Bullets Are My Business (9781101616413) by Josh K. Stevens Page B

car.
    â€œTony! He’s moving!”
    I had thought that the guy with the keys was down for the count. I figured that he had bled out when I stabbed him with the crowbar. Looked like I was wrong. Tony spun around just as my fingers grabbed hold of the gun. I tossed myself over the guy’s body just as Tony raised his hand and fired off a shot. It missed me by half an inch. The guy with the crushed skull took it in the chest. I pointed the gun at Tony and pulled the trigger. The bullet seemed to move in slow motion as it traveled from the gun. It arced gracefully across the landscape and caught Tony in the throat. He stood for a moment, not moving. Then his gun fell from his hand. He fell on top of it.
    I turned my attention back to the only one besides me who was still breathing. The guy with the car keys. He was lying on his back a few feet away from me, writhing in pain. I aimed my gun and walked up to his side. As I drew closer, I could see blood running down his chin. I didn’t think that I hit his stomach but I must’ve hit something vital. I placed the barrel of the gun at his temple and patted him down. I came up with bupkis. His sidearm could wait. I needed to find out information.
    â€œWhere’s Campbell?”
    â€œFuck off.” He was trying to be a tough guy. I wasn’t in the mood for this shit. Not right now. I stood and gave him a swift kick in the side. He let out a cry of pain and gave a wet cough as he reached out his blood-soaked hands to me, “You gotta take me to the hospital, man. I can’t feel my legs.” I must’ve nicked his spine. I ignored his pleading and gripped the crowbar, giving it a push.
    â€œWhere is Campbell?”
    Another scream of pain, followed by a wet cough and a deep rattling from his chest. He was going fast. I needed answers. I let go of the crowbar and grabbed him by his lapels. I slapped him around the face. I started to ask him again where Campbell was when I realized that it was too late to give him an inquisition. His body gave an all out shudder. He was dead.
    I checked the other bodies. None of them were breathing. I slammed the trunk of the car, pulled the keys out of the lock, and made my way to the driver’s-side door. On the front seat of the car was the driver’s gun. I picked it up and put it in my shoulder holster. Next to that was his cell phone. I grabbed it as I slid into the driver’s seat. I popped the key into the ignition and started the car before I hit the recent-calls button. “Da Boss” was the last number called. Subtle. I pressed the call button as I threw the car in gear and turned it around, driving back through the woods. As I hit the asphalt road a few seconds later, a voice came through the phone.
    â€œIs it done?” It was Campbell.
    â€œThat all depends on what you mean by done, you son of a bitch.” My response was met by silence from the other end. I let him sweat for a moment before I continued, “I see that you weren’t expecting to hear from me.”
    Campbell cleared his throat. “I’ll admit that this is quite the turn of events.” He paused momentarily. He was obviously trying to remain calm and collected. “You just took on four of my best employees.”
    â€œIt goes without saying that I’d hate to see what your worst look like.”
    â€œYou’ve impressed me once again, Levi,” Campbell told me. “Why don’t you come down and see me. We’ll talk.”
    â€œWe’re done talking, you fuck,” I snarled. There was a lull on the phone. Campbell apparently had nothing more to say. I clenched the phone in my hand. “I’m coming and I’m gonna be gunning.” I hung up and pressed the pedal to the floor. I had no idea where I was, but thankfully the car had come fully equipped with GPS. I always thought it was a pretty useless feature, but tonight it was going to come in handy. Though I doubt