Breakout: (Space Outlaw 1) Read online

  Breakout

  (Space Outlaw 1)

  Dominique Mondesir

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Epilogue

  59. Stranded (Space Outlaw 2)

  Author Note

  Also by Dominique Mondesir

  Breakout

  (Space Outlaw Book1)

  www.Dominiquemondesir.com

  Copyright © 2017 by Dominique Mondesir

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover art by streetlightgraphics

  Edited by Andrea Harding

  1

  The bass from the car speakers threatened to blow a hole through his chest.

  He could feel it pounding against his eardrums like war drums readying him for battle.

  It put him on edge.

  He shouldn't be.

  Not now.

  Not right before one of the most important nights of his life.

  He had to stay sharp for what he was about to do.

  What he needed to do.

  For them at least.

  "What?" shouted the driver.

  "I said turn it down!" said Phoenix.

  The driver gave Phoenix a shake of the head as if his passenger were out of his mind and continued on, speakers still bleeding sound.

  Reaching across, Phoenix stabbed the off button with more force than he intended. As his finger sank deep into the dashboard, the button remained buried in a permanent off state.

  "Bro! Do you know how much this car cost?" the driver demanded.

  Phoenix turned to look directly at the driver. Casting a steely gaze his way, he said nothing.

  "What?" asked the driver with a shrug.

  Still not responding, Phoenix just continued to stare.

  The driver kept his gaze straight ahead, refusing to face Phoenix. Mouth twitching from side to side, he began to drum a beat with his fingers along the steering wheel.

  "Look, I know it was loud but you didn't have to break my shit. That's all I was saying."

  Phoenix allowed a small grunt to escape his lips before he turned to stare out the tinted car window. He watched as the late night London life passed them by.

  Drunks shouted in what they thought was English to one another.

  Girls in shoes that were too high tried to stay upright as they put the Leaning Tower of Pisa to shame.

  Kids sat on street corners eating two-piece chicken and chips, their hoodies shadowing their faces like the cloak of the Grim Reaper.

  "You know the plan?"

  The driver let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. Sucking his teeth, he replied, "Yeah, man. I know the plan."

  "You don't sound all that convincing. I don't want to spend my time locked up like those other fools you know. Or should I say knew," said Phoenix

  "I know the plan, man."

  Phoenix stared once again through the window. They were nearly there.

  Pulling a balaclava over his face, Phoenix secured it so no features could be seen.

  As the car slowly rolled to a stop, Phoenix looked across to his partner. He held out his hand, and the heavy weight of a firearm sank into his palm. Wrapping his hands around it he simply nodded the driver's way.

  "Time to get that money."

  Phoenix kept his head low as he walked through the door of a convenience store, which was located on the corner of the street. Hood pulled over his head, he kept his frame small so he wouldn't be detected.

  Walking low through the aisles of the shop, he knew where the cameras and overhead mirrors were positioned. Phoenix wanted as little evidence of him on record as possible. Making his way towards the front of the store, his head snapped back and forth.

  Good. It was empty.

  Packets of sweets and fizzy drinks offered to cure him of his hunger and thirst, but he wasn't interested.

  Newspapers and magazines promised to get rid of any boredom that he might have. And if his gaze traveled further up, magazines of a different nature offered to cure him of those lonely nights.

  He walked slowly so he could assess the situation. His footsteps trod lightly, until he was at his destination. Facing the shop counter, he waited for his victim to turn.

  Standing with his back to him, the shop owner was a portly man no taller than five-eight. His greasy, jet-black hair was slicked back in what he thought was the latest style of the day. But he either didn't get the right memo or failed to read it properly.

  The shop owner turned around and fell backwards, hand clenched to his chest as he looked upon Phoenix in shock. "What do you want?"

  "A kiss. What does it look like, fool?" said Phoenix.

  "You don't scare me with your bully act. You do know who I am! Don't you?"

  "I don't care who you are. Hand it over."

  The shopkeeper blew wind through his lips and gave Phoenix a sad shake of his head. "You're dead. You know that, don't you?" Pinching the bridge of his nose, he kept on shaking his head as his shoulders rocked with laughter.

  Phoenix let out a heavy sigh and pulled out the handgun buried inside his hoodie. Pointing it forward, he faced the shop owner with deadpan eyes.

  "I know who you are, Abdul. I know what sort of game you play. I know this isn't your first rodeo. But let me inform you of this. You have money that I want. Dirty money. Filthy money. Money that should be burned and never touched again. But right now, that doesn't matter to me. Right now, I need that filthy cash a lot more than you do. So, hand. It. Over."

  Abdul took a step forward and looked at Phoenix with narrowed eyes. "I know you," he whispered. "It's Phoenix, isn't it?

