Page 123 of Gunslinger Girl
Somehow Beau had gotten on top of the injured Santino, who was trying to shake him off. Beau’s face was as gray as old ash, but he hung on. One arm was hooked around the bigger man’s neck. The other held Santino’s knife. As Pity watched, Beau plunged the blade into its owner’s neck. A grisly fountain erupted. Santino bucked once more and went limp, red spreading around him as Beau slid off. Before she could tell if he was still conscious or not, she saw a rustle of movement in the foreground of her vision.
Selene. Pinned beneath Adora, she stirred briefly before going still again.
Pity pulled back behind the desk. “Selene’s not dead.”
Siena laughed, firing wildly. “Not yet.”
Desperate, Pity squeezed off a few shots over the top of the desk. “We’re pinned. What do we do now?”
“Well,” Siena said, “I think a prayer wouldn’t be amiss.”
CHAPTER 41
Max fought for each breath. The only color left in his face was the silver of his piercings.
Pity reloaded again. Lord, if you’re listening, please…
“We’re not dying here,” she said aloud. “Not in this damn office!”
“The minute we pop up from behind here, they’re gonna unload on us. Four against two.” Siena snuck a look. “Five. They gave Halcyon a weapon.”
“Four and a half, then,” said Pity. “And Daneko will be shooting left-handed.” She paused. “Not the worst odds.”
“Not the best, either.” Siena wiped at her brow with the back of one hand. “Though none of them are crack shots.”
“With a little luck, we might be able to…”
“Yeah.” Siena checked her clips. “Not like we’ve got much choice.”
“No,” said Max. “Pity, don’t.”
“You need help,” she said. “We can’t wait.”
Sheridan’s voice boomed out like a crack of thunder. “Pity!” he yelled. “It doesn’t have to end like this. Throw out your weapons and come out with your hands up. I promise you won’t be harmed.”
“Horseshit!” Siena answered. “Why don’t you throw down your weapons instead?”
Sheridan ignored her. “How’s Max? You know I want him alive as much as you do, Pity. All you have to do is come out.”
Pity pressed the grips of her guns to her temples. “We can’t trust him,” she said quietly. “Siena…”
“No,” Max pleaded.
“On three,” said Siena. “One…”
Pity gripped her guns tighter. Twelve shots, she thought. Make every one count.
“Two…”
The door to Selene’s suite flew open. No one came through, but from their vantage point, Pity could see Olivia and a cluster of Tin Men a few steps within. Olivia brandished a pair of flash grenades, then pulled the pins and arced them through the doorway toward Sheridan and the bodyguards.
Pity threw herself down beside Max. She squeezed her eyes closed and covered her ears as twin explosions rocked the room. She scrambled up a moment later, ready to fire, only to lurch to one side, disoriented by the shock waves. She steadied herself in time to see the elevator door closing beyond a haze of smoke. Sheridan, Daneko, and the others were inside.
Olivia ran into the office, her rifle raised.
Pity swung around. “Stop where you are!”
Olivia pointed her weapon at the floor. “Don’t! Rifles down, all of you,” she ordered the Tin Men behind her. “Pity, we’re here to help.”
