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She heard him take a step towards her, could feel the weapon in his hand swinging towards the back of her head.
He wanted to knock her unconscious. Wanted to take her alive... she shivered. And do what?
She didn't want to know.
But as he tried to strike, as he shifted his weight, she knew she had one shot.
One shot for her and for the captive.
The gun came down on the back of her head, but she twisted at the waist last moment, catching his arm with both of her hands.
She twisted his arm, and he cried out as she flung him over her hip. Perfectly executed.
How many times had Aunt Sarah made her drill the same motion? Judo was often useful for helping a smaller opponent overcome a larger one.
O'Connor hit the ground with a thud, the gun flying out of his hand. Rachel quickly scrambled over to it, grasping the weapon and training it on him.
"Get up," she ordered, her voice shaking slightly.
O'Connor groaned, clutching his injured arm.
Rachel could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins as she stood over him.
"Please," the captive whimpered from the back seat. "Please don't hurt me."
Rachel's heart ached at the sound of the girl's voice. She knew she had to get her to safety.
"It's going to be okay," Rachel said softly. "Just stay in the car."
O'Connor was glaring up at Rachel now. He'd pushed slowly to his feet at her command and clutched at his wounded arm. His bloody hand was mangled and dripping.
He looked like something out of a waking nightmare under the clouds above, the droplets of rain pelting them.
"You're an idiot," he said, a snarl in his voice. "You're lying to her. It won't be okay. Never. Not for her. She's damaged goods, Blackwood. Don't you see?"
"Be quiet. Hands behind your head. Now!"
He didn't comply. Instead, he took a step towards her, his foot squelching in the mud. "You and I could have replenished the herd. But her..." He pointed an accusing finger at the woman. "I saw her years ago. I gave heryearsto recover, but she's still weak! Still a broken little thing!"
"That's why you killed them?"
"I called them!" he screamed at her. The madness was visible in his eyes. "I did what nature does. What any good farmer would do! I helped them. I gave them mercy. This cruel world doesn't know mercy!"
"You're lying to me and yourself to justify your own evil," she said calmly. "Now stop moving towards me, or I'll shoot you."
She said it matter-of-factly, her voice as cold as the raindrops slipping down her cheek.
He took another step towards her. He shook his head, "You wouldn't. I'm unarmed."
He was within lunging distance now.
"I said stop," she said quietly.
He took another step towards--
Crack. Crack.
Two gunshots.
