Mrs. and Mrs. Priestly
Chapter 11
Miranda was almost reaching their West Hampton's house when the roar of a bike got her undivided attention. She didn't even need to look at the side mirror to know who was right behind her and waving at her.
As soon as they reached Loft Ave. Andy tried to pass in front of her but Miranda blocked her out almost throwing her out of the road, Andy took her helmet off and threw it at the back window of the car crushing part of it immediately. Two houses before their own, at Fiske Ave, Andy tried again to pass but Miranda swerved the car to the side and Andy skidded until she hit the bush fence of their neighbors' house.
Andy stood up from the floor and ran across the neighbors' front lawn until she reached the bushes that separated the two properties. She crawled under them and then entered her pool house. She unlocked a covert toolbox but found it empty. From the window she could see that her car was parked just outside the house with the lights on and, as soon as she looked at their bedroom window on the second floor, she saw Miranda looking outside with two guns in her hands.
Andy walked out of the pool house and craftily kept her back close to the bushes trying to camouflage her body, not without difficulty though, since the fence was full of thorns. She reached the lateral door of the main house and slid in the half-opened window of the living room. Things were just too easy so far.
Inside the house, Miranda was still inspecting the second floor with an silenced H&K UMP .45 in her hand and a Fabarm SDASS Tactical over her shoulder. She stopped for a moment and grunted when she had to tear up the side of her dress so she could have more mobility while running. She went to their bedroom. That bed had witnessed so many good memories and now everything was gone... She continued her search and walked by the twins' bedroom and guest bedrooms and was calmly walking the corridors now so she could reach the stairs down to the living room.
Andy was crawling in the living room; quickly, she reached the fireplace, pushed the stand for the fireplace tools to the side revealing a hiding place that had two shurikin stars and a suppressed Beretta 92G with two magazines with fifteen rounds each. She filled the gun with one and put the other magazine in her back pocket and, as soon as she turned around, Miranda had started to walk down the stairs, she only had time to jump inside the fireplace when three shots from the shotgun came in her direction making big holes on the pictures hanged there.
"I didn't know you were also Mamma Claus," Miranda said before reloading the gun.
"Shit Miranda," Andy yelled from inside.
"Are you hurt, darling?" Miranda ironically asked. "Come out so I can take care of you," she proposed and Andy started to moan as if she had been shot.
Miranda automatically lowered her guard putting the gun to the side with a concerned face. Andy run fast out of the fireplace shooting at the stairs and Miranda rolled down the stairs over to the corner of the intermediate landing, losing one of her Alexandre Birman heels in the process. Miranda shot more 4 rounds of bullets in Andy's direction making holes in the walls and the piano as Andy ran out the living room trying to reach the TV room.
"My girls will be devastated, look at what you made me do to their piano," Miranda said looking at what was left of the destroyed piano.
"They'll be thanking me for a year for that, they hate playing it, and just for the record, they are our girls," Andy yelled at her.
Miranda took her other heel off and came down the stairs aiming at the hallway. Andy was changing the magazine of her gun while cruising the other hallway when Miranda started to shot with the UMP .45 in her direction again but only hit the huge LCD TV and a vase that was close to it.
"Fuck Miranda that was my auntie´s present for our wedding," Andy yelled at her, while hiding behind the loveseat.
"I never liked that tacky piece of clay anyway," Miranda snapped back.
Andy stood and shot in her direction once more but Miranda was able to run and hide in the hallway that separates the TV room from the kitchen but Andy shot the Fabergé egg and a Qianlong vase in tiny pieces.
"Are you crazy? Those were gifts from my first husband and they cost a fortune," Miranda said frustrated looking at the destroyed pieces.
"Another good reason then," Andy yelled as she picked a little piece of glass from her arm.
The house was so dark that it was difficult to walk around the place and, as soon as Andy used the other door to get out of the TV room, she bumped into a crystal closet and a few glasses crashed against the floor making Miranda aware of her location and once again creating holes in the wall while Andy was running desperately trying not be shot. She jumped on the ground when she reached the kitchen and shot in Miranda´s direction as well. The furniture was turning more and more into trash with each round of shots from both parts.
