lei is screaming now. I look up at her and shake me head. I can't leave my Sodom and Gomorrah behind. I couldn't leave my life of sins behind me because I loved it too much. "Go." I say to her. Day knows when I'm set on doing something, nothing can change my mind. She nods her head and runs to the street with NiNi. I turn to look back and I'm frozen in place. Bo, Kevin, and Lei are standing in front of Niko, Mike's brother and some other guy. Each of the Greeks guys are beaten up pretty badly. Well, maybe it can stop here. I slowly start walking towards where the guys are standing at. Lei pulls out his gun. "Now, it's time for you all to die." he says to them. " Nooooooooo!" I start running wildly. I have to stop him. I need to stop him. I must stop him. But, my chubby legs are no match for the speed of the bullet. Niko drops first, then Mike's brother. I rush over to Niko's side. His left side of his neck has a hole in it. He is bleeding profusely. The bullet must have hit a jugular vein. I can't save him...so I do what any sane person would do. "Someone call an ambulance!" I holler in the direction of Bo, Kevin, and Lei. I place my right hand over the hole in his neck and apply pressure. Hopefully, this will slow the bleeding down. " Ty...I thought you hated me." Niko chokes out. I think about all the times he gave me snacks when no one was looking and would sneak into my room to check on me. "No...I don't hate you...I know that you tried your best to protect me. " I say while stroking his face. "...does that mean.... you forgive me?" he says in a breathy tone. "Yes!" He smiles up at me, then his eyes go still. I stay in that position applying pressure to his neck for a while... before I know it the snow is now tinged with pink. "Come on Ty. I need to get you cleaned up." Lei says to me. He's right. I'm covered in blood and my sweater is damp from my sweat and melted snow. As much as Lei's concern should've warmed my heart, it didn't at all. I glance back down at Niko's lifeless eyes. Sadness consumes me. He wasn't even given a fighting chance. It's in this moment that I realize that no one called the ambulance and that no one ever would.