One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 7, page 6

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Zhíno Zhudıro froze and listened, his wounds still throbbing with pain.

The Enforcer kept pounding and yelling, but nobody was coming to answer. Could Zhíno sneak past the front door and hunt down Fírí and whoever was hiding her? Yes, but as soon as he shot the Vítí-twin in the head, the Voro-fucking Enforcer would kick in the door, gun blazing. Zhíno would be trapped.

Ahísıhíta damn it. Can’t anything ever be easy?

As quiet as he could, Zhíno got on his feet and snuck over to the back door. It was best to facilitate a quick exit now. The deadbolt slid back with a simple turn of the lever. Zhíno tested the knob, leaving the door a millimeter ajar.

“I’m coming!” yelled a deep-voiced man within the house.

Zhíno’s heart leapt for his throat, his pulse suddenly pounding in his head and his wounds. Trying to ignore the pain, he pulled his semiautomatic out of his trouser pocket and crept around the kitchen table to stand beside the open doorway to the front room, out of sight from whoever might be coming.

He caught a glimpse of the old rifleman bastard, the one who had shot him, facing the other way. Would the old Névo-brain let the Voro-fucker in? No, the old bastard was arguing with the Enforcer. Zhíno smiled.

A muffled voice from outside snarled, “This is Lieutenant Nıgédazo. Lieutenant Vorıso is here with me.”

Great. Two Voro-fuckers. The old man better not let them in. If the Enforcers talked their way into the house, Zhíno had to shoot first, or else he was dead.

“I’m afraid I can’t allow that,” growled the fat bastard. “You have no need to worry. Bhanar is safe now.”

Zhíno leaned out to see with one eye. The old man stood with one hand on his hip and the other rubbing the top of his bald head. Zhíno could just shoot the bastard right now, spray his brains across the door, red and pink bits sliding down the dark wood. Zhíno ducked back and grimaced. Shooting the old Zhéporé-spawn would only result in the Enforcers breaking in, chasing Zhíno further away from Fírí and the auto keys.

No, he had to wait. Hopefully the fat man would get rid of the Enforcers. And only then could Zhíno go kill Fírí in peace.

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