Loved by Mr. Night

Chapter 20

Adriel’s POV

Some moments of life feel like hours but are seconds. The time it takes for Marlene's body to land in the entryway of the courthouse I measure in days. Marlene's blood sprays onto my face, and I drop my coffee in shock. The cup and her body impact the ground at the same time.

"Down!" I shout. Time has now sped up.

Henry Silverlake and Hugh Willard collide in a scramble of self-preservation. A second round goes off and Hugh drops dead next to Marlene. Silverlake stumbles over the bodies, likely saving his life, as a third round misses, shattering the glass wall which Silverlake then sprints through. A fourth bullet hits the building just above the frame of the wall.

Summer Pillsbury screams as I pull her and Zillah Calvin to the ground. I instruct them to crawl toward a bench for something resembling cover. I crawl with them to cover, and the shooting appears to have stopped. I call the dispatch desk sergeant and put the phone to my ear.

"Dispatch, Sergeant Collins."

"This is Chief Pascal. I'm under fire!" I shout into the phone, taking a quick look over the hedge.

"s**t, where are you?" Collins asks.

"Outside of the courthouse," I say.

"North or south?"

"Uh...south," I say after thinking for a moment. "Send ambulance. Two civilians down. Shooter likely has a long rifle."

"Are you hit?"

"Negative," I say, and peek over again. I don't see a shooter, but I feel the heat from a bullet zip over my head before it thuds against the building. "s**t!"

"How many people are with you?"

"Four, including the victims," I say.

"Stay down, three nearby units are coming up fast. They'll jump the curb to form cover. Stay on the line with me until you see them," he says. Now we are back to the world going by in slow-motion. I take the chance of looking, but still do not see a sniper. My best guess is the third or second floor above a restaurant across the street.

"They're here," I say, and end the call as I see three squad cars jump the curb at the intersection. It felt like forever, but it was only a minute. The officers drive up bumper to bumper and stop in front of the building. I pull Summer and Zillah to their feet and hold their heads down as we move to the cars. "Stay low."

Officers jump out of the cars and aim toward the opposite side of the street. I secure Summer in a vehicle while another officer takes care of Zillah. An officer and I check Marlene and Hugh, but they're both gone.

"Leave them, this is a crime scene. Get the civilians out and make a call to get this place cordoned off," I say. The officer nods and gets to the car.

"You coming?"

"Keep me covered until I get across," I say, then draw my weapon and sprint to the other side of the street. No shots. This shooter might already be gone. I run around a parked car and put my back to the left of the windows. A female officer sprints across as well. Once with me, she spins her finger above her head, and the officers mount up and leave.

"You got an idea where it came from?" she asks. Her sleeve has Sergeant chevrons on it, and her name plate says Sergeant Donner.

"No, happened too fast," I say, then lean over while looking up. "I'm thinking straight shot. This building."

"We kicking?" she asks, looking around me and at the restaurant's windows.

"I don't think the shooter is going out of the front door," I say, and look down both sides of the street, looking for the shortest route to the next intersection. "We'll head around back."

Sergeant Donner and I keep low past the windows. The alley is a short distance, and we turn into it.

"Third building," she says to remind me as we run. We both hear a thud above us and see someone jumping onto the third floor of the fire escape. "Don't move!" The suspect fires at us with a handgun. Donner and I duck down behind a dumpster. She then leans out and fires a round up, but the suspect jumps into a window.

"Suspect is in building immediately across the street from courthouse," Donner says into the radio. "You get the building number?" she asks me. "Requesting additional units."

We both hear a metallic ting against the concrete, and something roll toward us. I see a stun-grenade and try to throw myself and Donner away from it.

"Grenade!" I shout as I squeeze my eyes shut. I am instantly deaf as I pull us to the corner where the dumpster meets the wall. I open my eyes and Donner is muttering something, but I cannot hear her. She looks dazed and is trying to find her radio. I look up to the fire escape and see the suspect on the second floor. I fire a round to force them back inside.

"Don't you f*****g move!" I think I shout. I can't hear myself. I stumble away from Donner with my gun up. I put my shoulder to the wall directly under the escape. I see a shadow and fire.

