Page 190 of 5+Us Makes Seven

Cruz

She was definitely upstairs. I had two bullets left in my revolver. It was time to finish this.

I looked up and saw a window above me. A plan sprang into my mind. I executed it immediately.

As I stood, I smashed the window with the butt of the Tokarev as I drew it from my waist. I pointed the revolver into the room, shooting two bullets blind.

There was a second of silence.

And then a high-pitched scream pierced my ears. I heard pure agony in the Russian’s voice as he cried out in pain, probably for his God or his mother.

I threw the revolver down at my feet, ammo spent. I raced around the wall, ducking below the high, narrow windows. The screaming masked my run.

I was at the front door. I held the Tokarev in both hands, lifted my left foot and smashed the door. Wood splintered.

I was in the room in an instant. There were three men. One was on the floor, still screaming. He was holding his thigh as blood pumped in unceasing gushes onto the dirty floor around him.

Femoral artery. Game over, you fuck.

An UZI lay next to the man, forgotten in his blind agony. The other two stared at their comrade in stunned silence as his wails started to quiet somewhat. I shot all three in two seconds, the two standing dropped like ragdolls, joining their comrade in a macabre heap. Running to pick up the UZI, I dropped the Tokarev. I didn’t know how many rounds were left, and I wasn’t risking Alexandra’s life on the preparedness of a dead Russian KGB agent.

I checked the clip of the UZI. A brass 9mm bullet shone like rose gold at the top of the magazine. A spent clip lay on the floor behind the Russian.

I had 35 rounds of death in the long clip that extended well past the handle. Enough to take out a room of Russians. I wouldn’t dare spray it at them with Alexandra possibly caught in the middle though.

Alexandra

Through the screaming downstairs, I’d heard a door smash violently, followed by three loud, clear gunshots. The screaming ceased immediately. Heavy boots thudded along the wooden floor below us ominously. Then a couple loud metallic clicks, followed by silence.

The two remaining men had drawn silver pistols. My captor had a long, brutal knife held at my throat. He backed towards the mattress I’d been seated on moments earlier.

He barked orders in Russian to his henchmen. They stared at him, open mouthed, and he screamed at them in rage. In response, they exchanged glances and shrugged. Then they both ran down the wooden stairs to face Cruz and it was over in an instant.

Cruz

Shoes

thudded on the floor above me. I pointed the Uzi at the top of the stairs in my right hand, steadying what I knew would be horrendous recoil by clasping my left palm over my right wrist.

Two men ran down the stairs, guns held low as they sprinted down. I didn't even have to aim. The UZI bucked violently in my hands as I held down the trigger. I sprayed bullets left to right at the men in an indiscriminate hail. They both tumbled and fell to the floor in a heap, motionless.

I dropped the UZI and drew my short 9mm pistol from my boot, clicking off the safety. I unclipped my combat knife, moving it to the back of my pants, out of sight. After a moment to ensure the two who’d charged down the stairs were in fact dead, I ran up the stairs two at a time with my gun raised in front of me, ready.

Other than a giant Russian corpse with a huge hole in his head, there was only one man left standing. And he had Alexandra held savagely by her hair, a long knife held inches from her neck.

My heart lurched at the sight of her. Head held high, her gaze was defiant. She smiled when she saw me, tears streaming down her lovely cheeks.

I froze. One wrong move and it had all been for nothing. I looked at the Russian, his face was calm. His eyes blazed.

“Cruz, how nice that you could join us. I’m sorry I was not able to be more…hospitable. In other circumstances, I’m sure I could have offered you a lucrative deal, but alas.” He motioned at the body near my feet.

“If you think I’d ever even consider working for you, think again, you slimy fuck. I’m not here for money.” I glanced at Alexandra.

“Aha! I see now. So you are more than just a bodyguard. How very touching.” He sneered. “If I kill her now, all of your considerable efforts will be for nothing. Then I will kill you.” His face started to contort, twitching with anger.

“I don’t think so,” I said calmly, calling his bluff. “You kill her, you got nothing. All of this will be for nothing. Weeks, months of preparation. Promises to your buyer you can’t keep. Debts you can’t pay.” I looked him in the eyes. He seethed with rage. “Listen to me, because I have one final offer for you.” I threw the pistol I was holding down the stairs behind me, the metal clattering loudly on the wooden steps. “I’ll give you one chance to kill me, you dirty Russian fuck. I’m unarmed. That was my last gun I just threw away.” I held my hands up.

“Put your fucking hands on your head,” he spat. “Do it!”

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