Chapter fourteen: Russian Wolves
Her classmates are like wolves who won't leave her alone. Like every other day, 15-year-old Natasha came home with tears on her cheeks. The whole time she was surrounded by the others, insulted, even pushed. No one supported her against all of this. Her father still worked at Three Mile Island, but only supervising the old fuel elements. He was seldom at home. Natasha slowly walked into the bathroom. She looked in the mirror and wiped the tears from her cheeks with a cloth. She was so used to tears that she never noticed when the tears fell. Natasha threw the towel in the laundry, and again looked in the mirror. She looked into her reflection's blue eyes, which her father said she inherited from her mother. Then Natasha did what she always did when she got home from school. Inhale deeply, and exhale. Inhale deeply, and exhale. As she did so, she saw something on the rim of the sink that shone silver. It was Mike's razor blade. Natasha stared at it, unaware of how long she was doing it. She felt no time at that moment. She kept looking at the razor blade. Then her hand slowly went towards it, and took it in a trembling grip. She looked closely at the blade. Perfect cutting edge. Shiny, and so sharp it could cut through hairs without resistance. Natasha slowly moved the razor blade towards her arm and placed it on it. Natasha thought. Should she do it? Nobody but her father would mourn for her. Natasha didn't know why, but she put the blade back down. Natasha looked at her reflection again. Within a second, she pulled her arm up, and slammed her fist into the mirror, which instantly shattered into a thousand pieces. Shards lay all over the floor. Natasha's right hand hurt. She looked at it. A few small shards stuck in the back of her hand. Natasha pulled out the shards, which was painful. It bled easily. But Natasha didn't care. She didn't care if she was hurt or what her father would say about the broken mirror. There was just something in Natasha's mind. Namely that she has to prepare for the next day. Because the exact same thing will happen again. Five days a week. Month after month, year after year.
Present: Lori walks to Lincoln's room and knocks. Lincoln opened it to her.
"Hi Lori, what do you need?"
"Hey, you've got the cell phone battery with the solar cell, those binoculars from Pop-pop, and those Swiss Army knives?" asked Lori.
"West Virginia?"
"Exactly. West Virginia."
Lincoln disappeared into his room but kept talking to Lori.
"I'm sure it'll be great in the mountains. Huh, where's the binoculars? Oh, there they are."
Lincoln came back to the door and gave Lori the cell phone battery, the binoculars and the Swiss Army knife.
"Thanks Lincoln." said Lori, and went to her room.
"You're welcome. Have fun with it."
Lori closed the door with her foot, and put the things in a very large gym bag. Leni, who was also in the room, asked a question.
"Lori, what is that weird lipstick I found in the closet?"
"Huh I don't have any lipstick in the closet."
"Yes, a copper-colored lipstick with a pointed tip."
Lori turned around and was more scared than ever. The lipstick Leni was holding to her lips wasn't lipstick at all, but a gun cartridge. Lori snapped the rifle cartridge, and got angry.
"Tell me, have you lost your mind? What's your malfunction?"
"Lori... I..."
Lori pointed to the rifle cartridge, and continued to scold Leni. "Doesn't that tip look dangerous? If this thing goes off, it's going to leave a hole in your skull with nothing in it anyway!"
Leni started to cry softly. Lori realized that it was also her own fault, because she should have stored the gun cartridge better and safer should. Lori hugged her.
"Shh. Nothing happened."
Lori said. Leni looked at her.
"No. I shouldn't be so stupid."
"Leni, you're always learning. Come on, let's put the rest in our suitcases."
Leni nodded and the two of them continued to pack. Lori noticed that a box of the GP 11 was open in her closet and one was missing. Lori put the cartridge in and locked it the box. Then she saw her carbine 31. Natasha was always armed with a pistol. Lori took her carbine 31, removed the magazine, and put the magazine and carbine 31 in the sports bag, and clothes on top. Then she took out the quick-loader Brackets, and three boxes of GP 11s. Lori hid everything in the gym bag, and closed it. Lori sat on her bed and put on a movie on her phone. It was "Catch Me If You Can" starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio. Leni joined her and watched. The two quickly forgot the situation from earlier. Natasha was tense. She was alone in the basement, in the lab, trying to do research, which she couldn't do.
