We just stood and stared for a minute silently thanking each other. Then Salem burst through the back door in his pajamas. It was pretty funny except for the pistol in his hands.
“Run!” I yelled. We sprinted in zig- zagging paths so Salem couldn’t get a clear shot. Naomi couldn’t go very fast. I heard the squeal of tires and our “barrowed” car came speeding around the corner.
The rear door popped open and we dove in slamming the door behind us. Salem shot three rounds but Malcolm yanked right and we were on our two right wheels. The bullets slammed Harmlessly into the bottom of our car. Malcolm floored it and we ran over the fence and onto the dirt road connecting Castle Banther to the main road. Naomi was exaghsted and collapsed in the back of the car.
“Thanks Malcolm” I panted.
“Don’t thank me yet.”Malcolm replied. I glanced over my shoulder and saw three cars following us and Salem was in front. There were no more cronies to do it for him. He would try to kill me and Malcolm himself but that wasn’t going to happen. I turned around and shot. The bullet hit the car on the right’s front left tire. It spun out and hit the car on the left only Salem was still out there.
“Malcolm head for Portland!” I yelled. He jerked right and we sped off the highway and barreled toward Portland. I was confident that Malcolm was a better driver than whoever was driving Salem’s car so I relaxed a little. Malcolm wove through the maelstrom of traffic like a pro; we dodged semis and danced around mini vans like it was running out of style. The one time I tried to pop up and shoot Salem as he sent a bullet whizzing past my ear. We got to Portland finally and I told Malcolm to drop me off at the docks and then to take Naomi somewhere safe. Salem wasn’t on our tail as much so Malcolm drifted around a corner and I rolled out behind some barrels.
Malcolm sped off and I set to work. I poked a hole in a barrel and gasoline came out. A plan formed in my head and Salem’s car squealed around the corner. I let Salem catch a glimpse of me so he turned where I wanted him to go; then I cut the barrels lose. The barrels rolled toward the car. I saw Salem’s eyes grow huge and he lunged out of the car. Seconds later the gasoline barrels hit the car and were ignited by the exhaghst. Then the car caught fire and the engine exploded, as well as the rest of the car. I blew up the car but Salem was unscathed. A bullet whistled past me and slammed into the shed behind me. I ducked into the shadows where my cloak could conceal me.
“Ace” Salem called “where are you!?” Of course I didn’t answer. I took a peek around the corner, Salem was walking further toward the ships I had to lure him to me I kicked a wall and I heard Salem stop. He turned around and came toward me. Then I realized I couldn’t hear him anymore. I had counted on hearing him come around the corner so I could pop out and shoot but I didn’t know where he was. Frantically I looked around but no sign of Salem. Then I saw the door I was standing by opened and Salem lunged at me. I tried to block but he was too quick. He twisted and dodged it.We locked arms but I was tired and started to give away.
“Did you miss me” he grunted.
I answered, “Actually I was hoping you would come… so I could do this!” I used his momentum and weight and swung him around then I let go. Salem flew backwards and slammed into some steel beams. I looked down for about two tenths of a second to get my gun. When I looked up Salem was gone. I couldn’t believe it he just wasn’t there. I back tracked with my gun ready and then he leaped out. He was a flash of color. And all of a sudden an explosion of agony erupted in my shoulder. I looked at it and blood oozed from it. I fell in what felt like slow motion. But with my last bit of strength I took aim and fired a a single diamond bullet. I heard the sound of sirens and saw the fire engines but I was paralyzed I couldn’t even call out. The edges of my vision were turning black. And then the world, my world went dark.
