1 Chapter 1: Lamb to the Slaughter

"Honey, Honey! You know I love Jimmy Hendrix, but I can barely hear myself speak!" A grizzled man shouted at a woman in front of him.

"What honey?" The blonde woman smiled back at him. It was their anniversary, they were enjoying a fine meal in the dining room, while 'Hey Joe' played in the background.

He stood up and wobbled a little 'I shouldn't have drank so much, but she looks so happy today.' He glanced back at his wife. A few gray streaks marred her blonde hair, but she was still just as, if not more, beautiful as he first met her in South Africa eleven years ago. She normally enjoyed soft classical music, but today was their tenth anniversary 'Celebrating is a must!' he thought. Lowering the sound to an acceptable level , he returned to his chair at the dark mahogany table.

"I haven't seen you this happy in years." The grizzled man chuckled.

"Today is a special day, and you managed to make it home." His wife was glancing at the clock on top of the TV. If he hadn't know her so well, he wouldn't have noticed the underlying tone.

He sighed "I know I am not here always, but I am working for us, I love you honey."

"Honey?" She seemed distracted staring at the clock.

"Honey?" She jumped as she heard him the second time, snapping out of her trance.

"I know." She stood up to serve him more whiskey. Her red dress dancing as she moved.

"I am good, I can almost hear a slur to my voice, haha." He put his hand on top of the glass. How many had he drank already? 'Is the one I am drinking my 6th one?'

"One more babe, come on!" She persisted. Taking hold of his black tie, pulling him towards a deep kiss. The kiss seemed to invigorate him the more it lasted.

One hand softly caressed her back up and down, while the other travel up her voluptuous and cinnamon-colored thighs, tracing their way up, avoiding her holster in her left thigh.

Thump.

He stopped the kiss and let her go. "What was that?"

"What was what honey?" She asked as she glanced at the clock.

"There was a weird sound just now." He was about to stand up, but his wife sat on top of him.

"It must have been the wind. Scott you have to learn to relax when you are not working. Sometimes you even scare me when you wake up screaming or with your paranoia always making sure everything is 'safe'." She complained as she untied his tie. Scott had a white long-sleeved dress shirt on, and black dress pants.

'Maybe I do need to relax, I am not a in a combat zone.' He pulls her for a kiss this time. In between movements he says "You...are...right..ho-...ney."

Thump.

He stops his wandering hands and lifts her off of him as he stands up. "There is that sound again."

Scott walks towards the TV, his fuzzy mind clearing with each step.

"What are you doing Scott? Don't be paranoid!" She hissed.

"It's better to be sa-."

"Safe than sorry, I know! You are always saying that." She said clearly annoyed

Scott kneeled in front of the TV, opening the cabinet doors underneath it, revealing a medium sized safe. Using his thumb to open it, inside where two 9mm pistols, a holster, four loaded magazines, two grenades he kept since he was deployed in Iraq, and a few first aid kits. He reached for his Glock 17, pulling back the slider and checking there are no bullets in the chamber he releases it.

Taking two of the magazines he inserts one into the Glock pulling back on the slider to load one bullet. Moving the slider to semi, he points the weapon down, finger off the trigger, taking the holster as well, he closes the safe. Its a clip-on holster, putting it on his belt he stands up.

He walks slowly towards his wife who was just looking back at him with disdain. He sighs again.

"Listen honey, I know how this may look, but my job brings many dangers, and before you say anything , you know I can't talk about it, I am sorry. Let me just check, it's probably nothing, you stay here." She moved her head as he tried to give her a peck on the lips, he settled for her right cheek.

'The first one might have been a tree or the wind, but the second one clearly sounded like boots hitting the floor.' Scott made his way to the hallway, walking in a semi-circle making sure there was no one in it.Waiting a minute to let his eyes adjust, he headed forward slowly down the hallway.

Reaching the end of the hallway, to the left, it led to the living room, while the right led to the second floor. Glancing in front he noticed the front door was unlocked from where he stood. He always locks the door.

He raised his Glock, keeping it close to his body as possible without disrupting his shooting form. Landing on his heels to make as little sound as possible. His breathing controlled, he tried to 'open' his ears for any sound out of the ordinary. His senses, long sharpened , warning him of danger. Finally, there it was, a soft rapid breathing.

'Someone is here' He slowly retraced his steps. Walking backwards. The living room had two entrances, as soon as you enter the house on your right. The other one being the bathroom downstairs.

Opening the door with as much care as possible, while keeping his eyes down the hall , he entered slowly.

Preparing to rush , he took a deep breath. Picturing in his mind where every object was placed. Opening the door and rushing in as fast as possible , his eyes scanned the place he assumed the assailant was, based on his breathing sounds earlier.

