The Good Intentions of a Cyborg Werewolf

Crosshairs - III

Luke carefully opened the rooftop exit, slowly and deliberately so as to make the movement as minimal as possible. Erin stayed low per his instructions, but she still didn't believe this was the smartest plan. Going onto the rooftops would just make them more open, but Luke insisted this was the fastest way.

"Have a look," he whispered. Erin took a few steps up the stairs leading to the door and peered through the gap. The top of the buildings weren't totally devoid of cover, with ventilation and compressor units scattered about, as well as a few small coverings where she assumed tenants would come out to get fresh air. Her main concern was the taller buildings in the direction of the bullet. If the shooter was in any of them they'd have all the time in the world.

"He's not in them," Luke said as if reading her mind. "The trajectory was too steep, and the range was too far. If he does plan to switch to silver he'll need to be closer."

"Silver bullets have less range?" Erin asked.

"They do," Luke said, then sighed through his nose, "then again they're targeting you, so they may not bother trying to take me out. He might be in the skyscrapers after all."

"You don't know?" Erin asked indignantly, "aren't you a professional werewolf?"

"I'm not fucking Nostradamus, lady," Luke said. "I've just done this a lot. These are just educated guesses."

"Damn it," Erin groaned, "and here I was thinking you had this under control."

"I do," Luke said. Erin wasn't sure, her head still spun. She didn't really have a choice but to believe him, but part of her still wanted to run.

"What if I stay here?" She asked. "He can't hit me in the stairwell."

"I was debating that," Luke said, "but if I go out by myself he may abandon me in order to relocate to you. I can't take that risk. I'm not his primary target."

"Then what do we do?" She asked.

"I need to know his location," Luke scratched at his half-beard. He seemed even more tense than before, and was silent for almost a minute before turning to her. "This is gonna suck for both of us."

"What?" Erin asked, but before she knew it Luke had wrapped his arms around her and bolted out the door. It slammed open with such force that the sound echoed, birds scattered, and he sprinted across the open rooftop. Erin didn't even have time to scream before Luke buckled, followed by a burst of blood from his side. He didn't stop though, powering through the pain and behind a compressor. He almost flattened Erin as he fell, but they both managed to squeeze themselves behind the unit, Luke clutching his side.

"Fucker!" He spat, lifting his hand off his coat. It was covered in blood, and smoke was emanating from the hole. "Want the good news or bad news?"

"Bad," Erin said.

"He's using silver," Luke said, digging into his own gunshot wound. The sound was disgusting, and he groaned in pain as he pulled the bullet out. It seared his fingers and he tossed it away immediately.

"Are you going to die?" Erin asked.

"Not from this," Luke said, swinging his fingers through the air to cool them, "it's annoying but not fatal. It means he's definitely trying to kill us both."

"And the good news?" She tried to avoid looking at the wound. It oozed, rather than bleeding like it should. It almost seemed to clot and stop the bleeding itself.

"I know exactly where he is," Luke said as he zipped up his now bloodstained coat. "Two buildings over, far right of the tallest one."

"What do we do?" Erin asked as Luke started to breathe normally again. He'd been shot, but it already seemed like it didn't even faze him. He had been shot the instant they broke cover, and he'd surely be hit again. Or maybe she would. Maybe this time Erin would be shot, the thought hastening her already panicked breathing. She could die.