In The End Box Set | Books 1-3 Stevens, GJ (story books to read TXT) 📖

Instead, his hand went down, the gun slipping from my temple and I snatched it away, grabbing the top of his head and pushing him face down on the floor before any more thoughts could slip in.

Looking up from my foot between his shoulder blades, I saw Toni standing with what remained of the plastic box in her manacled hands, the box she’d used to hammer into the soldier’s head with the paper contents still settling on the floor amongst the jagged white splinters.

On her lips she held a wide, lopsided smile, beaming in my direction as the world settled to the speed I was more accustomed to.

No one moved. I’d told them not to. Toni watched as I snatched a cigarette from the carton, only just able to get it lit as my hands shook. She read my distress as I regretted shooing her away with the smouldering stick between my lips.

I took a moment. I took my time to collect my thoughts whilst drawing in the thick air with the scents evaporating.

The three remaining women huddled over the fallen where I’d been sitting. The tallest had taken the hot lead, the price of her height. Each dropped to the floor in shock as her obvious state became undeniable.

The man who'd sat at his laptop continued to type as he looked up with his mouth hanging wide, his fingers speeding as if curating his own narrative.

The soldier shook under my foot, but obeyed the only command I'd given as Toni bent at his side, pulling off the helmet, yanking the radio cables from their sockets and digging out the keys from his pouch.

For the first time in an age I took a moment to think and the first question spilled when I realised I might be able to get out of this alive.

Can I be fixed?

Before I let the torrent of doubt I knew waited just around the corner to crush me, I couldn’t help but think how the hell was I going to get this story out.

With the manacles freed from Toni’s wrists, she pulled up each leg of the orange overalls and I winced back at the sight of her black and blue ankles, my foot between the soldier’s shoulder blades getting heavier with every second.

She looked up and saw my pain, pulled the trouser legs down once the leg manacles were loose and launched herself at me.

She grabbed tight around my upper body, her head buried deep into the crook of my neck as I fought the urge to draw my arms around her. Instead, I took a long drag to push away the growing distraction and fixed my gaze to the three, although they were looking anywhere but in my direction.

Dan stared my way but he wasn’t focused on me, perhaps on nothing. He just shook his head from side to side as he rocked on the seat, wringing his hands.

A double clang of metal reverberated out from the heavy door.

Toni pulled away, her gaze catching on the cigarette in my mouth to return a look, a scowl I knew well; the same set of her features I told myself I should no longer care about.

Just as I began to breathe away the thoughts and remind myself of the resolve I’d agreed on the journey, I watched with intrigue as her face snapped to the door, reaching for the rifle and sliding back its mechanism in what appeared to be a well-practiced flow of movement.

“Radio check, dumbass,” were the cotton wool words just about making it through the steel. “Open the fucking door. I’ve got two more for…”

We glanced together as the words cut off and I leant forward, keeping my pressure on the soldier’s back as I tried to make out why the voice had stopped so suddenly. I’d heard other sounds, but I couldn’t describe anything but movement; heavy footsteps perhaps with the steel of the door blocking out all definition.

A voice? No, a shriek? I shook away the confused pictures forming in my mind.

I looked back to Toni and her nod gave me the will, taking my foot from the soldier’s back whilst making sure he was aware of two guns pointed at him should he wish to be a hero.

Without words, I motioned for all to move behind the door. The man at the laptop took the longest to comply, almost upset to close the screen and let his fingers leave the keyboard.

Left with silence coming from the other side of the door, our hostages were in the crook and Toni and I were standing at the centre. Whoever was on the other side would see us only when the door pushed fully open. Then we’d have them.

I padded forward, pushing the gun into my white coat pocket whilst gripping around the handle and forcing the bolt across. Pulling the heavy door by the handle, I let it fall open to a crack before I jumped back to my position with our aim centred on the gap.

The door didn’t move and no words came. It hadn’t crossed my mind that a plan might have been in place for this situation; a procedure ready should they get no answer.

We should have opened the door straight away with our guns blazing. Now, on the other side, backup would be on its way or already there, waiting in the silence. Gun barrels would point our way, doing to us what we’d planned for them.

They were professionals and it made sense when no sound came. No boots ran down the corridor, but they made no final calls just to make sure.

I’d covered enough sieges in my time. Terrorists, bank robbers and plain old stupidity. A canister would soon roll with a casual pace through the gap. A bang and a flash would overwhelm our senses and