Page 56 of Rugger: The Huntress

Why haven’t you called?I questioned with expanded nostrils.

I was slightly offended by her disregard for my feelings. And, since I’d encountered her, I felt like I wanted her near. Still, she was too far away for me to even touch her. She left me no choice but to touch those who she planned to allow the privilege.

She tossed her leg over Matthew’s legs and lowered her body onto his. I lowered the binoculars, having seen all that I needed to. I unlocked the phone a final time and pressed play.

When the sins of my father…

Way down in my soul…

And the pain of my mother…

Will not let me go…

The scope welcomed my right eye as the bullet-halting cloth came down over my head. It wasn’t bullet-proof, but it slowed the speed of a bullet tremendously, giving one time to react to its presence before it ended their life, claimed their limbs, or made them a potato for the rest of their lives.

Her fingers roamed his chest. The smile lines near the corners of his lips would’ve served as satisfying targets but they wouldn’t claim his life. They’d force him to wear a plate in his jaws, but he’d survive. Survival wasn’t an option.

Three seconds elapsed before my shot was clear. Rugger’s fingers were occupied with the stack of big faces Matthew had handed over.

Ten-thousand.

I sized the stack and was able to give an accurate count before her thumb slid across the fifth bill. She was swift, flippingthrough the money like a counter. She leaned over and stuffed it into her handbag. Almost instantly, she removed a black square from it.

Matthew’s smile grew. He accepted the contraceptive with glee, taking it into his right hand. His left palm pressed against her cheek, furthest from my line of vision, poking the beast inside of me.

Pew.

The sound of shattered glass followed the releasing of the lone bullet that pierced the side of Matthew’s head and marked the end of his life’s term immediately. Blood splattered onto Rugger’s precious face.

Unfazed, she stuck her hand into the same purse that held her fare and possibly a second or third condom. Without altering her position, she extended her right arm and fired her weapon.

Once.

Twice.

The third bullet pierced the guard, promising to render me brain dead if I didn’t switch its position. I tugged until the warmth of the bullet was closer to the floor than it was my forehead.

Shit!

She didn’t stop firing until the feathers of the comforter on the bed closest to the window were dancing in the air. Within seconds, she’d reload. But, I had no intention of being in the same location when she did.

I snatched the rifle up, curling it under my arm along with its stand. I snatched my coat and backpack and headed toward the door. This time, I didn’t exit. Instead, I pulled open the one just feet shy of it.

In the joining room, I removed the guard, folded it three times and stuffed it into my backpack.

“Barrel. Stock. Bolt. Forend. Magazine. Trigger. Safety. Chassis.”

One part after the other, I disassembled the rifle and stuffed it inside of the custom case on the bed of the empty room. Black shades now covered my eyes and a black beanie covered my head. I pulled my jacket up onto my shoulders, slid my backpack on, and scooped the case up in my right hand.

Make it rain.

Make it rain.

Make it rain.

Make it rain.

Slowly, I exited the room. The hallway was deserted. Every room on their roster had been reserved under a different alias for my privacy.

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