by G. O. Grason
“You will call me what my sister called me,” the sniper said quietly. “Eric.”
Eric’s voice cracked, sizzled, and then they could hear Harry.
“It’s so dark here uncle Brian,” Harry warbled. “Help me. I’m scared.”
“You’ll see him soon enough,” Eric sneered. “If they can find us.”
Christine and Thompson looked at each other. There wasn’t a drop of fear in their eyes. Only determination. They checked their weapons and stepped inside.
The cave was dank and musty. Tiny bats flitted to and from the cracks in the wall. Thompson and Christine kept close to each other. They could feel each other’s heat, each other’s pain. Their breath was short and laboured. As they turned a corner, they saw a red dot on stalactite hanging above them, then a shot.
“Move!” Thompson yelled.
They dove away from each other as more shots rang out. The stalactite crashed into the earth, splintering and shooting out into a million little pieces. More sniper shots exploded. The sound was deafening. On her back, Christine could see the vibration from the shots beginning to break the cave walls around them.
“Don’t move…” Thompson whispered. “Watch the laser.”
“We’ve got to move,” Christine said. “This cave is going to come down any minute.”
They watched as the laser scanned the ground around them. Thompson’s flashlight was shining bright in the dirt. The laser flicked to it and waited.
“Don’t move,” Christine murmured.
Thompson pressed himself flat onto the ground, keeping completely still. Slowly, the laser moved away. Christine inched herself back to the path, keeping inside the darkness.
“Help me uncle Brian!” Harry screamed.
“Shut up!” Eric shouted.
There was a loud smack and a cry of pain. Thompson was about to spring up and attack, but Christine put up her hand to stop him. He stayed still and quiet.
“They’re up on that ledge,” Christine whispered. “I’m going to distract him with three shots to the ceiling above him and then you get Harry.”
The sniper’s laser swivelled to Christine.
“I hear you…” Eric chuckled.
There was a loud shot and Christine screamed. Thompson tried to go to her, but more shots exploded in his path. Rubble from above fell onto their bodies.
“It’s nothing,” Christine muttered. “Stick to the plan.”
“How bad is it?” asked Thompson.
“Just a scratch. Not even my shooting arm. We’re ok.”
A growing echo of laughter filled the cave. Above, Christine and Thompson continued to listen to the ceiling crack. The flames of the fire above were literally pushing down on them.
“Did I get you Christine!” Eric screamed. “That was for my sister!”
Christine staggered to her feet, making sure to keep out of line with the laser.
“And this is for Harry,” Christine growled. “Now Thompson!”
Christine fired at the roof, opening up a large hole above Eric. Distracted by the debris, Harry was able to wriggle out of Eric’s arms and scamper into Thompsons’s, who was running toward them. Eric screamed, overwhelmed by the flames of the fire raining down on him.
“Not like this!” Eric roared spraying the air with bullets.
“Run!” Christine shouted over the chaos. “This place is going to come down!”
Christine, safe in the shadows, watched as the fire, the rubble, and the onslaught of earth crashed down on him. There was no saving Eric. He would die down there and they would as well if they didn’t get out now.
With little Harry in his arms, Thompson sprinted for the mouth of the cave. They dodged falling rocks and fleeing bats. Harry was crying unable to control himself. Christine was close behind, just trying to stay upright.
“Keep going!” Thompson shouted over his shoulder.
A giant boulder crashed right in front of them, sending both of them to the ground. Christine scooped up Harry and continued running. Thompson popped back up and joined them at the opening to the forest, that was half filled by a cave in. Their noses and lungs filled with fresh air as they gasped. Coughing, they pushed away the dirt and rocks, and crawled out. They were free. They made it.
“You saved me Uncle Brian sobbed little Harry. He looked at Christine. “Thank you, whoever you are.”
“This is Christine,” Thompson said looking into her eyes. “She’s my partner.”
Chapter 11
It took months for the department to recover the bodies. Lena, the first sniper, was nothing but burnt bones and ash. What the fire hadn’t taken of her, the forest had. The floor was scarred black when Thompson and Christine returned. They were happy to see that the sky was a bright, verbose blue. Before, when they had almost been taken by the flames, all of it was black. Neither of them had ever seen anything like it. They hoped to never see anything like it again.
Baggins was standing at the mouth of the collapsed cave as Thompson and Halloway approached him. He was squatting, touching the dirt with the tips of his fingers. Christine noticed a droplet hit the ground.
“Lieutenant Baggins?” Halloway asked. “Are you alright?”
Quickly, Baggins stood. His eyes were bloodshot and swollen. A look of shock painted his face.
“They found that son of a bitch down there,” Baggins said. He sounded shook, like he’d seen a ghost. “He had something on him.”
Christine suddenly felt her skin turn to ice. Her breath fell to the pit of her stomach. The moisture of her tongue ran dry. Everything in her wanted to start sobbing. She didn’t know why, but whatever it was had to do with her.
“What the hell is it?” barked Thompson. “It better not be anything about Harry or anybody else in my goddamned family because I swear to…”
“Shut up Thompson!” Baggins snapped. “Ain’t you this time.”
Before either Thompson or Baggins could stop her, Halloway was already sprinting into the depths of the cave to find out.
END
Also by G.O. Grason
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A Christine Halloway Thriller Book 4?
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