"Nothing works! You are so stupid Natasha, you set your lab up for three people, one of which is your father who is at work all the time and one fake friend! I never make progress like that!" Said Natasha to herself.
Mike came down the stairs and walked over to Natasha.
"Tasha, I'm back."
"Finally! You could come earlier!"
"Don't be so cheeky!"
Mike coughed. Natasha went up the stairs and Mike followed her. They both went into the bathroom and washed their hands thoroughly to prevent any possible contamination. Then they went into the living room.
"You should make up with Lori. This whole situation isn't good for you." said Mike.
"I will never get along with Lori! When I told her she was my best friend, she said Carol was her best friend! That friendship nearly killed me twice!"
Natasha points to the cut on her neck that came from a grace by Lori, and then she pulled down the shoulder of her t-shirt, pointing to another gunshot wound that was from Jack.
"I have no friends, I never had any, and never will! Everyone, except you, hurts me!"
"I know that Natasha, I know you've been through a lot. But do you really want to give up your friendship with Lori? With your best friend? Your real best friend?"
"She shot me! What friend does that?"
Mike answered in a loud voice.
"Because you two just love each other! You lived with her family for a month! She's a sister to you! And you two are in a shitty situation with me, which is difficult for all of us! And you two are just in become angry and belligerent at the wrong moment!"
"I hate Lori! And I hate Claire! And I hate my life! I hate it!
"Mike spontaneously responded with the only thing that came to mind. He hugged Natasha tightly. At first she was confused, but then Natasha hugged Mike back tightly. She began to cry softly, and Mike noticed her tears soaking into his clothes. He stroked the back of her head and back.
"All right Tasha. It's just too much for you. Take a deep breath."
The next day, Lori, Leni, Luna, and Luan packed their things in Vanzilla. The four of them would be taking school to the West Virginia mountains for a week. Lynn Senior was standing in the front door with Lily in his arms. Rita was standing next to Vanzilla, ignition key in hand.
"You have to be on time girls." said Rita.
"Yes. I just want to say goodbye to Dad and Lily." said Lori.
She went to her father with Leni. Luna and Luan have already said goodbye.
"Bye Dad, take care." Lori said, gently hugging Lynn Senior.
"I'll miss you both too."
Then Lori nudged Lily's nose, which she found very funny and made her laugh.
"Bye Lily. I'll miss you."
"Bye Loi." said Lily.
"Bye Lily. Bye Dad."
Leni said and hugged Lynn Senior. Lori and Leni went to Vanzilla and got in. Rita swung the ignition key artfully around her finger.
"I'll take the girls to school now. See you later sweetheart."
Rita said to Lynn Senior.
"See you later."
Lynn Senior and Lily waved to Rita. She got in and turned the key in the ignition. Vanzilla started with one try. Rita was happy.
"Yes! You're finally doing what I want. Have you packed all your things?"
Lori, Leni, Luna and Luan answered "Yes" at the same time.
As Rita drove down Franklin Avenue, Lori thought about what she had packed. It was so unusual, but necessary, when she thought about it, that Natasha carried a gun with her all the time. That's why Lori was sure that hiding the Karabiner 31 in the big sports bag was a good decision. When they got to the school, they said goodbye to Rita and walked towards the two red buses that were parked in front of the school and had a graphite gray stripe down the side. The bus driver loaded the luggage and when he took the luggage from Lori's hand and loaded it, Lori panicked inside. But the bus driver didn't notice anything. Then Lori's class teacher came.
"Everyone get on the buses. We'll be leaving soon."
Then they got in. Lori, Carol, Becky, Dana, Chaz, Natasha, Luna, Sam, Mazzy, Sully, Luan, Benny, Shannon, Ruby, Amy, Lyberti, Jackie, Mandee, Fiona, Miguel, Whitney and lastly Leni. When Leni looked around, she saw that there was only one seat left, next to Natasha. She went to her.
