I rapped on the front door, not really knowing what else to do. Footsteps crashed through and the door was flung open by the same red-faced man.
"What do you want?" he snarled.
"Not a way to treat potential buyers." Tefia mused. The man looked stunned for a moment, then beckoned us in.
"Here to see a friend, I'm guessing."
"Um, yeah we are." I nodded.
"Well, I'll just go into reception to find out where they are. Name?"
"Uh..." I looked at Tefia frantically for help.
"The name's really complicated, should we just check?"
He sighed, "Fine." after taking one step into the room, he pointed out a large book then plonked himself down in the armchair, head lolling back.
"Um, sir?" I said, thinking this would be the best time and taking a step towards him.
That was the moment when the window smashed. Tefia and I ducked down instinctively, images of snipers probably in her brain too, but the man had not been through our kind of training. The bullets made hardly any sound, but the man did. He cried out and yelled "mum" before the room went silent.
"What. The. Hell." Tefia breathed, sitting up and wiping glass off her clothes. She winced when she looked in the direction of the man, and I realised then that no matter how tough Tefia made herself out to be, she was still a kid, and she still needed protecting.
"Stand outside in the hall, Tef." I said gently. Tefia frowned and opened her mouth to protest, before I cut her off. "Do it now, I don't want you getting hurt."
"And I don't want you to get hurt." she said quietly.
"Please, just go."
"I'm going for Tasha." she said and stomped out of the room. I felt like praying for her safety outside.
Turning my attention to the man, I could see what a grisly sight it was.
He was slumped back in the chair, pretty much in the same position as before apart from the open mouth and eyes. Blood soaked through his clothes from the wounds that had ripped jagged holes in his chest. There was one hole on the left side of his forehead, and I could see part of the exit wound that had sprayed the contents of his head over the cream (or not anymore) carpet. They hadn't taken any chances.
It was not a pretty sight.
I could hear Tasha's heavy footsteps thundering down the corridor until she burst into the room. Her eyes flickered from the man's body to the smashed window and then down to me.
"Go, River. Get the car started and I'll meet you a couple of streets away."
"But Tasha-"
"Protect Tefia, River, and yourself."
I nodded solemly, understanding how Tefia had felt when I'd ordered her out.
When I got to the car, Tefia was scrambling out of it after the reporter woman who was clip-cloping down the street in her high heels.
"Just leave her, it's not worth it." I said, pushing Tefia back into the car.
"Where's Tasha?" Tefia said, get eyes wide with fear.
"She's meeting us in a minute, put your seatbelt on."
She shook her head and muttered "goody goody", but I started up the car anyway and drove.
"Don't worry, we didn't need that mirror." she teased as the mirror smashed against another car and flew off into the road.
"You try driving this, then." I said, giving her the evils.
