the only sound was the soft steps of their boots on dusty linoleum. Bishops dipped the barrel of the shot gun down nodding towards the clear clean foot prints before them. They led down the hall, away from the two men. palmers donned his SPAR issued glasses and pressed the small button on the earpiece that switched them to night vision. Bishops did the same. every thing flashed bright green, then focused into a muted minty green. bishops clicked off his light and they started forward. five years as partners and twenty years combined as border agents had them moving silently but efficiently. Palmers cleared the rooms while bishops covered hallways and took point. bishops pointed to the stairs, the clear dustless foot prints leading up into the darkness. bishops slowly walked up to the landing where the stairs turned. he made a abrupt all clear motion gesture. he could see no one. there were two thread bare couches and a chair turned on its side. bishops motioned towards the two office doors, a half collapsed reception desk between them. back to back, they made their way towards the first door. palmers laser sight was trained at head level as he reached out and gingerly twisted the rusty door knob. locked. they moved in unison to the second door. palmers hand extended towards it. the moment his finger tips touched the knob, the door swung wide, hinges creaking softly.
"palmers!" bishops shouted. bishops launched backwards into palmers sending him flying into the empty office. it knocked the wind out of him, but he recovered quickly. bishops was already up on one knee, his glasses knocked from his face and with a flick of his thumb, his light was on. palmers knelt beside him, his glasses missing as well. both men were covered by the broken reception desk. "the fuck man," bishops muttered, peering past the edge of light into the darkness, "he fucking hit me. i didn't even see him and he fucking hit me." palmers ignored the cursing, "where is the target?" bishops gave a slow shrug, his eye still focused on the dark silhouettes of the room. palmers laser cut through the darkness until it settled on a small silver disk. the disk reflected the light sharply away from the two men. bishops saw the disk too. slowly, deliberately, he inched his light towards the object. as the outer edge of light crept over the disk, the room seemed to explode. the couches launched through the air at them and old magazines flew through the air like damaged birds. bishops dove out of the way as a couch crashed into the wall just behind them with a deafening crash. as Palmers swung away from a small coffee table that sailed wildly towards him, he shot two rounds into the darkness near the silver disk. they herd a sharp gasp and the spinning office shrapnel abruptly dropped to the floor. the men herd a faint sound. listening closely, it sounded like a child blowing bubbles in milk. bishops light scanned the room quickly, falling on a dark mass in the far corner. palmers cautiously moved across the room, sidestepping the debris that now littered the floor. as he moved closer he could see a pool of blood extending across the floor away from the figure. bishops approached from the other side, keeping his light trained on it. palmers nudged the figure with his boot and without much resistance, the body rolled over. bishops drew a quick breath. it was a girl. blood bubbled up through her lips, an entrance wound obvious on her neck. bishops dropped down next to her, pressing his hands to her neck, "fuck fuck fuck." she struggled to speak. palmers reached for his com, ready to call for medics. the girl let out a violent breath, blood spraying out from between her lips. clear of fluid, she gasped out a few brief words. "Ta'lak Ic Hoz R'ae." bishops jumped back, horror on his face. palmers, livid, unloaded what was left of his clip into her head. her body lay motionless, her face unrecognizable, the back of her head gone. grey matter and skull fragments created a two foot halo around her head. palmers hurriedly stepped over her lifeless body and knelt by his friend. "oh man, bish, you ok?" bishops opened his mouth to speak but his breath was caught in his chest. he struggled for air. palmers grabbed his com, "this is Agent JOrdan Palmers, code ID 4386b9. medic needed at my location. repeat, medic needed at my location. Agent scott bishops is down. one casualty." a woman's voice came over the line, "understood, agent. we have your location. medics are on rout. one casualty. species?" palmers took a half second to look over his shoulder, he could not believe what her was going to say. "witch." there was a long silence over the line, then, "agent, clarify." palmers closed his eyes, hands on bishops' chest, feeling the breath of his partner growing weaker. "clarify," the dispatchers calm voice came again. palmers took a deep breath, "witch, female. i think she cast on agent bishops before termination." the dispatcher paused again. "ok Agent," her voice was monotone, "medic on the way. shaman on the way. understood?" Palmers made a sound that the agent took as an answer and the communication ended. palmer sat in the quiet, eyes closed, listening to the ragged breathing sounds of bishops, and he waited.