"Is this seat free?" Leni asked.
Natasha looked at Leni, and replied in an annoyed tone.
"Oh just sit down." Leni sat down and looked happily at Natasha.
"How are you?" Natasha looked at her, and replied sarcastically.
"Quite well." Leni thought about what to say. Then she remembered something.
"I know you had a fight with Lori, but until you make up with her, I could be your best friend."
Natasha slowly turned her head to Leni and saw Leni's nice smile. She breathed in annoyed.
"Leni, I won't get along with Lori anymore. And why do you think that I want to be friends with someone? You end up hurting me as much as Lori."
"Well, I think everyone needs a friend. And I think you're just too alone." Natasha replied annoyed.
"Do what you can't help."
"Yaiii!" Leni said happily, and hugged Natasha. Inside, Natasha was beginning to miss a little of Lori's friendship. Leni's embrace did not go unnoticed. Lori sat two rows behind them both, and got angry.
"Unbelievable! How dare Leni make friends with Natasha!"
Carol gestured down with her hand.
"Calm down. Firstly, that's Leni's decision, secondly, Natasha also needs friends."
"Yes, and Leni knows that I quarreled with her."
"Take a deep breath, Lori. This little thing takes too much energy from you."
Then the bus drove off. Four hours later the bus reached its destination, a big old house far from civilization in the middle of the West Virginia mountains. Lori hadn't had a cell phone signal for three quarters of an hour. They got off and gathered in front of the bus.
"That's annoying. No cell phone reception." said Lori.
Mandee and Carol joined her.
"This is terrible, what should we do?" said Mandee.
"And we're here for a week." said Carol.
The teacher got out and whistled briefly.
"Well, the bus driver gives you your luggage and then you go to your rooms to settle in."
Lori took her bag from the bus driver, who hadn't noticed the Karabiner 31 in Lori's gym bag. Then she went into the house and into a room with Carol, Becky and Mandee. Natasha went into a room with Leni, Jackie and Fiona. For a week, these groups of four will become roommates. The room Lori entered was cramped and small, with two bunk beds. Lori and Carol grabbed the top bunks, Becky took the one under Lori, and Mandee the one under Carol. The group started to unpack the luggage, except for Lori, who left her clothes inside.
She did tell her friends so she wouldn't have to put it all away somewhere, but actually that no one saw her Karabiner 31. Since she had nothing to do, Lori remembered how Leni became friends with Natasha.
"I still can't believe that Leni is making friends with Natasha." said Lori.
"Forget the situation. Leave them both alone." said Carol.
"Maybe, but I don't know."
"You should forget it." Mandee said.
"Yes. You're driving yourself crazy." Becky said.
Lori agreed. While her group set up their room, Natasha, Leni, Jackie and Fiona entered a room on the floor above. They placed their luggage on the floor, Leni and Jackie were extremely happy.
"This is going to be great!" said Leni euphorically.
"I know. This week will be great!" Jackie Said.
"I just don't want the bed under Natasha. I don't want to be crushed." said Fiona.
Natasha got angry.
"What did you say?"
"Honestly, I don't want to lie under you. And I don't think I could sleep."
"Watch what you say! There was also a brunette like you in Middleton who had pissed me off for years. Every day I had to listen to jokes! Until one day my fist shut her up!"
"I do what you can to!" Fiona Said, raise her fist.
Leni walked between Natasha and Fiona.
"Calm down. We don't want anyone to get hurt here. We've only been here a minute and you're already fighting each other."
"I would prefer a quiet atmosphere too, but stop calling me fat!" said Natasha angrily.
"That would work, Leni, but only if you make sure she doesn't roll over me." said Fiona.
Natasha growled and raised her right fist. Now Jackie Leni gave support.
"Keep calm you two! Is it going to be like this for the whole week?"
"You're right Jackie. Sorry about your weight thing." Natasha looked at Fiona.
"Are you saying that again?" asked Natasha.
"No."
"Then it's acceptable."
