Gunshots rang out, followed by the sound of breaking glass and cracking wood. Rafferty assumed the shots were coming from the ridge in the distance. You know, the one that almost certainly no one was behind.

Trying to remain calm, Rafferty stepped between the two broken windows. She would be safe there while she figured out what to do next. Unless, of course, the exterior wall wasn't stiff enough to stop the bullets, but it was best not to think about that.

Rafferty looked back at the rest of the room, laid out in front of her.

A bullet caught Vincent in the shoulder, spinning him halfway around. He flopped into a sitting position, drew his own weapon, and returned several shots through one of the windows, gritting through the pain.

Nicole tried to drag Trevor to relative safety in the room's corner, but Trevor was having none of it. He pulled free, and, after a look to make sure Rafferty was safe, slid across the room, stopping in front of Vincent. Ignoring the newest wave of gunshots, he started looking after the wound in that easy focused manner only Jacks can manage.

After Trevor twisted out her grip, Nicole joined Rafferty near the window. The Roughcoat pulled her own pistol, and fired a few shots. As she drew back from the open window, Rafferty saw a trickle of blood running down the the left side of her face.

Stolen novel; please report.

Nicole looked across the window at Rafferty, smiling at the close call, and double pumped her eyebrows.

Rafferty wished that Sheridan or Blaspheme were here. They could take out the bad guys from this distance. She leaned over to get a quick glance at the ridge. It was too far away. Even at her fastest, she didn't think she could close the ground in time, unless they were really bad shots.

She looked over and saw Katrin standing at the edge of the other window. Katrin had found a length of pipe. She made a motion, like she was going to toss it to Rafferty.

"Cut this. I need as big a burst as you can manage," Katrin said.

Rafferty thought she saw where Katrin was going with this, and nodded.

Katrin lofted the pipe into the air. Rafferty crouched, and then jumped, pulling with her right wrist to drag her blade in a upward arc that always caused a lot of sparks.

She sliced the pipe, and showered the window with Blue. Katrin used the cover to dive outside. Almost immediately, she jumped straight into the air. Nicole seemed to realize that some sort of plan was in motion here, and leaned out the window to fire another volley, hoping to distract their assailants from the rising white target.

On the way down, Katrin started to spin, flecks of Blue crackling up and down her body. She hit the ground upright, at high speed, and Rafferty thought she would have to be fortunate to avoid snapping an ankle.

A great wall of dust rose from the impact. Katrin's great, swirling creation blotted out everything to the east. Rafferty couldn't see through it, couldn't even see Katrin standing in the middle of it, which meant that the snipers couldn't see them either.

Moments later, the sound of gunfire was replaced with the distant sound of a engine. Apparently, the gunmen had been spooked by this unexpected display of witchcraft.

That could have been a lot worse.

She looked over at Vincent, who was busy being bandaged by Trevor. She knew he was in good hands, and realized she was glad about that.

"Okay, to recap," said Vincent counting on his fingers. "The stuff was here, so I was right. Alex is a dick. Getting shot hurts worse than I remember, and Rafferty has genuine concern for me in her eyes. Longing, even."

Shut up. Just shut up.