Status: Updates are sporadic and may occur at whim, but I do try to add chapters regularly.
Silent Nights
Fire in the Hole
The room across the hall, beside the bathroom, is the one we need. I noticed it when Anna and I went to get towels less than ten minutes ago, though it seems like longer. On either side of a big queen-sized bed are two windows that face the street. I wonder briefly why the study is obviously more lived-in than this bedroom, but it doesn’t really matter right now. Drew and I each approach a window and unlock the latch. I pull the bottom window up and pop out the screen.
As soon as the window opens the noise is deafening. I prop the screen against the wall and Drew tosses the other one on the floor near the door. It catches my eye, but then I see the girl walk in. She’s got a rifle with a scope, suppressor, and what looks like a thirty-round magazine slung over her shoulder and the other flashbang in her hand. She walks around the bed toward Drew. I actually watch him do a double take when he sees the rifle. She pulls it off her shoulder and chambers a round.
“What the hell?” Drew mutters. She says something back but I don’t catch it. Drew just stares at her for a second before shaking his head. He slings one leg over the windowsill and ducks under the top window to get a clear throw. It’s a straight drop to the street, but I take the same position. Anna walks up to me and squeezes my shoulder. Drew glances back at me. “Ready?” I nod.
The girl steps up next to Drew and hands him the flashbang. I hold mine in my right hand with my thumb on the safety lever. I look down at the porch and see the huge crowd gathering there. Most of them are facing the house we’re in, so I decide to toss the explosive behind them. With any luck they’ll turn around and forget we’re even in here. I pull the pin and grab the window frame with my left hand to steady myself. I chuck the thing and duck back into the room. Anna starts to ask me something, but just as she opens her mouth the grenade goes off, followed shortly by a second. Fire in the hole.
As soon as the window opens the noise is deafening. I prop the screen against the wall and Drew tosses the other one on the floor near the door. It catches my eye, but then I see the girl walk in. She’s got a rifle with a scope, suppressor, and what looks like a thirty-round magazine slung over her shoulder and the other flashbang in her hand. She walks around the bed toward Drew. I actually watch him do a double take when he sees the rifle. She pulls it off her shoulder and chambers a round.
“What the hell?” Drew mutters. She says something back but I don’t catch it. Drew just stares at her for a second before shaking his head. He slings one leg over the windowsill and ducks under the top window to get a clear throw. It’s a straight drop to the street, but I take the same position. Anna walks up to me and squeezes my shoulder. Drew glances back at me. “Ready?” I nod.
The girl steps up next to Drew and hands him the flashbang. I hold mine in my right hand with my thumb on the safety lever. I look down at the porch and see the huge crowd gathering there. Most of them are facing the house we’re in, so I decide to toss the explosive behind them. With any luck they’ll turn around and forget we’re even in here. I pull the pin and grab the window frame with my left hand to steady myself. I chuck the thing and duck back into the room. Anna starts to ask me something, but just as she opens her mouth the grenade goes off, followed shortly by a second. Fire in the hole.