Page 50 of Twice Missing
Callie quickly dressed, grabbed her firearm, and checked her phone. No signal. She considered calling 911 but hesitated, not wanting to jump to conclusions. It could be Ray, after all.
"Hide in the closet," she whispered to the teens, her mind racing through possible scenarios.
As they huddled in the closet, the sound of footsteps on the stairs made Callie's blood run cold. She heard muffled voices.
"Check upstairs."
Moving fast, Callie hurried back to the bedroom, closing the door quietly. "Let's go," she whispered, opening the closet.
"Where? Who is it?" Mia asked, emerging from beneath the hanging clothes.
Callie pushed open the window, helping the teens out onto the sloped roof over the garage. Behind her, footsteps approached. "Drop down over there. Head into the woods. Don't look back or come back, no matter what you hear. As soon as you get a signal, call the police."
"Callie, we can't?—"
"Go!" Callie hissed, leaving the window open. She quickly arranged pillows under the covers to simulate a sleeping form, then positioned herself in the darkest corner of the room, her Sig Sauer gripped tightly in both hands.
Her heart pounded as she watched the door, adrenaline coursing through her veins. A shadow moved outside, and the handle turned. The barrel of a rifle appeared first.
Callie's training kicked in.Don't fire until you can identify the threat and believe your life is in danger.The words of her instructor echoed in her mind:“If you can justify it in court, that's all that matters.”
The stranger entered and fired two rounds into the bed. That was all Callie needed. She opened fire, her shotstearing through the door and into the intruder. The assailant collapsed, choking on blood.
Callie kicked the gun away from his hand just as footsteps thundered up the stairs. She grabbed the body, trying to use it as a shield, but she wasn't quick enough.
More gunfire erupted, forcing Callie to return fire. The dark landing lit up with muzzle flashes as automatic weapons sprayed the room. Outgunned, Callie dove for the window, slipping on the roof and tumbling into a snowbank below.
The cold shocked her system as she gasped for air. Above, she heard shouts about her escape. Forcing herself to her feet, Callie spotted the teens' footprints in the snow and followed them towards the treeline.
The heavy snow made every step a struggle, but Callie pushed on, her police training kicking in. Suddenly, silenced gunfire erupted around her, bullets tearing into nearby trees.
Callie took cover, peeking out to return fire at the two men advancing on her position. She darted between trees, trying to put distance between herself and her pursuers.
She found Mia and Ethan huddled behind a large boulder. "I told you to go," Callie hissed.
"Go where?" Mia responded, her voice trembling. "We don't have our coats. We're in the middle of nowhere."
"Shit!" Callie checked her phone again. No signal.
"We already tried calling dad," Ethan said. "Nothing."
More gunfire forced them to duck lower. Callie's mind raced, trying to formulate a plan. They were outgunned and exposed in the freezing forest.
She peeked around the boulder, spotting one of the attackers closing in. Taking a deep breath, Callie steadied her aim and fired. The man went down hard, blood staining the snow around him.
But there was no time for relief. The second attacker unleashed a barrage of gunfire, forcing Callie and the teens to scramble for new cover. They dashed between trees as bullets splintered wood all around them.
Callie's magazine ran dry. She cursed under her breath, realizing she had no spare ammo. With no other option, she formulated a desperate plan.
"Stay here," she whispered to Mia and Ethan, crouching behind a fallen log. "Don't move, no matter what happens."
Callie circled around, using the trees for cover. She could hear the attacker's heavy breathing as he searched for them. Timing it carefully, she waited until he was just past her position.
With a surge of adrenaline, Callie launched herself at the man. They went down hard, the rifle clattering away in the snow. Callie landed a solid punch to his jaw, but he recovered quickly, throwing her off.
They grappled in the snow, each fighting for dominance. The man landed two hard blows to Callie's face, dazing her momentarily. She retaliated with a knee to his groin and an uppercut that sent him reeling.
For a moment, it seemed Callie had the upper hand. But then the tide turned. The attacker produced a knife, slashing at her wildly. Callie dodged, but not fast enough.The blade caught her arm, then her leg, leaving burning gashes.