"You can also sleep on top of me if you want."
"Thanks. But I'll take one of the lower bunks."
Natasha sat down on a bed, and Leni climbed onto the bed over Natasha. Jackie climbed onto the bed next to Leni's. Fiona only had the bed next to Natasha. She sat down across from Natasha.
"Sorry again."
"Never mind."
Luna's room, which she shared with Mazzy and Eve, was smaller than the others, but right under the roof. Already in the first minute Eve's Tourette Syndrome made jokes, which Luna found partly quite amusing.
"Everything is made of wood here, let's burn the house down!"
Eve said in her pretend Tourette voice.
"Bad idea Eve." said Mazzy.
"I doubt we'll sleep very long." said Luna.
"Because of me?" asked Eve.
"I think your jokes will keep us laughing all night." said Mazzy. Eves Tourette put her hand in front of Mazzy's face and snapped.
"Hey hairdo, see something? See something?" said Eve's Tourette voice.
"Oh yes, this is going to be very fun." said Luna.
"Just don't get mad if something really unfunny or bad comes out of my mouth." said Eve.
"It's okay, you can't control it." said Mazzy.
"Let's unpack." Said Luna.
Mazzy nodded and the three began to unpack. Then something happened that Eve had predicted.
"Goodman Latinos!" yelled Eve's Tourette voice. Luna and Mazzy looked at Eve, who obviously felt like she was being watched.
"Please what?" asked Mazzy.
"Please ignore things like that. I hate saying things like that." said Eve.
"Eve, we're not judging you for that. I mean, you don't say things like that voluntarily." said Luna.
"Good. Can we continue please?"
"Naturally."
The three continued. When Eve said the word ham, and in a tone that sounded so funny, Luna couldn't do anything but laugh. Even Eve and Mazzy thought this was funny. As one of the last, Luan moved into a room on the second floor with Shannon, Ruby and Amy. The room was furnished the same as the one Lori moved into with Carol. It was tight but comfortable. The four began to stow their luggage in the closet by the door.
"Have any of you seen Maggie? She wasn't on the bus." Said Ruby.
"She's here. She rode in Mr. Sanchez's car." said Amy.
"And how do you know that?" Luan asked.
"When we were still on the cell phone network, I wrote to her via WhatsApp." said Amy.
"You have Maggie's number?" Shannon asked in surprise.
"Yes. What's special about that?"
"That Maggie only gives her number to a few people. With you it's only three people." said Luna.
While talking to her roommate, Luna thought about Sam, who was actually in the next room with Maggie, Parvana and Lyberti. Even Sam wasn't happy that she wasn't in the same room as Luna.
"I'd like to be with Luna." said Sam.
"Phh yeah." Maggie said.
"I know. That sucks." Parvana Said.
"You can see her every day." Lyberti said.
"You are right. But it still sucks." said Sam.
"At least your not alone." said Maggie.
"I'll give you that." Said Sam.
Towards evening everyone was sitting in the dining room of the Berghaus. Natasha sat next to Leni, and across from them at a table with Luna and Sam. The meal was quiet, except for Eve's Tourette ripping her pizza to shreds with a knife and yelling, "I'm killing the pizza! I'm killing the pizza!" After that was over, Leni started talking to Natasha again.
"I like pizza."
"I see."
"Do you like your pizza prosciutto?"
"Yes. This is my favorite pizza."
"Oh. Then this one is good?"
"Yes, the pizza is good."
At the same time, the day shifts in reactor blocks one and two ended. Claire left the block two control room, and walked down the hallway, where the smell of cigarettes from the control room was fading, and as always at this time, encountered the super chilled dude from the cleaning staff. He had long wavy brown hair, and a small mustache, and like Claire herself wore the white clothes with the white cloth hat. He stretched his arm out towards Claire, as usual, and made a peace sign with his fingers.
"Hey Master." he said in a chilled voice.
"Hey." Claire said happily.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"Sure."
Claire continued to the dressing rooms, where she changed into her private clothes and prepared to go home. In the main building she met Mike who was sweating and looked like he was sick.
