Page 131 of Dark Breaker

He smiles confidently. “You won’t shoot.”

I cock my head and squeeze the trigger. But it won’t depress.

Then I remember what it is I’ve forgotten: the safety.

I duck into the open door beside me. Just in time, because he fires. Fragments break off from the doorframe next to my head.

I retreat deeper into the room. It’s a kitchen of some kind. I hide behind the far side of the counter and focus on my gun.

Where’s that damn safety again?

I search the muzzle and find a little lever. It’s not labeled, but I try to shove it forward. It turns sideways instead. Will that do the trick?

I wait there, trembling, listening. Can’t really hear anything above my pounding heart and my rasping breath.

I don’t want to risk looking around the edge of the counter. Some of these gangsters can move pretty quietly: he could be in the room already, and I’d only be letting him know where I’m hiding. So instead I reach into my pocket and retrieve the grenade: if he’s going to see where I am, I might as well cause some damage.

I stare at the grenade for a moment. I saw Fabio use one of these earlier. You pull the pin out, then throw it.

I regard the pin doubtfully, then shrug and pull it out. Is it armed? There’s no sign that it is, so I’m not sure. I’m going to have to assume that yes, it is, and that if I hold onto it any longer, it’s going to blow up in my face.

I throw it past the edge of my cover and an explosion rocks the kitchen a moment later. Shrapnel sprays the wall in front of me and I hear a scream.

There’s another doorway on the far side of the room and, keeping low, I hurry to it. I duck within and wait beside the door. I peer past the edge.

I can see the dude limping from the room. His pant leg is shredded, as is the skin underneath. I feel instantly bad, but what choice did I have?

He’s urgently talking into his walkie-talkie.

I retreat to the far side of this second part of the kitchen. There’s a doorway here that connects back to the hallway. I gaze out: the hall is clear on both sides.

I spot the room where they’re holding Fabio. The door is open, but I can’t see very far inside from this angle.

I start toward that room but as I get closer I spot the two armed men inside. They’re pointing weapons at two prisoners: the first is on the floor, the second is seated. I can’t see the faces of the prisoners, though at least one of them has to be Fabio or another family member.

Considering I’ve never fired a weapon like this before, I doubt I’ll be able to hit either of them. Besides, I don’t even know if I’ve properly turned off the safety. I decide I’ll have to distract the goons somehow instead. I just hope they don’t shoot their captives before I succeed.

There’s a garbage receptacle near me in the hallway here, so I kick it over and then retreat back to the kitchen.

I duck inside and peer past the door frame. An armed dude emerges from Fabio’s room and stalks down the hall. I retreat deeper into the kitchen before he can see me.

I could head for the doorway that leads to the other part of the kitchen, but that doesn’t seem like the best idea, considering that’s where I detonated my grenade earlier: it’s going to be swarming with guards very soon.

There is a cupboard beneath the sink beside me.

I wonder if I can hide here…

I open it. There’s definitely enough room for me to fit underneath the sink.

On a whim I haul myself into the cupboard and shut the doors.

Darkness surrounds me, save for the crack of light between the two cupboard doors. I peer through that crack and into the kitchen beyond: I watch the armed dude enter.

My heart pounds in my chest as I watch him sweep his weapon to and fro. I do my best to breathe quietly, and I hold my breath entirely as he gets close.

The goon pauses in front of the sink. How the hell does he know I’m in here? Or is he just guessing?

Doesn’t matter. I have to be ready.