Acquiring Trouble

didn’t ask what happened and Morgan was grateful for that. She felt as if she was living this experience outside of her own body. “Please, help Miles!” Morgan felt the tears start to trickle down her cheeks.
    “I will. I don’t have anything to help him with in the truck. I’m going to do what my brother would want me to do —g et you someplace safe first.” Morgan choked back tears as images of life without Miles filled her mind. She barely heard Pierce on the phone with Cade and some guy named Ahmed. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered that name associated with security. She doubted some security guard would be much h elp and the tears started anew.
    By the time the large farmhouse came into view Marcy was standing in the driveway alongside her husband. Rifles lean ed against the stairs , causing a coldness crept into her again. Shivers w racked her body. Pierce slid the truck to a stop and Jake was at her door instantly.
    “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault,” she whimpered as he helped her out. Marcy wrapped her in a blanket and it was only then that she looked down and saw only tw o buttons remained on the shirt that was covered in blood and dirt.   A sleeve was ripped and by the draft she was feeling, the tail of the shirt was also ripped off.
    “It’s okay, dear. Jake and Pierce will take care of it.” Morgan heard the desperation in her voice. Pierce and Jake tore out of the driveway before she even had the chance to reach the first step.
    “I’m so sorry Mrs. Davies. I’m the reason your son is in danger and if anything happens to him it’s all my fault,” Morgan cried. Sobs w racked her body as she felt Marcy guide her up the stairs. She glanced at the strong woman next to her and when Morgan saw tears silently falling from Marcy’s eyes she tried to control her own tears. Marcy was taking care of her while worried for her family’s safety.
    “Here,” Marcy guided her to the couch in the living room, “ l et me take Bill.”
    “No!” Morgan gripped the sturdy little dog in her arms. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt that Bill was her link to Miles and she was never going to let go.
    “Okay. I’ll go get you some ice for your face.” Morgan stared after her an d curled up into a little ball.
    “Miles, please come back to me,” she whispered into Bill’s coat as she held him tight against her chest.
     
    Miles closed and locked the door to his bedroom. He carried the guns to the window , propped them against the wall, and laid out the ammunition in a neat row. He pressed the panic button on his alarm on the way to his closet. He pulled and pushed some boxes out of the way and reac hed up for the large duffle bag , which he place d next to the window. H e pulled out his Delta Force knife and strapp ed it to the side of his pants.
    “Th ere you are,” Miles pulled out a night scope and attached it to the rifle. Before he got the chance to open the curtains and evaluate the sit uation further gunfire erupted.
    The glass shattered but Miles sat back and waited. The sound of the bullets ripping apart his house pissed him off. He felt the familiar rage gathering and let it come. His h earing intensified and his vision shar pened as he picked up the rifle. He looked out the window. Calmly he started taking out the men in black t hat were surrounding the house.
    One made a dash for the front door and Miles pulled the trigger. He scanned the tree line counting the men. He quickly moved to the back and counted more men coming out of the woods .
    He took two quick shots and rushed down the stairs. He had to g o after Morgan and protect her if it wasn’t too late already. He rushed to the bedroom door when he heard an explosion below. Miles slowly crept down the hall with his M-16 snug against his shoulder. The front door was gone and through the smoke of the small charge he saw a figure slowly making his way inside .
    Miles took a steadying breath and waited patiently for the man to come into full view before pulling the trigger. “I really liked my door, asshole,” Miles mumbled as he hurried down the stairs.
    He pushed his large credenza from the dining room to block the door before racing back upstairs. He did a quick grid scan of the backyard and saw a total of three men converging. He picked off two, but one managed to see k protection behind his stone fire pit.
    Miles rushed across the large room to the front window. They just kept coming! Before he