Arguments
Bulls-Eye felt it was safe to move and changed his prone position into a sitting one. Slightly more comfortable now, he double-checked the sights and scope of his rifle. As he did, Pinpoint slowly got up into a kneeling position, picked up his own rifle, which he had set down off to his right side, folded up the bipod, and slung it over his shoulder as he stood up. A few moments later, Bulls-Eye stood up as well and together they moved off to try and find a new vantage point.
Elsewhere, Low Light continued to move south towards the village on his map. He figured that if he kept up the pace he was currently on, he would reach the town by nightfall. Once there, he hoped he'd be able to find someone who might know something about his two targets.
"You're out of your element, Cooper," said his father as he walked beside Low Light. "You work best at night. And you should have dropped in under the cover of night. What were you thinking parachuting in while it was still light out?"
"And waste the night with travel?" asked Low Light. "Besides, I wasn't in control of when I'd arrive."
"You're wrong about that, Cooper," said his father. "This hunt began before you even arrived. You can bet that they knew you'd come for them. And you can bet that they're prepared. You should have shown up at night, when you are boasted to be at your best. Didn't I teach you anything growing up?"
"You taught me more than I wanted to know," said the sniper bitterly. "And a lot of what you taught me I'm not sure was worth learning."
"If that's how you feel," Low Light's father said brusquely as he vanished from view.
"That's how I feel, dad," Low Light said. The word "dad" had an unmistakably venomous emphasis placed on it. Finally alone again, he continued his trek towards the village in silence.
Bulls-Eye peered through his rifle scope at the night sniper. While he did so, Pinpoint was evaluating the scene through his binoculars. After a few seconds, a frown came to Pinpoint's face. Low Light was being obvious in his movements. So obvious in fact that he sensed some sort of trap had been laid for him and Bulls-Eye.
"I can take him out right now," said Bulls-Eye quietly as he finger crept towards the trigger of his rifle
"No," said Pinpoint. "Wait. Something's not right."
"They're watching you, Cooper," said Low Light's father. "They're up on that ridge to your left, only three hundred yards out. They can drop you at any time. They have the light and the wind."
"I know, dad," said Low Light. "Right now, I want one or both of them to think that they're in control of the situation."
"But they ARE in control of the situation, Cooper," warned his father. "You're risking your life foolishly."
"Trust me," whispered Low Light as he obviously turned the safety off on his rifle.
"This is a trap," said Pinpoint as he saw Low Light turn the safety off on his rifle. "Disengage for now. We can get him later."
"But I can take him now!" said Bulls-Eye losing his temper and allowing his voice to get too audible.
"Quiet, fool!" ordered Pinpoint barely containing his own voice. "You'll give away our position!"
Low Light smiled and kept walking, his plan had worked. Then he spun to his left, barely aimed his rifle, and fired off a shot that purposely landed just short of them. Pinpoint noticed that though the shot was low, it was directly between him and Bulls-Eye.
"Back off now!" ordered Pinpoint, now not bothering to conceal his voice. "He knew we were here the entire time! I told you it was a trap!"
"How?" asked Bulls-Eye as he grudgingly complied with his spotter. "How did he know where we were?"
"Because he's fucking Low Light, moron," seethed Pinpoint. "That shot he just made was him telling us that he knew."
"But he missed," retorted Bulls-Eye.
"No he didn't," corrected Pinpoint. "That bullet landed right where he wanted it to."
"Very interesting, Cooper," said Low Light's father. "They're rattled and divided now. Good work."
"Thank you, dad," said Low Light. "I thought you'd like it when you found out I actually had a plan."
To be continued…