The Axelridge Series Book 4 Griff's Red Card
Chapter 6

(Chapter song ‘Clone’ by Celldweller)

GRIFFIN

We fill the street and skate as fast as we can to the uprising.

As I turn the corner to the street, I see it’s worse than I thought.

A full on riot is happening as clones rebel against us.

They’re shouting threats and telling people we're killing them which angers the masses to a point where they grab any weapons they can.

The Enforcers try riot swat tactics, but they are being overwhelmed as more join the fight.

We rush the people in a large crowd a block up from the warehouse.

“MARCUS! YOU GOT THE GAS?!” Finn yells.

“YA, BUT…” Marcus stops and pulls his pack.

I stop next to him. “It’ll help.” I pant.

“Ok.”

I helped him develop gas grenades to add to his arsenal. It’s a good thing I did.

He gives me two and he grabs two.

We look at each other, hit the buttons and throw them at the people. Green gas pours out of each ball as they hit the pavement and roll through the street.

We take out air filter, teeth guards, put them in our mouths and grab our weapons.

Finn shoves a guy who stumbles into others. The guy comes back swinging a metal pipe and Finn strikes him with the flat side of his goalie stick sword. As soon as he connects, the guy explodes in a big splash of water.

“Holy fuck!” Finn stumbles back as he’s covered.

Jax looks at the rest of the crowd grow angrier. “Alright, then.”

The group rushes them. Jax and Finn return with giant swings of their weapons. Jax’s mace is creating a tidal wave of water that rises high above the fight. Finn is slicing at midsections, causing water to fall like you made the glass disappear. He fills the street in seconds.

Makeshift weapons hit the road and are quickly snatched up by other clones joining the mob.

Noah throws his ball overhand and it bounces at the edge of the crowd. On its way up, It stops in midair, deploys blades all around the circumference and starts to spin.

It flies through the crowd, slicing as it goes. People explode into water as each blade connects.

It’s like a heavy rainstorm as giant splashes rise then fall down on us. We're all soaked to the bone.

I bounce my ball at my feet, run then drop it. I give it a hard kick and it flies through the air. At its peak it deploys a 10 foot X 10 foot electrified net.

The net falls and lands on a bunch of heads. The electricity flows and people pop one after another until there’s nothing but road under it.

It’s a good thing our boots have protection against electrocution because the energy traveled a fair distance across the wet pavement, catching the feet of some surrounding clones and popping them, too.

I hit a button on my remote watch. The ball recalls the net and flies back to me. I catch it look for another target and kick.

Marcus throws more gas grenades out and people run, coughing and choking.

Enforcers and soldiers, fire on them and each target they hit ends up as a puddle.

“WE DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU! RETURN TO THE WAREHOUSE!” Riot soldiers yell out.

“FUCK YOU!!” The crowd yells in unison.

“They’re suicidal!” I yell to Finn.

He looks back at me, he’s dripping wet. “Just try and stop as many as you can.”

“Fat luck with that, mate.” I growl and kick my ball again. “They've gone mental!”

Yelling and war cries came from the surrounding blocks.

We watch in horror as the dark streets fill with people.

“Where are they all coming from?!” Jax yells.

“Just stop them!” Marcus growls as he switches to grenades. He throws a ball and it bounces in front of a group that was running to join the fight. It explodes and water rises like a fountain then turns to steam rising from the fireball.

Soldiers swing and shoot the people as they try to over take us.

Marcus and Jax throw hit after hit. Noah and Finn are slicing everything they can and my net is landing on heads, but it feels like the whole cities been cloned.

I call my ball, run to Finn and grab him “We can’t keep up, mate.”

“We have to.” He pushes me off and swings his goalie sword. I cover my face as water coats me.

Marcus grabs me. “Here.” He shoves his pack in my arms. “Use your hands.”

“Yer not supposed to!” I yell as he runs into the crowd.

I grab a ball, hit the button, take a few hops forward and throw it overhand. It bounces then explodes between a groups legs and ten clones turn to steam.

I tick my head. “Maybe I should try Cricket.”

A group runs at me, yelling and looking for my head. My eyes widen. “Shit!”

I run the other way, tossing a ball behind me. It explodes and I hear several scream behind me which was louder than my own screams of terror.

I turn a corner and book it to the warehouse.

They're on my heels as I push through the doors.

I run to the main room and skid to a stop.

I spin on my toes and face the mob. They eye me like dinner and stalk closer.

I hold a ball up as I back up. “Ye best not, ya? I will blow ya.” I warn.

A guy snarls his lip. “That firecracker can’t stop all of us.”