"Hey Mike. You don't look good."
"That's how I feel."
"You should call in sick. I mean, since you hit that 125 RAD dose, you've got to be careful."
"Forget it. I won't call in sick."
The two stepped through the entryway, where security guard Otis waved at them. Then at his car, Mike realized how miserable he really was. Because the moment he saw his car, he didn't even have the strength to drive anymore.
"Open the trunk." said Mike, and pressed the car key.
Claire wordlessly opened the trunk and Mike sat inside.
"You have to drive me home."
"If I drive you, it will be to a hospital. I repeat, you have to be careful since you hit 125 RAD."
"Fuck the hospital! I want to go to my bed in my house."
"Okay! But if it's more than a flu with a fever, I'll call 911."
"Do what you have to do, but drive me home."
Claire helped Mike get up and put him in the passenger seat. After Claire closed the trunk and started the engine, she drove off. Claire's driving style showed that she didn't have a driver's license and was still in driving school. She braked jerkily, and didn't drive very fast. As she parked in the driveway, the brakes squealed and the two got out. Claire helped him into the bedroom and Mike immediately got under the covers. And then he started shaking. Claire leaned towards him.
"We'll see if it gets better or worse. I'll go into the kitchen and see if I can make you some soup."
"Please do that."
It was getting dark in the mountains of West Virginia and everyone went outside to the big fireplace. Lori's group should start the fire. It was getting cold and the fire was being eagerly awaited. But Lori didn't really make it. Eve tried to help. But then came one of her Tourette ticks, which was really abnormal. She picked up a stick, held it like a gun, and her Tourette voice screamed.
"I am a German Nazi soldier!"
Then Eve made machine gun noises. When Eve stopped, she saw that everyone was looking at her.
"Not funny Eve. My great-grandfather liberated a concentration camp. It was pure horror." said Natasha.
"You know she can't control that." said Lori slightly angry.
"It's still not funny. And finally light the fire! It's getting cold in here!"
"Put on a jacket, Bismarck!"
Natasha walked up to Lori and grabbed her collar.
"Say that again!"
"You're fat like the Bismarck! You look like a battleship and I hate you!"
Natasha raised her fist and punched Lori in the stomach. Lori slammed her fist into Natasha's face. The two fought extremely brutally. They pulled each other's hair, wrestled on the ground, and hit each other.
"It's way too brutal." said Carol shocked.
Nobody wanted to come between the two. Neither Luna, nor Leni, Luan, the teacher, or others. The only thought going through Sam's mind was, "Please stop." Then Lori and Natasha were so exhausted that they both stopped and got up.
"Your mother knew there was something wrong with you!" shouted Lori.
"Every time I'm near you I feel like s*!"
Lori took another breath.
"I'm sure if your parents had known what you would be like, they would have given you away!"
Then everything was quiet. Only the chirping of the crickets could be heard, and Natasha's breathing, which turned into a sob. She looked down. Her right arm was behind her back. No one paid any attention or noticed except for Lori. Lori knew that at any moment Natasha would probably pull out her pistol and shoot her. But it did not get to that. Natasha ran into the bushes, and the rustle of her footsteps quickly faded away. Then she was gone. When Lori realized what she had done, the teacher grabbed Sanchez by the shoulder and yelled at her.
"Are you crazy? You know what you said?"
Lori looked from Sanchez's face to the faces of her comrades and sisters. They all looked at Konto in shock.
"I... I... I have to look for her!"
Lori wanted to run, but Sanchez held her back.
"No! You go to your room. I'll call the ranger! Pringey! Bring her up!"
Carol accompanied Lori to her room without a word. In her room, Lori was sitting on a bed, thinking about the whole situation. Lori didn't know when, but eventually Carol, Leni and Mandee came into the room. Carol was holding a gloved hand covered in bloody paper towels and a razor blade that was also covered in blood. All three were panicking.
"I checked every arm and leg. And none were hurt. It all comes from Natasha." said Carol.
Lori turned white.
