Project Rescue - A Shifter Novel (NaNoWriMo19)
Chapter 37 - Winners and Losers

The air whooshed out of Eagle. “Are you kidding me?”

We watched the shot one more time to make sure we saw what we thought we saw. It was a beautiful shot and one no one thought they would ever see in their lifetime. A one in a million shot.

“Well, I’ll be damned. I can’t believe you shot right on top of Eagle’s shot. Exactly on top of Eagle’s shot,” Madrid exclaimed. “Are you two still on for more shooting?”

I shrugged my shoulders. I really didn’t care one way or another. It was entirely up to Eagle and his wishes. I didn’t think he wanted to end on the shot I made. Then again, he might.

“Do you want to call it? We can split the money or give everyone their money back. You’ve done a lot of work today,” Eagle muttered.

“Doesn’t matter to me. I do want to check on Manuel and make sure he’s doing okay. He needs to have the stitches in his artery redone. I didn’t use the right kind of suture for inside his body. But, I’m game if you are. Do you want to shoot until one is ahead of the other?” I asked.

Eagle thought about it. “Yeah, I think shooting until one misses would be good.”

“Hold up, guys. I need one of you to go to the dead drop we have for Antonio. I know he’s got something for us. Any volunteers?” Inquired Madrid.

“I’ll do it,” Flirt answered.

“Okay. Keep hidden but I don’t think you will have a problem. They know where we are.”

Matheus face lit up and he smiled. “I’ll show you to another exit, Flirt.”

We saw Flirt nod his head and grabbing his coms unit and sticking it down in his ear. He checked his coms - the earpiece and the mic implanted in the side of his throat. When he was done he followed Matheus to the exit, making sure Matheus taped the outcome of the shoot off.

“You got it. I want video of my mate whooping Eagle’s ass.”

Flirt laughed and left through the exit tunnel as Matheus walked over to the monitor to watch for any tangos on the other side of the exit. I was glad that he had made the exit but I was sure he had a lot more. We watched Flirt as he made it to the exit. He checked all the cameras in the area and opened the way out, closing it quickly when Flirt was through.

“Didn’t we have an ass kicking, um, shoot off to get back to?” Matheus questioned.

Eagle differed to me, knowing I had more shots. I knew he thought I was a good shooter but he didn't know what I had up my sleeve next. He would soon replace out.

I walked over to the range. I had an idea of what I wanted to do and was wondering how Eagle would do with the shot but I was still going to do it and whatever happened, happened.

I nodded at Matheus, holding up two fingers for the wind speed to be put on twenty miles an hour again. I picked up a Ruger 243 shotgun, aiming at the target and checking the weight against the wind.

I turned around and picked up the ear protectors, turning back around and lining up the shot again. I took a couple of deep breaths, letting them out slowly and put one in the chamber of the gun. I turned with my back to the target, putting the 243 over my left shoulder. I took another breath and fired when I let my breath out. I didn’t turn and look at the shot, I handed the gun to Eagle.

I watched as Eagle took a deep breath. He looked at me as if I was something unnatural but I knew he was just shocked that I made a shot over my shoulder. I wanted to see if he could hit the bullseye.

We watched as Eagle walked over to the gun range, taking off his ear protector and wiping the sweat from his brow. He took a deep breath and aimed at the target, getting his body used to the wind and the lighter weight of the Ruger 243. He turned with his back to the target, took a breath and took the shot.

No one said a word. Not one word. He turned around and noticed he hit the outside edge of the target - not anywhere close to the bullseye. I beat him. And, I beat him fair and square. “General, you need to have her teach weapons with me, she’s great.”

“I’m still in shock, Eagle, what did you say?” Madrid asked bewildered. I knew then that Eagle was the best shot they had.

Matheus leaned over to the General. “He said, maybe she should teach the new recruits weapons with him.”

I walked over to Eagle and gave him a hug. I think I shocked him. It took him a minute to hug me back. “Good shooting, Eagle. I bet you want to know how I learned the last shot,” he nodded, “I learned to shoot backwards when a creeper decided to try and sneak up on me. He planned on taking advantage of me. He learned quickly to not mess with me, well, he died knowing he fucked up.”

All the guys started laughing. They were all wondering how and why I could shoot over my shoulder.

I walked over to Manuel, checking his blood pressure and feeling his arms to see if he was running a fever. So far everything was holding but I didn’t want him to go too long without being looked at by a surgeon. He woke up when I was checking on him, wincing in pain.

“Do you think you can eat a little broth and drink something - not a beer,” I asked, throwing in a little humor.

He nodded his head and tried to sit up a little, wincing and groaning as he did.

I shook my head at him, putting a pillow under his head. “Lay still, okay? I’m going to heat up the broth and get you some water. If you need to use the restroom I’ll get one of the guys to give you a hand. I meant, help, uh, forget it.” I was blushing about something completely stupid. But I wasn’t used to taking care of males. I only sewed them up, set bones and then they were deposited back in the cells.

I went over to Matheus and told him Manuel may need to pee. He went over to Manuel right away, pulling a folded screen around them.

I walked to the kitchen area. I lit the burner and pulled a pan down ready to heat some broth up. I was glad I had saved some broth from the chicken spaghetti. Manuel didn’t need anything heavy on his stomach. I heated the broth up and put it in a bowl, getting a spoon out and something to wipe his face. I heard the folding screen being moved and looked over my shoulder to see Matheus walking away from Manuel holding a bottle in his hand. I was going to walk over and feed Manuel but Matheus walked back by and grabbed the bowl out of my hands.

“I’ve got this. Why don’t you rest for a little bit. We’re not sure when we will get anymore rest, it depends on what Flirt brings back from the dead drop,” coaxed Matheus.

I nodded my head and climbed up into a hammock. I was listening to the conversation around me. It was comforting and it didn’t take me long to fall asleep.