I spy nitrous-oxide tanks as the people get closer. I give a quick look behind me then face them. I spin the ball around in my hand as I keep my eye on the crowd.

“You sure about that, mate?” I say as my thumb rubs the button.

“You’re dead…mate.” He growls.

I click the button and raise my arm. “Not today."

I roll the ball and turn. I sprint across the floor for the windows just as I hear the clink of the ball hitting the tanks and explode.

I jump through the glass and the clones let out garbled screams and the entire warehouse erupts into a fireball.

I roll in a somersault across the back lot and stop on my arse. I flip to my hands and feet and watch fire whoosh out the windows. “Maybe bowling.”

A bunch of clones jump out of the flames through the window and see me.

“FECKIN HELL!”

I scramble to my feet and run around the building as fast as I can my feet can fly.

A collective growl comes from behind me as my heart pounds against my ribs.

“Come on, Griff, LEG IT!!” I yell at myself as round the front of the building.

I practically trip over myself as stop in front of a larger group of clones heading straight for me. I turn and the group from the back stop and start to stalk. I’m stuck.

My head flicks between both groups. I pull Marc’s bag in front and reach in. It’s empty. “Feckin hell!” I growl and throw it on my back.

‘FINN!!’ I link as both groups rush me, yelling loud enough to hurt my ears..

“SHHIITT!!’

I prepare to fight my way out and when they close in, I throw my first punch. As it connects, all of them explode into water around me.

I’m in a solid wave of water as I crouch down and cover my head.

Water splashes over me and spreads across the lot.

I fall to my hands and knees and spit out water. I raise my head slowly, looking in front then behind me. They’re all gone. Only puddles flow down the street.

I hear slow clapping as I turn forward.

A man in a black suit walks out of the dark. His dress shoes splash in the puddles that were once people.

He adjusts his tie as I raise my eyes to meet his dark ones.

“GRIFFIN!”

He stands big and tall as he casually looks behind him. He turns back to face me and cracks the knuckles of one hand.

Jax, Finn, Noah and Marcus run up behind the man and skid to a stop.

I tilt my head as I stand. My curls drip water in front of my eyes as I wipe the water from my cheeks.

“Hey, Griff. Miss me.” He smirks and runs his thick fingers through his short dark hair.

I rub the water from my eyes and stare in to the smirking face of….

“Eddie?”

My face scrunches in confusion. The others are as shocked as I am.

Eddie smiles as he turns around between us all. “Well, I see things are just getting better for you guys.”

“Alistair.” Jax snarls.

Eddie flashes his fire eyes and smiles.

Jax grips his mace as his lip curls.

“Of course, it is. Who else would it be, meat-head?” Alistair rolls his head to Jax with snark. His demonic voice crawls across my skin like a bunch of mangy worms.

I approach him as I adjust Marcus' pack on my back. “Ed…Eddie…I know you’re in there, lad. Ya gotta get out.” I step to him and try to get Eddie’s attention inside the prison the demon has him in.

Alistair places his hands on his hips and smiles. “Look at that. The little leprechaun thinks he can save the stoner.”

I jut my chin out. “Ye be a sorry feckin devil if ya don’t turn him loose.”

He faces me and crosses his arms. “Griff. If you think an Irish punk can do anything…”

“No, but we can.”

Alistair turns and Finn is standing in front all the guys. He’s gripping his sword with a face full of anger.

All the guys stand behind him, thumping their weapons in their hands and Noah is twisting his ball in his palms. All have a look of death on their faces.

Alistair holds his hands out and looks at us all. “I just saved your lives.”

“We didn’t need it.” Jax grits.

“It looked like it to me. What do you think, Griff?” Alistair flashes his fire eyes at me.

“I think you’re a dirty sod.” I glare and ball my fists.

“Griff, I think you need a beer. Maybe smoke one and relax.” He grins as he points to me.

“Alistair, let him go or we'll rip you out of him.” Marcus thumps his bat.

“Hey, Marc. Maybe I should rip you in two so your sluts can have equal share.” Alistair raises a brow as he turns his head to Marcus.

Marcus growls and takes a step forward. Jax stops him with his mace held out across Marc's chest.

Jax eyes Alistair. “Why you being so mouthy?”

“Jaxton…” Alistair shakes his head as he saunters to him and stops. “I’m just checking in on my friends. There’s no need for hostility.”

“Bullshit!” Marcus barks over Jax's shoulder. “You’re showing off!”

“Maybe.” He dusts off his sleeves. “You do have to admit, Eddie’s meat suit cleans up nice." He flashes a charming smile and motions his hands out to the side.