  Slamming the butt of the gun into the bridge of Abdul's nose, Phoenix heard a satisfying crack as bone broke under metal. Abdul staggered backwards, holding his nose in both hands as he yowled in pain. Abdul tried to blink back the tears that filled his vision, but failed. As he wiped a sleeve across his eyes, the shop owner saw Phoenix still standing there with his hand outstretched.

  "I am no
t going to ask again. Stop being a dickhead and do as I say," said Phoenix.

  "You must be out of your mind! This will only end badly for you. This will only end in your suffering! This will only end." Getting another pistol-whipping across the face, Abdul was about to collapse to the floor but was only saved by grabbing onto the shop counter.

  "From where I'm standing, it looks like the day is only going to end badly for you. And get worse the longer this carries on. Now I don't want to, but I can start blowing off pieces of you if you would rather I do that. So what's it going to be?"

  Abdul looked at Phoenix with quickly swelling, puffy eyes. Grinding his teeth as if into dust, he debated what he should do.

  Phoenix pointed the gun at one of Abdul's arms. Backing up quickly, Abdul held both hands in front of him. "Okay, okay, okay. Give me a minute."

  "You have less than that and counting."

  Abdul turned his back to Phoenix and pulled down a water painting of himself. Fitted into the wall behind it was a safe. Covering the combination with his hands, he entered in the right code. With an audible click, the safe door slid open, revealing its contents.

  Phoenix let out a low whistle and smiled. "Abdul, Abdul, Abdul. Who's been a busy boy then?"

  Taking out one stack of money after another, Abdul placed them on the counter.

  "Put it in a bag. I can't carry all of that by hand, now can I?" snapped Phoenix.

  Abdul gave Phoenix a look that could have pinned his soul to the wall. He yanked a plastic bag from behind him and began to stuff it with money.

  "Is that everything?" Phoenix asked, looking behind the shopkeeper.

  "Yes."

  "You sure, Abdul? I wouldn't like to think you're holding out on me."

  Without a reply, Abdul simply stared.

  Phoenix gave the shopkeeper a slight nod and turned on his heel, making his way for the exit. His attention snapped to a mirror in the top corner of the shop. What he saw there turned his blood cold. Diving for cover behind a row of shelves, Phoenix tucked and rolled just as the first gunshot went off.

  "You think I'm joking! Don't you? You thought this was going to be easy! Well, you were wrong!" Abdul screamed.

  Phoenix pulled a jumbo packet of sweets to one side. Looking through the hole created, he could see Abdul holding a shotgun that looked bigger than him. Tucking himself in so he was a smaller target, Phoenix tried to come up with a plan.

  Bang!

  As a shop window shattered from friendly fire, Phoenix watched in disbelief as his getaway driver sped off, back wheels burning rubber.

  "That...argh..." Phoenix muttered under his breath.

  One option down.

  Which meant that he had to come up with another one fast.

  "Abdul! Lets talk about this like fine gentlemen!"

  "Fuck you!"

  "Fine! Be that way!"

  Phoenix rolled out from his hiding place and fired off a few shots wildly. He didn't care where they went; he just needed them to give him time. Getting to his feet, he made his way towards the back of the shop and hit the back door with his shoulder. It flew open just as a shot showered food over him. Keeping his head low, Phoenix made his way through one doorway after the next. Shoving boxes out of the way, he heard a door slam open behind him. As he ducked down, a boom went off behind him as bits of mortar showered onto his head.

  Phoenix didn't check if he was hit. He didn't have time. Pointing the gun behind him, he let off a volley of shots.

  Phoenix dove through the last door, where he found himself in an alleyway. Spotting a dumpster resting against the far wall, he ran over to it and wheeled it against the door. It wouldn't hold for long, but the extra minute it gave him would be enough.

  Running towards the end of the alley, Phoenix came across a high, chain-link fence. Ascending it as quickly as possible, he breathed in and out to calm his heart rate down.

  "Well, that could have been worse--"

  That was when the sound of police sirens filled the very air around him.

  2

  Phoenix froze halfway up the chain-link fence, unable to move. A moment of panic washed over him as his mind became blank.

  "Move!"

  He grabbed one fistful of fence after another until he reached the top and threw himself over. Landing on the balls of his feet, he looked over his shoulder and saw the reflection of flashing lights in the puddles of the alleyway. Not giving them a second thought, he kept low and continued running.

  Hopefully, the police would deal with Abdul first, before his own activities even entered their mind.

  Phoenix's heart pounded in his chest as he made turn after turn. The music from overhead open windows played a beat to his dancing feet. His shoes were soaked as he stepped in a puddle, and slowly began to chill him to the bone. Breathing in the toxic human waste that littered the alleyway, he tried not to gag as it made its way into his system.

