=== Suburb area of Mexico City ===
Our wild chase went across the railway area and then down to the slums. My pursuers attempted to catch me in firing at the remnants of an old gas station. I escaped, but some people from nearby were not so lucky. A barbaric behaviour, bringing down a prey by burning down the bushes! Exactly what I did expect from Rafael Perellos. My 'borrowed' bike was not so well in cross-country riding. Soon, I had a man hard on my tail, and Rafael was closing in with his car, too. I did not know how many of the bloodhounds were still alive and able to come after me. I had to worry about the two glued on me right now! The shitface on the bike was good, eager and reckless. Exchanging shots, we drove past some slum huts, then in a sharp turn upwards to a scrap yard. I nearly lost control over the machine in the damned mud. Finding cover was of the essence! Which part of the hunting ground had we reached in the meantime? I badly needed a second for orientation! Speeding forward through the falling darkness, I took the opportunity and risked a jump over a bolt bucket, turned again, and fired back. Yes, excellent! Target was down! And Rafael and the others still too far away. I checked the area quickly. There was a huge dark complex with several halls – an abandoned factory, I remembered from my first visit. A beautiful trap to capture all my surviving hunters…
I waited a moment, to make sure my followers saw where I went, then started the engine again and rode on.
=== Old machinery hall ===
Three or four enemies left, I counted. However, I was far from exulting. Four opponents meant at least eight deadly weapons. And I was not in perfect condition anymore. My injured hand was shaky and not of much use for exact targeting, and the right side of my face was swollen and hurt; I hoped I would not loose eyesight. One-eyed shooting would be my death sentence in this situation! I crawled behind some of the dirt covered machines. It was dark now outside and the left-over lighting of the hall everything I and my enemies had for illumination. Neither of us had night vision gears. I regretted dearly not to have bought one when I had the opportunity. In my black clothes, I merged perfectly with the shadows, and so I waited. Patience had always been one of my great virtues; I was not one of those who got nervous and freaked out when it came to sit silently in front of a lion's den! Many of the guys Emile had in his bunch, many of his clients too were unruly spirits. Easy to provoke, easy to frighten when they thought they were about to loose a little advantage. Rafael was one of these characters… I was a professional. I could wait till my prey was in range…
There! A crunching sound. Boots on a dirty ground. Someone was coming, turning into my direction. I peered between the ropes of an old block-and-tackle. Ah, lead hunter Rafael himself! He carried a sawed off shotgun in one hand, and a smaller weapon, which brand I could not discern in the twilight, in the other. He looked around, searching for me and for his missing men. A moment later, a movement came into my viewing range: one of the bloodhounds, a bearded man in olive green jacket, armed with an automatic. Then, I heard something from another angle. The loud swearing in Spanish betrayed clearly the man's position in the former dispatcher's bureau.
A born hunter, I mocked in my thoughts. Three opponents. Or was one still lurking around somewhere else, sneaking silently up on me? Hidden in the shadows, I waited further.
Rafael exchanged a few words with the henchman standing close to him. Considering the gestures, they mused about my whereabouts. "Hey, Van Cleaf, you fucking little coward, I know you're here! Show yourself!" he shouted shortly after. "Or are you too weak to crawl out, eh? Come on you asshole!" He fired in the air. With the only effect that some stuff from the rotten ceiling fell down, of course.
Did you really think you could lure me out with this kind of shit? Just come a little closer…
Rafael walked in my direction, but he took all cover this hall could provide; he was not that stupid. With this, I could not get an exact lock on him from the position I had.
I crept forward and thrust against a box of nails or something I had not seen in the darkness. Crap!
Rafael halted. Obviously, neither he nor the man at his side could pinpoint the origin of the sound. Nonetheless, a couple of shots were fired from the dispatcher's place. I was forced to withdraw again behind a machine and brought the 'Thompson' into action. The fire echoed through the building, and cries mixed with more angry shots. Something fell down right next to me, spilling an oily fluid. Hastily, I moved sideward. In the smoke filled air, I saw the enemy one second too late to bring him down. He had raised his gun, firing wide angle. Before I could reach a new cover, he hit my leg. I dove behind a workbench, teeth clenched.
Shit! Fucking shit! The pain was exploding now, and I heard my blood hammering in my ears. I forced myself to breathe deeply; bring the pain down to a bearable level. No further shots – my enemy had fired blindly indeed and now was on search again for his very target. The steps moved away. Good so far… I examined the wound. No major artery was cut, seemed it. Otherwise, I would already have spilled the ground with my blood. I could not even move the leg, walking was out of question. Perhaps the bullet had broken the kneecap; it was close enough.
I heard tapping feet again, slowly but steady. My enemy from the dispatcher's closet could not have changed direction so fast without making more noise. Therefore, it had to be either Rafael or the guy who was with him. I hoped I had brought at least one of them down! I squeezed my eyes and crawled deeper behind the workbench. I had barely reached my destination, as a shot form above only slightly missed my head. I rolled over and fired. A growl was the answer. An instant later, a body fell from the steel bridge in the second level and hit the ground with a dull, ugly sound. Thought yourself especially smart, bastard?
Another one down… But I had paid a high price, too. If Rafael or the other man was still in good shape, my chance of survival was nearly down to zero.
Someone was approaching. Dammit, if it only was better lighting! I could see nearly nothing between ropes, chaines, old machines and steel struts. I pressed my back against the bench and got my weapon in firing position.
