Viper freezes then smiles slow. “Well,” he says softly. “Would you look at that?”
I move to her side. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Sammie’s eyes are focused on Viper and only Viper. “You’ve taken too much from too many people,” she says. Calm. Deadly.
Then she pulls a gun from the pocket of her hoodie. It’s a .38 Special snub-nose. Easy to stash, easy to handle. No drama, just efficient. Shit.
Viper lifts his hands slightly. Bullet and Crank take a step back.
The ocean roars louder, then quiets, like it’s waiting too.
“Sammie. Don’t.” I move closer, almost crowding her.
She finally turns to me. “I’m not ruining your plan,” she says quietly. “I’m finally giving him what he deserves.”
She raises the gun, and Viper’s smile cracks.
“All your threats.” She whips the gun between Viper and Bullet. “And because of both of you, it all fell apart. My father could’ve been a hero, but instead, he ended up doing time, and you two walked away clear.”
“Your old man was a loser,” Viper sneers.
“You only say that ‘cause you don’t think I'll use this.” She cocks the trigger.
“You pull that trigger,” Viper says, “and everything collapses.”
Sammie grips the gun with both hands. “You can’t take anything away from me, ‘cause I’ve got nothing left to give.”
Her eyes are dead—her choice already made. Not reckless. Not emotional.
Resolved.
I shift my gaze and slightly nod. In another second, dark shadows emerge from under the boards.
Viper doesn’t notice at first. His main focus remains on the barrel of Sammie’s gun. He realizes too late that Sammie didn’t break the plan. She changed the endgame.
Bullet flinches, then nudges Viper as Ace, Shady, Fist, Speed, and Scratch surround them.
Viper jerks his chin at Sammie. “You having a bitch do your dirty work now, Deuce?”
“Nah, we had the drop on you from the beginning. Did you really think I was gonna let you walk away with valuable evidence and a fuck-load of money?”
Viper’s eyes flash, and I get my answer. He’s so in his own head that, yeah, he really thought he was gonna come out on top.
Ace snatches the flash drive out of Viper’s hand, then the money out of Crank’s cut.
Viper squares his shoulders. “Then call your bitch off.”
I shake my head. “Thing is, she was never part of the plan. Matter of fact, I’m fuckin’ pissed she showed up, but if you know anything about this woman, you know she don’t take orders well.”
Sammie steps closer to Viper. “He’s right. I hate to take fuckin’ orders.”
“Do it,” Viper sneers. “Prove you’re just another stupid?—”
The gunshot is deafening. Then Viper’s howling scream pierces the quiet night as he collapses.
Sammie put the bullet clean through Viper’s knee.
Viper clutches his leg, black blood seeping into the sand under the moonlight.
