warning-character deaths and kidnapping proceed with caution
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They came in with an explosion-the crack of a gun shattering what had been a peaceful Georgia night. Peace shattered, fragments of sleep left their jagged marks on the family as they scrambled into action.
It did them no good.
They moved with military precision-they should, they'd done this enough. One man took out the male-a bullet straight through the head, the brute hitting the ground in an instant. The woman screamed, the next man took her out.
All was left was the cub.
The youngest among them, a scrawny kid with a pock marked face moved forward to finish the job. His youth made him eager to please. A strong, heavy hand stopped him, pulling him back.
"No," their leader shook his head, his steely gaze unwavering from the cowering child.
"This one comes with us," he commanded. "Burn the rest."
Grabbing the child-she fought and kicked and screamed like the animal she was-he pulled a syringe from his pants pocket, uncapping it, he drove the needle into her arm.
"Enough now, sleep," he murmured.
The child managed a faint protest before she crumpled in defeat in his arms. Shifting her dead weight in his arms, he strode from the house, nodding at the boy to continue. The kid was all too eager to toss the match onto the front porch.
The house was engulfed in orange gold flames in seconds, their light sending shadows dancing across the man's face as he paused to admire them.
And he smiled.