Rafael surfaced from the twilight and smoke of the main hall. I shot, but missed and the gun was empty – fuck it! Before I could grab one of my other weapons or new ammo, it was too late. The enemy had reached me. His forehead was decorated with a nasty burn, and he bled from several small wounds. But considered everything, he was in better condition than me! My gaze came to a halt on the barrel of his gun.
"Aw, slightly out of business, Van Cleaf? Fine! I can really enjoy finishing you, now!"
You make the mistake of all amateurs, you asshole! Celebrating the victory before it is won!
"You think I'll let you die easily? O noooo…." With a feral grin, he kicked against my injured leg. Pain and sickness engulfed me, and I nearly blacked out.
"I'll make sure you suffer first, believe me, traitor!" Another kick and to my disgust, I was down and out for a second, until Rafael caught me at my vest and tore me up again. "You fucking little piece of shit! You thought to be smarter than all of us, eh?! But you have MISCALCULATED!" He shouted and spit flew on my face.
Rafael was emotional. He bathed in his triumph. I had to hold his focus there… this would give me the chance I needed to reach the little gun in my boot.
"Perellos… you are a pitiful hunter!" I muttered through clenched teeth. "Killing kids is… everything you… can."
"And this is bothering Emile's cherished best killer?!" He smashed his weapon in my face. "Are you a whiny little girl, after all?!"
I spat blood, but my fingertips succeeded in touching the concealed gun. Only a little bit further down… A shot and a blazing pain in my arm ended my hopes. I gasped for air.
"Do you know what?" Rafael shouted now, "I'm even sick of watching you croak, Van Cleaf! I'll finish you!"
Another shot followed. To my surprise, I wasn't hit! My blurred gaze caught Perellos' contorting face. The next moment, he tilted over, half burying me under his weight.
…
"Pik?"
I was lifted up, and sensed cool soothing hands touching my face.
"Do you hear me?"
Rosa?!I opened my eyes – I tried it at least; got open only one – and discovered Rosa kneeling at my side. Judging after her expression, I had to offer an awful sight. And this was exactly how I felt, now regaining consciousness.
"What… are you… doing here?"
"I followed you, in the car. You left the map in the hotel, remember? So I went after you. I found the wreckage of some bikes, and bodies. Over there in the slums, a man told me of a shootout in the old factory halls…"
"I said… it is dangerous sneaking up on me… like that…"
"I… I am so glad I made it in time!" Tears dropped from her lashes; nonetheless she smiled.
"It was you… you shot this scum", I realized.
She nodded. I felt really miserable, but I was not ashamed of my weakness and need for help this time. I was glad, Rosa was here, grateful for the arms that held me, for the trembling hands that applied a makeshift bandage on my leg.
"Seems… hunting season is… over", I murmured. And then: "I… love… you…"
I sensed her embracing me again, but was not sure anymore, if I had spoken the words aloud or only in my imagination. I was not sure either, if Rosa did answer anything. Maybe it was the loss of blood, or an overall distress call of my body – I drifted away into the darkness of unconsciousness
EPILOG
=== 15 years later / Argentina / Enterprise of a PC-Game-Software-Developer ===
" It was a pleasure doing business with you, Carel, as always." The middle-aged man now rising from the sumptuous leather chair in front of the desktop, smiled as he stretched his hand. The last two fingers were missing.
"What would we do without your ideas and expertise, Pik?" The man behind the desk rose, too, and took the offered hand. "My game's department would creep along, at least considering all these ego-shooters! You should stay, really stay. I'll give you an office with wonderful sight, a personal secretary and a monthly check… Does this not sound a little tempting, old friend?"
"Oh no, not at all!" The smirk became a broad grin. "You know, it would be the death of my creativity, if you confine me to a desktop in an office! I cannot stay."
"Same procedure as last time, then…" The software-developer sighed. "You vanish on your yacht? God, I do envy you!"
"Do not. It's not a fitting lifestyle for you. You are far too homebound, not a wanderer like me! And… think of your sea-sickness, Carel."
"You're right. – I'll escort you down and inform my driver, it's the least I can do. – How is your wife? Alright, I hope?" The voices of the two men melted with the busy noise of the office hall outside, as the door opened.
Later in the harbour ===
The yacht was a large, expensive ship, glimmering in the light of the late afternoon like a pearl. A wonderful sight. Pik van Cleaf gave the chauffeur who had taken him here, a large tip and left the car. Slightly limping, he went over to the peer, where the slender figure of a woman was silhouetted against the white of the yacht. A moment later, he embraced and kissed Rosa.
"I guess it worked fine?" she asked.
"Carel tried for the umpteenth time to convince me to stay. Of course, I had to decline. - Are the kids already on board?"
"Yes. Maria is down in the kitchen helping me, Sam is guarding the little one, and Teresa has her nose in the sailor's manual."
"I imagined that; she is quite an ardent seaman. Will have to buy her an own ship soon."
"Only Gerrit worries me. He was really grumpy when it came to spend his vacations with his 'oldies'. The whole ride he complained about boredom."
"Don't worry. He is like me at this age; nothing special. I assure you, he will have forgotten the word boredom exists, when we are back from the hunting party through Tierra del Fuego."
Rosa halted, her arm still around Pik and so forcing him to rest as well. "You'll teach him to be a hunter?" she whispered. For a moment, the warm summer air seemed cold.
"No. I'll teach him not to become one." He smiled. "Let's go! I'm hungry. Time for dinner!"
THE END
