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In this chapter: Jayden.
Four years before....
Fourth street, New York, New York.
That's where I met Cade.
I was passing Columbia University bridge when I saw the man wearing a black full face ski mask. I did what any New Yorker would: I ignored him.
I continued my way up the steps to the connecting bridge, cussing the heat out. By the time I had gotten all the way up, I had forgotten about him. But he was still there, his back to me, completely unaware of my presence.
And when I saw what was in his hand, my psychic skills were on fire.
Shit is about to go down.
At this kind of time, the sun is high, the weather is a bother—too sweaty, too humid—and no one likes to get off campus. Though it's a university, it was quiet and empty. So what would this guy be doing on an empty bridge, a rifle in his hand? I could tell he was focused on a thing. His eyes never shifted my way. If they for a second did, I would've been dead.
Without reason I walked up to where he stood, staying as far away as I could. I ended up about thirty feet behind him, having a good view of him and the empty street he was looking out at.
Another sudden movement from him, and he had changed position. The rifle wasn't put down any more, it was aiming, at someone. I could see him, the person he was aiming at. A hooded man. He had no idea he was about to get shot. His chin was tucked and his eyes were nowhere near the bridge and who was on it.
My hands were tied. It was all too fast and I had no idea what to do next. Should I shout out? The possibility of the guy not being able to hear was there. I wouldn't have fixed anything then, I would just get myself killed.
There was only one thing to do.
For one I wasn't scared at all. Yes, I didn't know what to do. Yes, I was confused. But I wasn't afraid. I'm an excellent fighter. I had lived on the streets for four years now, two of them I had studied self defense and took boxing classes. The other two I did my own training on boxing bags where I lived now.
I was fifteen, my body wasn't as big as his, but I was sure as a grave that I could take him.
I walked up to the man, slow and cautious, watching every move his body made. His mind wasn't on the bridge anymore, I could tell. All of him and the rifle were focused on that person.
That's when I realized something about him—he wasn't a professional—In fact, this was probably his first time holding a weapon. That's what made the whole job of catching him from behind and pinning his arms back easy. Otherwise, it would have been a lot harder, with a lot of aimless shooting just to scare me off.
"Drop the gun!" I yelled in his ear. He struggled to get free from my hold.
Thinking he might pull the trigger, I tripped him with my foot and took him face down to the ground, arms still pinned.
I had a feeling the person who almost got shot heard what happened. He had been in ear shot by the time I had gotten to the man and pinned his arms. I had no intention of calling the police. All I wanted to do was hold up the man, wait for a couple of minutes till that person was out of sight, then take the rifle and get the hell out of this place.
"Let go of the gun." I insisted again. "Now!"
"You let go of me boy. You don't know who you messin' with." He said dryly.
I didn't give a damn. He, himself, had no idea who he was messing with.
"I said... let GO of the gun!" I took a quick crack at his spine.
"AWWW SHIT," letting go of the rifle, he kept crying in pain. I hadn't meant to hit him as hard as I did. And I wasn't sorry that it was this painful either. I was just glad he had given up on the damn stacked up rifle. I grabbed it and put it as far from him as I could, then quickly checked his pockets for any hidden guns.
I grabbed the rifle and stood away from him.
Slowly, he turned so he was lying on his back. His brown eyes looked at me for the first time, traveling up and down my body, taking in the build structure of a clearly skilled fighter. He had an expression, one that I was used to. One saying 'oh shit, I'm in the same corner with the wrong dude'.
What bothered me were his next words. He seemed to imagine things I didn't understand.
"Holy shit man," He mumbled to himself, "I didn't know Cade had a brother. Shit. Aww shit."
He was talking nonsense, that's what I thought
But the words confused me. Cade? His brother? Why would he think I'm anybody's brother? Why did I suddenly scare him that much? I had scared people before—that wasn't a surprise. I walk the streets and I can see fear cross whoever in my way's face, thinking I'm walking towards them. It really wasn't much of a new expression that I have seen, but till now I had yet to see one the same as what this man had.
The look in his eyes was pure... terror.
Who's Cade though? What does he have to do with anything?
"You make the slightest move and you're out." I warned him.
Seeing the serious look on my face, he nodded obediently.
Keeping the rifle aimed at him, I shifted to the right side of the bridge and looked over. The person wasn't there anymore.
"Don't you dare shift an inch. I'll shoot you from a mile away." I warned him again. Carefully, without taking my eyes off of him, I walked over to the left side of the bridge and quickly took a look there.
Funny, had he left already? He sure as hell seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Instead of finding him, I heard a machine voice saying "26D downtown" telling me I had missed the bus I was planning to take. Now, I'll have to wait for another hour to get home. Shit.
I walked back to the man. I'd never fired a gun before. I'm sure it isn't hard though. My eyesight is sharp enough to dig a bullet in a flying eagle, let alone a six foot man. I wouldn't though. I have no intention of killing anything or anyone. I don't think a life is that cheap. If he had run away, I would have dismissed it and been glad that it ended that easily.
"Why did you wanna shoot him?" I guessed I had the right to know. Curiosity is what mostly made me ask. This was my first time encountering foul play that involved weapons and not fists.
The man crawled back an inch "Please don't kill me. I got a baby kid. He needs me."
That had my blood boiling. I aimed the rifle at him, "And it's okay for you to go around and do shit like this? What if he had his own family, what gives you the right?"
The man's eyes widened with the same pure terror that I'd seen on his face earlier. At first, I thought it was because of the weapon that I abruptly started aiming at him.
Then I felt him behind me. My heart jumped in fright, and the feeling of being caught licked my spine as a hand seized the rifle I held.
