The Soul Collectors

8

Darby lurched forward on her left foot, keeping her right planted firmly on the floor. Switchblade quick, she clutched Charlie's wrist with her left hand. Twisted it, surprised to feel bones snapping underneath her grip, and pulled him off balance as he squeezed the trigger.

The sound of the gunshot was no louder than a firecracker. The round splintered the headboard as she yanked Charlie's arm, pushing him up against Mark Rizzo's shoulder. Held on to his wrist as she pivoted her body and squared her shoulders, throwing all her weight behind her right fist and shattering his nose. His head snapped back. She heard the tumble to the floor. Before his knees gave out she gripped him by the throat, the dried leathery flaps of the skin mask hard underneath her palm and fingers, and smashed the back of Charlie's head against the wall.

Charlie didn't fight — didn't have the strength or the inclination. She tossed him over her leg and threw him against the floor. Turned him on to his stomach and then dug her knee into the small of his back, pinning him to the carpet. She had the pair of Flexicuffs in her hands and he continued to lie still, gagging on the blood pouring down his throat and into his mouth. She yanked his arms hard behind his back and then he screamed when she heard bones snapping and breaking.

'Subject is down,' she yelled into the chest mike, tightening the pair of Flexicuffs around his wrists. 'I repeat, subject is down and the house is secure.'

'Promise me,' Charlie gagged, spitting out blood and teeth on to the carpet. 'Promise you won't let them take me.'

One of the bedroom windows shattered. Darby heard a whistling sound above her head and then a thud. A tear gas canister had hit the far wall and was now rolling across the floor, hissing smoke. Trent had heard the gunshot and ordered his men to breach the house.

Another pane of glass exploded, another tear gas canister hit the wall and then tumbled across the floor near the bedroom door.

Thick clouds of white smoke were quickly filling the room. Darby shut her eyes and, holding her breath, found the side pouch. She ripped it open, grabbed the gas mask and fitted it over her face.

Charlie had rolled on to his side. She had knocked out most of his front teeth. He stared at her, his wide, frightened eyes blazing from behind the ghoul mask.

'Lock me away,' Charlie said between gagging. 'Lock me where they can't find me.'

Darby jumped to her feet as the front door was knocked off its hinges.

'Others,' he screamed.

Smoke was quickly spreading through the room. Darby grabbed Judith Rizzo by the arms.

'Promise me — '

Charlie started coughing, hacking and wheezing from the tear gas filling his lungs. She dragged the mother into the hall, and heard Charlie's last words: 'Get the others.'

Two armed SWAT officers were rushing to the foot of the stairs.

'Stand down,' she yelled, pleased by the strength and clarity of the mask's voice amplification system. She guided the woman's head to the floor. 'I repeat stand down.'

The front officer stopped running and stood in the middle of the stairwell. Darby moved to the top of the steps.

'Subject is down and cuffed,' she said. 'Bring the ambulance around, we have a — '

The SWAT officer raised his shotgun and fired.