Chapter 4
Tori and her friends arrived at Crystal Lake, piled out of the car and eagerly looked around. It was a beautiful place. The resort lodge was on a small peninsula that that surrounded on three sides by the beautiful Crystal Lake.
The lake certainly lived up to its name. The water was crystal clear. After exploring the resort from the swimming pool to the day spa the kids decided to get ready for the party. They all went back to the rooms that had been rented for them to use as changing rooms and began putting on their dress clothes.
After about fifteen minutes of fussing around trying to get her high heels adjusted she finally jerked them off and threw them back into her back with a disgusted snort and a vow to tie Trina's ponytail around her ankles if she borrowed her shoes again without permission.
Fortunately she had brought a nice pair of black dress boots that when just fine with the red dress she was wearing. She put them on and headed for the party.
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The party was in full swing. Jade and Cat were up on stage doing Karaoke, Robbie was stuffing himself at the buffet table, Andre had struck up a conversation with a girl he had met, and Tori was left standing there talking to Beck.
Just the song ended and Tori and Beck turned to applaud a waiter who was passing by tripped and spilled the dish of cocktail sauce that he was carrying all over Tori's arm. The waiter jumped up and began to apologize profusely. Tori assured him that there were no hard feelings, and headed toward the bathroom to wash her arm off.
Tori stood at the sink in the ladies room washing self off as best she could. Suddenly she stopped, freezing in mid-rinse. Outside the ballroom in the hallway somewhere someone had chambered a round on a .45 automatic followed by the same thing on what sounded like several Mac 10s. A split second later she heard the door of the ballroom being kicked open, shots being fired and several girls screaming.
The repeats of this scenario happening all over the resort echoed in Tori's ears. Then she heard a feminine voice.
"All right," she said, "Everyone just be good and you won't get hurt! Jesse," the feminine voice barked, "Check the bathrooms we don't want anyone to miss the party!" as soon as Tori heard footsteps coming toward the bathroom her sentinel instincts took over. Glancing around the room she spotted a small alcove up near the ceiling that concealed an air vent.
Dashing into the stall directly under the alcove, and up onto the top of the toilet she pulled herself up into the alcove so fast that she impressed herself. As the gunman came into the bathroom Tori edged herself as far back into the shadows of the alcove as she could. The gunman stalked from one end of the bathroom to the other checking all the stalls.
Tori had to stifle a snicker when the gunman even took the time to look through the narrow slit in the wall under the towel dispenser where the waste towels went.
"You've got to be kidding," thought Tori the gunman, who was wearing an ear-wick, spoke.
"Bathrooms clear boss," with that he crossed the room to the door and disappeared. Tori could hear his footsteps retreating down the hall.
Tori poked her head out of the bathroom door. When she was sure the coast was clear she started down the darkened hallway. It was almost pitch black in the mysterious back hallway she was in. but her eyes were so efficient at amplifying existing light that it was like having built in night vision goggles. At the end of the hallway she emerged into the kitchen and her vision returned to normal. Tori crossed the room and slipped out the service entrance. Once outside she headed toward the archery range knowing that the bows and arrows were kept in the shed there. When she got near the shed she saw that it was being guarded by a mountain of a man who couldn't have been less that 6'9" Tori's heart sank. How was she supposed to get by him? She felt the rocks she was standing on and had an idea's reaching down she tore a strip of material from the bottom of her skirt. Picking the largest smooth stone she could find she fitted it in her make shift sling. Edging closer to the giant of a man she stopped and gave a low whistle. As soon as he turned to look she slung the stone striking her "Goliath" in the forehead knocking him cold.
Stepping over the unconscious hulk she jimmied the lock on the door. Once inside she selected a bow and some arrows. Stepping out of the building with a bow in her hand and a quiver full of arrows on her back she said,
"Now it's time to see what a sentinel can do."
TBC
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