Murder in Progress

Dead or Alive

¿Kathrine Wallace?

Pinkerton Agent, V.P.

I heard Alex call after me but I had already gotten this far. I disarmed three men and dazed at least two, working my way to the most chaotic part of the warehouse.

I slowed down momentarily to let Alex and Lara catch up but stayed in my toes, adrenaline once again filling my veins. I was addicted to the feeling, so used to it anytime without it felt foreign and empty.

Lara led the way down an empty hall while I watched our backs. The firing of guns ricocheting all around us, but down the long hallway no one was in sight. Suddenly we saw two men laying on the ground and heard someone shout retreat. My heart fell, I knew our people were loosing hope, the enemies had more resources and our agents had been inactive for quite a while.

"Lara. Code ROA. Now." I said and she grinned widely and ran off phone in hand. Alex gave me a perplexed look and I smiled slightly. "It's time to get our people motivated." I said and pulled him ahead.

~

Once we were back in the middle, we were surrounded by people shooting one another and covering another with punched and jabs.

A few people seemed to light up once they saw me walk in which confused me. Cindy managed to take down her opponent before rushing over to me. "Kate. Glad to actually have a leader. Give them some orders." She said and whisked past me to assist her husband.

"That's-" Alex began and I nodded. "Ya. The lady who gave you that note." I said and he looked straight at me. "Kate. About what you said..." He began but I quickly pulled my gun out and shot a man charging at Alex from behind.

"Not now Alexander."

I said shoving the gun in his hands before shouting orders such as, "Why won't anyone sing?"

People remembered that old training tactic and began using it on their opponents. Then a whirring sound came from above. Soon music was playing and I grinned.

"It's all the same. Only the names were changed." The music blasted out from the intercom and people looked up confused. Our agents took their chance and were able to unarm their opponents.

I grinned and was about to assist Alex when I heard a scream. I dropped the gun in my hand and whipped my head around, fear evident on my face.

"Lily!" I called out looking around. "Lily!" I shouted and looked around trying to see if anyone else heard her scream. Unfortunately everyone was busy taking down guards.

Another scream pierced the air and I rushed towards it after grabbing my gun. "Grace! Lily! Katie's coming, don't worry!" I shouted and soon was running. A few attacked from behind and I felt a stinging pain in my abdomen but only turned around and shot the four men before I ran off.

Soon I found myself alone in a dark hallway. I was about to turn back when Nathan stepped out a gun to each little girls head.

Grace was crying and Lily was hugging her sister, her bottom lip trembling. They saw me and one cried out, "Katie!" I glared at Nathan and forced myself not to panic. I heard footsteps quickly charging at me from behind and both my arms were seized.

"Give me what I want and their lives will be spared." He growled and I cursed myself. I had to do it, they couldn't die, not now.

"Fine. You want to know what I know, you'll hear it. And for a a safe passage out you get to know the names of everyone I told." I said in an eery calmness that scared myself. "I know that you and your men-" I began but then suddenly three gun shots went off. "No!" I screamed but the two little girls didn't move. Instead the two men at either side of me fell to the ground.

I looked down and saw one bullet wound in each guard's chest. Then Nathan took a sharp intake of breath and stared at me. He looked down at his bleeding chest and was about to pull the triggers of the guns when I pulled up my gun and shot him.

The little girls ran to me as he fell. I stood frozen, seemingly unaware of the two little girls hugging me on either side. Instead I stared at their grandfather who stood behind Nathan staring at the fresh bullet wound between Nathan's eyes.

I sent Benny a slight smile in gratitude and he smiled back, putting his two guns back in their magazines. He had shot the two guards. But who... I thought and looked over my shoulder. I stared breathlessly at Alex who was staring straight at me, his gun still raised.

"Grandaddy!" The little girls exclaimed and ran over to their grandad who crouched down and wrapped his arms around them. I felt tears pricking my eyes and rushed to Alex and hugged him.

"Thank you." I whispered to him and felt myself shaking as tears escaped.

"For what?" He whispered back brushing my hair behind my ear after wrapping an arm around me protectively.

"For being my partner." I smiled softly and looked up to see him smiling back. Our smiled only grew as Cindy's victory cry rang out through the silence.

"Anytime." He whispered and we both laughed softly in glee knowing it would soon be over.