Sicarius

8.up in flames

"Stay here" Kaden says pushing past me. The study in the West side has windows directly to the the driveway and the shots are being aimed at that room. I open the door frantically so that Alex and Mako can come inside as the automatic guns fire at the resilient glass.

"what the shit is going on?" Mako asks me pulling his gun a loading the chamber.

"i don't know" i whisper to myself, feeling defenseless to the fire. the car on the driveway lets 4 men out, all masked and all armed. I run toward the hall Kaden disappeared into and slam into him who is coming out with an AK47. "they are CIA just so you know"

"i know" he remarks.

"they will shoot on sight"

"they won't see me"

"give me one" i point at the rifle.

"no, what?" he tries to go past me. "this is not the time to be fighting"

"i agree, give me a fucking gun"

"no" he goes past me this time.

i go into the room he came from anyway. It's a bedroom with glass walls and few lights. i rattle through and find two combat guns under the bed. i take the Colt 1911 model semi-automatic .45-caliber pistol and go to the front of the house.

"alex!" i yell when i don't see him by the door where i left him. "alex!!" i yell again.

i move to where Kaden in, behind the 5 foot wooden wall under a big window. this is probably the only wall there is on the outside. this window is operable and can be opened. i push it open all the way and duck by Kaden's side. shit! gunshot. gunshot. on the floor Kaden sits with his back to the wall right under the windowsill. the bullets enter he house and the TV screen is a shitmess at this point

his breathing is heavy but he pulls it together to throw his hands on the windowsill, aim and fire three times before coming back down.

."they have alex" he says not looking at me.

"what!" i say surprised and i take a quick look over. they have him to the right. "how?"

"who are they?" i ask.

"you don't want to know"

"well maybe i do Kaden, stop being such a fucking smartass"

"let's discuss this another time?" he gives me a wrinkled face. i give him an oh-so-funny face. "and try not to kill Alex"

I turn around to aim and shoot. Kaden goes again and fires continuously and when i look over all there is Alex being held by the last man standing and the gun is still pointed at his brain. kaden, hold fire. i think quietly.

The guy says something but i can't hear from here. Kaden crosses over the small wall and walks towards the man saying something i just can't hear.

then everything seems to stop, nothing is happening and all i can hear are my own movements, my breathing, my thoughts. i grasp my gun tighter, ready to go any second. i see him put his hands over his head on the driveway, as if surrendering and i can't help but wonder what if he's planning on getting killed too, something i wouldn't be too sad about. his gun is thrown on the ground and they keep talking but i can't hear at all, still i know they must negotiating. Kaden has something with Alex and i don't know what it is.

i rest my arms on the windowsill and close one eye to keep the gun pointed directly where i want it, on the attacker's arm. One movement and it could harm Alex. i breathe deeply, bring my heart rate down.

Alex is standing in front of the man but his head is visible to me. Then i hear it. Kaden falls to the ground and with no hesitation i fire and both alex and the man freeze. my heartbeat has reached decreased at least 4 times from where i had it. calm. unworried. but then the captor falls on the ground and Alex remains on his feet, signaling that my shot was effective. i let out a small sigh and run outside. in the doorstep i spot agent Mako, who's badly injured on the floor but alive. i go to him first and take his head between my hands.