Through Time, Darkly

[Vogel]

Called off.

She called him off.

He obeyed.

He walked away.

It was over.

Thank God

The primary threat, the center of his universe as determined by the primal center of his brain, was neutralized.

Doyle looked at Ellis as she walked forwards, hands open in what was, or at least used to be, the universal sign of peace. Look here: no weapons, no fists. Her voice was shaky, but her intentions?

She called him off.

The Lieutenant felt the pent up energy leave him, only to have nothing left to fill the gap. He was getting more exhausted by the minute, no doubt the process accelerated by this whole damned affair. His posture went slack, his white knuckles gone as his hands unclenched

"Please Lieutenant. We have to find out what's happened to you."

He looked at her, mouth half open, eyes half closed. Spent.

The door over her shoulder opened wide. The guns were unmistakable.

A wash of memories.

Basic combat training. Drill Sergeant McGovern. The course was so short, no time for pleasantries, but what use would he have for training in a firefight when his place was in a cockpit? Emergencies? There wasnt any ground to parachute onto. It was a formality.

But they learned it anyway. Part of discipline? It was the way of all militaries, even the desperate and dying ones. Firing stance, rifle, butt held hard to the shoulder, body pivoted sideways, eyes down the barrel.

The men in the doorway were a mirror image of it; all they were missing was the last step.

No time to think. No time to quick draw. Distracted, tired, confused. Threat, long range, ready to strike. Hopeless. Dead man.

Civilian.

Doyle practically threw himself forward, right arm extended, palm open. He pushed into Denise Ellis as if she was a swinging door, his hand on her right shoulder as he stormed up. The researcher barely had time to regain her footing before shed been turned full around and found herself staring at the back of Doyles flight fatigues.

Any moment.

Any moment now and some kind of shot, laser, projectile, dart, needle. He could almost predict where theyd hit, scattered pattern about his chest. His beleagured muscles tightened, bracing for an impact his flesh and bones couldnt withstand, but could maybe prevent from hitting the civilian.

Maybe.