Something touches my shoulder, and I reflexively turn, but stop when I see some reinforcements have arrived. I point at my eyes with two fingers, and then point up. He nods and I try the door just ahead of me, finding it unlocked. Before I enter, I open my mouth wide, trying to pop my ears. The silence is gone, but it has been replaced by that deafening ring. My head is throbbing so much I feel ready to puke. I try my best to shake myself loose, then enter the building.

I walk into a kitchen area, and see the staff crouched low to the floor. Two chefs in white coats, and a waiter in a green shirt and black vest with his back to a door and a bag lying in front of him. They must have heard the firefight outside. I move my jacket to show them my shield.

"Stairs?" I ask, and I see the lips move on the waiter. "Point." He points to a door directly across from himself. "Stay down." I nearly trip over his bag and kick it out of my way to reach the door.

The door is unlocked, and I aim up the narrow stairwell. How did the shooter get up here without anyone seeing them? They likely entered through the fire escape too. I try popping my ears again, then slowly begin to ascend the stairs. To the right are two doors on opposite sides of the hallway that ends at a broken window. The left door has been left ajar.

I quickly look down the opposite end of the hall and see it leads to a large open room with tall windows facing the courthouse. Could be the sniper's nest.

"Police, surrender now!" I shout and wait for the response I likely still can't hear. I hate clearing rooms.

I maneuver to the open door and put my shoulder to the wall. I push it open with my non-dominant hand and aim inside. Right side clear. I ram the door fully open as I step in and aim left, and behind the door. All clear. I see a shadow join mine too late. I could not hear the steps.

I aim back, but the suspect grabs my hand, then chops me in the throat. My wrists are held as I stumble back, so I squeeze off a round, but the suspect pushes up and the bullet hits the ceiling. Before I can do anything else, I am kicked in the groin then flipped over their shoulder. I crash to the ground but manage to control my gun. Before I can fire, my gun is punted out of my hand and across the room. I roll backwards and connect a mule kick square to their chest, knocking them back several feet into the frame of the window and breaking it.

I scramble to my feet, still dazed from the throw and the d**k kick. This is the first moment I can really look at this person. Full black tactical clothing complete with a black mask with side respirators. I can see their eyes are blue, and that their blonde hair is wrapped into a bun. I felt an armor plate when I kicked. On the chest I see the curve of a bust. This is a woman.

The assassin draws her knife and holds it properly. Solid stance. She knows how to use that thing. My training helps me react without thinking, and I pivot to grab her wrist. I watch as she drops the knife intentionally and moves to attack high. She slides under my arm, jumps onto my back, and locks a choke hold. She predicted I would guard low and leave myself open.

My fingers try to dig under her arms, but I cannot wiggle them to my own neck. Last ditch effort, I jump and fall straight to my back. My hearing is coming back because I hear her grunt, but she keeps the hold. I reach over my shoulder and find her head. I grab her hair and punch straight back onto the top of her dome. She is not giving up.

I roll us to my stomach and buck forward with everything I have left. She flips over me, releasing the hold. I push myself to my knees and cough. She tries to kick me in the face, but I catch her foot and push straight back to get some separation so I can get back to my feet. She draws a handgun from her ankle but is shot a moment later by Donner at the door.

The woman falls to the floor and her gun slides into the corner. Donner and I secure her on the ground. Her plate caught the round, but a shot will still mess you up. I know that from experience. We cuff her, and Donner holds her down with a knee to her back.

I remove her mask, and see I am correct. It is a woman. Young, Caucasian female with blue eyes and blonde hair. No freckles or blemishes. Sharp and lean features.

Donner gives her Miranda, but the woman just stares at me intensely. "Do you understand!" Donner shouts.

"She understands," I say, and Donner drags her away. A few more officers arrive to escort her out, and I advise keeping a gun on her with six feet of standoff. Why would be a woman shooting at me in the courthouse and then not allow me to do my job is something that I am still confused about but I think that I should talk to Rose about this. She might have some idea about who this one is…