Chapter 7 - The Ambush in the Rain
Gunfire erupted, shredding the metal frame of Arthur's wrecked car.
I pushed my mother down into the muddy ditch to keep her safe.
I returned fire with Landry's pistol, aiming for Vance's headlights to blind him.
The glass shattered, plunging the road into near darkness.
Arthur crawled out of the wreckage, coughing up blood from a cracked rib.
He panicked and started running toward the woods instead of staying low.
Vance adjusted his aim and fired a three-round burst.
Arthur screamed and collapsed in the mud, clutching his leg.
I couldn't leave my brother out there to die.
I told my mother to stay perfectly still under the cover of the tall grass.
I sprinted across the open ground, firing suppressive shots at the SUV.
I reached Arthur and grabbed him by his collar, dragging him toward a cluster of oak trees.
Bullets chipped the bark off the trees right above our heads.
I pulled him behind a thick trunk and inspected his wound.
The bullet had passed clean through his calf muscle, missing the main artery.
I ripped a piece of fabric from my shirt and tied a tight tourniquet above his knee.
Arthur grabbed my arm, his face pale from shock and blood loss.
He told me I needed to run and leave him behind.
I ignored him and reloaded my weapon with my last spare magazine.
I peeked around the tree and saw Vance advancing slowly with two other armed men.
They were wearing thermal goggles to see through the heavy rain.
I knew I couldn't outgun three men with superior tactical equipment.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my federal distress beacon.
I activated it, sending my exact coordinates to the regional military base.
But the green light on the device flashed red.
Vance laughed loudly over the sound of the storm.
May you like
He shouted that he had wiped my credentials from the system an hour ago.
I was officially a rogue agent, and no backup was coming.
