Secret Sniper

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

I immediately drop to the floor and shield my head with my arms. Almost instantaneously, I remember-

"Michael!" I shout, getting up, grabbing a hold of my pistol, not even caring about the bullets flying past me. I continue to cover my head with my arms as I sprint down the hall. I hurdle over boxes and breathlessly look around the room I last saw Michael in. I glance quickly, to see if there was any place he could've hid, but found no trace of movement. I grab my snipe bag from the cabinet I hid it in earlier. Just as pull out my sniper and swing it over my shoulder, a bullet shatters the glass to my left and pieces of glass fall on me as well as around me. I feel sharp pieces pierce my arms as I attempt to run from the blast. I uncover my head, after the blow, and hop through the now-empty window frame, my eyes struggling to focus as I step into the sunshine. Once my eyes focus, I cross the street and run down the street, turning sharply around corners, to see if I can find Michael. I finally turn a corner and spot him in the distance. I open my mouth to call to him, but I realize that there may be enemies watching or looking for me. Blowing cover is crucial in snipe missions; one of the very basic things a sniper should know. I pick up my pace and see him turn another corner. I turn the same one, once I reach it and see he's slowing down. I sprint a little faster, just to catch up to him in case he plans on sprinting again. As I approach, I realize we're back where we started. I glance around and see a large pool of blood right in the spot right where I shot Natalie. To my surprise, she's not where I left her. *She's alive?* my conscience questions. I instinctively reach for my snipe bag and pull out my sniper, looking cautiously around me, in case she's watching me. I turn around, expecting to see Michael behind me, but he's not even in sight. I turn a full 360 degrees but no sign of him. I stare at the pool of blood again, then look back up and turn around, scanning the streets and possible alleys he could've slipped into. I turn back to my original position, facing the blood, and my heart literally stops for a split-second because I'm in such shock.

"Court-" I say her name only partially because even before I can finish her name, she throws a punch. Swiftly, I dodge it easily and I can see the frustration in her face as she takes another swing. I dodge again, but this time, she grazes my chin only slightly. *Okay Eric, stop playing with her.* The next time she punches, I catch her arm. She instantly tries to jerk her hand free but fails, due to my tight grip. I look into her eyes for exactly two seconds: anger, frustration, stress. For a second, it's not the Courtney I recognize or know, or well, knew. *It's like she's a totally different person.* my conscience seems to whisper. She jerks her arm and I let her swing her arm up slightly, gesturing as if I was going to let go of her. She falls for it and I knock her in the stomach. It hurts me to do this to her, but I mean, you've gotta do what you've gotta do. She winces, heaving out a breath. I feel her muscles go limp for a second after the punch, but they instantly tense back up as she tries to kick me. I catch her leg and almost toss her onto the concrete. I do it hard enough that she's breathless, but gently enough that she doesn't break any ribs, or any bones at all. She winces again, louder this time, and groans through her teeth. I lay my knee on her thighs, and grab her arms, keeping them behind her back. I hold her there as I catch my breath. Once I do, I stare at her intently, wondering what she could possibly be up to to put up such a fight.

"Get off of me!" she shouts, trying to squirm from my grip.

"You're not getting loose. Not until I know what's going on," I almost whisper.

"You're not getting anything out of me," she says through clenched teeth. I lay more pressure on her and bend her arms in a more uncomfortable position. She groans again. "Let go of me!"

I stay silent. I just stare at her. The person who used to be so giggly, happy, social..all gone. It's as if something possessed her in that warehouse. *What could have come over her?* Courtney, to me, always seemed too strong for this kind of personality. I mean, she was always positive, so I never thought she would turn out like this, or even find a way of acting like this. I guess I'm still in shock; things have happened too quickly today for me to process everything at once. Then I stare at her a little harder and start to realize some of her facial features aren't exactly the same. Okay, sure, she's bruised and sort of bloody but there's just something naturally different.

Then it hits me.