Into the Shadows Read Online Free PDF Page B

the intruders were or how many
were left, my plan was to adapt to the situation. That meant I was
going to wing it.
    I slipped through the door, keeping low.
There was a body on the far side of the pool table. It was one of
the intruders; his neck was broken. I patted the body. No wallet,
just extra ammo magazines. There was another burst of gunfire
somewhere upstairs. I peeked out into the short hallway that led to
the large central family room. Directly across from me was the door
to the monitor room. It was open, and Craig's body was inside. The
windowless room stunk of burnt gunpowder, blood, and spilled
coffee.
    I turned my head to look into the family
room. Two intruders opened fire at me, pocking the walls and
doorframe with bullets. Well, shit, they could see pretty well in
the dark. I dropped to my stomach, looked back around the doorway,
and unloaded half a magazine at the intruder shape that was in full
view. I pulled back to safety and heard a body hit the floor out
there. More gunfire erupted and automatic rounds chewed up the
walls and marble flooring just outside my doorway. If I didn't move
soon, one of 'em would've used a different door to the patio and
come back in behind me. Not good.
    I heard one of the intruders yell, "Get in
there and finish them off!" He meant Cordell, the client, and the
others in the study. I didn't know how many intruders were left -
specifically, how many were waiting for me. Fuck it; I had to get
to Cord.
    Once back on my feet, I peeked out into the
hallway again. By then, my eyes had fully acclimated to the
darkness; the dim glow of snow that shone through the windows
helped. I studied the shadows of furniture and didn't see anyone
lurking. Somewhere else nearby, another burst of gunfire went off.
With a gun in either hand, I charged out.

    RESCUE
    Bullets started flying. One intruder was
between a couch and the far wall. He was closest. And stupid, too;
my rounds ripped right through the cushions and into him. The
Mac-11 emptied, so I dropped it. I kept moving to the right along a
wall. Another guy was a few steps up the wide staircase, firing
wildly. Most of his bullets hit the furniture between us. I fired
back with my Glock in my right hand, pointing across my body as I
moved. We were both just blasting away, hoping for a lucky shot to
hit home.
    A figure came quickly down the stairs behind
him. It was the overcoat guy, nothing but shadow and size. Just as
my Glock emptied, he gripped the intruder on both sides of his head
with big hands, and twisted. I heard the grisly crack of a broken
neck. The intruder slumped like a bag of bones. Overcoat guy spun
and ran back up the stairs; I never did get a good look at him.
    More gunfire sounded in the next hallway to
my right off the main foyer, the one that led to the study. A woman
screamed. I stepped over two prone bodies, a man and a woman, while
trying to slap another magazine into my gun. I got to the corner of
the hallway just as another gunman came out. As he raised his gun,
I used the full magazine in my hand to strike him hard in the
trachea. Airway crushed, he dropped his gun to grasp at his neck.
While he stumbled out into the foyer making gurgling noises, I
looked down the hallway.
    The door to the study was riddled with bullet
holes, but was shut. In front of it on the hallway floor was a body
with a dark puddle forming underneath it. I moved up to near the
door and knocked. A woman screamed again. I waited a couple seconds
until it was quiet again in there, and then said, "Cordell, Mr.
Everett, this is Leo. I'm alone. I'm coming in."
    After reloading, I put my gun in my holster
and turned the handle. The door wasn't locked because it didn't
have one. I slowly pushed the door open and saw a large, sturdy
desk lying on its side, facing me. It had a few holes in it. Over
the edge of it, I saw the top half of Cordell's face, plus the gun
he was pointing at me. He saw it was me and relaxed. Six people
were huddled behind him,