I glanced back over my shoulder and picked up the pace, going as fast as I could with a dress on as I realized how close they were getting. The closer we got to the stairs, the louder the sounds of gunshots became.
It was definitely a battlefield down there, and running onto it, barely armed and protected would disrupt the balance and make us loose all our chances at possible survival.
"Adira What are you doing?!"
I heard Edward call out from a corridor we had just passed before the men behind us were shot down. We stopped, quickly running in the direction of Edward's voice. He had splatters of blood all over his clothes and some had also managed to get on his face. I could spot a new bruise appearing on his cheek. Barely there, almost like it was a fresh repercussion from a recent brawl.
Edward was followed by a few other guys, all of them heavily guarded and moving around with ease. I recognized a few of them from the pictures I had seen in a file earlier, they were his own little gang. The 10 Specials!
"Stay with us, do not wander!"
We nodded quickly as the men surveyed the neighboring corridors. Donna informed Edward of everything that had happened and he passed me a surprised and astonishingly, pleased, look before nodding in my direction. I guess it was easier to understand them now.
Somewhat.
Knowing that the only way those close to you could live, would be if you dirtied your hands. You'd do it. You'd do it for their sake, or you'd be haunted by the memories of your failure forever.
"We're all clear on the left, its the safest hall so far."
One of the men reported as he returned from the direction he spoke about, loading his gun again.
"All rooms checked?"
Edward questioned in response and he nodded his head, I stared at him with wide eyes as he swept his hair off his forehead and droplets of blood fell to the ground. His eyes caught mine and he stared at me blankly for a moment before turning to Edward.
"I'm guessing, you need me to guard them?"
Edward nodded, glancing at the hallway to his right.
"Since left is clear, take them there and protect them."
The man in question nodded before gesturing for us to follow him with a flick of his wrist and turning around towards the hallway he had just emerged from. We were interrupted by a pair of running footsteps as a smaller man appeared in the spot Edward had been looking to.
"We need to get out of here, the right side is cleaned now, all of the men have been shot dead, even our own. We need reinforcements and I heard some of them mention something about a tunnel through the basement that they are using!"
Edward looked to us before looking at all of his men as they waited for his orders.
"We leave through the front gate, keep them in the center and defend them with your lives. Do not split under any circumstances. Lee and I will go ahead and you will follow at my mark. Understood?"
The men nodded silently before forming a loose circle around us as Edward disappeared with the man who had given us the news of the basement. Moments after they had vanished, a hand peeked out from across the corner and gestured for us to follow.
We moved forward without delay, the men around us readied their guns, reloading them as I kept my own by my side in case I would need it. We followed Edward's orders as he had demanded, getting closer and closer to the main door.
As we drew nearer, the danger increased and Edward took longer to call for us. He and his companion Lee had to shoot a few men down while we would stay hidden inside the human shield formed around us that would tighten at any sign of danger.
"Simone!"
At Edward's shout, the man to my left ran after him quietly but nonetheless as quick as a bunny. His movements were smooth as he stopped at the corner and glanced around it before cocking his gun and taking a few shots.
We waited calmly as a few groans echoed around us and he crossed the hall. A few moments later, Lee- the man who had previously been assisting Edward- returned and occupied Simone's spot. Looking exhausted and injured as he did so. From his tight hold around his own waist I could only guess that he had been shot or stabbed. The men didn't give it much thought and soon we were moving again.
Regardless of his injury, Lee looked on-guard, keeping just that one arm around his waist to minimize the blood loss as much as possible. Sally was quick to pull off the ribbon belt around her gown and offered it to the hesitant man.
He took it as soon as Edward's command sounded around us.
"Watch out from here, be on alert, there's a group of them gathered around the front."
He had called out to us before both him and his buddy had started raining bullets at the main door. He gestured for more of them to follow and two of them were left behind with us as the rest of them helped him take down the men gathered near the front.
"We're safe for now, get out the door while we still can. I have no doubt that more of them are coming from the basement, just hope that the reinforcements arrive in time."
No time was wasted as Edward led us to the door, the men took up positions near all the areas where someone could come from as we ran after Edward.
"Severus is right outside, he's just taken down the men who came from the front door but be careful, some might still be hiding around the bu~"
He was cut off as the wails of sirens rang through out the house and police lights flashed through the windows. With a calm look on his face, Edward clarified who exactly had arrived.
"Reinforcements."