Cloudy Days

Chapter 3.2

Even though he escaped he had to move quickly before both of them changed position or abandoned the assassination. So Qualo rushed upstairs to the roof of the building, fixing up his sniper rifle in the process. Once he reached the door to the roof he halted. 

They're surely waiting for me to open the door. He thought about it for a little and decided to use an alternative entrance. He went down to the floor below and walked by the hallway, still armed with his sniper rifle and some scratches on his face. As he walked casually a maid came by, pushing her cart filled with cleaning supplies. She first looked at him with widened eyes.

"Wait I can explain all of this ma'am"

The maid ran away, her screaming echoed through the hall.

"Dammit" He whispered.

"What is all that racket over there!" One of the residents said while coming out of his apartment. He gasped as he saw Qualo's sniper rifle.

"Who the hell are you?!" He said fearfully

"Sir let me explain to you..."

The man slammed the door, and was probably going to call the cops now. Qualo didn't need to worry about that now. All he needs now is to go to the roof and the only safe route was through the vents... hopefully.

There is no clear shot from any of the windows. Qualo always did a pre check on the apartments they rented while Yarso would break at least something in it. Qualo shot all four screws on the vent protector which dropped to the floor. He pushed his sniper rifle first in and then himself, who was surprisingly able to fit in.

It may have seem like half an hour in that tubed maze until he looked at one of the many screened floors of the vent in which he showed a sign of relief.

He dropped down after "loosening" the screws on the vent and looked at the laundry chute in front of him. Now I have to do the same here.... He pushed himself inside the hollow thin rectangle and pushed all he could on the smooth wall of the chute. 

The place was cramped and smelled like sweat and feces, he began to regret this decision. Qualo then heard footsteps from outside the room and then its door bursting open. Qualo held his breath, forgetting all about his regret now. He heard the soft footsteps of what it may seem as definite reinforcements for the previous three he killed. They really underestimated him, thinking that a mere group of 5 five men can take Qualo down. Idiots.

A slight clang echoed from above Qualo's head, reminding him where he was again. He looked above himself and saw an unknown object growing larger by the second. Qualo positioned himself to let the clothing fall down below like its supposed to. 

The object became more visible to him now. It was just a simple bathing towel all crumpled up to fit in the tube. He kept his irritating position until the towel would pass by. There was a small opening in it too and it seemed as if something was inside the towel. 

Probably underwear. It continued to fall far down below until it was covered in darkness after which a bright light showed along with a loud noise. Qualo's eyes widened as he looked at how far it reached him. 

Now he understood why that soldier was still in the room. To wait until he tried to get out so he could kill him without giving him a chance. But this still gave him a chance, if the bomb exploded at the bottom then it would continue there and keep reaching upward. All Qualo had to do is keep moving upward and hope for the best.

With his irritated position he kept moving upward, dodging the bombs as best as he can until he reached the next chute above. He dodged five bombs up until now and was able to reach the chute. There wasn't much light to see it so he felt its bottom side with fingertip. He could simply push it with his left hand and fire at him with his right, but that would be too risky plus there's still the bombs to worry about. There seemed to be only one option to this as Qualo thought for moment.

The next clang came after and Qualo saw the towel getting closer to him. This would be risky and there might not be enough time but there is no other way to this now. The towel was in his sights, when it came in close he let out his hand and with haste took the bomb from within the towel. He has about 5 five seconds now.

He pushed open the chute with hand and flung the bomb, dodging the bullets being fired then he counted. One, two, three. A burst of sound came after ward along with the screams of the man in the room. Others will be coming soon so Qualo began his escape. 

He changed his position so he could face the chute door and went out feet first to the room. A part of the left wall was dismembered and burning along with the man to the side. Qualo got his pistol ready when the first thug arrived. He needed one shot yet there was still the other one waiting outside. 

Qualo got his other pistol out and shot the burning man. He pressed the little button on the side and the magazine fell to the ground. The thug came out and Qualo shot him with his other pistol. Thugs... they never think before they do. He reloaded and took the two thugs' sub machine guns just in case if there's others coming from both sides. He went out and saw there was. He laid waste to all of them with the two guns. Six down now. Most of them are probably going to his location or are waiting at the bottom floor. So all he has to do is go upstairs.

There were too few guards on the climb up. Guess they used all of their men from upstairs. He kept his back to a wall when he reached a corner. He checked his magazine. All full. He moved past the corner and saw no one, only a door. 

But behind this door lies the laundry of the building. He leaned closer to it and heard the clang of the laundry chute. There still dropping bombs aren't they? If so then one of them would be distracted allowing him to shoot the other thugs in there. He lowered his head to the ground to see the gap between it and the door. 

There was the thug dropping bombs and the other two were next to the wall. Regular bullets can't pass through the door with one hit. Qualo took out his sniper rifle and aimed at the smallest angle there was to the right side and fired. He heard a loud grunt and gun fire began poking holes in the door. 

He laid himself on the ground and fired once more, retreating and waiting for the bullets to stop. He took out the last man and went in. All three bloody and dead on the ground. The least they could do is get smarter people for this job. There was still one more bomb left. Qualo didn't want it to go to waste so he took it with him. 

He went to a door leading to the dry cleaning room. It had a few large dry cleaners along with a large dryer vent that led to the roof. He went in it, it also smelled terrible and was filled with hot air. He stayed like that for a five minutes until he reached to the top of the duct were he could see the man with an RPG aiming at the door. 

Qualo aimed his sniper at him and fired, killing him in one shot. He then burst open the door and was able to dodge the sniper's shot at him. He hid behind another vent. The sniper fired again passing right thorough the vent. Four shots left. He fired again. 

Qualo moved to a safer position. He fired again. Two shots left. He fired another. One more shot. The last shot hit Qualo right above his scalp, removing some hair. Too close. Qualo got out of cover and aimed his sniper at the building in front of him. Qualo was able to pinpoint where the sniper was through the direction of the bullet. As the sniper got out of cover Qualo made him go back permanently.