Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.1 Chapter 10

 

10.

Sean had crouched behind the desk and took deep breaths. He had sensed the Gunner Master was behind the wall at the doorway. He felt the deck wood and smiled. He had recalled Michael was concerned about being shot that he had reinforced the wood with embedded metal plates. That was a relief and then Sean had to evaluate his surroundings. He looked to the front and saw the opaque window with the outside covered by smoke. That was little to work on but to his left was the glass cupboard and to his right was the ten-seater u-shaped settee with the aquarium at the rear that held the anaconda pet. He knew at the doorway after that before the doorway. On the left were the shelves of books and the artifacts that Michael likes to collect. He was proud of the antique pieces that he claimed was his ancestry stuff.

“Sean, you still breathing?”

“Yes, Master Gunner. I am here to complete my assignment.”

“What will that be?” Master Gunner was not in the knowledge of it.

“Michael’s legacy. It will ruin his empire.” Sean replied. “All the payouts too. Who’s who…”

“That’s bad. My name may be on it.” Master Gunner replied. “You wouldn’t have it with you now.”

“It may be with me but you won’t get it,” Sean replied. “Master Gunner, we are snipers. Let us get our marksmanship in point shooting.”

Point shooting or threat focused shooting is a practical shooting method where the shooter points at a target without relying on the sights to aim, and where the emphasis is on the draw, and getting the shots.

“Can we do it with our pistol? One bullet each only.” Master Gunner dropped the last condition. Sean hesitated for he was never in such a situation not in the actual battles. He was always the sniper with the hundreds of yards separating them.  

“I will make the choice for you.” Master Gunner shot at the aquarium glass and shattered it. The water poured out and then its occupant slithered out. The serpent hissed and then touched the flooring.

“You are mad, Sir. That is a killer.” Sean called out.

“We are all killers and what is another of ours is here.” Master Gunner replied and removed the ammo clip on his pistol after leaning the rifle on the wall. “I got one bullet in my gun. Are you on?”

Sean hesitated behind the desk and was wondering where the anaconda had slithered to. He had to end the contest and then moved out. He emptied the Glock and replaced one bullet inside.

“I am all for it.” Sean crouched to look at the doorway. He could not make out the Master Gunner there. He felt Master Gunner may have moved from there. He looked around, and could not make out the presence of Master Gunner. He saw the anaconda had reached Jorge and was coiling its frame on the dead body. That was between the settee and the doorway.  The settee had a few seats and it was covering a distance of over fifteen feet. Sean could see the anaconda was a third still on the aquarium and with it other parts around the dead body. 

Sean looked to the left and saw the bookshelves but there was no cover there. So it was either the doorway or the settee. It was a split decision to decide.

Master Gunner appeared suddenly from behind the settee and fired first. The shot taken with fast reflex would have hit Sean on the head but the presence of the anaconda had unsettled the gunner caused the shot to flash past the left cheek, and Sean returned fire. He had taken the split second to shoot, and the bullet impacted on Master Gunner in the face. The other fell back landing on the wet flooring and at the trailing tail of the anaconda.

Sean was still in shock rushed towards the settee. He was not tempted to approach Master Gunner directly and climbed on the settee. He saw the serpent had moved towards Master Gunner with its upper body. It had discarded Jorge which was then a broken frame.

“No, you bastard. You can’t have him.” Sean pulled the trigger on his Glock. He then recalled the empty clip and rushed back to the desk. He grabbed a few bullets on the floor, and with shaking fingers he loaded the clip. He managed to get two in when he heard the scream from Master Gunner.

“He is alive.” Sean then rushed over. He stood on the settee and aimed the Glock at the anaconda. The serpent had coiled the head and left shoulder of Master Gunner. The serpent raised its head and hissed at Sean.

“You won’t have him.” Sean roared out in anger and pressed the trigger to shoot the serpent in the head. He shot again at the head in the open jaws. The anaconda in its death throes constricted hard on the Gunner Master’s body and the bones cracked.

Sean jumped down from the settee to pull at the dead anaconda body off Master Gunner but it was difficult to move the half a ton serpent dead weight. He did it and saw the mangled body. It was all too late.

 

Epilogue

Sean approached the three officers seated there at the table in the Commanding Structure. He had one the same battle fatigue and the Glock in the holster. He had walked in with the plastic-covered bag with Michael’s diary inside. He placed the bag in front of the officers.

“Sean, if I may call you that for your official rank was removed after you went off the grid.” The Major of the Ranger Division addressed the gunner soon after his return from Hotel California. The army had moved in soon after the fire had razed the farm and hotel. The army managed to whisk the gunner off on the orders of the Commanders.

“You may know the other two from the previous …” Major Stephens turned to look at Major Diaz and Agent Xavier.

“I know all of you. And if you looked into the diary, on pages 24, 34, and 45. You will find your names there. I ..” Sean looked at the three officers.

“Pardon me, Major. I am no more in the Rangers. You told me so.” Sean put on the weak smile. “I have not done my task just yet.”

Sean shot the Major from the Ranger in the face, and then at Agent Xavier in the heart. He had the Glock attached with the suppressor. He leveled the gun at the Colombian Major.

“Major Diaz, you are in the diary. I will spare you.” Sean saw Major Diaz was stunned by the killing. “They were on the payout. I was surprised that Master Gunner was not on it.”

“You read the diary. You were to bring it back.”

“Why send Master Gunner then? And the other three teams?”

“Sean, they were the Major Stephens men. He wanted you …or rather Michael. He said you were taking too long. I had no part in it. I lost my squad there too.”

“The war is over. You got the diary now. I am leaving.” Sean removed the suppressor. “Give me ten minutes before you call the reinforcements in.”

“Shoot me. Make it good. It will give credibility to my explanation.” Major Diaz looked at Sean. The other replaced the suppressor and shot the Colombian officer in the left shoulder before he left the scribbled note.

“Another three kills to Billy the Kid.” Sean wrote there and stepped out humming the lyrics of the song.

 

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year)
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