Chokehold

You're it!-3

As the tagger came around the corner I bolted and ran down the hall sliding similar to how I'd slid into home base around the corner into the stairwell.

Grabbing the metal railing I swung myself over it and dropped down skipping the stairs all together. Wincing I kept running, making it to the 4th floor and hiding once more.

"We have to take him out." A voice said and I turned the corner to see two guys arguing, it was the two 'friends' I noticed in the lobby.

"You have a knife! He has a gun!" The shorter one argued and I had to agree that wasn't very good odds.

"It's just a guy! I can take him." The taller one argued and I chuckled, making them look at me.

"Sorry- it's just.. He has a semi automatic and.. You have like a butter knife?" I mumbled and the taller one glared at me as his friend laughed.

"I'm Karube, this is Arisu. If we can keep the tagger busy I know Arisu can find the safe zone in time." The tall one said and I saw shock decorate his friend's face, he probably didn't want that kind of pressure on him but we only had 10 minutes left.

"I don't know if we can take the tagger." I admitted, I didn't want to put that kind of trust in Arisu, it was nothing against him but I didn't know him...  I didn't have time to be picky however..

"He's a human. Special forces most likely, use this instead." The man with camo pants said, walking over to the guys and handing Karube a fire extinguisher.

I felt like the knife was a better option but I wasn't trying to get involved, I was still debating if this was the best plan. Glancing at the man in camo pants I noticed how he was watching me now.

Did he want me to join his weird little couple?  I'm good.

The others all went down the stairs and hid and I frowned, how would they find the tagger hiding? Following them I hid under the stairwell and before I could question the plan I heard yelling. The lanky one who followed camo pants.. was the bait?

Once the man got down the stairs he waited glancing around, it looked like he was waiting for his friend or lover...? to save him. His face morphed into panic when his friend didn't come out and the tagger began to raise his gun.

What an ass...

Kicking the back of the tagger's knee I slammed him into the wall.

The guy widened his eyes in shock before yelling as the tagger began shooting around the room unable to aim. He bolted up the stairs and I didn't blame him for ditching.

Elbowing the tagger in the gut repeatedly he grabbed a fist of my hair and threw me across the room. Panting I looked up and felt my body go cold as the gun was pointed at me now.

Oh fuck.

I didn't expect anyone to save me when Karube yelled, slamming the fire extinguisher into the side of the tagger's head. The two began to fight which gave me time to get up and recover. As he was thrown off the man in camo pants came in and started fighting with the tagger, they traded blows and I felt pain just watching the man get hit repeatedly before he did manage to disarm the tagger.

The tagger then pulled out a massive machete and I felt my knees get weak, of course he had that.  He fought with the man in camo more before pressing the blade of the machete against his face, I widened my eyes but he was able to throw him off.

However.. The tagger just turned to Karube as he stood up.  The other widened his eyes and took out the tiny shitty knife he had earlier and I wanted to cry. You can't fight a machete with a butter knife!

I had to think of a plan when I realized the tagger didn't have his gun, he couldn't do long range.  He wasn't picking it back up so he had to be out of ammo.  Grabbing the fire extinguisher I pointed it at Karube and the tagger before pulling the trigger.

White foam and mist flooded them and I didn't stop until the thing was empty before dropping it.

"Hey asshole!" I shouted as the mist began to dissipate as they were coughing and stumbling out of it.  Karube widened his eyes at me as he leaned on a wall for support and held his side. I eyed his injury, he couldn't keep fighting.  He had saved me however... I owed him.

"What kind of a pansy wears a mask?" I asked and Karube widened his eyes at me.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He coughed but the tagger just stared at me.

My Dad was ex special force.. they hate being insulted.. and if he's anything like my Dad he won't take well to the insults coming from a woman.

I'm not actually saying they are all like that plz don't come for me

"I'm just asking, what kind of pathetic coward goes around murdering people and can't even show his face?" I said and raised an eyebrow at the other.

"Are you ashamed? No... Ugly? Probably. But that's not a good enough reason." I hummed and the tagger put his machete back in his belt.

"You know this is my first game or whatever, it would be really embarrassing if you let the new girl beat you." I said and tilted my head innocently, I just needed to piss him off. To stall him long enough for Arisu to figure it out and if he focused on me he wasn't killing Karube.

Raising his hand he grabbed the side of his mask and pulled it off letting it hit the ground. I raised an eyebrow, my throat tightening, it was a normal looking dude with a collar around his throat of some kind.  I knew camo said he was probably ex special forces but.. why was he so normal looking?

"The game is called tag so.. Let's play tag bitch." I smiled and ran past him, slapping his shoulder, "You're it." I yelled and bolted up the stairs.  I heard the machete being drawn again and pounding footsteps following me.

The two who were winded, one on the floor, and one leaning on the wall were shocked when the tagger bolted after me instead of finishing them off.

"She just saved our lives." Karube coughed and the other in camo looked at him.

"She's fucking dumb."  But he had been intrigued.

....

Running up the stairs I took them 3 at a time until I got to the 5th floor. I saw the same blonde from before still watching and he seemed confused before he realized why I was running, his eyes widening a fraction and almost looking worried.

Lazy asshole.

"She got the tagger's mask off.." He mumbled and leaned forward to watch, unsure of why he had a pit in his stomach.

Running around a corner I turned and looked at the tagger. We were both panting and exhausted from running but I was trying to keep him busy so the other guy, Arisu, could find the safe zone.

"Tired yet?" I whispered and gave a smile to the guy, his face remained blank however.

"Shit who pissed in your cheerios?" I mumbled and the blonde gave a small smile at the banter as he moved to leave his spot.

The tagger ran and so did I but I knew I didn't have long before I'd be caught and even if he didn't have his gun anymore I wasn't going to last fighting him, I didn't even have a shitty butter knife.

I just got to the 4th floor stairs when the wind got knocked out of me and I was slammed down the last few steps. Hitting the cement floor I groaned and turned around to see the tagger hovering over me with anger in his eyes and machete raised.

Kicking at him I scrambled backwards running until I saw the open door and I realized it was the safe zone. Rushing into the open room I was slammed onto the floor again by the tagger who flipped me over and grabbed my throat in his hands.  He must have dropped his machete when I kicked him...

Gasping, I hit his head, chest, neck, and shoulders repeatedly but he wouldn't let go. Even when an announcement went off sounding like it was underwater he was still squeezing my throat.  Eventually all I could hear was a slight ringing noise...  Black dots filled my vision and my arms dropped to the ground, I barely could make someones silhouette out in the background and then the collar on his neck blinked red and everything felt wet.