03-29-2019, 06:11 PM
He didn’t feel good at all, but he knew there wasn’t time for any self-indulgence. Feeling like crap was his problem.
Lih knew what to do. He needed to go and set things in motion. The captain wouldn’t have assigned him this without expecting Lih to take proper action to protect his charge. If Boda died, then Captain would flay him alive and use his skull as a drinking cup. Captain never stuck him as a man fond of games.
Smoke and fire be damned, Lih knew he had to get to Boda fast. He got to his feet. He was unsteady as he rose. He had a sick feeling in his gut, but it was nothing compared to the burning turmoil in his head. He couldn’t even remember running toward the dining room. I mean, scared or not, this was a matter of protocol.
From the vantage in the dining room Lih kneeled, peering out into the dark land beyond the house. He had his weapon raised. In the shivering glow of the flames, the trees look like statues. Lih swallowed. His unease returned. His pulse began to race.
There was something in the trees… Look! Look there! Something was moving out in the trees. Something was approaching them — a figure. A running, scarred figure with a bleeding hand.
In an effort to display the sort of composure that ought to distinguish an officer of the police department, Lih went back to his chosen hiding spot, got behind the cabinet, and determinedly began to quietly stare into the darkness. His uniform was torn, the jacket tails wet with mud, and his hard-boned face pricked with blood when he teared and clawed through the debris in his haste. Boda’s house monitor lights flickered and pulsed.
After a few minutes, he heard a pop from off in the distance, not unlike the sound corks made when pulled from bottles of aged French wine. There was another one shortly afterwards, then two more in quick succession. Two more pops. Then an odd rattle, followed by another sound, muffled and far away.
He cleared his throat, swallowing hard again.
That was when he heard weapons cock.
A dangerous man wearing strange clothes stood over Lih. He stood there was if it was a matter of fact.
Lih watched a very hard muscled, sharp figure step quietly out of darkness, gleaming in the soft flicker of half light around them, suddenly apprehensive as he saw the ridiculously big glossy-black rifle come out.
Who, who are you?
Though Lih wanted to ask this, he didn’t say anything. He was unable to do a thing but stand and watch. He really wanted to say something. But he failed to give voice. The albino felt a cold, stony weight sink into his gut.
Droplets of sweat were beading his forehead. He didn’t feel good at all. The gun felt slick in his grip. He realized that his hands were shaking. His knees felt soft. There was no space in which to turn. He couldn't back away. He was fairly certain that the soldierly man would be too quick.
Does that speed really exist. He couldn’t imagine it. You couldn’t obtain that stealth even if you were to train until vomiting blood. Lih at least possessed that level of imagination…
How big was the difference between this man and himself? The gap between him and this man was overwhelming. Not only did he have huge guns, Lih also didn’t notice him closing in on him. He knew his opponent wasn’t serious. Even so, he only lived because the man didn’t kill him off.
This was unsightly. The only option remaining was the one he wanted to avoid most of all. He had to do the smart and proper thing. He had to surrender… He raised his hands and looked away at some nearby bullet holes in the side wall.
Ignoring this, the man took another gun and loaded both this and his rifle, quickly and surely; and ruthlessly, soullessly urged Lih to do something about their emergency conditions under fire.
It appeared to be a joke, though the punchline wasn’t obvious. He was looking at Lih with a faint, forgiving attitude.
Lih saw no structure to the man’s humor. He was a slight man, who looked much younger than his actual age. For Lih, every day was a battle for people to take him seriously.
Lih felt slightly light-headed. He looked up at the man, but did not rise. From his comments, the man could be a friend of Boda. He certainly spoke of the old man as though they knew one another. Or he could be hired to protect Boda.
Either of those explanations suited Lih fine.
The third one, at the back of his mind, the idea that somehow this man attacked Boda for his own gains, did not. He set the thought aside, even though it made him uneasy, and an odd sensation of brooding in the air, and his legs refused to work.
“I would if I could,” he said, belatedly when he was alone.
As the man hurried away down the long corridor toward the front door, Lih gave quiet thanks the other man wasn’t with him anymore. Stilll, he didn’t move.
He could only keep watching.
Hunters, and hunters hunting hunters.
Rivals were closing on Boda’s lawn, and when they finally met, the result wasn’t going to be good at all.
Worse still, it reduced him and Boda to one thing: prey.
When Boda’s car crashed Lih saw it happen.
He saw everything.
He could do nothing other than watch.
There was nothing else to do. Boda was done. Lih needed to send a signal… for… for help…
Yes, but…
“Boda! Boda!”
Lih broke free of his hiding place, and stumbled into the adjoining room toward the exit. He wrenched his way through the piles of loose timber and plaster after the armed man. Metal containers clattered as they fell. Trying to keep his feet as he ran out the front door and across the lawn, the albino advanced through the wood and metal debris with his arms milling and clawing, scattering the obstacles out of his way. He came to a halt just shy of the burning car and blinked, trying to focus, trying to see.