"She didn't..."
"Yes." said Mandee in panic.
"She was in the bathroom a long time after eating. And these towels were in the bathroom."
Then Leni also said something in complete panic.
"And the ranger doesn't want to go looking for her until tomorrow!"
Lori got dizzy. It was all her fault. She couldn't get any more calm. And that for hours. Even in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep and after the teachers had done everything possible, Lori sat in bed wide awake. Lori thought about Natasha all the time. She might get lost in the woods. Injure yourself, or worse. Lori couldn't let that happen. Even if she was no longer friends with Natasha, she could not let this happen. Lori got up quietly and grabbed the flashlight that was next to Carol's cell phone. She shone to the black duffel bag, and took out each piece of clothing. She changed her clothes as quietly as possible and got everything ready. She put Lincoln's binoculars, the Swiss Army knife, which also belonged to Lincoln, and the cell phone battery with solar cells. Lori locked the bag and crept downstairs to the kitchen. She took two cans of ravioli and six bottles of water. Lori crept down the aisle, put on her jacket, and was about to leave when an idea struck her. She went to the old wall phone and started turning the dial. The phone rattled and Lori was afraid someone would wake up. Finally, the phone began the dialing process. Then attorney James Clarkson picked up. He sounded tired and annoyed.
"Clarkson Law Firm, Justice for All."
"Good to get you. Loud here. I need Jack's gang right now."
"What kind of shit have you guys gotten yourself into again?"
"Natasha has disappeared, and may be endangering herself."
"Do you want Jack to help you search?"
"Exactly. In West Virginia, near the cabin in the Pinewood area. Can you find out the phone number?"
"I can. And Jack will ask for it."
"I don't care! Natasha has to be found, no matter what the cost. Do you get that?"
"Jack is as good as on his way."
Clarkson hung up. Lori crept to the door and left the cabin. It was cold and a bit windy. The howling of owls and eagle owls could be heard and it was terrifying. But since there was a full moon the night before, the moon gave off a bright light. Lori opened the gym bag, and opened the GP 11's boxes. She began loading the quick-load devices, and then the magazine. Lori put the fast-loading devices in her pants pockets, and then she picked up the carbine 31 and inserted the magazine. Lori closed the rifle bolt and pulled back the key-like firing pin, turning it 90 degrees clockwise. The gun was loaded but safe. Lori held the carbine 31 on her shoulder and she felt like a hunter or a soldier. Then she quickly went into the forest and the search began. However, the forest did not benefit from the moonlight. It was dark and creepy. The whole time, branches hit Lori's face and she kept her carbine 31 close to her. She had hiked two kilometers and then she heard something extremely eerie. A wolf howled in the distance. Lori got goosebumps.
"Don't panic Lori. The wolves won't eat you."
She went on, again and again she heard the howling of the wolf. Sometimes she heard mice and bats. As Lori passed by a tree, she saw two large eyes staring at her. Lori was so startled that she screamed and aimed her carbine 31 at both eyes. It was an owl staring at her calmly.
"Do not scare me like that." said Lori to the owl.
The owl just stared at her.
"My goodness you have big eyes."
