the person desired. The electronic impulses from the brain also allowed a trickle charge to the gauntlet which powered the touchscreen where I adjusted the effectivity of the laser and could turn the sight beam on and off. I adjusted the gauntlet to full force, no need to milk the woman's death, I had nothing to gain in doing so.
I nudged the door open and winced at the slight creaking noise that followed. I much preferred the advantage of stealth like movement when stalking a target. Not many of them fought back, but you never truly knew who you were up against. Thom followed me inside and we made our way through Taggert's home as quietly as possible. I could see a few holographic pictures that illuminated above the entertainment center. It appeared that she had a brother who was a few years older than I was and her mother was around my own mother's age, at least if my mother was still alive. I buried that thought as quickly as I could, I needed to focus on the task at hand, not on the past. I could hear sounds coming from the bedroom of the apartment, it had to be her, and it sounded as if she were speaking with someone.
I eased closer to the dark mahogany door that led presumably into Ms. Taggert's bedroom and placed my hand on the doorknob. I gave it a gentle, quiet turn and pushed it open while keeping my eyes open for any potential threats. I was correct at assuming this was a bedroom, but there was no way it belonged to a woman. It had a dark, sullen look and it was far too cluttered to belong to a wealthy woman who based her life decisions on perceptions from other people. I let loose of the doorknob and walked in, a little off guard much to my detriment.
It wasn't until I heard the lurching sound coming from Thom's throat that I realized that we were under attack. I spun around to see Thom dangling by his neck by the man I had seen pictured with Taggert in the other room. This man was about my height, but seemed to have the strength of four men. I leveled my gauntlet at him, but with a sweep of his arm he leveled me. I grasped the side of my head from the blow and recoiled into the fetal position when he drove a booted foot into my sternum. I felt pain like I had not experienced since my time as a prospect.
I looked up to see the man throw Thom across the room and into a wall. The Sheetrock buckled under Thom's weight and he smashed through the wall and fell limp to the ground. I knew I needed to move, but the sharp pain in my chest prevented me from doing so quickly. I struggled to breathe, there was nothing else that I could do as Taggert's brother drove his foot down onto me again. This time I knew that there would be broken ribs involved, the evidence of it protruded from my ribcage and punctured the skin on my right side. I gasped for whatever amount of air could replenish my aching lungs and labored as my chest cavity expanded with each attempt.
"Linnis!" I heard a woman shout barely over the ringing in my ears. I tilted my head up to see my target stand there with dark hair that rested above her shoulders. She was dressed in a pant suit with gold adornment along the edging of the jacket. I could see the look of shock on her face, but was it because her monster of a brother was attempting murder in her home, or was it the fact that two policemen were in her home? She could surely put two and two together and deduce why we were there. She was targeted by the Syndicate.
Linnis stood down from his attack and crossed his arms in a defensive pose. It was clear that his older sister ruled his small little world, but I was unsure to what extent her control over him would last. I could see Thom move slightly out of the corner of my eye which was a small relief in a rather bleak introduction to the Taggerts.
"Forgive my brother," she said as she extended a hand to help me up. I grasped it with my right hand and the blue beam that shown from the diffuser of my gauntlet illuminated upon her shoulder. She stared at it
I nudged the door open and winced at the slight creaking noise that followed. I much preferred the advantage of stealth like movement when stalking a target. Not many of them fought back, but you never truly knew who you were up against. Thom followed me inside and we made our way through Taggert's home as quietly as possible. I could see a few holographic pictures that illuminated above the entertainment center. It appeared that she had a brother who was a few years older than I was and her mother was around my own mother's age, at least if my mother was still alive. I buried that thought as quickly as I could, I needed to focus on the task at hand, not on the past. I could hear sounds coming from the bedroom of the apartment, it had to be her, and it sounded as if she were speaking with someone.
I eased closer to the dark mahogany door that led presumably into Ms. Taggert's bedroom and placed my hand on the doorknob. I gave it a gentle, quiet turn and pushed it open while keeping my eyes open for any potential threats. I was correct at assuming this was a bedroom, but there was no way it belonged to a woman. It had a dark, sullen look and it was far too cluttered to belong to a wealthy woman who based her life decisions on perceptions from other people. I let loose of the doorknob and walked in, a little off guard much to my detriment.
It wasn't until I heard the lurching sound coming from Thom's throat that I realized that we were under attack. I spun around to see Thom dangling by his neck by the man I had seen pictured with Taggert in the other room. This man was about my height, but seemed to have the strength of four men. I leveled my gauntlet at him, but with a sweep of his arm he leveled me. I grasped the side of my head from the blow and recoiled into the fetal position when he drove a booted foot into my sternum. I felt pain like I had not experienced since my time as a prospect.
I looked up to see the man throw Thom across the room and into a wall. The Sheetrock buckled under Thom's weight and he smashed through the wall and fell limp to the ground. I knew I needed to move, but the sharp pain in my chest prevented me from doing so quickly. I struggled to breathe, there was nothing else that I could do as Taggert's brother drove his foot down onto me again. This time I knew that there would be broken ribs involved, the evidence of it protruded from my ribcage and punctured the skin on my right side. I gasped for whatever amount of air could replenish my aching lungs and labored as my chest cavity expanded with each attempt.
"Linnis!" I heard a woman shout barely over the ringing in my ears. I tilted my head up to see my target stand there with dark hair that rested above her shoulders. She was dressed in a pant suit with gold adornment along the edging of the jacket. I could see the look of shock on her face, but was it because her monster of a brother was attempting murder in her home, or was it the fact that two policemen were in her home? She could surely put two and two together and deduce why we were there. She was targeted by the Syndicate.
Linnis stood down from his attack and crossed his arms in a defensive pose. It was clear that his older sister ruled his small little world, but I was unsure to what extent her control over him would last. I could see Thom move slightly out of the corner of my eye which was a small relief in a rather bleak introduction to the Taggerts.
"Forgive my brother," she said as she extended a hand to help me up. I grasped it with my right hand and the blue beam that shown from the diffuser of my gauntlet illuminated upon her shoulder. She stared at it
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