Chapter Eight
1022 Words
Luke's words rang through Alison's ears like an echo. Her heart pounded furiously as Nicholas shoved her behind him, positioning himself as though prepared for any fight.
“Who’s here?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Nicholas ignored her question, his sharp eyes glued on Luke. “How close are they?”
Luke glanced out through one of the barn’s cracked wooden slats. “Close enough to make this interesting,” he smirked, pulling a gun from the holster under his jacket.
“How could he even find this situation funny?” Alison wondered.
Alison struggled to breathe as she started to hear the sounds of machines getting closer to the barn. She could feel herself panicking already until Nicholas's voice brought her back to reality.
“Alison,” he said sharply, staring deep into her eyes “Head into the loft. Now.”
“No, I’m not leaving you.” She argued. She didn't like him at all but she was way too scared to be alone at this moment.
“This isn’t a debate,” Nicholas snapped. “Head into the loft. Now.”
Alison bit her lip, glancing between him and Luke. Luke was staring at them with an amused expression on his face, his gun ready to shoot.
“Go,” Nicholas said, his voice softer this time.
With hesitation, she turned and climbed up the ladder leading to the loft. The wooden beams creaked under her weight, and she squatted down, peeping through the tiny openings in the floorboards.
From where she was, she could see the dusty road leading to the barn. Black SUVs rolled into view, their engines roaring like a storm. The vehicles came to a halt, and several armed men spilled out, their faces shadowed by the early morning light.
“We have company,” Luke muttered, resting his back against the barn wall.
Nicholas glanced at him. “Are you sure they didn't follow you here?”
Luke gave him a pointed look. “You’re the one you brought her here. Don’t you dare blame this on me?”
Nicholas ignored him, focusing on the men outside. “How many do you think they are?”
“Six, maybe seven,” Mason replied. “But knowing Adrian, there could be more hiding in the trees.”
Nicholas’s mind raced. The barn didn't have more hidden spots and they were outnumbered. His eyes glanced to the loft, where Alison was hiding.
“Stick to the plan,” he told Luke.
“Plan? What plan?” Luke asked, raising an eyebrow, confused.
Nicholas didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped outside the barn, his gun raised.
“Looking for me?” he called out, his voice calm yet sinister.
The men were already out of their engines, ready to barge into the barn any moment. Immediately they saw Nicholas, they drew out their weapons and aimed it in his direction. A man with a scar running down the side of his face with a wicked smile playing on his lips.
“Well, well,” the man smiled, his smile implying he was here for trouble. “Pectran, I didn't take you as someone stupid considering your fame Adrian sends his regards.”
Nicholas retorted. “Funny. Seriously, considering my fame, I didn't peg you as someone stupid enough to defy me, Derek .”
Derek chuckled, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “Hand over the girl, and maybe I’ll let you live.”
Nicholas smirked. “Why don't you leave, and I'll consider letting you live.”
Derek's smile faded. “Have it your way then.”
With a quick signal, the men opened fire.
Nicholas scuttled behind a wooden pillar with bullets fanning him. From his position, Luke fired bullets, hitting two of the men in the leg.
Alison gagged, trying her possible best to control her fear. From the loft, she could watch the whole scene–the short flashes of bullets, Nicholas's deadly movements, and the chaos unfolding.
Derek barked out orders, his voice cutting through the noise “ Do not let them escape”
Two men split from the group, heading towards the barn’s back door. Nicholas noticed immediately.
“Luke! Cover me!” he shouted.
Without waiting for a response, Nicholas bolted across the barn and took cover behind a stack of hay bales. The guns of the men coming in from the side doors were moving everywhere.
Nicholas waited, his breathing now even. The moment one of them moved closer, he went straight at him, disarmed the man with a rapid movement, and hammered him to the wall. The second man twirled around, but Nicholas acted faster, pointed his gun at the attacker, shot him, and watched his body hit the ground.
Luke let out a low whistle. “Still got it, I see.”
“Focus,” Nicholas barked, reloading his weapon.
Derek cursed when he saw his men being removed one at a time. He pulled out a radio from his pocket, barking into it “ Bring Them In.”
Closing the radio, he scowled and glanced over, faint noises started to emerge. Alison’s expression was one of shock and awe as she glanced at the newly arriving SUV, this one had a turret.
“Nicholas!” she screamed.
He looked up just in time to see the turret moving towards the barn.
“Get down!” He snapped as he ripped a hold of Luke, dragging him out of the exit.
Alison flinched after she saw the barn shatter into millions of pieces as the turret fired at full speed, turning the beams into shards. And once again, she lost her chance to save Nicholas even though she doubted she could.
“Nicholas!” She screamed with all her might in hopes someone would come to save her, but the hail of gunfire drowned out her voice.
She was once again hopeless and frustrated as the jagged edges crumbled down along the barn, and were inches away from smothering Nicholas and Luke.
Her heart stopped for a while. No one was in her sight.
- Writer
