"You know, around here things get pretty strange, especially with both cities so close. It's like you never know who is going to try to kill you next. And with two kids..." Bryan was walking back toward Jahn with a cup full of brown water.

"I understand, Bryan. It's tough for us too."

"Where did you say you were from?"

Before he could answer, the window cracked, the curtains flew as if being tugged by a piece of thread. Bryan's face widened, eyes bulging with confusion. The window cracked again, the curtains being pulled so much now that they looked like they were dancing on wind. Bryan stopped moving, pools of red collecting under his shirt.

More shots poured in the room with a zing! as they passed by Jahn's head and a thunk! as they slammed into the walls.

Quickly he dodged to the floor, looking up in time to see a bullet smash the glass Bryan was holding. The brown water drowned his pants but it didn't matter; Bryan was falling, dead. Like armoured mosquitos the bullets cluttered the room. Outside the bullets struck the wall, not penetrating but deadly enough to knock plaster off on the inside. These were the bullets meant for him.

Frantically, stifling the pain in his ankle and the fear in his mind, he looked around the room. It was bare. He crawled to the door and noticed that the firing had stopped. That could only mean one thing...

He jumped up and swung the door open, being cornered in the room was not a desirable position! His heart stopped, ice replaced the warm blood in his veins. Standing before him were three shocktroopers, weapons leveled.

But the surprise of opening the door made them hesitate as well--they weren't prepared to face the enemy just yet. Jahn took advantage and quickly recovered, for further hesitation would spell death.

Leaning on his good leg he brought his other foot up and planted it square in the neck of the nearest trooper. He caught him with a solid hit, crunching the thin armor that protected his neck. The trooper dropped his chain gun and clutched his neck, falling to his knees. The blow wouldn't kill him, but he'd be busy long enough.

The other trooper let out a short burst, for this was all he was allowed. The bullets ripped through Jahns shirt and his flesh, but it was a momentary pain, a nick. Jahn was in the air, rotating feet to bring his other leg around in a round house kick. His foot wrapped around the neck of the trooper and sent him crashing to the ground. The trooper was determined to hold onto his weapon and in doing so, involuntarily squeezed the trigger, the barrel aiming wildly while it spit bullets. The bullets found friendly faces, the remaining trooper, who flew back--dead immediately.

Jahn grabbed the weapon of the first trooper and slammed the butt of the weapon into the bulbuous armored eyes of the trooper he'd just kicked. The trooper's head jerked back and the bug-like eyes shattered, pieces of glass spraying the unfortunate soul inside. Another swift kick put him down for some time.

Jahn twirled around in time to see a trooper crashing through what was left of the window. Taking aim, he put two bullets into the chest of the trooper, who then fell backwards to his death.

He calmed his heavy breathing. A deep thrumming engine was heard from outside. Warclaw! He cursed to himself. It was time to get out. NOW!

He ran to the end of the hall, skidding to a halt before coming to a stairwell. He'd expected the halls to be filled with people, but either no one cared or everyone was smart enough to stay inside, for these halls were empty.

He thought briefly about Bryan's children. Where would they go now?

The mosquitos returned, plucking away pieces of plaster next to his head. Jahn ducked and spun. A trooper was poised in Bryan's apartment door. He rounded the corner, pulled off a few quick shots, then ducked back into safety.

Jahn dropped down the first few steps of the stairwell. It was hard to watch for the troopers, their silencers gave them away only after they'd shot you six or seven times.

From far below there were heavy footsteps. He might keep the element of surprise if the Warclaw couldn't spy him at this distance. But he couldn't be sure. He ran down the steps two at a time, skipping the last four. The stairwell arced around once on the second floor. As Jahn ducked into this stairwell another hail of bullets peppered the wall. They were getting close!

He looked over the banister to see four troopers making their way up. The landing here was big enough and the lighting bad, he might be able to hide on this level.

As the top of the trooper's head appeared, he made his decision to run. Each step was torture on his weakened ankle. The pain could be put aside for a small time, but this running and jumping was making it harder by the minute.

It didn't take them long to figure out where he was going. Both upper and lower troopers hit the landing at the same time and when they found him, they opened fire.

Mosquitos zinged past his head. One bit his arm lightly. In a panic, Jahn ran into the nearest door, putting the brunt of his force into it once he made contact. Reluctantly the door gave way, splintering under his weight. He tumbled to the floor and quickly surveyed the room.

It was small like Bryan's but empty. Small favors from God. The metal fire outside stopped but the troopers were still coming. Jahn ran to the window and ripped the curtains aside. Down below was the bright orange-red, tiger-striped warclaw, its twin barrels slowly arcing toward him.

Things were looking grim indeed. He had only one chance at survival.

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