Glazier

by Bri Clark

  “You don’t sound afraid. Are you not aware that I can easily kill you with one pull of the trigger?” he threatened.

  My response was cool and businesslike. “Yes, I’m aware. I’d say that would be disappointing. The great Abbass killing a mere woman execution style with a gun. I would’ve expected more of a challenge.” I laughed, displaying a lightness I didn’t feel. “That’s why I agreed to the job.” I played up to his arrogance. I could sense Shae was scared and confused.

  “And what job is that? A rescue mission? Or are you after this little card. It’s funny how something so small, almost insignificant, can be worth so much.” He had the list on a memory card, something that could be slid into most cameras. How clever. Something hidden in plain sight.

  “Answer me!” he demanded.

  “Actually neither.” I responded, my opportunity presenting it.

  “Then why are you here?” he demanded. “What’s your assignment, spy?’

  “No, not a spy,” I bluffed.

  “Then what—no, better yet, who are you?”

  “Assassin,” I lied, my one-word answer revealing nothing but having the intended effect. Shae eyed my weapons and held her breath.

  Abbass snorted but I sensed the smallest twinge of fear in him, presenting me with the opening I needed.

  “I have to admit. I wasn’t planning on a rescue. You forced my hand. I should have killed you when I had all those chances.” I emphasized the plural with a narrow-eyed smile.

  “Chances? Forced your hand? Show yourself, wench!” he yelled. He was furious. I raised my hands up to my wig. He waited. If he didn’t shoot me, I’d get my chance. The wig fell to the floor, unleashing my ginger tresses to flow around my face and against my back. Shae’s perfect, rose lips fell open in surprise then pursed as she scowled at me.

  Her previous fear and terror were replaced now with anger. She had warned me to stay away. I also sensed a newfound hope in her. It gave me courage. Glazier was wild, ready to be unleashed, waiting for her turn. I heard the gasp coming from Abbass at the realization. His frustration quickly dissolved into pride-fueled rage.

  “On your feet and keep your hands up,” he commanded.

  I did as he said.

  “Turn around,” he ordered.

  I turned around, but only after winking at Shae. I positioned my hands a little lower at the elbow in an attempt to hide my blades. His eyes scorched over me furiously.

  “You!” he laughed. “Sent to kill me. You’re joking right?” he chuckled.

  “All part of the plan.” I answered coolly.

  He grunted.

  “Think about it,” I cooed. “How many times I could have killed you. You’re personal guard is gone, and no one around.” I challenged.

  His menacing smile disappeared as he apparently ran all the different times over in his memory.

  “Just the simple fact that I was able to penetrate your supposedly protected compound is proof enough. However, there were times you aren’t even aware of,” I said, trying my luck with more lies. It worked. His wounded pride was sending him into a frenzy.

  “Well if that is all true, then why didn’t you?” he insisted.

  “Too easy,” I said, feigning boredom. He chuckled but it was all bravado. “If it was too easy, then what’s your preference?”

  “One on one. I expected it, at least. As I said, I heard all the horror stories of the great Abbass. I guess that’s what they all were. Stories.”

  “One on one. You think you can fight the great Abbass?” His laughter was like fingernails on a chalkboard, taunting Glazier.

  “If you’re so sure of yourself, then why do you need a gun?” I challenged, halting his laughter.

  “I know what you’re trying to do. I won’t fall for it. You’re quite cunning, but you’re no match for Abbass.”

  “Huh. Just as I thought.” I grunted, acting unimpressed.

  “Thought what?”

  “A coward.” The word spat out of my mouth.

  “You talk a lot about the great Abbass, about me being a mere woman, but you yourself are so scared of that mere woman you won’t even face me without a gun. Look how far away you are. You’re pathetic.”

  My words infuriated him.

  “All right, if you want your death to be painful, so it shall be. Take that coat off, disarm yourself, we shall be equal, well as equal as possible.” He chuckled. At least until I took my coat off and revealed my arsenal of sharp weaponry. I undid each holster, sitting them on the floor as close to Shae as possible, but careful not to make him aware of my intentions. After I released the final strap, he threw the gun down, crossed the distance between us, and lunged at me.

  Shae’s shrill screams echoed off the metal walls. “Marie!”

  The force of his body slammed me against the wall. He was strong and fast. But he was no Henry. He pinned me against the wall, his hand holding me off the floor by my neck.

  Glazier’s icy inferno erupted inside, completely taking over. My legs pulled up in front of me, bending my knees to my chest, I kicked against him, forcing him to release his hold on my neck. Then I fell to my feet in a crouching position. I filled my lungs with two big breaths of air.

  He was stunned, falling back against a control panel on the opposite wall. I took advantage of the opportunity, moving rapidly, utilizing the surprise. He was a skilled fighter. I would have to use my speed and agility to beat him. I wouldn’t last one on one. This was the longest I had ever let Glazier have total control, and my energy was fading too fast. I ran at him, my movements a blur, grabbed a pole, and swung my body, kicking him across the room.