Lih
Lih knew what to do. He needed to go and set things in motion. The captain wouldn’t have assigned him this without expecting Lih to take proper action to protect his charge. If Boda died, then Captain would flay him alive and use his skull as a drinking cup. Captain never stuck him as a man fond of games.
Smoke and fire be damned, Lih knew he had to get to Boda fast. He got to his feet. He was unsteady as he rose. He had a sick feeling in his gut, but it was nothing compared to the burning turmoil in his head. He couldn’t even remember running toward the dining room. I mean, scared or not, this was a matter of protocol.
From the vantage in the dining room Lih kneeled, peering out into the dark land beyond the house. He had his weapon raised. In the shivering glow of the flames, the trees look like statues. Lih swallowed. His unease returned. His pulse began to race.
There was something in the trees… Look! Look there! Something was moving out in the trees. Something was approaching them — a figure. A running, scarred figure with a bleeding hand.
In an effort to display the sort of composure that ought to distinguish an officer of the police department, Lih went back to his chosen hiding spot, got behind the cabinet, and determinedly began to quietly stare into the darkness. His uniform was torn, the jacket tails wet with mud, and his hard-boned face pricked with blood when he teared and clawed through the debris in his haste. Boda’s house monitor lights flickered and pulsed.
After a few minutes, he heard a pop from off in the distance, not unlike the sound corks made when pulled from bottles of aged French wine. There was another one shortly afterwards, then two more in quick succession. Two more pops. Then an odd rattle, followed by another sound, muffled and far away.
He cleared his throat, swallowing hard again.
That was when he heard weapons cock.
A dangerous man wearing strange clothes stood over Lih. He stood there was if it was a matter of fact.
Lih watched a very hard muscled, sharp figure step quietly out of darkness, gleaming in the soft flicker of half light around them, suddenly apprehensive as he saw the ridiculously big glossy-black rifle come out.
Who, who are you?
Though Lih wanted to ask this, he didn’t say anything. He was unable to do a thing but stand and watch. He really wanted to say something. But he failed to give voice. The albino felt a cold, stony weight sink into his gut.
Droplets of sweat were beading his forehead. He didn’t feel good at all. The gun felt slick in his grip. He realized that his hands were shaking. His knees felt soft. There was no space in which to turn. He couldn't back away. He was fairly certain that the soldierly man would be too quick.
Does that speed really exist. He couldn’t imagine it. You couldn’t obtain that stealth even if you were to train until vomiting blood. Lih at least possessed that level of imagination…
How big was the difference between this man and himself? The gap between him and this man was overwhelming. Not only did he have huge guns, Lih also didn’t notice him closing in on him. He knew his opponent wasn’t serious. Even so, he only lived because the man didn’t kill him off.
This was unsightly. The only option remaining was the one he wanted to avoid most of all. He had to do the smart and proper thing. He had to surrender… He raised his hands and looked away at some nearby bullet holes in the side wall.
Ignoring this, the man took another gun and loaded both this and his rifle, quickly and surely; and ruthlessly, soullessly urged Lih to do something about their emergency conditions under fire.
It appeared to be a joke, though the punchline wasn’t obvious. He was looking at Lih with a faint, forgiving attitude.
Lih saw no structure to the man’s humor. He was a slight man, who looked much younger than his actual age. For Lih, every day was a battle for people to take him seriously.
Lih felt slightly light-headed. He looked up at the man, but did not rise. From his comments, the man could be a friend of Boda. He certainly spoke of the old man as though they knew one another. Or he could be hired to protect Boda.
Either of those explanations suited Lih fine.
The third one, at the back of his mind, the idea that somehow this man attacked Boda for his own gains, did not. He set the thought aside, even though it made him uneasy, and an odd sensation of brooding in the air, and his legs refused to work.
“I would if I could,” he said, belatedly when he was alone.
As the man hurried away down the long corridor toward the front door, Lih gave quiet thanks the other man wasn’t with him anymore. Stilll, he didn’t move.
He could only keep watching.
Hunters, and hunters hunting hunters.
Rivals were closing on Boda’s lawn, and when they finally met, the result wasn’t going to be good at all.
Worse still, it reduced him and Boda to one thing: prey.
When Boda’s car crashed Lih saw it happen.
He saw everything.
He could do nothing other than watch.
There was nothing else to do. Boda was done. Lih needed to send a signal… for… for help…
Yes, but…
“Boda! Boda!”
Lih broke free of his hiding place, and stumbled into the adjoining room toward the exit. He wrenched his way through the piles of loose timber and plaster after the armed man. Metal containers clattered as they fell. Trying to keep his feet as he ran out the front door and across the lawn, the albino advanced through the wood and metal debris with his arms milling and clawing, scattering the obstacles out of his way. He came to a halt just shy of the burning car and blinked, trying to focus, trying to see.
Lih
Viktor Lih
Officer of CCDPD
Officer of CCDPD