Read Fang Shway in LA for Free Online

until I get behind that van. Then I’ll lay down some cover for you. Ready?” Crawling on all fours I inched toward the van. However, I couldn’t move because the hail of bullets kept me pinned down. I shook my head and started to speak. Unfortunately, my voice was drowned out by a new burst of gunfire coming from somewhere behind us. Great, we were caught in a crossfire. Who the hell was shooting at us or were they? What had we walked into? They weren’t shooting at us. They’re shooting at our attackers. Turning to Traygen I yelled, “We need to get out of here while they’re distracted.”
    Getting to our feet we sprinted to the van and then down the street. I finally heard sirens and the shooters must have too as the firing suddenly stopped and it was eerily silent. Traygen and I ducked out of sight down an alley.
    “Can you get us out of here? I don’t think we should hang around to answer any questions.”
    Traygen was already starting to change. There wasn’t much room but we were able to lunge up and away without detection. It took us twenty minutes or so to reach my driveway. My knees were still shaking and my knuckles were white from clinging tightly to Traygen’s back. I slid down and sat in an undignified heap.
    “Are you all right? You aren’t hurt are you?” Traygen asked concern obvious in his voice. He sat down beside me and put his arm around me.
    “No, damn it, I’m not.”
    “Lauren what in the hell is the matter with you? Let me see.”
    “I broke a heel. Those were nearly new Faragamo sandals and look at my Armani dress. Ruined.”
    Traygen looked at me to see if I were serious and decided I was. “I’m sorry about your outfit but thank God you aren’t hurt.”
    I got up and limped toward the door. “We may as well clean up and try to figure out what that was all about.” I showered, changed, and joined Traygen and Tokem in the kitchen. “Tokem, where did you go? I’m glad you are still in one piece.”
    “When the bullets started flying so did I. I winged it home. What did you want me to do? Yell dos vedanya. Get real someone needed to survive to tell your relatives.”
    “Gee thanks, I’m touched.”
    “Seriously, I waited for the shooting to stop and looked around for some evidence. I got some shell casings before the police arrived. Also, I recognized one of the men from the warehouse. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good look at the second group.”
    “Tokem, I love you buddy,” I said. “What caliber shell was it?”
    “My guess is a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov.”
    “I think our Russians have arrived. Traygen, what do you make of this?”
    “I’m not sure but one thing I do know for certain. They weren’t shooting at us. Why they were shooting at the Mexican drug smugglers is anyone’s guess. The Mexican’s may have thought we were throwing in with the vamps. We are going to have to be very careful here until we figure things out.”
    “We need to get some answers but first things first. Whoever said an ‘army runs on its stomach’, was correct. Pizza anyone?”
    Dazed from hunger and exhaustion, we began to digest our food and the day’s confrontation. “We need to find out what the Russians are up to. Anyone have any ideas on where we should begin?”
    “Lauren, does your uncle still have friends at the CIA?” Traygen asked.
    I pushed back from the table and went to the fridge for more water. “I’m sure he still knows people. Why do you ask?”
    “Maybe someone in the CIA knows if the Russians have been up to anything in L.A. Since 9/11 and the enactment of the Patriot Act the U.S. is keeping closer tabs on foreigners. The government may have them under surveillance. ” Traygen said.
    “For a hundred plus year old you keep up on your current events. I’ll go give him a call. I may as well get right on it, if you’ll excuse me.” I went to my study and dialed my uncle’s number. It was around eight A.M. on the east coast. He should be up. It took