And there he was, dressed in black from head to toe, his back to him, slowly turning because of the sound Scott made opening the bathroom. Scott could swear he saw his eyes open wide like saucers. Scott also noticed the weapon in his hand.

Training took over, time slowed down, he fired three controlled shots at the assailant's chest, and after what felt like a minute for him to aim, but must have been less than a second, his head.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

The sounds echoed as he rushed towards the assailant, aiming at him , and making sure he was down, before kicking the gun far away.

He could see the blue eyes staring at him as his life slipped from him, he could almost hear the 'Why did this happen?' from them. He stared long enough to make sure he wouldn't get back up.

Picking up the assailant's weapon, he took the magazine out and pulled the slider , catching the bullet before it fell. Dropping the magazine on the sofa, and putting the weapon behind it.

He walked a few steps toward the hallway. 'Let's lock the door before calling the police, I still feel very uneasy.' He could almost feel something closing in on him.

Hearing a creaking sound on the stairs, he crouched as he rotated his body as fast as possible.

Heading down the stairs was another assailant, he shot thrice to the chest before he could aim for another, the assailant started falling towards him.

Scott got two more shoots center-mass before lowering the gun to his holster in safe.

He moved away from the stairs, while the man in black groaned and landed two feet from him, he stepped hard on the back of his neck, Crack.

Ending his life. Hearing a gasp down the hallway , he turned.

Bang. Bang!

Pulling his gun out of the holster, he fired back.

Bang. Bang. Bang!

Bang!

Scott slowly made his way down the hallway, kicking the boot of the person on the floor. Blood pour out of the body , as he twitched. He kicked the gun down the hall towards the dining room. He shot again aiming at the head.

Bang!

The pain registering as he looked down at his now crimson-red shirt.

Grunting, he made his way down the few feet left, fearing the worst, he called out.

"Honey?"

Gasp

"Honey!" he hurried despite the pain, seeing his wife, pale and looking at him in horror, she seemed ok.

"Thank god, you are ok." He felt his adrenaline go down, as his pain tried to take control. Biting his lips. He hugged her, placing his gun on the dining table. Stepping back he turned around slowly and made his way to the safe.

"Y-you are not d-dead." Scott heard his wife whisper.

"No honey, I am ok." He tried to chuckle but his ribs and his left leg hurt too much.

He tried using his thumb to open the safe, but it was too bloodied. It wouldn't register on the digital fingerprint sensor

'Good thing it has a pin'

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Ding!

Opening it he reached for the first aid as he asked "Are you okay honey? Could you help me?"

He reached for the the other aid bag as well just in case. Not hearing a response, he looked back.

"Honey." Scott whispered.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

Scott fell against the safe, despite the pain, he couldn't believe what just happened.

As he turned around, he had seen his wife aiming his gun at him.

He reached into the safe as he turned around with the last of his strength.

Wheezing, he managed to chocked out "Why?" Leaning his back to the safe.

She had emptied the clip on him!

Her eyes, he would remember those eyes even after his death, crazed eyes. She dropped his pistol as she reached between her legs, lifting her wine-red dress, and pulled out hers.

"Why? Why? You were supposed to die! They barely hurt you, you didn't die. I had to do it, or they wouldn't pay me. Why didn't you just die?" Her spit flying all over was the only thing Scott could focus on.

"Money?" Scott couldn't help himself but chuckle.

COUGH COUGH. He laughed some more despite the blood spitting out of his mouth.

"What do you know? You had promised when you married me we would have a great life! A happy life! It's been over ten years, you are never home! We live in a crappy house, in the middle of nowhere! You never talked about what you do , and sometimes your eyes, it's like you are somewhere else."

'I did it for us' Scott almost said. He coughed up more blood.

"How much?"

"See? You want the money too! You always worked, and had nothing to show for it!" She motioned with her gun at him.

She pulled back on the slider, loading the weapon. Looking back at him she said. "$60,000." with a smug smile.

"HAHAhahaha-cough cough."

"Why are you laughing?" She shot him again.

BANG!

"Come on keep on laughing!"

BANG!

Even through the pain his wheezing sounded like a laugh, he mumbled something.

"What? I can't hear you."

"..."

"Speak up damn it!" She said as she made her way towards him. She crouched close to him.

He motioned with his left hand, using his fingers. Leaning closer to him, and keeping her weapon pointed at her husband.

"I said...I make...that...in a month." He opens his right hand, letting what he was holding roll.

"You fucking bastard!" She screamed as she scrambled to stand back up and leave.

'Rot in Hell'

BOOOM!!