Headlights from five tan trucks stop outside the house. A sixth vehicle pulls up behind them. A black SUV.
A dozen guys pile out of the caravan. Each one has a shotgun, a handgun or both. One of them is hoisted down into a busted looking wheelchair.
Les.
"Shit. Les is here," I say. Turn to Sam. "I thought you took care of him."
"I thought I did, too," she says. Not smiling anymore. Looks shocked.
Beth picks up on Sam's shift in demeanor.
"What do these people want?" Beth says.
"They're from the Man Camp and they're here to kill us. And probably you," Sam says.
"Hand me Gus's shotgun," I say to Beth.
Beth doesn't move.
"We can get back to killing each other later. Trust me," I say. Start for Gus's body.
Beth waves me off. Uses a free hand to pass me Gus's single-shot Winchester 37 shotgun. Tosses a few shells.
I load up while Sam locks the front door. Beth latches the back door on the far side of the living room. Must've slipped in that way earlier.
I start counting again. Sam's revolver has five rounds left. I carry four shotgun shells in my pocket and one in the gun. Beth's probably packing an Old West range war's worth of magazines. But we're still outgunned.
I turn off the lights to give us some cover. The house is sheeted in the gray, snowy night.
The interior immediately returns to illumination. Headlights outside fire high beams through the windows.
At most, we have six seconds to decide what to do next.
"We hole up in the basement and hope for the best," I say. "Or we make a run for it."
From a crouched position on the floor, Beth starts to say something.
Scratch that. We have two seconds.
Les's small army is shouldering its way through the front and back doors.
*** PLEASE SUPPORT MY WRITING! ***
This story will only be posted on Wattpad for a limited time. If you'd like the full version, head to your favorite online e-book/book retailer and pick up your own digital/print copy. Search for "Invisible Hand Sobieck." Or leave a review of the book on Amazon once you're finished reading on Wattpad. Thank you. ~Ben
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The Invisible Hand - A crime novel
Mystery / ThrillerA corrupt sheriff hires a ruthless vigilante to hunt down a murderer during the modern day North Dakota oil boom in this crime thriller full of unexpected twists and turns.
