The radio had been left on the floor where Leigh dropped it. The gruff voice said, “Light it up. Kill them all.”
Chef heard the radio and turned to run back inside but didn’t make it to the front door. A massive volley of gunfire erupted from three directions, the front, west side and south. By the time his body hit the deck, he had over sixteen shots in him.
Leigh grabbed Crusher’s rifle and crawled under the deck for cover.
Jacob flipped the table over and called out to Portia, “Get over here!”
Portia did as he said and leapt behind the table.
Hundreds of rounds peppered the sides of the house, shattering windows and splintering the wood siding. Inside the house, rounds smashed into the walls, furniture, mirrors, and light fixtures. Glass, sheetrock and paneling flew everywhere.
All Jacob and Portia could do was lay low, hoping the thick wood table provided adequate cover while Gunny took shelter in a closet under the stairs.
The hail of gunfire slowed then came to an abrupt end. Distant voices could be heard calling for ceasefire.
“Gunny?” Jacob called out.
“I’m good,” Gunny replied.
“How are you?” Jacob asked Portia.
“I think I’m fine,” she answered.
“Gunny, have you seen Leigh?”
“Nope.”
Jacob looked up but couldn’t see anything, the house was immersed in darkness and through the shattered windows he could make out the faint light coming from the red dot scopes. “They’re coming!”
Gunny exited the closet and went to the back of the house, he looked out and saw the same thing Jacob had seen. “They’re coming from the back.”
“It’s pitch black, the best thing to do is make a run for it. We’ll have the cover of night,” Jacob called out.
Gunny came back and flatly said, “I’m done running. I’m making my stand tonight. Plus you’ll need me, it may be pitch black but those assholes probably have night vision, you’re not going to get ten feet without someone seeing you.”
“I’m not staying here to die, we’ll make a run for the vehicles in the garage, it’s fifty yards away,” Jacob said.
“I’m an old man, tonight I fight. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll lay down some fire for you and the girl here.”
“Are you sure?” Jacob asked.
“Yeah, you go, get her to safety, I’ve lived a long life.”
“You’re a good man, Gunny,” Jacob said.
“Oh, shut up, I don’t want to hear a bunch of gushy sentiment,” Gunny said heading towards the stairs. “I’ll have a better vantage point upstairs. When you hear firing, run.”
Jacob and Portia got to their feet and slowly made their way to the front door and waited.
“Jacob is that you?” Leigh called out from under the deck.
“Holy shit, Leigh, you’re alive,” Jacob said just above a whisper.
“Takes more than a few hundred rounds to take me out,” she said, her voice carrying through the slats in the wood.
“We’re making a run for the vehicles in the garage, come with us,” Jacob offered.
“Where’s Gunny?” she asked.
“He’s staying, going to provide cover fire,” Jacob answered.
Leigh didn’t reply.
“No time, are you in or not?” Jacob asked.
“Yeah, I’ll go with you,” Leigh said and crawled to the end of the porch.
Gunny opened fire from a position on the second floor. In the distance the Marshals began to holler and call out as they took cover.
“Let’s go,” Jacob said taking Portia’s hand and raced out the front door. Together they leaped from the deck and hit the ground running.
Leigh sprinted from her position and caught up.
The Marshals returned fire on the house.
“Come on you sons of bitches, come and get me!” Gunny hollered and followed it up with a howl of joy.
Portia’s heart beat so hard it felt like it was going to burst. She counted each stride, knowing it basically equaled a yard. If she could make fifty, she was there.
“Runners on the right!” a voice cried out.
Rounds began to hit around Jacob, Portia and Leigh.
“Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine,” Portia counted under her breath.
“Get some you mother fuckers!” Gunny screamed out.
“Forty-three, forty-four, forty-five,” Portia continued.
A shot whizzed by Leigh’s head. “Damn that was close.” A second round came but this one hit her in the left thigh, it went in and came out, but along its journey the five point five six millimeter round tore her artery. Her leg gave out and she tumbled to the ground.
“Leigh!” Jacob cried out. He stopped, picked her up and continued on.
“Fifty!” Portia said loudly but she was still sigh of reaching the garage by twenty feet.
“I’m bleeding badly,” Leigh said wincing in pain.
“You’re fine, nothing can happen to you,” Jacob said his voice cracking with emotion.
“Here,” Portia said reaching the garage. She flung the door open and ran inside.
Jacob and Leigh were just behind. When he crossed the threshold, Jacob tripped and both, he and Leigh fell to the ground hard.
Leigh grunted out in pain.
“Portia, here are the keys to the SUV, start it up, go,” Jacob ordered.
Portia took the keys and made for the SUV.
“Boss, I’m hit pretty fucking bad,” Leigh said.
Rounds started to hit the side of the garage.
“You’re going to be fine, you listen to me, you’re going to be fine,” Jacob said in an attempt to reassure Leigh.
The SUV roared to life, tossing light across the garage.
Now able to see her leg, Jacob was shocked at the volume of blood. He put his hand against the spot and applied pressure.
Knowing her fate was sealed, she placed her shaking hands on top of his and said softly, “Go, live a good life in Paradise.”
“I’m not leaving you,” he said, his eyes welling up with tears. For years he’d cared for her, but never wanted to express his feelings for concern it would be a distraction for the team.
She placed her left hand on his cheek and said, “Thank you for saving me all those years ago.”
He could see the life draining out of her. No matter how hard he pressed down on the wound, the blood kept pouring out. “No, please, don’t go, I need you.”
“You don’t need anyone, you’re the boss,” she said wiping a tear from his cheek.
“I’ll fix you, I will,” he said and pushed down as hard as he could against her leg.
The rounds kept slamming against the side of the garage.
Her hand wandered over her vest until it found Sally. “I’ve got my girl here. No, go, please, go.”
Portia watched the emotional scene play out and she too began to cry.
Heeding Leigh’s words, Jacob left her next to the truck and got inside the SUV.
“Go?” Portia asked.
He wiped the tears from his cheek, lowered the window, readied his rifle and said, “Drive.”
Gunny put up a fight but eventually, the odds and firepower were against him. After the Marshals’ cleared the main house and killed Gunny, they went to the outbuildings.
A young Marshal walked through the shattered door of the garage and discovered Leigh. “Ty, Aaron, guys, I’ve found another!”
Leigh took a labored breath and lifted her head.
Seeing her move the young Marshal cried out, “She’s alive, the chick is alive. Guys hurry up.” He walked over and shined a flashlight down on her.
Leigh was surrounded by a large pool of blood and her face was so white it almost looked translucent. Her hands were cradled in her lap with her legs spread out in front of her.
Six Marshals entered the garage, their individual lights casting a blinding light on her.