Saint’s here now, with Pippa right behind him. They’re arguing as they come down the stairs.
“No, I won’t fuckin’ stay behind. I’m trained for this. And so what if I’m pregnant? Haven’t I got more to protect, to live for now? Genie, give me one of those weapons and get back to the monitors.”
Genie refuses to hand anything to her. “Pippa, you’re the best person to monitor the situation and use the communications to tell us what’s going on.”
“And what fuckin’ is?” Bullseye snaps at him.
Genie all but stands to attention. “Compound was breached at three a.m. Alarm was cut, but when I saw the barn on fire, I backtracked through the tapes. Saw at least five men entering. We’ve got a crowd surrounding the front gate, and one of the intruders is on his way to let them in.”
“Five dead fuckin’ men,” is Stalker’s passing shot as he grabs Piston and they take off out the back. “I’m gonna gut them.”
The sudden sound of shots firing from the upstairs rooms shows we’ve started engaging, and if I know Winchester, Rattler, and Woody, they’ll be making their shots count.
Pippa, seeing Genie exit with Saint, throws up her hands, then runs to Genie’s office. It can only be seconds later when I hear her voice in my ear. “Heathen’s down. He’s by the gate. I can’t see Paint. Gates have been breached.”
Bullseye’s face hardens. No emotion shows at all. “Words and Knight, you stay here and make sure no one gets inside the clubhouse. The rest of us, outside. We’ve got a fight to get to, and remember…”
Everyone left in the clubhouse roars with our motto, “Nobody fucks with the Kings.”
Then I’m exiting the back door, keeping close to the wall of the clubhouse. I’m fuckin’ blind going from the light into the night. Thinking night vision goggles must be next on our list of purchases, I’m relieved as Pippa shows her quick thinking and snaps all the outside floodlights on.
That could have been a disaster, but most of us are still protected by the shadow while our attackers are suddenly visible in the harsh light. Sparing only a quick glance at the row of ruined bikes, I first use my rifle, shooting blindly toward the gate, which is now open, and where a flood of hostiles is streaming in.
For a moment, it’s a game of skittles, and I mow half a dozen down, but more and more are following.
“To your six, Short, Tempest.”
Both of us spin at Pippa’s calm words, and our two would-be ambushers are dead.
Then there’s no time for thinking. It’s simply a case of listening to Pippa, shooting, killing or maiming, and taking on the horde rushing at us.
“Short!” I spin, aim, and take out the man who’s got a bead on Freak, a shot to the heart, then one to the head for good measure.
I see Genie go down, but can’t spare a moment to check on him, as I’ve a man coming at me with a knife.Nah, you don’t bring that to a gunfight.A bullet takes care of him fast.
Fuck. Is that Tempest?But all I can do is leap over him and leave his body in my wake, unable to stop to see whether he’s dead or alive. We’ll all be killed if the ones able don’t continue this fight.
My rifle’s out of ammunition. I’ve no time to reload. I take out my Glock and keep shooting. When that’s empty, I take my next weapon from my back. Bodies are falling around me, but I can’t tell if they’re friend or foe.
They’re trying to gain entrance to the clubhouse.That’s a hell of a fuckin’ no. Though the people inside will have barricaded it, the wood will be no match for the grenade I see one man preparing to throw. He pulls out the pin, brings his arm back… My bullet takes him straight in the forehead.
“Fire in the hole, twenty feet back from the front door.” For the first time, Pippa’s voice carries emotion, and it’s easy to see why. Saint and Knight are standing too close. But heeding the warning, they jump back fast. There’s a muted cheer going up from the Kings as the grenade, rather than causing us damage, takes out a number of our enemies instead.
But they still fuckin’ keep coming.
How the fuck could the MDMC have recruited so many?
“Short, coming at you, two o’clock!”
Spinning, I think Pippa’s warning has come too late as I’m faced with a gun pointed straight at my head. But he falls at my feet before he can pull the trigger.
“You’re welcome,” Bullseye says.
Then I return the favour, shooting his attacker dead.
Jesus, how long can we keep this up? How many of us are still standing? The air is misty with gun smoke, and there seems to be no end of them.
“Clubhouse is breached.” Pippa’s back to sounding calm as if she’s a fucking newsreader. “I’m going off coms.”
