Breath Taker

"Wouldn't listen," Dave said.

"Heard the shots and was going after you," Sam said.

Elliot added, "Dave decked him to keep him here."

"Decked him good, too," Jesse muttered. Hard to tell in this light, but I think he almost smiled.

Sarah nodded grimly when I looked her way.

"You told us to wait for you," Dave said, on the defensive, as if he expected flack.

Tom said, "Well, maybe he'll listen next time." A look at me half-ass grinning and Dave relaxed his stance.

Jeremiah groaned, slowly sat up, fingers testing a jaw that was already swelling. Mumbled something no one understood, but the pain and anger in his face was plain.

His father disarming him in one smooth, but unexpected move, Jeremiah leapt to his feet, hand to that fattening jaw, screaming shit no one could understand, pointing at Tom, at Dave, Jesse, Sam and Elliot, at me. Grimacing, wincing, he turned on Sarah, took a step toward her, squalling gibberish still, and I pulled my right gun.

"Back up there, boy."

Stopped him dead cold, but his look at me was murder in the pure degree.