  Phoenix focused on where he was placing his feet so intently that he almost ran into another fence. It only came up to his waist; he vaulted it as gracefully as a baby deer. But his foot caught on a wire at the top, and he landed face first.

  Letting out a deep groan, Phoenix lifted his head. Although he had the balaclava still on, god knew what was seeping through the material onto his face. Whipping it off, he stuffed it in his pocket and spat out whatever had made its way into his mouth.

  "This day just keeps getting better and better."

  As a slow growl was emitted from the shadows to his left, Phoenix didn't dare look over but he knew what it meant.

  "Come on! Really?"

  Phoenix jumped to his feet and took off like an Olympic sprinter. Not daring to look behind him, he heard the paws pounding after him. Pumping his arms and legs harder, he heard the snap of jaws searching to find their prey.

  He took a sharp left and continued on as he saw his salvation ahead of him. Bolting up one more fence, he kept on climbing until he was over the top and flipped himself over. Landing heavily, he looked behind him to see an English bull terrier pacing back and forth behind the fence. Squatting so he was eye to eye with the animal, he looked it over.

  "I bet you wanted a piece of this ass, didn't you? Well, not today."

  Slowly walking away so he could let his heart recover, Phoenix took the gun from his pocket and emptied the bullets into his hand. Bending down to lift a service drain, he threw the gun down it and placed the bullets inside his pocket.

  "At least it's fairly harmless."

  Getting caught with a firearm in the UK was no joke. He would be looking at serious time – something he had never done and had no desire to ever do.

  Phoenix placed both hands in his pockets and walked out of the alleyway with his head down and a smile on his face.

  He did it!

  He had finally got the money he needed. Everything would be all right.

  Stomach rumbling, he thought it was time he visited his favourite restaurant.

  He deserved to treat himself, after all.

  Phoenix pushed open a door in need of a good lick of paint. Stopping dead in his tracks, he allowed the smells of roasting meats and cooked rice to wash over him. Mouth slowly filling with saliva, Phoenix swallowed it back down.

  Standing in front of Omar's, Phoenix's gaze swept across the restaurant. It was always crowded. No matter the time. No matter the day. It was a hub for everyone--gangsters, couples, students, businessmen, politicians, and everyone in-between. Tables lined the room from end to end, while the open kitchen looked out onto the customers.

  Phoenix breathed in the steam from the frying vegetables. The meat sizzling on the coals tempted his taste buds. Taking it all in, a smile crept onto his face. Walking in, he nodded to familiar faces, old and new, and gave out hugs and handshakes every four steps he took.

  "Omar!" Phoenix saw the owner standing in front of a fish tank and enveloped him in a bear hug.

  Omar's white shirt was covered in sweat, grease, and what Phoenix hoped wasn
't blood. Phoenix took a step back as he smiled at his friend.

  "Damn! Is it me, Omar, or is the place more packed than usual?"

  "What can I say, the lords have blessed me." Omar laughed.

  "Well, it was a long time coming. I mean, they didn't bless you with looks, or talent, or charm, or wit, or--"

  "Okay, okay, okay," said Omar, holding up his hands to stop Phoenix. "I am sorry not everyone can be as good-looking as you." He rolled his eyes.

  Phoenix rubbed his fingernails on his shirt and looked smugly at his friend. "What can I say? When you're truly blessed, you're truly blessed. The gods work in mysterious ways." Phoenix laughed.

  "Saying that, what happened to your face? It looked like you got hit with a sack of shit."

  "Yeah, I had a little accident," replied Phoenix.

  "This little accident wouldn't have something to do with Abdul, would it?"

  Phoenix shook his head and let out a snort. "Now why would I have anything to do with that scumbag?"

  Omar gave Phoenix a slight shrug, but didn't respond.

  "What have you heard?"

  "Not much. You know, only hearsay." Omar smiled.

  "Come on, man. If the Prime Minister were shagging behind his wife's back, this would be the first place the news would drop. If it turned out that the Queen was indeed reptilian, this would be the place the news broke. So what have you heard?"

  "Just that Abdul had a run-in with someone who stuck him up for his loot. Shots were heard, but no arrests made. You know, the usual story," said Omar.

  "Bad news does travel fast," thought Phoenix.

  "How long ago was this?"

  "Not long. Less than half an hour."

  "You have heard the rumours of how he got that money, right?" Phoenix asked with a scowl on his face.

  "Yeah. There are ways to make money...but that shouldn't be one of them."

  "Well, whatever happened, I wasn't involved. If anyone asks, you can tell them to come and see me."

  "Okay," Omar said, holding his hands up once more in the air.

  "Good. Anyway, I'll have the usual and I'll be where I normally sit. I'm going to get cleaned up."