Chapter 6 - The Desperate Strike
The deafening gunshot echoed off the wooden walls of the small cabin. Vincent violently twisted his body to the side. The bullet grazed his shoulder, tearing through his expensive coat and splattering blood against the doorframe. Vincent lunged forward with the speed of a desperate predator. He tackled Chief Miller to the wooden floor before the man could fire a second shot. The two men wrestled furiously for control of the weapon. I did not stand there helplessly. I grabbed a heavy iron fire poker resting near the stone hearth. With a surge of absolute adrenaline, I swung the heavy iron rod as hard as I could. It connected sickeningly with the side of the police chief's head. Miller went completely limp and dropped the gun. Vincent shoved the unconscious man off him and grabbed the weapon. He looked up at me, panting heavily, his eyes wide with surprise. "You swing hard for a woman who hasn't eaten in two days," Vincent managed to say. "I've had to defend my sleeping spot on the streets plenty of times," I replied, dropping the iron poker. Vincent quickly stripped the chief of his spare ammunition, radio, and car keys. "Get Noah by the fire," Vincent instructed, wincing as he checked his bleeding shoulder. I stripped Noah of his freezing wet clothes and wrapped him in dry blankets I found in a trunk. Vincent found a basic first aid kit and began patching his own gunshot wound. He poured rubbing alcohol directly onto the open flesh. He did not make a single sound, though his jaw muscles clenched in agony. "Why are you protecting me?" I finally asked him. Vincent looked up from his blood-soaked bandages. "You saved my son today, Maya," Vincent said quietly. "In my world, loyalty is the only currency that actually matters." The police radio attached to Miller’s belt suddenly crackled to life. "Chief, we have the perimeter secured," a voice announced. "We are ready to burn the cabin down on your order," the voice continued. Vincent locked eyes with me. The chief had not come alone. Through the cabin windows, I saw dozens of torches igniting in the dark woods, completely surrounding us.
