Page 87 of Prisoner of War
Fright tore through Minnie, sharper and harder than any fear she had felt that morning. She heard the little squeak of the balcony door as Soto stepped through but ignored it. She knew what she had to do. She gripped the stone and took a deep breath.
“Duardo! Behind you!”
He looked up sharply and spotted her. She pointed to Torrez and he spun instantly, alerted.
Torrezfired, but Duardo’s spin had pulled him out of the line of fire. The bullet smashed into the palace itself. Minnie could hear the sour “zing” as it ricocheted.
Even as Torrez tried to re-cock the rifle, Duardo dived at him, grabbing the rifle and jamming it across the white-haired man’s throat.
“Get your hands up, woman!” Soto yelled.
Minnie turned to face him, knowing time had run out forher. She was content, knowing she had helped Duardo. As she turned, she realized she still held the bloody knife in her hand.
Soto saw it too. His face hardened. “Oh no, you don’t,” he muttered and aimed the rifle.
“Hey, asshole!” came a woman’s voice in English.
Soto looked up and to his left, his eyes widening.
A gun fired and Minnie saw a black round spot appear on Soto’s forehead. Hisfingers squeezed the trigger of his rifle as he fell back and an invisible force rammed into Minnie’s upper arm and sent her staggering. She fell against the balustrade and her head knocked sharply on the stone. At once her thoughts scattered as dizziness swamped her. She fell to her knees and still the floor swayed and rolled beneath her. She toppled sideways and felt the cool tiles beneath her cheek.As she lay, she heard the rain begin to fall heavily, hissing and pattering.
Hands were on her, rolling her onto her back.
Nick’s voice, low and fast. “Hurry,” he commanded. “Her shout will have roused them.”
“Minnie?” It was Calli’s voice. “Where did the bullet get you?”
Minnie looked up, blinking and swallowing convulsively. “Calli?” She giggled. “You climbed the balcony again?”
“It’s shock,”her father said and she felt a light touch on her arm. She rolled her head to look at him.
“Dad?” Of all the astonishing events in the last few seconds, this was the most bizarre. Her father’s face moved into the field of her vision.
“Yeah, hon, I’m here.” He looked up at someone. “Just a graze.”
“She hit her head on the balcony rail as she went down,” Nick’s voice came again. Minnie couldn’tsee him.
The sound of boots running along the balcony came to her.
“No, no, no...” It was Duardo’s voice. Minnie saw Calli look up, her mouth opening.
Warm hands on her shoulders. “Minnie. Please, Minnie, God, look at me.”
“It just winged her arm,” Calli said gently.
Minnie rolled her head to find him. Duardo was looking at her, his face working. “You have to go,” she told him.
He reachedup and tore the eye patch from his head, revealing his other perfectly good eye. “No, you don’t understand,” he said.
“You’re Duardo,” she told him. “But you have to get Téra—before word passes about who you really are.”
He looked around at the group of them hovering over her. “She’s right.”
“Téra is here?” It was Nick’s voice again, sharp with surprise. Minnie realized she could not see himbecause he stood guard over all of them.
“Go,” she told Duardo.
He looked at Nick.
