Chapter 30E: Yet Another Attack

Things at the P.D. wound down and everyone shook hands as the taking of reports were concluded.

Dan walked out into the parking lot with Henry and Mr. Miller. The latter had driven in his old pickup and now had a collection of cold Chinese dinners to take home and microwave. He was cheerful about that, as he'd been able to report his witnessing of the attack upon young Don. He admitted that it had been the most exciting thing he'd witnessed in the last 30 or 40 years of his life.

Dan had said his goodbyes to Mr. Miller and then climbed into Henry's SUV for the drive home. They took the now familiar route from the Danielville P.D. offices back to the Nichols home. It was late enough in the evening to start resembling dusk in the middle of September in the eastern portion of North Carolina.

They pulled up into the driveway and got out. Dan felt like he was dragging a bit after all of the weirdness of the last two days. Henry had seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts as he'd driven and that seemed to be continuing as they started walking towards the house. He stepped on ahead a bit and was approaching the front porch when things happened.

Dan missed the approach of the vehicle until he heard it cross the curb and pull up into the front lawn of the Nichols' residence. Even as he turned around he just knew what he was going to see. As he confirmed his thoughts with the sight of the Dark SUV stopping he yelled. "Henry! It's another squad of them!" He had enough presence of mind to again initiate a video recording with the chronometer hanging around his neck. He also dropped his bookbag as he realized what was happening.

Dan immediately evaluated the opening doors and knew that he was likely to be hit with stunner fire at any moment. He couldn't retreat across the yard and avoid this, so he decided to charge and try to take out one or more of their attackers. He rushed forward towards the passenger side of the SUV as he heard the buzz of two stunners coming from the driver's side of the vehicle. Dan heard a grunt from somewhere to his rear and what sounded like the clunk of something metallic striking the concrete of the walkway leading up to the porch.

Damn! They've already gotten Henry! That was his 10mm hittin' the concrete.

He now felt that same tingle he'd experienced earlier in the afternoon. He recognized the sound of the buzzing, too. He'd just been shot with a stunner, again! And he was still under control, though. There were two of the familiarly uniformed individuals before him as he launched himself into a kick at a man who was looking at his stunner as if it failed him. The strike that he delivered was simple and effective. His first target made no effort to defend himself as he seemed to be confused about his stunner's failure. Don's Technica low-top boot connected with a prominent jaw and the head of his target snapped back.

Dan controlled Don's body so that he fell into a proper stance for the launching of his strike. He was close as he turned about to face his opponent and simultaneously realized that it was a woman who now faced him. She wasted no time in shooting him with her own stunner, having just seen her partner downed by what had seemed to be the failure of his own weapon.