The desk wouldn’t hold them for long…and I could hear them coming now…the office I was in was huge, but little cover for me to hide from. Whatever was about to come would be done quickly one way or another.
I moved a little further back from the door, placed my bag on a desk and pulled out the few remaining bolts for my cross-bow. The gun was in my pocket…I’d never fired a gun and I felt pretty sure I’d blow my own hand off before I shot anyone.

I crouched behind the desk and placed the small pile of bolts next to me and slid onto the floor, my aim perfect for the door into the office. I could hear foot falls on the corridor outside and closed my eyes briefly to bring my breathing under control.

The handle moved and the door pushed against the heavy desk…followed by whispered commands that I couldn’t hear clearly. The door exploded in a volley of gunfire that startled me momentarily and three men burst across the desk. My first bolt scored a direct hit in one of the men who had been standing by the door. A large red mark on his leg with a piece of cloth tied around it gave me a moment’s recognition that he was the guy I had shot earlier…this time the bolt struck his stomach and he dropped quickly to the floor. A cloud of dust from the ruined door and wall around it obscured my view for a moment but also that of my pursuers.

I pressed my body tighter to the damp dusty floor of this once busy office and saw two sets of legs. I fired at the first legs. The bolt skipped off his thick leather boots and he yelped and moved, but not enough. I slipped another bolt into place, aimed and fired a little higher. This time the bolt slammed into the muscle of his lower leg, which brought him screaming to the floor…a burst of gunfire from his compatriot was sprayed my way. But the nearest bullet struck the carpet well out of way.

As I reloaded my bow my eyes caught the now writhing mans eyes. A moments pause, then as he fumbled with his semiautomatic gun, bringing it round to face me I let the bolt fly and it struck home with a wet hollow noise as it punched through his chest. His eyes locked with mine and I shook my head trying to say sorry…but that moment took my attention away from the other gunman and he leapt over the desk in front of me and sprayed the desk above me with bullets that tore through the wood easily.

I felt a burning sting cross my thigh and I grunted and whirled away, one hand grasping my crossbow the other reaching for the remaining bolts. I rolled across the floor and pulled myself behind a support column next to the window. The rain continued to roll against the glass and I pressed my forehead against the cool surface and then brought my leg up. Blood seeped from a thin tear in my trousers and inwardly I cursed. It was only a scratch but…infection was something dangerous…very dangerous these days. I had three bolts left and fitted one into the slot and waited for the remaining gunman. His head appeared briefly and I let loose the shot, it missed him as he ducked down and I was furious with myself that I had wasted a bolt on such a cheap shot.

He poked the snub metal gun around the corner and fired of a wild spray of bullets that shattered the window next to me with a great explosion that shocked me. The wind and rain tore into the building and nearly pulled me out with the glass. He roared and came running round the corner and aimed directly at me. I fired a bolt that struck him in the upper thigh which sent him spinning to the floor. Writhing and rolling back and forth he was screaming.
“TREY…TREY…TREY”
I had no idea what he was saying but I had to shut him up. Picking up my final bolt I slotted it into place and moved towards him slowly…my foot resting on his gun wrist. His wild eyes stared up at me and I shrugged and fired. The bolt slammed into his face and I looked away in disgust. I crept forward carefully, hearing the noise of running footsteps and grabbed my bag before moving back, deeper into the large office.

Sitting down behind another desk…the footsteps paused at the door and then went on up the stairs…higher in the building. He must have thought I had escaped and gone up too. I closed my eyes and attempted to drive the thoughts of what I had just done from my mind…trying desperately to bring my breathing back under control. In my mind I was standing in a large field…it was snowing…so peaceful…so calm…

I opened my eyes and standing not more than six foot from me was the woman from the lobby. My hand went to the gun in my pocket and I pulled it out quickly. Aiming it at her face. My hand was shaking badly…something that disturbed me more than how close she had come to me without me noticing. Her eyes burnt into mine…she might have been beautiful…the scar not withstanding....but…
I pulled the trigger…nothing…the safety catch was still on. Her eyes flashed and I knew I was in trouble.