CALM OF THE STORM

"Nothing says murder like a nice, new suit," Mandy mumbled sarcastically to herself and walked into John's house after coming back with two suits. One for John which was a simple yet crisp, and the other for herself. Now, Mandy had a preferred style and liked wearing a black suit and shirt, a dark red vest, and durable boots with a 4-inch heel. It's something she always wore she she worked and has gotten used to the style, though she probably needed to find a new one.

Mandy walked upstairs and into John bedroom and saw him loading up two pistols with silencers screwed into the barrel. He looked up and met her gaze but didn't say anything, only making a slight nod of acknowledgment before looking back to the magazines. She threw the plastic-covered suits on the bed before sitting down, staring at him with heavy eyes like she was expecting him to say something.

John noticed what she was doing and looked up. "What is it?" He asked and stopped what he was doing.

Mandy hiked her leg up and on her thigh and leaned forward. "I know what you wanna say, John. You just can't really find the time or the words to actually say it. So just spill it already. You don't want me here," she suddenly blurted out with a raised eyebrow.

10 years wasn't enough for this girl to get rusty. She was still sharp as a tack, John thought and decided to finally say what had been on his mind for a while now. "Mandy...this isn't your problem. You got out and now... it feels like I'm dragging you back into it and I know how much you hated doing this. You don't have to do this for me." He was trying to make his words very honest sounding so she wouldn't catch on to the fact that in reality...he wanted her to stay. Not for back-up, just...for her being there. His partner and best friend. He liked to know that he wasn't alone.

"You got a point," Mandy said. "It's not my problem. No one broke into my house. No one killed my dog, and certainly, no one stole my car. But..." She took in a deep breath and leaned back, pressing her hands against the fabric of the bed. "Doesn't really matter now, does it?"

John shook his head. "You really never listen. Never once and probably won't ever." A gap of silence grew between them. "I'm not going to stop, and if you stay..."

"So you wouldn't do the same for me if I was in your shoes?" Mandy cocked a brow.

"I would." John didn't even think about that question. The answer just flew out of his mouth the moment he heard it. If she was in trouble, he would help, no doubt about it.

"Exactly. I have plenty of reasons to do this. You help me out 10 years ago and stayed quiet when I went off the grid. I owe you that much."

"You don't have to."

"I really don't need your permission. I'm gonna do it anyway. I'm more then ready to walk through hell and fire if it means royally fucking up these guys." Mandy snapped her fingers to grab his attention back to her eyes. "Hey. Listen." She leaned in close. "It may have been a while since we worked together like this but...I'm pretty sure nothing had changed. We're partners in this...so I got your back if you have mine." She offered her hand out.

John took her open hand and grasped it tightly. It didn't shake and it wasn't cold or clammy. Mandy wasn't scared nor was she hesitating. She was ready to do this, but more so for him.

John smiled a bit and looked away. "Just like old times."

Many smirked. "Yeah. But this time I'm really gonna enjoy it."

The night closed in on them fast, just as much as the intruders surrounded the house was. They were armed with guns, masks on their faces and suits with bulletproof vests too. They all infiltrated the dark house where everything was quiet, not once hearing a squeaky floorboard. The whole house was silent enough to question if anyone was even home, when in reality...they were being stocked in the shadows.

John emerged from the dark and pulled down one of the guns from the intruders for Mandy to come up behind him and put a round in his head. John swung the body around and shot two other guys behind them until there was no one left around. He made a signal to Mandy, say that he'll head downstairs first and for her to take a long way around and come up behind the assassins. She gave a nod before suddenly directing her gun to the bottom of the stairs and shot at a guy who was trying to sneak up behind them. Mandy sent her partner off with a two-fingered salute and a cocky grin before disappearing behind the dark corners of his home.

John took the chance to drop down to the first floor of his house and began to make a sweep through the shadowy halls. Shooting anything that moves before Mandy got down there. The house lit up with flashes of light along with the distinct sound of bodies dropping one after another. John made a pause at the corner of the hall and quickly reloaded his weapon. He took a second before leaping out from cover and pounding his hands down on the arms of an unaware assassin and began to wrestle his weapon out of his hand. John kneeled him in the gut and flipped him over his shoulder, placing a bullet in his head before he could get up. A loud gunshot made him jump through with shock but all he heard was the sound of another body dropping behind him. John turned around and saw Mandy standing upon a fallen corpse with the barrel of her gun smoking. She walked up to John and gave him a reassuring pat on the back before heading off deeper into the house and closer to the kitchen.

Mandy suddenly felt the air get knocked out of her when an intruder came out of nowhere and pinned her against the wall. She locked her arms around his neck and kneed him in the gut a couple of times until she felt his grip on her waist loosen.

John tried to get the assassin off his partner but his own gun suddenly knocked out of his hand when a hidden killer who came around the corner and started to attack him fiercely. The man tried to make a pass for the gun but John kicked it out of his reach. John's arms tangled around the man when he suddenly grabbed a giant kitchen knife and tried to stab him.

Mandy somehow managed to kick the guy off her and push him on the counter. She raised her arms up and struck down hard against his neck, hearing a loud snap, crackle, pop sound coming from the bones in his throat.

Back in the corridor, John wrestled on top of the man and against the knife. He placed his whole body weight against the blade and slammed the palm of his hand against the handle a few times to stab him. Mandy literally skidded around the corner and spotted John on top of the guy with a knife in his hand. She didn't say anything but noticed his urgent eyes burning into her. Mandy didn't think and ran down the hall. She lifted her leg up above the knife and thrust the blade into the man at long last, ending his life and the fight all at the same time.

Mandy didn't even notice this whole time that her body was shaking and was covered in splattered blood. The adrenaline rush was beginning the wear off now so she had to sit down beside the deceased man that still had a knife in his chest.

"You alright?" John patted her shoulder but they both stiffened when the doorbell went off with obvious police lights coming from outside.

"Get the door. It's your house." Mandy said and crossed her legs and made no effort to get out of view from the door.

John casually went over to the door and slowly opened it up with a gun still in his hand. He recognized the cop on the other side and opened it fully.

"Evening, John. The police officer said.

"Evening, Jimmy," John said back just as politely. "Noise complaint?" He figured.

Jimmy nodded. "Noise complaint." He tilted his head and saw inside. Mandy was still sitting on the ground next to a dead body.

Mandy looked up and gave a casual wave. "Sorry about the noise."

Jimmy nodded very slowly and looked back to John. "Is she your..." He didn't finish his sentence and wanted John to correct what he was going to say.

"She's an old friend coming to visit," John said.

The cop gave a slow nod and took off his hat. "You, uh...working again?"

John just stared at him. "No. Mandy and I are just sorting some stuff out."

"Oh, uh...I'll leave you be then." The cop gave a nod towards Mandy and began to head back to his car. "Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, Jimmy," John called back and closed the door. He looked back to Mandy.

"He seems nice." She shrugs.

Author's Note:

Hello ladies and sirs. Look at me, now look at this chapter, now back to me.

Old spice reference, I know. It's 10:00 right now where I'm at and I get weird when I'm tired. I do hope you like that action scene that was written by my sleep-deprived mind.