Miranda then traded guns and was now using the suppressed UMP .45, once again aiming inside the kitchen but Andy protected herself from the bullets by opening the fridge door and hiding behind it. A fragment of a bullet hit her hand and she dropped her gun on the floor. Now, she only had the titanium stars to use. Andy took one of them and threw it at Miranda but she quickly used the collapsible of the rifle to protect her face from the attack.
"I really don't understand how you can be an agent and still have an aim that bad. I don't want to offend you too much so I won't say that your shooting skills are as bad as your cooking," Andy joked as she escaped by the other door of the kitchen in a frantic search for some kind of weapon she could use.
Andy was again in the living room and jumped over the sofa to reach the two samurai swords that were hanging on a wall. She just wished that they were real and not just ornamental objects. Either way, she was not sure how she could stop a bullet with a sword.
Miranda walked into the living room again. She looked around the room, scanning the perimeter. She stopped when she saw Andy close to the sofa holding the swords.
"Do you even know how to use one of those?" Miranda had an air of arrogance.
"We watched Kill Bill together with the girls, remember?" Andy asked with a smile and Miranda slightly nodded, "I think I can do some of those moves," Andy finished playing with the swords in her hands.
"Yes Andrea, it's exactly like a movie, follow that thought and we will be done earlier than I planned."
"It's like using a kitchen knife, shouldn't be that hard using it to rip your heart apart," Andy answered.
"I will be fair to you Andrea," Miranda said and put her gun on the floor, "give me one," she said and waiting for Andy's answer.
Andy studied Miranda's attitude: she was giving up the chance to shoot her and finish her mission. Was that a good sign? She didn't have time to be emotional right now, Miranda was an enemy and loving an enemy was simply not an option.
Miranda snorted, she was becoming impatient, "what are you waiting for?"
Andy came out of her trance and threw one of the swords to Miranda who caught it with one hand and with an astonishing dexterity.
"This is not just a sword, Andrea. It's a samurai orchid sword, especially made for me."
Miranda took the sword from the saya and admired the blade.
The blade of the orchid sword has a different shade, to distract the opponent from the sole purpose. Kill.
"This blade makes penetrating stab wounds like nothing you ever saw. Whether against armored or unarmored opponents, a thrust has long been recognized as being more difficult to defend against, easier to deliver a fatal wound with, and quicker and farther reaching than a knife." Miranda felt that having to explain all this to Andy was almost a crime, a sacrilege, like comparing an orchid sword with a butcher´s knife.
Andy continued to pay attention to Miranda's words.
"It's one of the most beautiful and lethal weapons that I ever had the honor to use."
Miranda looked into Andy's eyes, and Andy breathed in surprise, she finally understood the speech Miranda gave to her during their honeymoon, when she first showed her tattooed orchid on the back of her neck. It's an analogy; an orchid can be beautiful and deadly.
"Do you think I'm honored to use that?" Andy asked taking her own sword out from the saya.
"No you're not, but you will die from one, and that is a privilege, it's almost an honor."
"So you don't think I have honor?" Andy smiled sadly.
"A person with honor does not kill someone they used to call a friend." Miranda had a sad smile on her face as well when thoughts of Roy came to her mind and the possibility of him being dead by now.
"What? What are you talking about?" Andy asked confused.
"Enough of your lies, enough," Miranda let out and walked close to Andy. The sword now ready to be put in action.
"What are the rules?" Andy asked trying to get used to the weight of the sword in her hand.
Miranda let out a small chuckle, "the only rule here is for you to die as fast as possible."
"Hum, sorry but I will try to break that rule then," Andy flashed her famous smile. Miranda used to be vulnerable to it and if she was honest to herself, it still worked.
Watching Miranda hold the sword with only one hand and holding the saya in the other hand, Andy decided to copy the movement. She had her wrist not lined up with the blade handle, it felt better in her hand and that was the first mistake Miranda noticed. It was clear to her that this was the first time Andy held a sword in her hands and Miranda made it up in her mind that it would be the last time too.
