to think, Payne and Jones reacted to the situation like it was an everyday occurrence. Their experiences with the MANIACs had prepared them for far worse. Payne dashed for cover in the front corner of the shop, which was away from the broken window and allowed him to take a clean shot at anyone who entered the front door. Meanwhile, Jones headed in the opposite direction, taking refuge behind the front counter.
“Are you all right?” Jones yelled as he pulled out his Glock.
“I’m not perfect, but I’m better than Sam.”
Jones glanced around the corner and stared at the near-headless victim. Crimson gushed from the gaping hole where his face used to be. Hair, brain, and bone clung to the back wall like chunky spaghetti sauce.
“We’re dealing with a serious weapon, Jon. Whatever it is tore right through his skull.”
Payne surveyed the scene before offering his summation of the kill. “From the looks of it, the shooter has an elevated position.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Look at the window if you can. The top is the only part that’s broken, and the only way a bullet can do that and hit a man in the head is if it was discharged from above.”
Jones nodded in agreement. “If that’s the case, this wasn’t a drive-by. The bastard’s probably on a roof or in a tree. No way we’ll be able to nail him from this angle.”
“You’re probably right. That’s why we’re going to have to go outside and get him.”
Jones put his finger in his ear and tried to unclog it. “Sorry, I must’ve misheard you. Did you say we should go out there and get him?”
“Yes, princess, that’s what I said.”
The statement didn’t sit well with Jones. “But we don’t know what we’re up against! Hell, we don’t know a damn thing, and you want us to go outside with our weapons blazing? Am I Butch or Sundance?”
Payne chuckled at Jones’s reaction. He expected something more soldierly from an ex-MANIAC. “Wow, wait until I tell the fellas about this at our next squad reunion. They won’t believe how quickly you’ve lost your nerve!”
“I haven’t lost my nerve, Jon. I’ve gained common sense. What good is it to go outside and face a sniper?”
“What good? Going out there could save Ariane’s life!”
“How do you figure?”
“Think about it! Why was Sam killed? What purpose could that have served?”
Jones shrugged. “I don’t know. Somebody wanted to keep him quiet.”
“Exactly! Sam must’ve known something, and it must’ve been pretty damn important.”
“Like what?”
“I have no idea. Maybe he could identify someone, or has a billing address in his files, or maybe, just maybe, he knew something about Ariane. Truthfully, I don’t know. But if we don’t go outside, our odds of getting an answer go down considerably. And you know it!”
“Shit,” Jones grumbled, realizing what Payne had in mind. “You’re hoping to take this guy alive, aren’t you?”
Payne nodded. “How else is he going to be useful?”
Jones knew that Payne was right, that they needed to talk to the guy, but he also realized the level of danger that would be involved. If the sniper was still outside, he was probably waiting for them to make a move. And the moment they did—bang! Because that’s how snipers operated. They patiently waited for their targets to do something stupid, then they took full advantage.
“So, are you coming or not?” Payne asked in a less than pleasant tone. “ ’Cause if you aren’t, I gotta start looking for a new best friend.”
“Ah, man, why did you have to go there? Anytime you need a favor, you always pull out the best-friend card. Fine, I’ll help you out, but I’m not doing this because of your stupid threat. I’m doing this because I need the exercise.”
Payne grinned in appreciation. “The first thing we need to do is figure out how we’re going to get out of here. Since the door is glass, he’ll pick us off before we even open it. We’ll need to find a different exit.”
“How about the window? If I knock out the bottom half, we could slip behind one of the cars outside with little exposure time. Plus, it’ll let this guy know we’re armed.”
“Sounds good. But before we go, let me get the lights. The less this guy sees, the better.”
Jones liked the idea. Darkness would improve their odds even more. “Can you reach ’em from there, or are you going to have to shoot ’em out?”
Payne leaned out from his hiding place and stared