“Stay down!” I growled. “Sniper.”
“No?” Ellie spat. “Really?”
I’ll strangle you later.
Another bullet hit the dirt close to my head as I covered her body with mine.
“Do you have a compact?” I asked.
“Now?” Ellie snapped. “Not the right time, Tarek.”
“Ellie!” I warned. “A compact—yes or no?”
She shoved her hands into her purse and removed her compact and handed it over. “What’s that for?”
“Well.” I opened it and after the sniper fired again and missed, I had the direction he was attacking from. “If he can’t see us, he can’t hit us, right?”
“Um…sure?”
I lifted my head slight, caught the sun just right and sent the reflection back into the sniper’s eyes. He began firing aimlessly and I yanked Ellie off the ground.
“Stay behind me!” I ordered. “Keep up.”
I moved the mirror from position to position as we hurried across the street back to our vehicle. That way, the glare would remain strong and affecting the sniper’s vision. Ellie dove into the backseat of the Charger and I tossed myself behind the wheel. I didn’t bother putting my seatbelt on but shoved the vehicle into drive and turned it across the open space. Close to the edge of a few trees that had their leaves dried and falling, I saw the sniper who had dropped his rifle and was now running across the empty space.
I sped up and ploughed right into him but stopped suddenly so I wouldn’t crush his head. After a quick look back to ensure Ellie was okay, I scrambled out and stoop by the man’s head. I pulled at the ski mask and long, dark hair spilled out.
“Son of a bitch.” I growled. “A woman…who are you working for?”
Blood pooled down the sides of her mouth. She wouldn’t make it very long, I knew that. I had seen this more than once. I also doubt she would do the right thing and cleared her conscience before dying. Ellie’s presence filled the space beside me, and I ignored her gasp. On a hunch, I picked up the woman’s right arm and rolled up the sleeve. There, tattooed to her wrist was a black and red spider with a radioactive symbol on its back. I frowned as I used my phone to take a picture of it and the woman’s face.
“Tell me something.” I looked up at Ellie. “Is your family’s mottogo big or go homewhen it comes to completely fucking up your lives?”
“Shouldn’t we call 9-1-1?” Ellie ignored my question.
“Why bother?” I asked, dropping the sniper’s hand to the ground. “She’s going to be dead before they leave the station.”
“You can’t mean that?”
I leaned in close to the dying woman. “I suggest you make your peace with whatever god you pray to. Soon, you’re going to have to answer for the shit you’ve heaped on mankind.”
Her eyes bulged but I showed my irritation by standing to my full height.
“Por favor.” She pleaded. “Mátame.”
“What’s she saying?” Ellie asked.
“She wants me to kill her.” I translated then stooped beside her once more. “You took a shot at me, so I’m not feeling particularly charitable today.”
“Por favor!”The woman shouted, then coughed up blood.
“At least move the car off her.” Ellie pleaded.
“You might not believe this. But the car is the only thing keeping her alive right now.” I wandered back to where the rifle had fallen, ejected the bullet in the chamber and carried it back to dump in my trunk. After closing it in, I went back to the woman and felt for any sign of life.
There was none.
“Let’s go.” I turned for the driver’s side of the car.
