A Shield of Smoke (part 9)

Here we are, already on part 9. This blogbattlers monthly prompt is Shield.

The title is kind of a play of the words in the story, but I hope it makes some sense.

If you missed out on the other parts:

Part 1 Flowers Have Mysteries 
Part 2 Loss and Madness 
Part 3 Mayhem at Dusk
Part 4 It Happened on the Night Shift
Part 5 Airtight Solutions
Part 6 Stamped Corona 
Part 7 A Stable Connection
Part 8 Intercepted

A Shield of Smoke 

 Lane

By Rakayle Hier 

Words 1028

Heinz slipped out of his bonds for the second time, this time he turned to untie my ropes. I rubbed my sore wrists and got up off the floor. Heinz made his way to the door that led out of the room. He peeked through the crack in the ajar door. I didn’t breath afraid we would be heard.  

“We got a guard.” He informed as he came back over. “We better find a weapon.” I started looking around for a weapon. Heinz pulled down the net that was hanging from the ceiling. I decided not to ask what he was doing. 

I looked around and behind the storage part of the room before I spied something big, mettle like. I went to reach for it. I grabbed the item and pulled it out. It was an old shield. It would work as a weapon. 

“I got something,” I told the detective. 

“Good, lets go.”

Heinz with his net and I with my shield made our way to the door. Our way out. Heinz peeked through the door crack. “He’s got his back turned.”  

I nodded. Thinking quickly I pulled open the door and slammed the shield into the guards head. Thunk. He fell to the ground, out cold. Heinz raised his eyes at me. “Well, that’s one way to do it.” 

I shrugged. “What’s the net for?” 

“I’ll explain later. Let’s tie him up and get out of here.”

We quickly tied up the big man, worrying that someone might have heard the thunk and come back. Finishing the job, Heinz picked up the Tommy Gun. “Don’t want to leave this.”

Heinz looked out the next door to see if the room was clear. He nodded to me and we swiftly left the room. We crossed in front of the red opera seats making our way to the side room Heinz had found earlier. 

I’m sure I held my breath the whole way. I took in a breath as we exited the building, still holding the shield. I felt like it might come in handy. Also I didn’t have time to put it down. 

We were now in the alleyway behind the main buildings. Heinz marched onward. Whatever his mission was, it was urgent and I didn’t complain about the pace. I was glad to get as far away as possible from the opera house. 

We headed toward Heinz’s apartment. We were a block away when the two boys I met the other night came running up. It was Sam and Lester. 

“Heinz, Heinz.” 

“What is it boys?”

“We got news. Hank Wilson is working with gangsters,” Sam spoke quickly. 

“He is planning something big tonight,” Lester added.

Heinz smiled. “Yes, I know. And I’m going to need your help.” 

The four of us continued to the flat. How come I was the only one who had no clue on what was going on? I thought as I hauled the shield with me up the stairs and into the Heinz’s apartment. 

Heinz set to work at his table and the two boys were right there to help him. I sat down on the sofa that I had spent the night on and pondered. It had something to do with those jewels, and some plan, and the opera house, oh yeah, and Hank Wilson. What else was I missing? Somehow Heinz fit it together like a puzzle while I couldn't even see the puzzle pieces. 

I looked at the detective's wall, again noticing the strange way the pictures were placed. I shook my head, no I didn’t see a sensible explanation. I glanced over at Heinz; he had taken the net with him along with the gun. Why he wanted the net? I didn’t have the slightest idea. 

Maybe it was a part of his plan, course everything seemed to be apart of his plan. 

Explaining this to the chief, that was what I should be worried about. At the Gala tonight… Wait the Gala... the whole police force was going to be there. It was the 20th anniversary of the police station. I wonder… 

Before I could finish my thought something crashed through one of the windows and landed on the floor; a small metal object. It hissed. “Heinz it’s a tear gas grenade!” 

“Get out of the room, quick,” He commanded.

I, Sam, and Lester hurried into the bathroom. Shutting the door I noticed Heinz wasn’t with us. “What is he doing? He is going to get himself killed.” I pushed open the door ignoring the protesting boys. I found myself coughing in a whirl of white smoke. It stung my eyes and made my throat burn. A string of gunfire sounded and I went low, crashing into a few books on the floor. 

I had to get to a window. I needed fresh air. Somewhere in all that smoke I came upon the shield, not thinking clearly, I grabbed it and drug it with me. Suddenly the smoke started clearing. I coughed violently and found myself close to the windows, which were all opened. I sucked in a few breaths of air before I realized that there was someone shooting at the apartment. I ducked below the window as a putter of bullets came ripping into the windows and wood. 

“Heinz,” I yelled, “where are you?”

A clatter of Thompson gunfire responded. I tried to clear my stinging eyes. Heinz was across the room with the borrowed Tommy gun pointed out the window, returning bullet fire.  The smoke was finally clearing, revealing half the room. 

I turned my attention back to the street below. It was that crony I hit over the head; with some back up. I didn't see Clay Emerson among them, but it was a little hard to tell, they all wore black suits and were hiding behind their cars, shooting at us.  

“Heinz, this has got to be a distraction. They know you are onto them.” 

The detective looked over at me. “For once Lane, I think your right.” 

“You go. I can keep them busy.” 

He looked ready to argue with me, but then nodded. “Alright Lane, but we have a problem I’m out of bullets.” 

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What do you think they are going to do?
Will they stop the bad guys before it is too late?
Tell me below!