Page 109 of Medium
The goon took off, and we heard more slamming doors and bathroom cabinets.
I put my arm around Ellis and Shane. Shane moved oddly, like he wanted me to scratch his back.Get the phone! Pia put it in my waistband, and I’m worried it’s going to fall.
Ah. Ellis pressed closer to me to give me more maneuvering room. I slid my hand down Shane’s back until I bumped into Pia’s phone tucked into his waistband. Ellis shifted in front of me as I slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans.
We’d edged along the wall enough that we were in the corner of the room. The front door was about fifteen feet away from us along this wall, but if we ran for it, we’d be easy targets, especially for automatic weapons.
Hugo pulled a handgun from his pants pocket and pointed it at Grandfather. “Did you fake your death or something? Was this all some sort of con?”
Grandfather rolled his eyes. “Did you or did you not see me appear from thin air? I’m dead, Hugo. Shoot me if you want to; it won’t make a difference.”
Mercy and Garfield popped in next to Grandfather. Ellis and Shane jumped. Right. They hadn’t met those two yet. Garfield was in his naked, hairy glory. The goons in the room shouted and pointed their weapons, and Randolph pulled out a gun of his own. “Who—what? You’re dead! You’re both dead! I buried you myself! How are you here?”
The third goon ran back in and hovered uncertainly near the hallway to the bedrooms, his gun pointing between Mercy and Garfield.
Mercy ignored Randolph and gave me a thumbs up. “The Hunters took out all the bad guys who were guarding the house. Ms. Jackson has Pia. Arch and Dominic said we could deal with this asshole.” She pointed at Randolph. “And it’s up to you about the other one.”
Randolph was still sputtering. “How are you even here?”
Grandfather snorted. “Ghosts, you dumbfuck. Get with the program!”
Garfield held up his hand. “It’s our turn, Carlyle.” His voice became loud enough to be heard outside. “Randolph Chamberlain, the charges against you include trafficking, enslavement, and causing death by neglect. How do you plead?”
Randolph raised a shaking hand to point his gun at Garfield. “Plead? This isn’t a court. You don’t have any jurisdiction here.”
Mercy intoned. “Randolph Chamberlain, you are sentenced to death. You will not be allowed any last words, because we don’t give a fuck.”
Garfield morphed into a huge gray wolf, and Mercy changed into an even larger polar bear. But instead of attacking Randolph, Garfield leapt toward the goon near the back door, and Mercy lunged toward the one near the hallway.
Both men fired a spray of bullets at the ghosts, but the ghosts vanished before they reached their targets.
Shane, Ellis, and I dropped to the floor when the guns went off. We looked up in time to see Randolph Chamberlain fall to the ground, riddled with bullets.
I could tell it wasn’t visible to anyone else in the room, but I saw Randolph’s ghost rise from his body. He barely had time to look around before the translucent wolf and polar bear, who’d been waiting nearby, tore him to shreds.
I gulped and focused on Hugo, who’d ducked behind Grandfather and the third goon. He was clutching one hand to his chest and shouting what looked like, “No! Randolph!” but I couldn’t be sure because my ears were ringing from the gunfire.
The goon near the hallway raced to the back door, and he and the other one who’d shot Randolph ran into the night. They wouldn’t get far.
Ellis, Shane, and I slowly stood up. The third goon let go of Grandfather’s arm. He pointed his gun at Hugo and backed away, occasionally glancing toward me, Shane, and Ellis to make sure we weren’t a threat.
Hugo didn’t bother watching him go. He spun around and pointed his gun at me. I didn’t have any trouble making out his words. “This is your fault!” His face was white, and he was sweating. He waved his free hand as if he was swatting a fly.
Shit. I held up my hands and walked a few steps along the wall away from Shane and Ellis.
Rory!Ellis was pissed.
Dammit, don’t be a hero!Shane tried to grab at me, but Hugo swung his gun over, so he stopped and held his hands up like I was doing. Ellis shrank back into the corner.
I nodded to indicate I’d heard both of them but kept moving slowly toward the door. My hearing was coming back a little at a time, but I heard Grandfather.
“Hugo, don’t make this worse. Did you know you’re having a heart attack? You should sit down.” Grandfather uttered this in the same tone he’d use to advise Hugo to take an umbrella because it might rain.
Hugo continued to advance toward me, gun first. “I’m going to kill Rory, Father. You always loved him more than me. Same with my unlamented sibling.”
I kept my hands up high. “Uncle Hugo, we need to get you to the hospital.”
His breathing was becoming labored. “I’ll go after....” He waggled his gun at me. “After I kill you.”
