Ch 4 Anyway (7)

"Just checking, why am I starting so far away?"

I spun to face Joe putting my hands on my hips. "Why did you make this?"

"It is a good test, your personal guard should be a house expert, I told you that before. This is the test. So far only two people have passed it."

I glared at Joe but he didn't care. So turned my head just enough to talk at Goliath, "You are so far away because I had ditched my guard to explore the mall with my friend. I was 12 at the time and at a friends party."

"You going to tell him the whole story?"

"You don't go into a match knowing the surprises, he will have to do it on his own." Joe nodded just a bit. "Doesn't mean I am not annoyed with you Joe."

"Part of the job, lady. Take position when you are ready. The virtual range will keep you pointed down range so don't worry, it will read your movements and take you there. The program will let you go anywhere in the mall you wish to go, but not outside. There are three events that cannot be avoided. I am the sole judge of if you pass or not, you can pass the program and fail to be an expert, depending on your answers after the test."

Joe moved to stand at my back where he could see the field and me, as Goliath took up the spot at the start of the range. For him the virtual people would became real looking with just the normal one eye display on computer assessment on threat level of targets. The plate on the floor would now shift freely to keep him pointed down range no matter how he moved. From my angel I could only see colored targets. The scene blinked and all the targets went grey except the one purple which I hadn't seen at first.

None of the furniture was visible in the view I had but I remembered the day well. It was the first time someone had died in front of me after all. The sound of gunshots rang out as the program started. Goliath took off towards the purple light as the grey next to it went down. It was hard not to see the face of my friend as a whole appeared in chest and went through the back. The purple light fell out of the chair next to the grey grabbing it before it hit the ground. The light had already gone out so all I could see was the purple huddling over air.

Goliath's gun went off, three times and one red vanished along with two greys that were near his position. The greys turned red just before they vanished. It looked to me like he had gotten head shots on all of them, that was impressive. More virtual gunshots rang out, more grey targets turned red. Blue targets started reacting to red targets, drawing weapons. One of the blues wasn't fast enough and went down. Just wounded because the light didn't go out.

The sounds of panic started to fill the range, as Goliath reached the table the simulated me was next to with the corpse. Goliath seemed to flip something, must have been the table, to block the view of the enemies, for a moment as he grabbed the purple figure. He didn't head any of the girl's yelling or fists. He kept his body between the shooters and their real target. As he carried her bodily from the open food court. "Care of the living, little one, or there will be more dead."

He was faster than Joe had been at crossing the food court. Or maybe he wasn't, it was hard to tell it wasn't real this time. He jumped carrying the purple figure. I guessed it was to get over the counter of one of the food stores. It took away the firing angle most of the hostiles and gave better cover because most of the stuff in there would be metal. He didn't stop even as he set the purple figure down and let her keep up with him. She had to be covered in blood but he didn't slow. Suddenly he pushed her as a new red target appeared around the corner. One shot one kill. A scream filled the air and Goliath cursed. The girl was only 12 what did he expect?

Without looking he reached back and grabbed the light, dragging her with him again. He exited the back of the store and hurried down a service corridor. He got to the end and turned again. Then he started taking seemingly random turns. Of course I remembered thinking the same thing as the time. When it had been Joe trying to get the purple light back to somewhere safe. Maybe they weren't random. Goliath was checking each corner before he passed or took it.

The sound of footsteps could be heard behind us. Goliath found the same covered spot Joe had found and shoved the 12 year old into it. Laughing filled the room. "You are trapped, guard dog. Surrender and we won't kill you. We still have all the people in the food court. What is one spoiled rich kid? Turn her over, or we will start breaking fingers."

One of the red lights pulled a grey light in front of him twisting the greys arm back. The sound of snapping filled the room and a scream of pain. Goliath seemed to watching everything. The other red targets also pulled grey targets with them, a few were children. Goliath checked his weapon. "You don't have enough charge left to get all of us before we get you, just give it up. The girl could us a few life lessons, her estate will pay to get her back. Sounds like a win, win to me."

The red figure shrugged and the grey target screamed again. Presumably the red target was breaking more fingers. "You are right so you will just have to share." Goliath stepped out of the covered outcove.