Far Horizon (Juggernaut #4)

Three

Tila readied herself to fight.

The world around her faded away as all her senses turned toward the threat before her. There was one answer to this threat. There was only ever one answer. She would hit him and hit him and hit him until he stopped. Until he went away. Until Ellie was safe again. There was no negotiating with a monster like this, no way to reason with a mind like his.

She had options. There were always options. She could strike fast and hard. Attack the eyes to blind him or the throat to silence him? Then what? Evade, escape, and run? How far could she get in unfamiliar territory with no backup. They would be looking for her at once.

Under the table Tila's hands became fists.

She had no weapon. At least, not real weapon. In front of her were soft rolls and soft butter, but what damage could she do with those? The knife was blunt, and literally pointless. She would have to do this the old fashioned way. That way you could feel every strike. The impact on the knuckles, the shudder through forearm and wrist and muscles locked and turned, driving the point of her fist into the heart of her problem. Then the recoil, shoulders pulling back, hips twisting, feet shifting, until the fist of one had was back at her side, and the other fist already striking out.

Each punch was a release. Each hit a sign you were one step closer to removing one more problem from the world.

But she would have to act quickly. It was just the two of them for now but the others would be back soon and the moment, and her advantage, would have passed.

One swift punch and Ellie would never have to look into that face again.

There were always options, but sometimes you had to choose the one you hated least.

Then everything went black.

'Guess who!' Said a voice brighter than the sun.

Under the table Tila's fists relaxed.

'Malachi?'

'Tila,' said Ellie reproachfully as she removed her hands from Tila's eyes, 'You're not even trying. Mal's not here yet.'

Tila opened her eyes and the world rushed in to replace the darkness. Their perfect white tablecloth of their restaurant table, set for five, glowed under the soft lamps set into the orange-tiled wall of the terrace which was built on a small peninsular pointing north.

The ocean dominated the horizon from east to west. The evening sun warmed her face as it lowered itself gently toward the ocean on their left and underlit the grey clouds with pink edges. The sky above graduated from pale blue to black as the world turned. Soon the moon would rise above the waters on Tila's right.

The sea breeze tossed loose hairs playfully around her face, and the soft base line of the waves boomed against rocks and dragged sand sighing back to the water.

Tila sighed and the sound carried with it a mixture of frustration and happiness. And Jayce got to live another day.

'He's late?'

'Well actually we're early. I told Malachi that Jayce and I wanted to see the sunset from the beach. Actually it was his idea.'

'His? Whose?'

'Mal! Actually no it was Nina's idea, right Jay?'

Jayce inhaled a bread roll, as was his habit with food, and nodded.

Tila raised an eyebrow. 'Jay?'

'What's wrong with that?' said Ellie.

'It sounds stupid.'