Page 61 of Marked By Tank
Shadow appears out of nowhere.
One second the bastard is moving. The next there is a knife buried high in his throat and Shadow is already on him, wrenching the gun free before the body finishes going down.
Clean.
Fast.
No wasted motion.
Gunfire cracks again.
Ghost drops another man at the edge of the porch.
Viper swears and fires toward the truck.
Shadow reappears at the front window and puts two tight shots into the last bastard trying to crawl behind the engine block.
Controlled. Center mass. Done.
Then silence drops so fast it rings.
That is how these things usually go once they start. Loud. Fast. Ugly.
I keep Julie behind me until I am sure the yard is ours.
Ghost steps into the doorway first, gun still up, eyes scanning.
“Clear.”
Viper appears beside him, breathing hard but grinning like he enjoyed himself way too much. “Housewarming gift.”
Shadow comes up last.
Quiet as before. Blood on one sleeve. None of it looks like his.
His gaze flicks once to Julie, making sure she is untouched, then away again.
Useful.
I like useful.
I look down at Earl and Travis still tied to their chairs in the middle of the kitchen, both of them white-faced now, both of them shaking harder than before.
Good.
I pull Julie in against my side and look at the two men who sold her.
Both of them flinch.
Better.
“You listen real careful,” I say.
Earl cries harder.
Travis tries to glare. Fails.
“You ever come near her, look for her, ask about her, I will bury you with the men on your porch.” My hand tightens once at Julie’s hip.
