Killer Santas

Chapter 5

Elaina crouched behind Victor, Michael's gun in her hand. The kitchen light had been left on and the two of them crouched in the shadows of the living room, out of the reach of the light. The front door had been left slightly open, to make it easier for Tony to enter.

It was taking everything Elaina had to keep her breathing under control; her heartbeat, however, had sped up, regardless of her efforts to calm down. Victor, positioned in front of her, had his gun up, ready to shoot his brother when he walked through the door.

Follow my lead, he had said, and Elaina was ready to do so. But the thought of having to shoot Tony was making her feel sick. I can't believe it, her mind protested. I can't believe Tony Andrisano wants you dead. It makes no sense.

But then she remembered Victor's words, his explanation, and she scolded herself. Tony was playing a role. Remember that. If it wasn't for Victor, you'd be greeting him right now, easy prey for his schemes. You'd have been dead within moments.

Footsteps sounded on the walk outside, the echoes appearing to come from two people. The knot in Elaina's stomach tightened. Victor was right. He's brought someone to shoot me. The scumbag!

The door creaked open, falling inward. "Elaina?" she heard Tony call, his voice worried. A pause, and then he added, "Go. Let's find her."

A figure stepped into the living room, glancing around, and before Elaina could react, Victor had lifted his gun and fired.

The crack of the gun ricocheted around the room as the figure cried out, stumbling backward and collapsing to the floor. Elaina heard Tony's intake of breath and he didn't appear in the living room, not intent on walking into a trap. Victor kept his gun out, firing off another round into the door behind which Tony was hidden.

Elaina kept a firm grip on her gun, eyes wide. What now? We're pinned, he's pinned...what do we do now?

As if sensing her nervousness, Victor reached back with one hand and gently touched her knee, reassuringly. "Back up toward the back room," he whispered, his lips barely moving as he tilted his head back towards her. "We go out the back door."

Elaina nodded and started to shift backwards, rising slightly out of her crouch in order to move better. Victor kept his gun trained on the door, which had moved slightly as Tony used it for a shield, his companion lying moaning on the ground.

"Go!" Victor hissed and Elaina turned, running into the back room as Victor followed her. The door moved again but neither Tony nor his gun appeared.

Elaina hurried to the back door and yanked it open, Victor keeping his eyes trained on the front door. She stepped outside and he followed her, closing the door swiftly behind them. "I parked along your street; we'll take my car."

"Okay," Elaina whispered, glancing over her shoulder. "Is he going to chase us?"

Footsteps from inside answered her question and Victor grabbed her arm with one hand, hurrying her down the deck steps and around the side of the house to the gate. The back door opened and the silhouette of Tony stepped out onto the deck.

Victor fired at his brother and Tony ducked, diving back toward the house. He shot in their direction but the bullet went wide, splintering through the wooden fence blocking Elaina's yard off from her neighbor's. She saw lights go on next door.

Victor shoved Elaina through the gate and the two of them sprinted for the road, Elaina casting fearful glances behind them, waiting for Tony to come barreling through the gate. But he didn't come.

Maybe Victor did hit him and he's too wounded to follow us.

Elaina wasn't sure how that made her feel.

Then the front door moved and Tony appeared in the doorway, firing off another shot at them. Elaina screamed, ducking her head, and Victor's grip tightened on her arm as they continued to run, racing away from the house. He aimed his gun behind them and shot recklessly. Elaina heard glass shatter.

"Elaina!" Tony yelled.

"Keep going!" Victor urged.

The two pounded down the street, toward the black Cadillac parked on the side of the street up ahead. Elaina glanced over her shoulder, eyes searching for Tony, and saw the headlights of his car turn on, momentarily blinding her.

"Go!" Victor yelled. "Run!"

"I'm running!" Elaina retorted, panting.

But she continued to run as fast as possible in her high heels, Victor keeping a firm grip on her arm. They reached his car and Victor flung the front door open, shoving Elaina inside. She clambered over the driver's seat and settled into the passenger's side as Victor swung inside, jamming his keys into the ignition.

Elaina could hear the engine of Tony's car revving behind her and ducked down in the seat, covering her head with her arms. Victor's Cadillac roared to life and he threw it into gear, pressing the gas and jolting forward into the middle of the road.

"Tony's right behind us," he said, swearing. "We'll have to lose him."

Elaina straightened slightly, glancing across at Victor as he ran his hand through his hair, pressing down on the gas pedal. Tony's lights shone in the rearview mirror, announcing his presence on their tail.

"Will he shoot?" Elaina asked fearfully, glancing hesitantly behind them.

"Maybe," Victor said through gritted teeth, swinging last minute onto a road running perpendicular to Elaina's, throwing her into the car door. "I don't know. I doubt it, not when both of us are driving. He'll try to run us off the road, though, if he gets the chance."

Elaina gulped.

A squeal of brakes sounded behind them as Tony tried to follow them, running up onto the lawn of the house opposite. He roared back onto the road behind them as Victor sped down the residential neighborhood, making another breakneck turn that threw Elaina across the seat, sending her slamming into Victor's shoulder.

"We're almost there," he muttered. "Almost out."

Victor soared out of the neighborhood, cutting across two lanes of traffic and swinging neatly into the right lane. Elaina glanced behind her and saw Tony slam on his brakes, a thick line of traffic blocking his path to following them.

"I think we lost him," Elaina breathed, turning to look at Victor. "At least for now."

Victor sighed in relief but didn't lessen his speed. "Good."