II

Madness engulfed the building. Screams and gunfire erupted in a horrid lullaby. Tucking the H&K MP5K into her belt behind her, Capricia bundled up Celia carrying her to the rug they slept on. Moving it with a swift pull, Capricia revealed a compartment. Normally, those like her would use such places to hide important documents and items to be found later. To Capricia, it was big enough to hide her most precious possession from stray bullets.

"No accidents and no mistakes," Celia muttered to herself. "If they kill you, let them do it while looking into your eyes."

Laying Celia within the compartment she cooed the baby a little before moving the rug to cover the compartment. Staying low, Capricia drew the MP5K in front of her. Pulling the slide back as she had done many times before, she checked the chamber before releasing it. Standing just inside of the entryway, Capricia took a glance around the corner before another round of gunfire made her take cover.

With Christiano between them, Franco and Ignazio fired round after round at anyone whoever attempted to pursue them.

"Please, save yourselves," Christiano pleaded. "It's me they want, not you."

"I've told you this before, Christiano," Franco said. "I won't let Pinocchio's death be for nothing."

"I also want Celia to meet her godfather," Ignazio added firing another volley with his AK-74.

Finally reaching the basement door, Franco pushed Christiano through before following him. The sound of a shotgun rang right behind him just as he entered the door. Franco looked back to see Ignazio's shoulder slide down against the wall.

'I can't feel my legs,' was the only thought Ignazio could muster.

"…Ignazio!" Christiano yelled turning back to the door.

"Go!!" Ignazio yelled before closing the door with his rifle. The repeated rounds of the Russian rifle vibrated against the walls.

Ignazio spent his magazine firing at the hallway entrance keeping the pursuers at bay. Ejecting his magazine, he reached for another one only to remember that he kept them in his back pockets. It was almost enough to make Ignazio laugh. He would have, had another shotgun round not torn through his left shoulder in that moment.

"Hillshire," one of the pursuers said. It made Ignazio's heart sink to see a girl walking toward him.

"That's a nice suit," Ignazio muttered through gritted teeth.

"Where is he?" the other pursuer asked.

"He's in there, Hillshire," Ignazio answered hooking a thumb to the door beside him.

Taking a long look at the door, Hillshire then looked back at Ignazio; Ignazio was smiling at Hillshire. Continuing down the hallway, Hillshire waved at Triela. Triela put her foot on Ignazio's good shoulder cocking her shotgun.

"Capricia…"Ignazio managed to mutter before Triela fired a slug into his chest.

Remaining inside the entryway, Capricia's mind was filled with the many horrible things that could be done to her.

'With mercy; they'll kill me quick,' Capricia thought. She shook her head to clear these thoughts and focus. The gunfire was getting closer.

Taking peeks around the corner, she squatted low. Most squads' fire straight ahead, Ignazio once told her. Squatting would make her a more difficult target. Forcing herself to slow her breath, Capricia closed her eyes. Following Ignazio's tutelage, closing her eyes would allow her to hear soft footsteps. Soon she heard a set coming up the stairwell. Taking another peek around the corner, she saw a small boy stumbling on the last step.

The boy held what looked to be a .22 caliber pistol. Spattered in blood, he stared around him in a daze. Standing up, tears fell from his eyes without a sob. Capricia stuck her head out and waved to the boy. Seeing this he ran toward her. When the boy arrived beside a window, the glass erupted sending him into the wall and onto the floor with a sickening thud. Capricia peeked around the corner to see the boy's body laying in a crumpled mess. Blood gushed out of what remained of his head making the broken glass glitter crimson.

Taking cover once more, Capricia bit on her fingers in an attempt to keep from screaming.

'He was only ten years old,' Capricia thought as her teeth pierced skin.

Wanting to scream, cry out, and shed a few tears for the lost child; Capricia bit down harder. When slow, deliberate steps could be heard coming up the stairs; she didn't know whether to cry or scream. A soft whine from the rug steeled her resolve. Bringing her MP5K up to eye level, she took a deep breath. The steps came louder before the crackle of broken glass was heard.

Capricia held her breath before leaning to the doorway and sending a volley. Taking cover again, Capricia winced as return fire ricocheted off of the door jam. Waiting a second, she took another peek before returning to her cover. Whoever fired those shots took cover in the stairwell.

'This is too limiting,' Capricia thought. 'I need to get to the other side.'

Taking big breaths, she held the last one as she rolled to the other side firing at the stairwell. The better vantage point helped. She could see more of the stairwell than from her previous one. Firing a three-round burst at the stairwell, Capricia took cover once again while leaning back to see who was firing at her. After eying a tuft of hair, she leaned out preparing to fire again. When a little auburn-haired schoolgirl stepped out of the stairwell, she hesitated. Capricia recovered quickly, but Henrietta was quicker. By the time Capricia raised her MP5K; Henrietta had already placed one round in her chest and two in her belly.

Falling behind the doorway, Capricia dragged herself in further as the little schoolgirl flashed the window three times with a small light. Looking at her chest, she could barely make a sound.

'There's so much blood,' Capricia thought. 'It's getting harder to breath. They're going to kill us all anyway. Celia, I want to see Celia. I want to hear my Celia laugh one more time.'

Rolling on her side, Capricia dragged herself toward the rug. Tugging on the rug once, she smiled as the 9mm round tore through her skull.

Henrietta stood over the remains of the young woman and fired another shot before looking around. Eying the rug, she saw the corner of a small compartment. Kicking the young woman out of the way, she swiftly turned the rug over. Hearing something, Henrietta kneeled down to reach inside. Feeling around, she could feel something soft and warm. Henrietta jumped in shock as something softer and warmer grabbed her fingers. Sitting on the floor, Henrietta breathed hard trying to control her reaction.

Picking up her P239, she pulled out her light and aimed both at the compartment. Inching her way back, she first placed the barrel against the item within the compartment before slowly shining her light upon it. A baby lay inside sucking on her left hand as five chubby digits tried to wrap around her pistol.

Henrietta's instincts screamed for her to pull the trigger, but she couldn't. Her mind kept going back to something she asked José some time ago.

Taking the bundle from her the compartment, Henrietta wrapped her arms around the baby. Somehow; feeling the baby's warmth against her own, made her feel at ease.