They circled each other like two scorpions, both trying to read the first move of the other until Miranda attacked first and swung the sword with the ability of a real samurai. Andy could only defend herself from the blade passing very close to vital parts of her body. The impact was so intense that Andy lost the control of her sword, wincing in pain, before putting the sword in her other hand. Andy closed and opened her right fist several times in effort to make the throbbing pain go away.
"Oh, I'm sorry, is this too much for you?" Miranda asked with nothing but sarcasm in her voice. She well knew how hard it was to control a sword.
"Not really, c'mon, show me what you can do," Andy teased her, bringing the sword once again to her right hand.
"You wouldn't be ready for that, not even in a million years," Miranda smiled and came in for the second attack.
Tightening the little finger and the third finger strongly, and then tightening the middle finger a bit, Andy tried to slightly raise her thumb and forefinger holding the sword with both hands this time. Now she felt that the sword was more firmly in her hands, no looseness in the grip as Miranda banged her at least five times. But, again, she made a mistake, she was putting too much strength in her shoulders preventing her from attacking and defending the way she needed with the right swing of the hips.
Miranda turned the orchid sword sideways, holding Andy´s sword up and using the saya in her left hand to hit Andy´s ribcage, as she thrust in with the saya hitting Andy's side and under her arm in one fluid motion. Miranda then hit her stomach and knee and pushed Andy backwards, freeing her sword once again.
Andy went down on her knee holding her stomach, "Gezzz, when is the bell of the end of the first round gonna ding?" Andy tried to joke but inside she was about to collapse.
A few minutes and several bruises later, Andy was clearly exhausted, the pain in her hands was visible, but as the fast learner that she was, she was trying to anticipate Miranda's attack, she noticed how Miranda got the grip on the sword and how easily it was for her to swing her hips on each attack and how well she moved executing even simple actions.
"You know, I don't think I was never this turned on in a fight like I am right now with you," Andy flashed a smile at Miranda who narrowed her eyes at her terrible timing for jokes. "What? It's not my fault that I have such a beautiful woman as my wife."
"I'm not your wife anymore Andrea," Miranda said sharply.
"Yes you are. Till death do us apart."
This time Andy decided to attack first, in a fit of anger and frustration she decided to change her technique, she already knew she was not able to swing fast when the strength goes into her shoulder, so she transferred the power from the shoulder to her hands and swung the sword ahead in side movements hitting the target, the blades got into contact several times as they moved around the living room in a perfect ballet.
Miranda could say Andy was improving, and she couldn't stop thinking that with the right training and dedication Andy could become an excellent warrior and dominate the art of sword fighting almost as good as herself but right now she was far from that, Miranda was not even using 20% of what she was capable of and was using the saya most of the time to hit Andy´s body, only using the sword to defend herself never to complete an attack, something inside her was not able to cut into Andy´s body with the fine metal.
Lost in her thoughts, Miranda didn't pay much attention when Andy held the sword with both hands. At this time, the orbit of the sword passed through the center of her body and she tightened her little finger and the third finger strongly while swinging down holding Miranda's sword up in the air between them. Their eyes locked and they could almost breathe the same air.
In a quick motion, Andy's right hand let go from the sword and went in contact with Miranda's left cheek, the sound of the slap terrified both of them.
Miranda promptly pushed Andy back again, the taste of blood filling her sense and the corner of her mouth.
"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to do that," Andy desperately tried to apologize, but why should she do that? She was defending herself from an enemy that wanted to kill her.
The love of her life wanted her dead. Period.
Andy didn't have much time to think about that, she had to cover her ass and do it fast. Miranda threw the saya on the floor and held her orchid sword with both hands, her face was fuming with anger.
'Things are about to become very ugly,' Andy thought.
No one could ever deny that Miranda inherently had a tactical advantage in attitude and fortitude as a result of the high psychological level of her preparation and fighting techniques. She knew she mastered unarmed techniques into her repertoire as well as having a keen sense of an opponent's strengths and weaknesses, even if that opponent was her wife and the only person she ever loved. She was not ready, not yet at least, to move directly into Andy´s space and make a devastating cut, puncturing through the head, throat, or chest as a result. Instead she decided to continue with her light attack, she still wasn't ready to see Andy lifeless against her.