  He flew back, landing hard on the concrete floor, sliding several feet before he stopped. I wouldn’t let up. I was right on top of him. He straightened up abruptly, defending my attacks. He punched and I dodged, too fast for him to make contact. His fist connected with the wall behind me, leaving his knuckles bloody.

  He cursed in frustration. I continued my defensive. I knew I could evade him for only so long. But I could keep this up long enough to reach my weapons, tire him out. Our dance continued, weaving in and around one another.

  Shae’s screams filled the air like violent music in the background. My eyes never left Abbass. I couldn’t afford any distraction. I knew this, yet, it still happened. I sensed Henry, approaching, hesitated for but a second, and allowed Abbass’s hand to make contact with my face. The force jerked my head around and sent me to the floor.

  The side of my face burned, tears stung my eyes, while his cursing taunted me. I opened my eyes. Shae was crying and screaming, fighting against the cuffs that restrained her. I wiped the tears from my eyes, clearing my vision. My cheek still stung, I saw the bruise covering poor Shae’s face and felt blood trickle down my own face. I reached my hand to it and saw the rust-colored liquid. I now felt the same pain Shae had felt. I knew the pain would continue if I didn’t stop him.

  Henry was on his way, with a weak Collin not far behind. Abbass had guards. There would be too many for them. I had to end this. I called Glazier back into control, forgetting about my plan, refusing to think, allowing her to control, pure unbridled driven instinct. I knew that she would weaken me considerably, but I had no choice.

  I jumped to my feet. Abbass’s head jerked around, he pulled out a black stick, twisting it in his hands. The stick revealed a long sharp sword, and he ran toward me with it. I leaped away for my own sword, on the other side of the room. I moved at Glazier speed. I retrieved my weapon, and our swords met, steel on steel, sparks flying. Once again, our dance began. I could sense Henry’s presence before I heard his shouts.

  “Stop! No, Marie!”

  I recoiled, allowing Glazier to control. I couldn’t afford another distraction.

  He was an expert swordsman, yet I matched him blow for blow. Sword on sword combat was another specialty of mine. Glazier’s fury pulsated through my muscles and tendons giving me additional strength and stamina. Abbass began to retreat as I
gained the upper hand.

  My skill far exceeded his, especially with the added measure Glazier gave me. I pulled my sword back, sashaying around him unexpectedly, moving around at Glazier speed to his flank, my sword curved around his neck, overpowering him. He froze, realizing I had him.

  “Drop the sword,” I commanded. Glazier fought me for control internally, wanting to end it, wanting his blood spilled. I assumed control. He dropped the sword. He faced the chair that Shae had previously occupied. I assumed Collin and Henry had freed her, but I couldn’t focus on that. I had to fight with Glazier to maintain control, and the fight was weakening me physically.

  “You’re quite an opponent. I knew there was something more to you than beauty. A beast in disguise, it seems. Go ahead, assassin, do your job,” he goaded.

  “On your knees,” I commanded.

  “I will bow down to no one.” He spit.

  I could see Henry, Collin, and Shae out of the corner of my eye. Collin was dressing Shae’s wounds; he covered her with my coat. Henry’s eyes deadlocked on Abbass with his own inner struggle going on. He wanted Abbass so bad. Abbass had tormented him from the moment we first arrived, making him constantly worry about me in this volatile situation.

  An alarm sounded and red lights started circling the room. I looked at Henry, sharing the same confused expression. Abbass once again took advantage of my distraction, dropping to his knees and grabbing his sword. I reacted quickly, our swords meeting again, steel on steel.

  Without Glazier, I wasn’t an equal match. I could call on her again but she would kill him, and as much as I hated him, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Not now, not with the people I loved safe. I couldn’t find my previous malice. I could sense the guards approaching. They had to run. I would hold them off. I would hold Abbass off.

  Out of nowhere, Henry’s mammoth arms encircled Abbass from behind.

  “Get out of here now, Marie!” he bellowed at me.

  I wouldn’t, couldn’t, leave him. Abbass struggled against his brute strength, but he couldn't even begin to match it. Abbass dropped the sword. Henry had his arms pinned to his side. Abbass flailed his head back only to meet Henry’s rock hard chest.

  “Marie, go help Collin with Shae,” he said through clenched teeth. He was furious. I obeyed the command. I ran over to where Collin had Shae wrapped in my coat. He was placing soft kisses on her swollen lips. I hated to interrupt their moment, but we had to go. I grabbed my blades and strapped them to their designated places. I could see Henry’s back, his expanse of shoulders blocking the unfolding scene. Sirens blasted about us. I could sense the approaching guards.

  “Collin, get Shae out of here! I’ll hold them off! There are guards approaching.”

  “No deal. We aren’t leaving you two.” Collin pulled out the gun Henry had retrieved from their room, readying himself for a fight. I saw Shae’s determined glare.

  “Fine,” I conceded.

  A guard appeared from the metal corridor. Glazier left me weak from a war I was still waging. I pulled two short, pointed stars from my shoulder harness and launched them.

  They landed on their marks, one in his shoulder one in the thigh. I intentionally missed any fatal spots. He was distracted by pain. I ran up the side of the wall and launched myself at him. I kicked him in the head, knocking him out cold. I bent over pulling my blades out of him, wiping his blood off with his shirt.

