Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1709

In a convoy of trucks, a group of men armed to the teeth sped toward the BB Compound. Lyons’s men had already received word and were waiting, fully armed, blocking the entrance. The BB Compound's second-in-command stepped forward to negotiate. “Don’t push it, Dunn!” Sitting in his armored car, Dunn rolled down the window and cursed, “Damn it! Who’s pushing who? You dare to snatch a person I brought in! You think I’m a pushover?!” The second-in-command insisted, “We’ve already told you, we didn’t take your man. You keep trying to pin this crap on us. Are you trying to start a war on purpose?” Dunn got even angrier. They stole his target and now they were accusing him of starting a war! It was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. “Son of a bitch! Men, no more talking! Light 'em up! We have to get him back!” “Yeah!” Dunn’s men roared and immediately opened fire. The BB Compound’s men were prepared. They didn't waste any more words and fired back. With both sides using live ammunition, the firefight quickly escalated into a full-blown battle. As casualties mounted on both sides, Lyons called Dunn. “I’m telling you one last time, I didn’t take your person. If you keep this up, I’m reporting it to The Warlord!” The Warlord was the true leader of this region, a powerful military commander. All the dozen or so scam compounds in the area operated under his command and protection. Dunn, sitting in his armored car, was seething. “Even if you don't tell him, I'm going to ask The Warlord to get justice for me after this is over! And I’ll tell you one more time, this firefight isn’t just about my reputation. More importantly, that kid is now a threat to our entire operation! If we don’t send him back to Thyania tonight, they will send their army to bomb us all to hell! We’re all in the same boat here. If my AA Compound goes down, you can bet your BB Compound won’t be safe either!” Lyons frowned. He was starting to realize how serious this was. Dunn wouldn't have started a war over nothing. “What makes you so sure we took him? Do you have proof?” Lyons asked. “See for yourself!” Dunn immediately sent Lyons the video his men had taken. Lyons opened it and saw that the people and the vehicle were indeed from his compound. “I don’t know anything about this. Let me look into it!” Lyons hung up and immediately ordered an investigation. The results came back quickly, and Lyons was livid. He called Dunn again. “Stop shooting! Cease fire! Sullivan has him!” Dunn was surprised. “What’s going on?” Lyons was even angrier than Dunn. “That bastard Sullivan! To hell with him and everyone he stands for! He has no respect for me, daring to impersonate my men to pull a heist! The car and uniforms in the video are ours, but the men inside are Sullivan’s! My people have already confirmed it—the kid is in his hands!” Dunn was dumbfounded. “Sullivan snatched my guy? Are you sure? Do you have proof?” “I just sent you a photo,” Lyons said. “See if this is the kid.” Dunn looked at the picture. Men from the CC Compound were pointing a gun at Evan, seemingly warning him to behave. Evan’s lower lip was trembling, and he looked both aggrieved and terrified, as if he was about to cry. “That looks like him,” Dunn said. “Hold your fire for now. I need to call Pana.” With that, both sides ceased fire. Dunn called Pana. “I just sent you a photo. Take a good look and confirm if it’s him.” Pana replied in seconds. “Yes! That’s the kid! Get him back here immediately! We’re about to buckle under the pressure over here!”