Excerpt: SoCS

Chapter One: Let The Games Begin

It wasn't the splat of the plasma as it burned it's way into the wall behind Max, or the sound of the cap popping from the gun that the charge had come from that took Max by surprise. No, it was the smell of burning hair that had gotten to him. The smell that made him immediately made him throw his right hand to the top of his head as he turned on his heels into a crouching position, while reaching for his gun with his left. He was relieved to find that it had only been a few errant strands of hair that had been singed, and there wouldn't be a mark on his scalp.

But now, as he turned in the direction the shot had come from he was completely shocked by what he saw. His assassin was a female who shouldn't have missed. She was smiling at him, a sense of familiarity and predictability glowing like a joke from her green flecked eyes. It was as if it had been a joke to her taking this shot at him. It didn't occur to him to wonder why she was here, or why she was now. It didn't occur to him to wonder if there had been some purpose in her missing him. Instead he reacted with the instincts that were burned into him genetically.

Max did a tuck-and-roll across the short expanse of hallway that separated him and his would-be assassin. He landed on his feet, and swept out with one foot and knocked her legs out from under her. She hit the ground squarely in her back with a resounding “ooff” as the wind was forced from her lungs and diaphram. He jumped on top of her, knocked the gun from her hand and pinned her arms down with his knees.

“I would have thought that if you'd really wanted me dead you would have done it long before now.”

“Who said I wanted you dead?” she gasped, trying to regain her breath. “Besides, Miri would never forgive me if I did that.”

It was true, and Max knew it. Anna would never do anything to him if it meant that their daughter would be hurt. Looking at Anna's face now he could see that she was quite amused.