Line of Fire (A Stitchers Fan Fiction- Book 1)

Chapter 13: We Meet Again

The screeching lockdown alarm still reverberated around the lab as Maggie scrambled in her desk to find her handgun. She had a sinking feeling in her gut that more of her team snuck away to find Kirsten and Cameron and that something was going to go wrong, very wrong. Just as she slipped her handgun in her belt holster, a elevator ring could be faintly heard along with the sound of guns loading from the S.W.A.T. team outside guarding the stitching equipment. Maggie froze in place as a chillingly familiar voice shouted amongst the chaos. 

"Maggie, I know you're here. It's your old pal Daniel." Gun shots rang out and Maggie instinctively hide behind the shaded section of her office door with her handgun raised. Most of the S.W.A.T. team members were lying dead in their fixed positions. Those who managed to survive looked at Maggie for a cue. She curtly waved her hand towards the safe room, where they quickly retired without a flicker of doubt. Daniel began chuckling to himself as he advanced towards the Corpse Cassette, just across where Maggie was hiding, the silver pistol glinting in the light.

"You know, it's rude to not politely greet your guests." Daniel said stroking the Cassette. Maggie closed her eyes with her finger inching towards the trigger. She could hear Daniel sigh as he continued to caress the Cassette. 

"You know, I'm quite amazed at how this technology works. I mean, my daughter's brain is shoved into another's memories. How.......fantastical that must be, to witness such feats." Daniel said before slamming his fist upon the already cracked glass of the Corpse Cassette, shattering it to pieces. 

Maggie jumped suddenly, but not because of the glass, but because of was she was allowing this slim ball to do to her lab. Before she could stop herself, she kept her handgun at her side and stepped in plain sight on the mezzanine. Daniel turned to face her with a smug smile etched upon his crazed face.

"We meet again Maggie Baptiste. How do you do?" he bowed dramatically in front of her. Despite her nervousness, she simply chuckled.

"And who said chivalry was dead?" Daniel ignored her and began to make his way up the steps towards her. Maggie kept one finger glued to the trigger.

"I hate to be the Debby Down-er today, but you do know that one of us will leave here unscathed while the other clings to life," Daniel said quietly, raising his pistol at her, "right?"

Maggie stared at the barrel of the gun for a split second, processing a plan in her mind. 

"I am well aware Daniel." Maggie said. On spur of the moment, she kicked him in the stomach with her stiletto, knocking him to the floor. She hastily grabbed the pistol but he stretched out his foot and tripped Maggie, who stumbled and fell a few feet away from him,  Without warning, the two began to wrestle for possession of the gun. 

***

Maggie felt a bloody nose coming on and her vest was ripped while Daniel's forehead had a gash across it. After punching Daniel in the jaw, Maggie yanked the pistol free and shot Daniel in the shoulder. He released her and shouted in pain. Maggie sprinted to the safe room and barked orders to the S.W.A.T. members. With the pistol raised, she and the team raced outside to hear the ding of an elevator door and to find a small blood stain where Daniel Stinger was just a second before.