A few more seconds had passed and Andy relaxed once again. If she survived this, she would spend the next three days in a Jacuzzi full of bubbles in an attempt to make the pain in her body disappear. How wonderful would it be if Miranda could be there with her too.
"You´re slow baby. You are only good at shooting hearts with guns?" Andy asked smiling as she blocked another attack, "but not so good with a one on one huh?" she finished as Miranda´s fist passed close to her eye this time.
"I'm in no rush Andrea, I just need to hit you one more time in the right place and your heart is mine," Miranda said back, not really paying attention to the extent of her words.
"My heart is already yours Miranda, always has been," Andy said smiling and vacillated for a moment and Miranda took that chance pressing her two fingers right on Andy´s chest.
Andy tumbled on the ground, letting the sword escape from her hand, she put her hand on her chest as it tightened in pain because of the lack of oxygen.
"What did you do?" Andy asked gasping for air.
"I cut the flux of blood to your heart and brain and hopefully you will be dead in about two minutes, so tell me why did you do it?" Miranda asked as she walked in circles around Andy´s motionless body.
"Why I did what?" Andy was able to let out. It was becoming rather difficult to breathe, she could feel her heart and brain begging for oxygen.
"Why would you do this to him? He always liked you."
"I don't know what you are talking about," she whispered, a thick trail of blood coming out of her nose.
"You shot him, in cold blood." Miranda looked intensely at Andy´s brown eyes trying to read them, but she knew she couldn't trust her guts when it came to Andy. She had lied to her all this time, she had fooled Miranda and that could ever happen again.
"Who?" Andy tried again. he could feel her body giving up, her blood pressure decreasing and her heart beating faster trying to pump the blood.
"Don't play this game with me, you know I'm talking about Roy, you killed him." Miranda closed her eyes. Saying out loud that Roy was dead was making it real.
"I didn't. I know how much Roy is important to you, I love you, I would… never do that to you." Andy´s chest was heavy. Death was near, she could sense its presence.
In a quick motion, Miranda undid the movement on Andy´s chest making her breathe again.
"Stand up," Miranda said as she threw Andy´s sword on her. "Fight me," she ordered.
"No," Andy whispered as she held onto the sofa for support trying to stand on her feet. She was taking deep breaths in attempt to fill her lungs with air and to make the dizzy feeling go away.
"Fight me." Miranda's sword passed close to Andy's left arm who managed to dodge it by moving to the right.
"No, I already lost you and my girls. There is nothing more left that I want to live for, Miranda. Especially if I have to kill you," Andy said honestly as she wiped her bloody nose with the back of her hand.
"Take the sword Andrea, and fight me, you will die with honor." Miranda shoved the sword on Andy's chest making Andy hold it.
"I don't want to fight, Miranda. Not anymore." Andy put the sword down by her feet.
"You will fight. Take the damn sword." Miranda said in a low and cold tone. Andy didn't remember having ever heard Miranda swear.
"You want to kill me? Then do it, I've hated fighting since I was fourteen. I'm tired of fighting, and believe me, without you and the girls I have no desire to live anymore," Andy said quietly and knelt down, "do it, please do it, complete your mission," she opened her arms in surrender.
"Enough of your act," Miranda´s tone was sharp.
Miranda couldn't deny that seeing Andy on her knees looking so broken was devastating her, and why was Andy fighting since she was fourteen? She was barely a teenager, was she recruited in the program that young? Miranda couldn't think about that now. Right now, she only understood that they were strangers to each other, they knew nothing about each other's past so how could she believe in Andy after everything? It was just too much damage, too much pain. And too much love.
"I love you, don't you ever doubt that," Andy´s eyes blurred with unshed tears. "I'm not afraid of telling you that I love you. If this is the end, then I'm ready to die in order for you to live."
"Stop saying lies to me, I don't believe you, I can't believe you," Miranda whispered the last part and held her sword in position and moved the blade over Andy's heart. She would make sure Andy didn't suffer for much time.
TBC…