A Number, Not a Name

It Ends with Us

Another shadowy figure came into view. Milena's skillet collided with his face. He staggered to the ground revealing his comrade behind. She swung the pan with as much force as she could into the woman's head, sending her gun streaking across the tile. She kicked her in the side of the head followed by a succession of sharp swings to her jaw, eyes, and nose. A groan escaped the women's lips. Brushing aside the sharp twinge of pain radiating across her face, the lady delivered a strong blow to Milena's face. Milena brought the skillet again toward her assailant's head but the woman caught her wrist, delivering a swift punch with her free hand. The pan clanked to the ground.

The woman lunged at Milena, sending her crashing into the cabinets behind her. The woman grabbed Milena's neck and held her down on top of the counter, before retrieving the knife strapped to her leg. The blade dangled above Milena's face. Milena grabbed a plate behind her and smashed it into the woman's face, causing her to release her hold as the blade nicked her cheek. Milena struggled to her feet and brought her leg to the women's head again, rendering her unconscious. Blood seeped from her hairline.

Milena's heart raced and cold drops of sweat beaded her brow. In the middle of the kitchen, Lorenzo and his assailant traded blows back and forth. The knife seemed of little use to Lorenzo as his aggressor appeared immune to its sharpened blade. Lorenzo's shirt and pants were slashed in a variety of places, revealing gashes caused by the man's blade. Milena retrieved the iron skillet from the tile floor. She was at Lorenzo's side in a matter of seconds, striking the pan against his face. The man joined his associates strewn on the floor.

Lorenzo lightly touched Milena's shoulder "Thank you."

Before Milena could reply, more members, a man and a woman, of Dalmar's security team rushed in. Lorenzo raced toward the man and threw a punch to his jaw. Milena sprang in the women's direction. She unexpectedly crouched down to the floor and spun her leg out into the woman's legs, causing her to stumble to the ground.

Lorenzo swung at his attacker with his knife. Jirair caught his arm and wrenched it above his head, rendering the blade useless. Jirair brought his fist to Lorenzo's side causing him to double over. The bloodied knife clanked to the ground. Lorenzo was sent flying against the wall and found himself pinned down against it.

Milena tightly gripped her make-shift weapon and brought it forward to its target. A sudden blow to the wrist jolted the skillet from her hand. Her head throbbed as her current assailant repeatedly struck her. The women lunged at Milena pushing her to the cold dank tile. The women attempted to pin her to the ground but Milena sharply rolled to the right, resulting in her assaulter hitting the white kitchen cabinets. Milena grabbed the woman's head with both her hands and threw it against the cabinet countertop.

Before Milena could stand from the floor, she heard the distinct sound of a gun being loaded near her head. A Glock by the way the cartridge was loaded. "Get up," the voice snapped. A fist grabbed a fistful of her shirt and dragged her up. A gasp escaped her lips, her feet swinging limply in the air. While she was fighting the fear which had gripped her had been impossible to feel. Adrenaline was a powerful drug. Now she was suspended. Vulnerable. Helpless. Terror seized her.

Lorenzo's eyes met Milena's. Pure fear was all he saw. He pushed against his attacker as hard as he could and managed to wrestle himself from his grasp. His fingers found his knife previously in his possession. He'd barely taken a step in Milena's direction, however, when he felt his right arm being pulled behind his back and his brief moment of relief quickly vanished as a heel dug into his back. Stumbling to the ground, he felt his other arm dragged behind his back as the man elected to pin him to the floor.

"Drop it!" Milena's captor icily spat. Lorenzo looked up from the ground to where the voice had come. A few feet away from him a bulky muscular man held Milena down. His left arm was draped around Milena's neck, pulling her head back. A gun was shoved against her temple. When Lorenzo didn't immediately react, the man tightened his grip. Milena brought her hands up to try weakly to pry the vice-grip away. Already she could see the darkness overtaking the outer edges of her vision. "I said drop it!"