Page 5 of Nails

With a low growl of frustration, Riley spun and yanked the basement door open and slipped inside just as several bullets tore through the couch cushions she’d just been behind.

The stairs were steep and uneven, and before she could steady herself, her boot hit something, causing her to tumble down the stairs.She hit the concrete floor hard.Pain exploded through her side, and for a moment, she lay there, stunned.The coldness of the basement seeped into her bones, and the darkness swallowed everything.The chaos upstairs seemed distant now, the sounds muffled by the floorboards above her.

“Goddammit,” she hissed.“I really hope there’s another way out of this hellhole,” she said to herself as she flicked on the flashlight mounted on her pistol.

She looked around.The open space stretched out before her.There were tables set up all over with equipment and jugs of chemicals to make drugs.It seemed that Special Agent Topper was right, and this space was indeed used as a drug kitchen.

Thankfully, it appeared there wasn’t anyone else down there.However, the peacefulness didn’t last long as she heard the creak of the door leading upstairs.

“She came down here,” a voice sneered.

Riley’s pulse spiked.Shit!She quickly flicked off the flashlight and forced herself to move.She carefully maneuvered around all the tables and junk that was piled up.Her fingers brushed against something sticky, and she grimaced.God knows what else was down there.

Heavy footsteps thudded down the stairs.

“If she’s down here, she ain’t getting out,” the other voice said.She then heard another laugh.Shit!Were there three of them?

She spotted a narrow space between a metal filing cabinet and an overturned table, and she squeezed into it.

“This is Special Agent Aiken.I am trapped in the basement with two, potentially three suspects,” she whispered into her mic.She wasn’t sure if anyone could hear her.

She heard a click and then saw a dim light moving around.Flashlight.

She peeked her head out and could see their shapes moving through the darkness.There were three of them.

“Come out, honey,” one taunted.

“Yeah, we just wanna talk,” another said, sounding cocky.They thought they had her trapped.

Riley tightened the grip around her Glock.She could take down one or two, but three?That was pushing it.

She peered around the edge of the cabinet and saw they had spread out.

“You might as well make it easy on yourself, copper.We promise to make your death quick.”

Riley’s muscles coiled as the footsteps drew closer.She only had seconds before they would find her.She had to try at least to make a run for it.Maybe head back up the stairs.

With a burst of adrenaline, she launched herself from her hiding spot, firing as she moved.She heard a grunt and the sound of a body hitting the ground—one down.The other two opened fire, and before she could take cover, a bullet slammed into her vest from behind, knocking her forward.She had barely registered the pain when she tripped over a broken chair and lost her grip on her gun, which flew from her grasp.

Before she could react, one of the men lunged at her and tackled her to the ground.She twisted, landing a solid punch to his jaw, but he came back swinging.He landed one hit to her cheek.They rolled as their fists continued to fly.He was heavier and stronger.But she was faster and fueled by desperation.She drove her knee into his ribs and wrenched her arm free.She reached for the smaller pistol she kept strapped to her ankle.The moment her fingers wrapped around it, she yanked it free and fired two shots into the guy.

The guy choked on a wet gasp as his body sagged against her.With a grunt, she shoved him off.She was breathing heavily as she rolled to her knees and stood up.

She barely had time to regain her footing before she found herself face-to-face with the last man.She stared into his cold, dark, and lifeless eyes.He had all the signs of “meth face.”His gaunt face was littered with open sores and scars.His long, thin hair was greasy and unkept.He held a pistol in his hand, aiming it lazily at her.

“I guess this is where you die, sweetheart,” he drawled, almost smirking at her.

Her mind raced.She still had her pistol in her grip, but it was lowered.He’d be able to shoot her before she could get a shot off.

Suddenly, the upstairs door burst open, surprising the guy, who flinched.That split-second distraction was all she needed.She lifted her arm and fired.But so did he.

A sharp, crushing pain exploded in her chest.It was like she had taken a sledgehammer to the chest.Air whooshed from her lungs as she collapsed backward, gasping as if she were starving for air.

She looked to spot where the man had been standing.But he was sprawled out on the floor, blood seeping from his head.

Riley lay there staring up at the ceiling.Her vision blurred as pain radiated through her upper body.

Fuck!It hurts like hell.