Bridging Destinies

Chapter 46: A Vain Defensive

(Some aspects of this chapter will have violence and may be difficult for more sensitive readers.)

Only I had been able to hear the sound of the door to Namjoon's bedroom quietly opening and then shutting again. The sound was faint and would not be noticeable to humans. There were other sounds I could decipher, as well. In the distance, there was the faint echo of sirens, and I listened to determine if the sound was getting closer. A potential hazard existed for me, even if I were only a witness to a crime, and I did not want to be near the vicinity if the authorities were involved.

Considering the possibilities, I decided to bide my time, disregarding the distant potential threat for the immediate one. I listened for the sounds of movement from the hallway and realized Namjoon was slowly inching his way forward, his feet seeming to only glance along the floor as he timidly moved. His movements told me he was being cautious, and while concerned for him, I needed to make sure that the men were no longer a threat. I gave my full attention back to the perpetrator, watching him as he staggered away from me, and I contemplated stalking him again as if he were prey and I the hunter.

I continued to weigh the decisions before me. I could insure Namjoon's safety and potentially expose myself to an attack from behind, or take the two men out completely, leaving dead bodies in Namjoon's apartment. Neither options were feasible.

As I moved towards where I knew the first gun to be, I picked it up and made sure the safety was on. I tossed it far away from where both men were, into the kitchen, reducing the menace to myself and Namjoon. I watched as the second man I had crippled continued to stumble in the general direction of his companion and the door, while I continued to appear to hunt him. As I watched him, I crept to the side, towards where I knew the other gun to be. I was laying the groundwork for another option that occurred to me as I considered what I would do.

When the third option had presented itself, I had examined it, as I began to toss the gun away. I could move to Namjoon, ensuring his safety, but keep myself from further attack, by guarding against it in maneuvers that would insure I would be by Namjoon's side quickly. That I had mostly incapacitated them, meant they would not be able to fight me easily, but I knew one man had a knife, and I did not know what the first man had. I assumed that both men had other weapons that they could use against me, lurking somewhere on their bodies, and had to watch for this possibility too. I could threaten them with being caught, if the police showed, as the sirens were growing more audible, and I was sure they could hear them in the distance now. I knew that the police would likely arrive in time to see the perpetrators leave, if not catch them. I leaned over watching the man as he neared his companion. I approached where I knew he second gun to be, picking it up, checked the safety, and tossed it into the kitchen.

~~~

Namjoon had attempted stealth as he had edged his body down the hallway, flush against the wall. His movements had been slow and careful. He did not want to alert the intruders to his presence, but was anxious to see that Felina was unharmed. He had heard the thuds of bullets hitting the walls and his fear for her had been the impetus to leave the safety of his bedroom.

He had stopped at the edge of the hallway, where the living room met with the junction to where he stood. A light shone against the far wall, as it reflected against the surface of the lower portion of the wall, and in his attempts to understand exactly what was happening in the living room, he had moved his head, to see where the light was coming from, crouching down, to get a better look. The light, while faint against the floor and base of the wall, had only managed to partially light the room, casting an almost ghostly shadow into it. Leaning down further, he had seen what looked like the edge of a flashlight. With a better understanding of the situation, he had slowly stood and leaned against the wall again, hiding in the scant protection it provided. He could make out shapes in the room, furniture and lamps, with a faint dark gray cast to everything.

A shadow had moved near him and he had heard a wheeze not more than a few feet away. He had tried to make out the shape, but the light barely penetrated the space near him. From the sound, the figure was slowly moving away from him and towards his front door. Other shadows had moved and he had watched as a tall, slim shadow turned in his direction. The faint light exposed her face, but did not clearly show her features. Afraid to say anything he gazed at her with wide eyes, as she appeared to look back at him.

Felina made a subtle gesture with her hand, encouraging Namjoon to leave the hallway and return to his room as she turned back to the men, giving them her full attention. He shook his head and backed up, but did not return to the room. The man who still struggled for breath, managed to stand in a half crouch and lurched to his companion as Felina spoke in their direction, her voice dark and intentionally frightening as she changed the timbre of it sending a strong push of heavy Light to surround them, intimating the sensation of being sucked into a black hole, "Good. Run away." She laughed darkly, "Run. Hear the sirens?  That is the police. They will catch you. So run, children. Run!" She leapt over the couch, as if to attack them again and they stumbled back as they caught up with each other, and somehow made it out of the apartment and down the hall to the elevator. She let them go and closed the door after their exit, using her body to bar the door against a second breach.