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behind
him with their pistols drawn.
           “C’mon
now, boy,” the colonel said, “Throw me that rifle, and come to me in two years’
time.”
           The
kid threw the colonel the rifle, which he grabbed in the midair.
           “Now
run along and tell your brother what is going on,” Colonel Vyptor said.
           “Yes,
Colonel,” the boy said and ran back in the side street that he had come from.
           “We
got lucky,” soldier Woker said.
           All
of them walked down another building when Colonel stopped behind a column.
           “Let’s
hope he loaded it,” Colonel said and took out the magazine. It was fully loaded
with twenty-five rounds. Colonel removed twelve bullets and put them in his
left pocket, then attached the magazine back to ATR, flicked the rifle to
‘auto’ and started walking with the rest behind him.
           The
bank robbers and the police were too busy trading fire to notice the new
arrivals to the scene. Colonel and Sayett quietly took positions behind columns
of the store across from the bank while Ryft and Woker hid behind the columns
of another store.
           “Distract
him,” Colonel said to Sayett.
           Sayett
aimed his pistol and fired three shots at the bank robber who was positioned
diagonal to the police car but straight in front of him across the street and
behind the bank wall. He missed all three and quickly backed behind the column.
His palms had broken a sweat; there was a tingle of tension and excitement,
combined with heavy breathing and a rush to his heart. He had been in many
shootouts, but the first shots always excited. The bank robber was surprised;
he turned his rifle and let loose a volley at the stone column where Sayett had
taken cover. Then he turned to fire at the police car again. Sayett had gained
his calm now and was breathing slowly. He turned out from the other side of the
column and fired two more shots—misses again but much closer.
           However,
the shots provided the opportunity to the colonel; and as the bank robber
ducked for a few seconds, the colonel aimed his ATR rifle, and as soon as the
robber showed himself, the colonel pulled the trigger and emptied the entire
magazine, knocking the bank robber back cold and dead.
           The
other bank robber was shocked to see his mate fall down; he directed his fire
at the colonel who was now safely behind the stone column. The police were also
surprised; they gave a thumbs up to Sayett and turned back.
           “I
have to load again,” Colonel said to Sayett. “Get him boys,” he yelled to his
soldiers.
           Sayett
fired two shots in the general direction of the robber, but received fire in
return. Ryft and Woker, from behind the next store’s columns, now started
firing their pistols at the remaining bank robber. The policemen took advantage
and also fired their rifles. The four of them had pinned the robber down and he
was not showing his head or his gun.
           Neither
one of the soldiers was giving a chance for the robber to show himself; they
were just firing at the wall now. Sayett could tell this was probably their
first gunfight. Ryft and Woker did not stop till they were out of bullets. Then
they took out their backup magazines and loaded their pistols again.
           “Stop
firing,” Sayett yelled to Ryft and Woker, “Save your bullets.”
           They
looked at him and nodded in the realization that the excitement had made them
forget that, unlike on a practice range, their bullets here were limited.
           The
colonel just finished reloading the twelve bullets he had earlier put in his
pockets. Now he attached the magazine to the rifle and looked at Sayett and
said, “I am ready again.”
           “Provide
me single-shot fire cover when I signal,” Sayett said.
           The
colonel nodded and flicked his ATR to ‘single-shot’; the policemen had