Twelve

A soldier's last conversation to his wife. I believe that this is some of my best work yet.

BANG!
BANG!
Click!
Vincent ejected the empty clip of his pistol and slid the very last magazine into place.
"Twelve," he whispered.
The radio headset laying next to him squawked, "Vincent! Are you there!?"
He picked it up with his left hand, keeping the 9mm pistol in his right aimed out the open doorway and down the short hallway.
"Claire!" He shouted, placing the device over his head. "Baby, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. So are the kids. We're inside the plane." She sounded terrified. For the umpteenth time, Vincent regretted bringing them on his mission. He had no right to place them in a potential crossfire.
BANG!
The soldier stumbled a few steps before collapsing in the hall.
Eleven.
"Vincent!" the radio screamed.
"I'm alright. I've cleared you for takeoff from here already. You can take off any time you want."
"What about Charlie?" Claire asked.
Vincent looked at the corpse that sat on the floor beside him. "He's not coming.
"Well then get on the plane!"
He removed his left hand from his side, watching as dark blood flowed from the wound. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen either."
He could hear Claire's muffled sobs in his ear. Two more enemy personnel rounded the corner at the end of the hall.
BANG!
BANG!
One fell, but the other was merely wounded.
BANG!
Eight.
Claire yelped at the sound as it traveled through the microphone.
"I'm still here." he reassured her.
"No," she pleaded. Vincent could effortlessly imagine Claire shaking her head. "You can't leave us!"
"I'm sorry, but you have to go. You know how to fly, so take Evan and Tyler and get out of here!"
"NO!" she snapped. "The children need their father!"
"They need to survive!" he almost roared.
Claire's next words were lost as Vincent focused on a small, black cylinder that bounced into the hallway. Not a moment too soon, he tightly buried his eyes into the crook of his his elbow as a bright flare erupted from the flash grenade that would have otherwise blinded him.
In the split second it took him to uncover his eyes, two more armed combatants stood in his view, their rifles raised and trained on him.
One of them fired first, his bullet landing only a few centimeters above Vincent's head.
BANG!
BANG!
Vincent returned with two shots of his own, accurately placing them into Number One's chest.
Six.
The second one fired his shot, slicing through the flesh of Vincent's left arm.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Hindered by rage and pain, Vincent landed two inefficient shots into his enemy's leg before hitting a decent one in his lung.
Three.
"VINCENT!" came the now-familiar shout in his ear.
"START THE PLANE AND GO! MY DEATH WILL MEAN NOTHING IF IT DOESN'T SAVE YOU!"
Damn. Now there was no hiding it. He didn't want his wife to leave with the impression that she was leaving him for dead.
It was a long time before she answered.
"I love you."
Over the radio, Vincent heard the roar of engines. Tears welled in his eyes and he was certain that Claire's had too.
"I love you too. Don't ever forget that."
"Never," she whispered
A burst of static entered the radio line. He had finally lost all contact. He tore the headset off to hear the sound of running boots.
Three men stumbled over the bodies on the floor.
BANG!
Confirmed headshot.
Two.
BANG!
His target pitched forward and crashed onto the tiles.
One.
The last one dove back around the corner and out of sight.
"We need him alive!" came the shout. "Only he knows where the plane is headed! We have drugs, we can make him talk."
"Never." he whispered.
BANG!
Zero.

Author's Note

If anybody has a better idea for a genre other than "Military and War" or "Romance" please tell me, because I don't think this belongs in either. All of the military jargon might be hard to understand for some, but I did try to simplify it as much as I could.

Reviews

[Bridgette's Ink]

This was awesome!! I'm not big on military stories but this changed my mind about them. This was extremely good. I liked how it left me wondering. XD

[0_o Abbie]

This is cool. It reminds me of the Lee Child books I read. Love Lee Child. :D But this is really good. I love the story and the romance in it. This really is an amazing write. :D

[Coyote Poetry]

I don't know. It isn't Military and War. It needs a new place like Mystery and situation. I like the story. Left a opening for another chapter. Left many open questions. Why did they want the plane? Who was the character who killed himself and why was it necessary? A strong ending to a story that you could expand on. Backtrack the shooter life and create reason and purpose for family escape.
Coyote

[the-One-with-the-Darkne..]

I really like this. very very good.

[KAREN]

WOW!!! All I can say is Excellent! I want more!!
100/100