Ghosts ✔

019 • Kip

It was such a long time ago that he had carried out a violent action and there was so much at stake that he could barely concentrate. Although there had been countless times in which he had held a gun, it felt awkward this time and for the first time since Iraq he was afraid to miss his target. 

It had to be possible. Five guards who didn't suspect anything. Or would they still be alert after Dana's cry for help? He couldn't imagine that Maddox had hired the first group of idiots that he had came across, so he assumed that they would be waiting for him. 

Not that it mattered much. He couldn't carry out much strategies on his own, so with the night as cover he sneaked towards the dock and searched for a good hiding place. As soon as he had found one, he checked if the muffler was tightened well enough, took position and waited. 

After ten minutes one of the men called for a cigarette, where after the other walked up to him. The nicotine needing man took a few step to approach his pal, and as soon as they were both within shooting range, Kip started to fire. 

Satisfaction made his lips curl up as he hit both men in the chest, who went down in silence. Two men were left. Hope spread through his veins. Slowly he moved closer to the fence, ready to shoot as soon as the other guards showed up. It didn't take long before another guard appeared. He was shooting blindly, but Kip saw him clear and put a bullet in his brain. One more. 

Only one!

Excitement made the gun shake in his hands. He could already smell freedom, could feel it itch underneath his skin. 

And then the door slammed shut. 

There was silence, no movement to be seen. 

Kip kept sitting there crouched down for ten minutes. Twenty minutes. He thought about Dana, who was waiting for him in the house, the nervousness driving her crazy. And he thought about the man in the boathouse, that really needed to die before they could escape. 

Suddenly there was a deep voice. "Lay down your gun or I'll blow up that cute little baby's face!" 

Kip froze, his breathing stuck in his throat. That was bluff, right? He had kept an eye on the entrance the whole time, there was no way that he had gone to the house to get Dana and Tabitha. Or was there another entrance? A direct passage to the house? 

"Show me you got her!"

The only reaction he got in return, was a mocking laughter. 

Kip knew that the other was bluffing, he was 99 percent sure.

But not 100.

He took a deep breath, holding the gun even tighter. "Sorry Dana," he whispered. He had to try it. He knew Tabitha had no future here, not with all the dead people around him now. Maddox would be furious and the easiest way to punish Dana, was by hurting her defenseless daughter.

He had no choice. Zigzagging he ran to the fence. Bullets rained down around him, filling him with relief for the first time in his life. At least Dana and Tabitha were still safe. For a moment the thought to send Dana shot through his head; the remaining guard probably wouldn't dare to shoot at her. 

But maybe he would. Maybe he felt so cornered that he would kill her and flee. Even if Kip did manage to escape, he would never be able to justify his deeds to the club. Juice would never look at him again, he might be voted out or even get Mayhem. 

He kept running along the fence until he had found the dead angle of the shooter, grabbed the top of the fence an swung his legs over it. The spool of razor wire grabbed his pants, but he tore himself loose and fell down. He landed clumsily upon the gun, which went off, making dirt spatter in his face. Quickly he jumped up, sprinted to the door and slammed his shoulder against the wood. 

There was no resistance, it swung open like it hadn't even been closed. Kip stumbled through the hallway, fell on the ground and when he tried to get on his feet again, he felt the barrel of a gun against his head. 

"Bang bang," a voice sang. "Nice try, cowboy."