  Suddenly someone grabbed a handful of my hair and whipped my head back.

  A gunshot sounded.

  Chapter Thirty One

  Marie

  Abbass’s underground hideout

  My hair was released. I twirled around to find Collin towering above Shae, his gun pointed in my direction. I looked behind me to see another guard on the floor bleeding. Henry held me in the protective circle of his arms. His movements were erratic. I locked my arms around his neck. I could sense the panic he felt. Everything happened so fast. The red sirens were still blaring but it all seemed to go quiet except for the next gunshot.

  As I hugged Henry’s neck, I saw Abbass coming at us with his sword drawn. I screamed. I tried to jump over Henry’s back to block him from Abbass' attack, but he held me in a death grip. I could barely breathe. I was helpless. All I could do was watch Henry’s impending doom. I screamed at him to stop. Henry turned to see. Just as he swung us around, my eyes left Abbass for just a second but in that moment, everything changed dramatically.

  Abbass fell to his knees, his sword dropped, his cold, callous eyes went vacant and he collapsed. As he fell, his murderer was revealed. It was Shae. She held the little gun I had brought. She just stared in to space blankly. Collin ran to her side immediately.

  “Shae, my heart. Are you okay? Shae, look at me.” Collin’s voice was breathless. Shae moved her eyes from the body of Abbass meeting Collin’s. She looked at him for only a minute before she hid her face in his chest.

  Henry still held me close as the sirens became loud again, and the earth seemed to begin its natural rhythm. “We’ve got to get moving. The gun shots will alert them to where we are!” Henry yelled to Collin. Collin shook his head, picked up Shae, and grimaced under her weight.

  “Follow me!” Henry yelled. My eyes fell on Abbass again. His blood covered the floor. I remembered the card, the list of spies. I had to protect all those people. People like Shae and Collin. Henry met my troubled eyes.

  “What, Love? Are you hurt?”

  “No! Henry, we have to get the list. It’s in Abbass’s shirt pocket. It’s on a memory card.” I cried. Henry’s eyes grew wide, confirming that he had forgotten our original charge just as I had. Henry raced to Abbass’s body, ripped the pocket off, then handed me the material and card as he ran, to my shock, toward the house. I glared at him. My face communicated my surprise because he answered my unspoken question.

  “It’s all right. I have a plan. Just do what I tell you to do. I swear if you don’t…” His eyes narrowed, I felt the brutal honesty of his unfinished promise. I assured him I would listen with a curt nod.

  Shae and Collin were okay. Abbass was dead. The people I cared about were safe. Then I realized I had no idea where Hagar was. And what about Berg? I wouldn’t leave them here to be abused. We made it to the elevator shaft. Collin leaned heavily against the wall still holding Shae. Henry carried me in one arm as he worked on the elevator wiring, starting it up in a millisecond. We rode the elevator up to the wood panel where Henry kicked right through it. We walked into Abbass’s office.

  Henry didn’t stop. He busted right through the opposite wall with Collin close at his heels. We spilled into the hallway that ran beside the ballroom. Henry stopped for a moment, doing a sense. He crouched down, motioning for Collin to come.

  “All right, stay close. Do as I say. No matter what you see, do as I say and we’ll get out of this nightmare alive,” Henry whispered.

  Collin looked Henry straight in the eye, complete trust and loyalty in his own shaking his head in acknowledgement.

  “Henry,” I whispered. “Please let me down. You need two arms. With my help, we’ll have four.”

  “No way,” he stated, determined. His already python grip grew stronger. I ignored it.

  “Henry! Collin is on his last legs. Shae can’t even hold herself up. You have to. I swear I’ll do whatever you want me to. I promise. I just want to get out of here."

  He closed his eyes and held his head down, but his grip loosened. Before he sat me down, he kissed me.

  “Here’s the plan. We have to get to the stables. Hagar is there hiding, waiting on us. We have to get some horses and make it to the south end of the compound. I have a plane just over the wall, waiting.”

  I stared at him in awe.

  “You got it?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” I answered, reaching down grasping some blades then twirling them.

  We made it through the estate undetected and all the way to the stables. I assumed most of the guards were heading to the base in response to
the sirens. We couldn’t hear them at the stables. However, their distraction wouldn’t last long. To my utter joy, I found Hagar there, unharmed. Berg was out of his stable waiting anxiously. I hugged Hagar. Henry grabbed a saddle and began to lead a chestnut mare out of a stall. He was so quick. I could see the shock on the faces of Hagar, Shae, and Collin.

  Berg’s hoof stamped the floor, catching my attention. I came to him, patting his regal neck. He was wound up tight, and I didn’t understand. Collin was the one who clarified.

  “He won’t leave without them.” He gestured to the rest of the horses. They all stood tall and alert in their stalls, waiting. I ran to every stall opening up the doors. I could hear the gasps of the others as I moved at Glazier speed. I stopped at the same point where I’d started, beside Berg. I could sense all their eyes on me, their confusion. I blocked them out. I concentrated on Berg. He didn’t even seem startled by my movement. As I ran my hand along his coat, again I could feel him relax.