Chapter 3: Pain

Scott darted from tree to tree, ducking and dodging. He slid into another ditch they had spotted for a meet up point if it their plan didn't go smoothly. Unfortunately, his leg caught on a thorn and tore into his leg. Scott's mouth was covered by Ross's hand milliseconds before he could scream in pain. Bullets soared around near their heads. Simon was being shot at but he was running as fast as his short, stubby legs would carry him. He catapulted himself over a log on the floor into a massive pile of mud. He skidded for 2 meters before crashing shoulder first into a tree! His body crumpled to the floor after a loud crunching noise. His shoulder was broken or severely hurt. Scott and Ross realized this and before going to help him, Mr Pike came up too him to inspect the damages. Scott nudged Ross and told him to follow him. They crept behind the instructor and a black shirt, hoping to gain some ground while the bullets would be stopped momentarily. Staying crouched they made it a good 20 meters away from Mr Pike. A shot whizzed past them. It came so close Scott felt it brush against his bare arm. They both instantly turned around to find their assailant. Megan Summers came diving out of a bush and running full pelt at the two boys. Her dark hair was tied back and her face was smeared with mud and she had a cut on her exposed arm that indicated she had chased someone through a bush. She looked tired, annoyed and like she would do anything to bring them down! Ross dived to the left as more bullets rained down on them. Scott took a few seconds too realize what was happen and only because Ross knocked him off his feet did he escape the torrent of bullets. He leapt to his feet in one swift movement, pivoted on his heel and made a mad dash for some cover.

Scott ran straight into the main football fields, they could have been flooded but luckily they weren't. He ran, nearly slipping many times but he didn't care. If he stopped a simulated bullet would be up his arse faster then you could say ouch.

Ross on the other hand had slipped out of Megan's sight and was approaching the main building. He only had about a 5 minute walk as the bird flies but he would need to sneak round and slip into the building undetected. One problem he could see Bruce! If he caught him he would have to do this again! He thought about it for a few minutes before deciding that sneaking up on Bruce and knocking him out was the only option. If it went wrong Bruce would snap him like a twig. Ross wasn't the strongest or the faster and Bruce had a mean streak, not to mention he was also known in his day for being a martial arts expert and with age that hadn't faltered. Ross scrambled around on all fours inside a bush looking for a big stone which was also smooth. He hands raced around on the floor looking for a stone. Sweat was starting to pour down his face, his heart sunk when he realized there was no stones! One on one with Bruce would be like jumping head first into a saw! He was 26; short for his age but still a mountain compared to Ross, a martial arts expert, ruthless and could probably kill him in 57 different ways if he wanted to. What was he going to do?

Scott was still in "No mans land" and needed some cover desperately. Megan was still hot on his tail and the only building close by was the library. More of Megan's shot flew over his head. Scott wondered why she hadn't took up a shooting position yet. This thought rolled through his mind for a only a few seconds before shots began flying past his head! He ran passed a bush and did a sideways roll to get behind it before Megan got another shot it. The library would be no good if she was close behind so he had to lose her and fast. He crawled on all fours to the left of the bush as Megan was coming around the right hand side of it gun poised. Scott managed to get on the other side of the bush while Megan stood there in shock wondering where Scott had gone. He planned to try and crawl away but he saw more people cutting it across the woods so he tried to get Megan to go after them. He rattled the bush so she would look over. Scott sat there for what felt like an eternity, waiting. Waiting for Megan to go past. He closed his eyes tight and tried to not move a muscle.

Megan cautiously crept round the bush keeping her gun's stock cemented into her shoulder, ready to shoot at anything that moved, the bush shook behind her so she instantly span round and spotted 2 grey shirts running across the field at full pelt. She got down on one knee and poised her rifle. She shot two well aimed shots that hit the grey shirt in the knee and the hip. The grey shirt crumpled to the floor, urging her partner on. Megan smiled evilly to herself. She leapt from her crouching position to running at a full sprint in a matter of seconds. Scott was astonished at how fit she was and how she didn't even mind being up at an ungodly hour of the morning. He wondered if he would be like that when he was older. How successful would his CHERUB career be?

Ross still crouched in the bush waiting for a time to strike. He had a plan, well sort of. He was going to lunge for Bruce's rifle when he let his guard down for a second then shoot Bruce and run like hell! It wasn't much of a plan but it was all he had. He breathed heavily, blink hard and holding his hand in the form of a fist. He was tense. One slip up and Bruce would if not kill him, he would certainly hurt him. Bruce's left hand glided off his rifle slowly so he could each his thigh. Ross lunged out of the bush instantly. He grab the barrel of the gun and tipped it upwards, while sweeping Bruce's legs away from him and wrenching at the gun to pull it away. Bruce had a grip like a vice. Ross dug his fingers into Bruce's s, he nails penetrated Bruce's skin making him recoil in pain.

"You little fucker!" He screamed. Bruce let the gun go and used all his strength to launch an explosive double footed kick into Ross's ribcage. Ross was thrown back, he was winded but still holding the gun. He clutched it to his chest as Bruce moved in to finish him off. Ross rolled on his to his knees and shot wildly at Bruce. Bruce fell to the floor gripping his leg, he had been shot from less then 2 meters away from a simulated round.

"Your so dead you little runt!" Bruce was shouting. Ross tried to run away but Bruce grabbed his leg and pulled back with all his might slamming Ross's face hard into the ground! Ross's nose made a loud crunch and blood exploded from his nostrils all over the floor. He kicked at Bruce trying not to get pinned down and hit him square in the face. Bruce fell back but quickly recovered. Bruce threw a wildly strong punch right into where he had kicked Ross moment earlier. Ross almost went down again but stayed up for his own sake. He shot Bruce in the back as soon as he got partially free. Bruce yelped in pain again. he had completely lost it. He was basically foaming from his mouth. Ross ran away at full pelt. He didn't realize what he had just done. He, Ross Parkinson had taken down the best martial arts CHERUB agent in the last 20 years. He had a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear. Unfortunately, he still had to get back to the main building but with a rifle in his hands he could probably manage that.