It passes through Will's fingers, obliterating Karlov's body armor, and burying itself into his body. It takes him off the ground, badly bleeding. But not dead. The bodyguards move fast. Two pick Karlov up off the ground while the other two go after the assailants. Will and Nox make short work of the two, taking the rifles for their own. The bodyguards have disappeared into the labyrinth. Will taps his comlink.
"John, why did you shoot him in the fucking side? He's still alive!"
"My shot got rushed," John answers. "They kicked open my door, and Charlie and Louis are in trouble."
"You had one fucking job! Now he's getting away!"
"You two get him then! I have to go save my teammates!"
"Are you giving me orders, sergeant?"
"I most certainly am! You have to--" the comlink cuts out. Will taps his earpiece again, trying to get through to John. Nothing.
"Does your comlink work, Nox?" Will asks.
"No. Must have been a short range EMP. Anything electronic that isn't Zhar-Ptitsa made must be down."
"Oh fuck all!" Will screams. "This is fan-fucking-tastic! How the Hell are we going to get ahold of the other four? Are there any pigeons around that I could tie a message to?"
"You're getting distracted again."
"Right. Now where's our shit? We'll get our weapons, then follow the blood."
"Will? Will?!" John frantically still screams through the comlink.
"I think they set off an EMP. My console's down, too," Red says, shouting over the gunfire.
"Then why does their shit work?"
"They have a countermeasure built in to protect their equipment," she replies. John shakes his head, pursing his lips in irritation.
"We have to get to the others as fast as we can." John pulls out the magazine in his M4, exchanging it for a magazine labeled 'AP'. Armor piercing. These should help. He peeks around the corner, firing a couple paced shots at one soldier, then turning to the other, repeating. John and Red take off springing, not stopping until they reach the ground floor. Four soldiers are spraying a fusillade of gunfire into a doorway. Two dead soldiers lay on the ground next to a third, larger body. The Brawler. The two see an arm peek around the doorframe, blindfiring a revolver. It hits a pillar near one of the soldiers. One of the soldiers reaches down to their belt, taking a grenade. They throw it into the doorway. The soldiers look away. After a few seconds, a blinding flash erupts from the doorway. John and Red hear Charlie cursing. A soldier runs into the doorway while the others hold their fire, intending to flush the stunned Charlie out, or take him out.
John lifts his rifle, quickly aiming at the running soldier. He sets off a burst of three bullets, all three catching the runner in the spine. The other three soldiers quickly turn to see John and Red on the balcony above. One of them shouts something in Russian, then the three start shooting. John and Red quickly duck behind cover, watching the wooden bannister burst into splinters. Charlie peeks around the corner, taking one final shot from the revolver.
Two soldiers remain.
Red peeks out, shooting half a dozen bullets at a soldier. It steps back, stunned from the impact, but practically unhurt.
"Don't you have armor piercing bullets for that thing?" John shouts, finishing Red's job for her.
One left.
YOU ARE READING
A Story of Cinders: From the Ashes
Science FictionFor freedom, justice, and a little bit of revenge. After decades of war and conflict, the Old World was burned to the ground, so another one could rise and take its place. All that remains of the life before are cinders, embers, and ashes, and th...