“Give him BACK!” Jax roars as he swings his mace at Alistair's head.

Alistair raises his hand and Jax drops his mace. It cracks the pavement when it hits.

My eyes widen as Jax is raised into the air, grasping at his neck. “EDDIE!!”

I break into a run to tackle the demon and I feel a power grab me.

My feet lift off the ground. “HOLY SHITE!!” My arms and legs flail and my face fills with shock as I’m thrown into the group of Alphas. Noah catches me and we fall to the road.

Jax's body is telepathically dragged to Alistair’s hand and he wraps his finger around Jax's throat.

Jax chokes and kicks his feet as he tries to get Alistair off.

“I miss playing with you, Jaxton.” Alistair tilts his head and brings Jax close to his face. Jax's eyes are slits and his face is turning red.

“JAX!!”

Noah helps me up and we all rush him, but stop like we hit a wall. We’re all leaning forward, gritting our teeth as we push.

A distance away, Alistair has a hand raised to us. His magic pulses out and he smiles.

“Eh.” Alistair raises a finger to us and slowly wags like he’s scolding us. “I’ll snap his pretty little neck.”

“Let him go.” Finn clenches as he pushes on the hold.

Alistair tilts his head. “What if I did, Finley? Would you go away?”

“No!” Marcus growls.

“There’s your answer.” Alistair eyes Finn.

“What…do…you want?” Jax chokes.

Alistair turns to Jax and smirks. “What we all want, Jax. World peace…Stop climate change…an actual Virgin who enjoys torture…you know, the usual.” Alistair shrugs.

Jax growls and tries to pull his hand off.

“Alistair!!” Finn grits. His fists shake on his raised arms as he fights.

“OK.” He drops Jax who lands on his knees and coughs to get his air back. “I’ll tell you, but first…” He grabs Jax by the hair, lifts him up and lands a punch on his jaw. Jax yells and sprawls across the asphalt.

Finn growls darkly and pushes hard. We all follow suit then the hold disappears. We all fall on our faces.

Jax lifts himself onto his feet. He stands and wipes his bottom lip of the blood. His eyes glare at Alistair.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Alistair scowls and flicks his finger.

Jax flies backwards into us all and we go down like bowling pins. We groan as we land on our backs.

“I really did forget how amusing you guys were.” He straightens his suit sleeves. “Too bad I can’t stay.

Finn stands up. “So, what? You’re just gonna leave? You're not going to kill us?”

Alistair puts his hands in his pockets. “No. I came out of hiding so you could deliver a message for me. To my son.”

“Adam.” Finn arches a brow.

“No. Abraxas.” Alistair rubs his palm as he walks to Finn. “You tell my bastard son, this isn’t over. Lefu is far from gone. He will wear him.”

Finn raises his chin. “We won’t let that happen.”

Alistair smiles. “Look at you, Finley. Protecting a dirty demon. Good for you.” He slaps Finns arm.

“Anyway. You’ll have no choice. Once daddy makes an appearance.” Alistair smirks and ticks his brow.

“Daddy?” Marcus eyes him.

I push through Marcus and Noah. “Ya wouldn’t.”

“What?” Jax questions.

“He means Lucifer.” Finn answers.

“Aw, hell no.” Jax steps to threaten Alistair.

Alistair shoots out a shit eating grin. “Hell…very much, yes. You can’t stop it, now. It’s been in the making for years. We knew Lefu would need some…managerial support…if you will. The ball is rolling…just one more tiny, little piece and that door is busted open.” He walks up to Finn with a curling lip. “You and this city will fry in my fire then…the entire globe will be my torturous playground and I’m going to enjoy every bit of it.”

“Bring it.” Finn growls.

Alistair looks at us all. “I will, but why don’t I give you a sample.” Alistair raises his hand and snaps his fingers.

Jax screams and falls.

“JAX!!”

Jax hollers in agonizing pain as he rolls on his back and reaches for his knees.

“BOTH HIS LEGS ARE BROKEN!!”

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Marcus rushes him, raises his bat and swings.

“Enjoy your clones.” He waves before blinking out.

Marcus hits air and stumbles.

Jax is panting and grinding out pain as he arches back. “Fuck!!”

“The medics are coming. Hold on.” Finn says.

Jax raises his head. “I am holding on, Finley!” He growls.

Marcus drops to his side. “We'll get him back.”

Jax points to Marcus. “I’m snapping every fucking bone in his body before I shove his ass into the fucking fire.” He leans back. “Goddamn it!!” He presses his fists to his eyes.

I look to Finn. “Aye, we need Adam.”

Finn nods as medics show up. “Agreed.”