Continuing the opening chapter from The Ashes of Home, Shayla escaped two assailants in her room, disguised as servants, by leaping out of her window into the grip of an artificial gravity field. They are held by the field, upside down on the overhanging eaves 70’ above the ground. Shayla has dealt with one, leaving one assassin remaining.
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‘Gingallia’s’ hand emerged slowly from her robes. Instead of the needle gun Shayla had been expecting, she held a thermal grenade. Her thumb was pressed on the arming trigger, which pulsed rapidly orange. Shayla noted white knuckles gripping the slim cylinder.
Shayla sheathed her knife and calmly asked, “Dead switch?”
‘Gingallia’ nodded.
“So if you get shot,” Shayla said clearly, so the guards a few feet away could hear her, “we all die.”
Shayla continued her careful tread along the eaves. She was now alongside the balcony. She could do with taking this one alive, but killers who got this close knew what stakes they played.
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14 comments:
Cool scene! I can picture this so clearly.
Oh, that's a dangerous situation! Not sure there's a safe way out. Intense!
Cara, glad you think so.
Jessica, not a good position to be in, for sure!
Good job of throwing an unexpected twist.
Oh, rock and a hard place! Very tense indeed, Ian!
Love the action and the unpredictability of your writing! Well done! :)
This must be an amazing scene to read all at once, very cinematic in intensity and action. Enjoyed the excerpt!
Ed, I like to keep the reader off balance :)
Nancy, fortunately she has a plan ...
Julie, glad to know the unpredictability is working!
Veronica, oddly enough, I always picture my scenes in my mind as if in a movie. Guess that comes across.
An explosive situation! I wonder how she'll disarm the fake.
Hi Ian - Shayla certainly has nerves of steel ... interesting snippet - have a good week - Hilary
I wonder how she's going to resolve this tricky situation. Nice tension!
I wonder why the killer doesn't just let go? This must mean they want to live, or something else from Shayla.
And... the tension builds... :-) Good scene, Ian!
Oh, boy. Not a good situation. Can Shayla talk her way out of this? Can't wait to read more.
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