Secret Sniper

Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

It's been two days since we've been following our target. The CIA sent two other agents out, along with Michael and me, to trace Natalie's every move. Courtney is still with us, her other FBI agents still surrounding my house, keeping Adriana hostage. For the past two days, I've been getting pictures of Adriana. Her washing dishes, her cooking, her working. Almost every move she makes is sent to me. It's good to know that she's still okay but still, the fact that I know people are watching her and that I can't stop the surveillance bothers me.

I look through my snipe scope, holding it in my hand, detached from my sniper, and watch her as she walks down the busy street. She walks down a couple blocks, our two CIA agents tailing close behind her. Gibbs rule #27: Two ways to follow: First way, they never notice you. Second way, they ^only^ notice you. I sigh, again thinking about Adriana. She doesn't exactly follow Gibbs rules like I do, but she quotes them just as often.

"Eric, c'mere," Michael beckons me over to a window. He turns the surveillance camera toward me and nods toward it, signaling me to look into it. I glance at him then look into the camera. Natalie walks down the street, then stops, looks behind her quickly, then keeps walking. She does this several times before entering into a corner store.

"What's she doing?" Courtney says, looking out the window. 

"She can sense that someone's following her," I reply.

"How far behind are those other agents?" Michael asks, as I move over, letting Michael look into the camera.

"Not behind enough," Courtney snaps. "Jeez, are these guys rookies?"

"Um no. They're the top espionage agents we have," Michael says sharply.

I walk away from beside the camera and sit in the far corner of our stakeout room. Well it's not exactly just a room. It's a warehouse we snuck into that Natalie usually passes in her daily routine. It's been hard these past two days, being away from Adriana especially, and having the fact that I'm supposed to snipe Natalie on my conscience. Courtney still doesn't know that we've been assigned to snipe her sister, not to mention her ^only^ sister. Sure, she has brothers but still. I lean over and slide my snipe bag closer to my feet. I open it and take the picture of me and Adriana out of it's slot. I lightly rub my finger over the picture, wishing so terribly bad that I could be with her. I study the picture: she's leaning against me, her head tiled slightly back to rest on my shoulder. I have my arms wrapped around her waist, her hands lightly on top of mine, and my head leaning on hers. We're both smiling, hers being wider than mine. I study her smile: bright with sincere joy. She's always had a bright beautiful smile. It reminds me of the ti-

"Eri-" Michael exclaims, only to be interrupted with the sounds of bullets that hit the window frame and the wall outside. A bullet soon makes its way through the window, shattering of glass and erupts from behind him. I instinctively lay on the floor as fast as possible and cover my head. I hear shuffling, but don't lift my head not wanting to get scarred in the face by glass. After the bullets stop, I slowly lift my head, my eyes adjusting to the lighting of the room. Michael lifts his head and looks next to him, then glances at me in terror.

"Where's Courtney??" he asks wide-eyed, and quickly, but carefully, gets up, looking around. "Courtney?!" he shouts, his voice echoing off the warehouse walls.

*Click*

"Shh. You heard that?" I whisper, holding my hand up to him, gesturing for him to pause and listen. He quiets down, looking away to concentrate, and obeys.

*Screeech*

*SLAM*

Michael glances at me immediately after he hears the slam in horror.