The good, the bad, and the high heels

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I was not okay.

I was crouched behind an upturned table almost weaponless trying to keep Jane from getting hit by the glass and bullets that were flying through the air.

So not okay.

"Why did I leave almost all my weapons at home again?" I shout as I duck down to avoid a plate.

"I do not know!" Natasha shouts back, about three feet to my left, behind a booth with Darcy. "But it was the mother of all stupid ideas!"

"Tasha," I dodge again, "I'm a genius! It is impossible for me to be stupid!"

"Well, you're sure acting like it!"

"Guys?" Betty speaks up from somewhere behind me. "Please tell me we have a plan."

Plan...plan. Right.

I take a deep breath and let the gears in my brain whirl.

"Does anyone still have their phone? We need to contact the guys."

I faintly hear Natasha mutter something about damsels in distress and some scuffling before Darcy shouts triumphantly. "Got it!"

"Good work, Darcy! Now...how is your throwing arm?"

Darcy nods and tosses the phone towards me. I lean back on my haunches and throw an arm out to catch the phone before rolling back behind the table.

I power on the phone and try and call someone back in New York.

The phone beeps and alerts me that I have no service and even less battery.

And then it goes dark, turning into basically a shiny paperweight.

"Dead zone!" I yell out and I wince as something hits the table.

"Pocket it." Jane suggests next to me. "You never know."

"So, Taylor," Betty speaks up again, "You're saying we are stranded with whatever that is and no way to get back up?"

"Or home." I add.

"Wonderful." Darcy groans.

"Natasha," I call out, "Weapons check?"

"Gun, gun, knife, and knife. You?"

"Two tiny throwing knives. You have got to teach me where to hide them."

"Noted."

"Does anyone know how to use a gun? Besides Natasha and I?"

Darcy and Betty both nod. "You made me take that conceal and carry class last month."

"And aren't you glad, Darcy."

"Jane, do you know how to shoot?"

Jane shakes her head. "Guns make me nervous."

I sigh and nod. "You may have to step out of your comfort zone here."

Jane nods hesitantly.

"Tasha, toss me a gun."

I catch the pistol and check and load it before setting it down by my foot. "Tasha, gun or knife?"

"Don't know. Betty, guns or knives?"

"Preferably guns."

"Right. Here." Natasha tosses her other gun at Betty, who expertly catches it and checks it. "Taylor, toss your knives."

I slip my throwing knives out of their holsters on my ankle and side, sliding them across the floor towards her.

She grabs them and flips them, testing their weight before nodding and slipping them into...somewhere, I can't really tell.

"Okay, another weapons check. Taylor, gun. Betty has a gun. Darcy has a tazer. I have four knives. Jane...is unarmed, and that is not good."

I let thoughts roll in my head. "We could give Jane the tazer."

"But then Darcy is unprotected."

"Oh. Right. Um...we could..."

"We could give Darcy one of Tasha's bigger knives and cover her, giving Jane the tazer."

I blink at Betty. "Okay...it's not optimal, but none of this is. Darcy, toss me the tazer."

Darcy shoots me a mournful glance but throws the tazer anyways. I catch it and pass it to Jane, who gives it a glare and me a dubious look.

"Jane." I roll my eyes. "It is not a gun. Point and shoot. Don't hit us. But you need to carry it. Come on."

Jane sighs and nods, gingerly talking the tazer like it was going to explode.

"Now Jane has a tazer, Betty has a gun, Darcy has a knife and armed protection, Tasha has three knives and her fists and feet, and I have a gun and my minimal hand-to-hand skills. It looks like we are going to do this the hard way, girls."

Betty sighs. "Have we ever done any differently?"

"No. But still, get ready to fight your way out."

Betty nods.

"Alright. Tasha, keep Darcy close behind you. Betty, help me keep an eye on Jane. Jane, stay close. Remember, point and shoot. Do not hit me."

Jane nods meekly.

"Do. Not. Hit. Me.  Understood?" I look her in the eye, and she nods stronger this time.

I check her tazer and flick the safety, picking up my gun and doing the same. I glance at Betty to see her holding her gin as well, a steely glint in her eyes.

I look at Natasha, who readies her knife and nods at me. "Are we ready?"

"Ready, Taylor." Natasha.

"Affirmative." Betty.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jane.

"We got this, right?" and Darcy.

And me. I wonder if this is what Steve feels like before battle.

I take a deep breath and raise my gun. "On three."

"One."

Darcy readies her knife.

"Two."

Natasha gets ready to spring.

"Three!"

Natasha and I leap over our respective tables, Darcy and Jane right behind us as Betty guards their tails.

The Wilted Rose really is wilted. All the widows are shattered, glass crunching beneath our heeled feet. All the booths are riddled with glass shards, and Darcy whimpers at the body by the wall.

The only living occupants of the room are the five of us, but our various weapons are kept at the ready just in case.

Natasha shoots me a glance, and I make and hand gesture for her to continue.

We creep silently through the bar, three pairs of eyes sweeping the room and ceiling for threats and danger.

We find none, but our muscles stay tense and rigid as I somehow find myself in the lead, Natasha by my shoulder and Jane huddled behind me. Darcy is shaking but standing tall behind Natasha. Betty is looking fully like a General's daughter; stiff-backed and clenching her gun.

I take another deep breath and I lead them out into the night.

A/N

Should I split the POV's per chapter? Like, half Taylor half Clint?

Keep reading and reviewing!