Unsainted

11: Duty and Dishonor

The fire burned hotter than the sun. Now the smoke completely blocked out it's light; leaving a barely luminescent disk in the sky. The denser smoke had stayed on the ground, limiting everyone's sight and burning them from the inside out. Three of the towns people had died just from smoke inhalation, forcing everyone else inside the church; those who were brave enough to stay outside, made their way to the police station.

Five of them; each wearing a gasmask confiscated from the fire station, and armed with small guns. They drove there in a small car; slowly as the car's headlights refracted off the particles in the air, blinding the driver. 

Victoria and Andrey also followed, they wanted to back inside their station; though for different reasons. The towns people wanted the guns, food and water rations and other emergency supplies that the police kept for situations like these. Victoria resisted the urge to cough, she nor Andrey had been so lucky with their equipment. Only a pair of ski goggles and disposable respirator; all ready black from the smoke

The car disappeared from view momenterly; before the driver shut the engine off and the it's passengers stepped out. Victoria and Andrey stopped moving and crouched low to the ground; listening for movement. A play that didn't last long; as a bolt of lighting stretched across the sky, illuminating the the five men that had left the car and causing a spout of heavy rain to fall from the sky. It fell in large black droplets; comprised mostly of carbon, it hit the ground and and everyone's clothing forming a thick sludge. But no one was hindered by it, instead the men moved from their car and broke into the police station. Victoria and Andrey did a final check of their weapons; Victoria's pistol and Andrey's machine gun, before they followed the group into the police station.

Even inside the station, the smoke made it difficult to see; difficult to breath. Victoria and Andrey followed the sounds of the group,

"find the armory, it's a small building so they should be holding their emergency supplies inside as well" one of the men said as they descended into the stations garage. 

It wouldn't take long for them to find the room, were Victoria and Andrey would catch them; whilst they try to pry the door open. They followed the group to the armoury; and as expected upon finding the door they failed to open it, throwing their bodies against in a vain attempt. Victoria stood behind Andrey, as the pair took cover behind opposite corners in the concrete hallway;

"should we try to talk them down?" Victoria whispered. 

Andrey shrugged his shoulders, and cautiously peeked his head around the corner.

"Shotguns and bolt rifles, you get one chance, if they shoot; I'm firing back" Andrey said. 

Victoria nodded and peeked around the corner; watching the group try to open the door, they were getting anxious with every moment, completely disregarding the dark hallway that Victoria and Andrey where in.

Victoria leveled her gun with her eyes and stepped out from her cover, "police! drop your weapons!" She shouted in a commanding voice that echoed down the hallway. 

The group panicked at the sound of Victoria's voice; one of them spun around and blindly fired at her. The bullet missed completely, sending sparks and dust of the ceiling but it was enough to start the shoot out. In a flash Andrey stuck his machine gun around the corner and fired into the group, illuminating the hallway in an array of strobing flashes; and catching one of the men in the chest. 

Six bullets hit him in a diagonal line; moving up his abdomen, and covering the wall behind him in splashes of blood. Where he died almost instantly and fell to the floor. The rest of the group scattered; hiding behind anything they could and shooting back. Inside the confines of the police station, the gunshots where louder and Victoria's ears rang as she fired around the corner.