Lori kept walking, calling Natasha's name over and over. As the sun rose, Lori reached the end of the forest, and entered a meadow that was on the side of a mountain. She saw some deer grazing. But Lori didn't look long, she went on. The slope was steep and it was difficult with the Karabiner 31 in hand. Lori felt like a soldier as she climbed the mountain. When she reached the top of the mountain range, she looked into a side valley, which was even more wooded than the other valley. Lori got out a bottle of water and the binoculars. After she drank, she looked through the binoculars, trying to find the shack. But she was no longer in sight. She saw a rock that was visible from the cabin and was about five miles from the cabin. Lori estimated she had walked about eighteen kilometers. Lori took a deep breath and paused for a moment. The grass she was sitting on was nice and green and soft. It was beautiful in West Virginia. Lori put the bottle back and picked up her gun. However, the descent into the other valley was difficult. Lori had to be extremely careful not to fall over. But still it happened when she ran over a part of the slope where there was a lot of gravel. Lori fell on her back, feeling the pebbles pressing into her arms and legs. She got up again and continued towards the valley. Arriving in the valley, she saw that there was a river. Lori ran downstream, calling Natasha's name again. It was now afternoon. And Lori got hungry, and a little tired. Actually, she was awake for more than twenty-four hours. Lori had to rest for a moment so she could continue searching. She looked for dry branches and found them. Lori reached into her pockets and sure enough, along with the quick charge devices, there were matches in her pockets that she should have used to start the fire the night before. Lori was glad the matches were with her and started to light the fire. When the fire was well lit, she pulled out the one can of ravioli and opened it with the Swiss Army knife that belonged to Lincoln. If she comes back, Lori would be very grateful to her brother. She put the can on the fire and waited. When the ravioli looked cooked, Lori poured some water on the fire to cool the can. She flipped open the army knife and skewered the ravioli with the knife so she would at least have something like cutlery. Lori put the can aside, folded the army knife, and leaned against the tree. Slowly but surely she fell into a light sleep, still hearing the sound of the river. The noise was extremely soothing. Everything she heard, she just heard and didn't think about it. Eventually she stopped hearing and fell asleep. When she woke up again, it was dark again. Natasha was gone for almost twenty-four hours. Lori immediately got up and picked up her Karabiner 31. Again she walked through the forest. Again the crickets chirped, again the wolves howled, and again the owls stared. When Lori hiked for an hour and looked down into the valley from a hill, she saw a campfire. Lori took out the binoculars and looked. There were three men by the fire. And Natasha. But she wasn't safe. One aimed an assault rifle at Natasha, and the other two also carried assault rifles. Lori looked at the whole situation again. She spotted a black van. Lori wondered what to do. She lay down on the ground at the top of a slope. Then she took the carbine 31 in firing position. Lori guessed the distance at two hundred yards. She adjusted the visor to two hundred yards, and looked through. All she could see was the shapes of the men, of Natasha, and of the van. Lori aimed the carbine at the man who aimed the assault rifle at Natasha. Then to another. Lori thought again about what to do. But she was sure she didn't want to shoot anyone. She aimed the carbine at the van, trying to aim squarely at the engine block. She pulled back the key-like firing pin, and turned it counter-clockwise ninety degrees. Then she aimed at the van again. She took a deep breath and held her breath. She pulled the trigger to the pressure point, and kept pulling it. Lori felt the recoil and there was a bang. She saw the men and Natasha duck. Lori opened the breech, the case flew out, and she locked the breech. Then she shot again. Then she opened the rifle breech again, case flew away, and closed it again. She got up quickly and ran twenty yards to the left. Two of the three men were gone. Lori jumped into a bush. She aimed at the van, and shot again. She moved the breech again and fired again. Then she repeated the whole thing. When the magazine was empty, she took a quick-loading mount from her bag and filled the magazine. Then she heard footsteps. Lori concentrates on not making a sound. Lori heard the two talking. But she didn't understand anything.
"Последние выстрелы прозвучали здесь!"
"Здесь где-то он!"
Lori was sure that was Russian. Then a rustling was heard in other bushes. About 15 yards to the left and it was moving away. Lori was sure it was a deer.
"Вот он!"
"Я готов!" The two followed the rustling of the deer. They probably mistook it for Lori. When it was safe, Lori ran towards the campfire, pointing the carbine at the man with the assault rifle.
"Lori?" asked Natasha, startled.
"Don't move!"
The man continued to point the assault rifle at Natasha.
"She's coming with me, and if you make a bottle of movement, I'll shoot."
The man looked at Lori seriously, and kept his gun pointed at Natasha. Then one came of the other men, aimed his assault rifle at Lori, and stopped next to the other one.
"We're going now." Lori said.
"Это было легко."
"Точно. Прошел прямо у нас под носом."
"Было бы здорово, если бы другие работы были такими же простыми."
Then Lori felt a strong hit on her head, and she fell unconscious.
End of chapter