“Whoa!” Richard, at the head of the three, was first to see the dogs and ducked behind a large thorn bush. The two dogs, foaming and snarling, lurched straight past him, launching themselves at Susan and Walther.
Susan, second in the file, raised her gun. Walther, with remarkable speed, tore off his jacket and began to wrap it around his left arm.
In a matter of seconds the leading dog leapt howling at Susan, she managed to get one shot off before it crashed into her chest, its jaws snapping shut an inch from her throat as she was knocked backwards to the ground.
A second later the other dog tore into Walther, fastening its powerful jaws around his wrapped arm, the animals strength was incredible, throwing its head from side to side until Walther’s arm was wrenched from its socket, the beast's fangs biting deeper and deeper into his arm.
Susan’s single shot had been a good one, it had killed the beast as it fell upon her, but its dead weight brought her down sending the gun spinning away as she banged her head on the ground. Dizzily, she groped around for the gun to help Walther. Kelvin appeared moments later, yelling,
“Fucking bitch! You killed him you fuckin' little bitch!” His shotgun was shouldered ready to fire at her. Richard leapt out,
“Hey!” He cried out to distract Kelvin who swivelled with well-practiced ease and fired at Richard. He couldn't miss.
At the same moment as Kelvin swivelled, Tsuba leapt from the bushes and rushed upon him, with his left hand he pushed the shotgun barrel aside as it went off, Richard felt the heat, and his eyes were stung by the flash but he caught only a few stray pellets in his left shoulder.
Tsuba’s right hand glittered as it moved upwards in a wide slash, catching Kelvin in the neck. The shimmering blade did not stop and Richard watched wide-eyed as Kelvin's head flew spinning high into the air, still mouthing breathless obscenities.
Another gunshot, Richard turned to the sound and saw Susan standing over the body of the other dog, Walther lay on the ground groaning, his left arm at an odd angle to his body.
Kelvin’s head, GI cap still intact, fell to the ground with a thump at Richards feet, whilst his upright body, blood spurting like a fountain, slowly crumpled forward.
Richard quickly assessed their situation, Walther would have to stay behind, the other three could carry on. He offered Susan a chance to stay behind with Walther.
“Not on your fucking life!...” She asserted, adding, “...You go on, I'll catch up in a minute, I need to sort out Walther’s arm.” Tsuba, after pressing a small handgun into Richard’s palm, was already half way up the path, heading for the back of the house as they had planned.
Richard followed him at a run, branching off to take the front of the house.