“Stay down,” I tell Justin as I crawl across the floor as more bullets make their way into my house. I go and get my gun that is under the entertainment center and the one that is behind the china cabinet. I crawl my way back to Justin who is lying on the floor in front of the couch with his head covered.

“What’s going on?” He asks frantically.

“Some asshole thinks it is okay to attack me at home. I take shit like this very fucking personal, and I will take care of this.” I look around and try to assess the situation. See if I can figure out just how many men were out there and who the hell their boss was. “Have you seen the movie ‘Panic Room’?” I ask him

“Yes and what the hell does that have to do with anything?”

“I have a room like that. It’s a little better though. I need you to get into this room and stay there NO MATTER WHAT!” I stress to him. “Follow me.” I command as I crawl trying to dodge the bullets and the shattering of items around the room. Justin is right behind me.

Just on the other side of the room, I hit a panel on the wall and door opens that is only about waist high but it is wide enough for anyone to crawl into. “Go,” is my simple command. He crawls in and turns around. Once you get inside the room, it is a normal size room that someone can stand and walk around in. There are TV screens around that shows every inch of the house. “There is a phone in there. If you’ll just pick it up and dial number one, you’ll be directly connected to James. Tell him to get over here and bring some men.” I order him.

“What are you doing? You need to get in here too” He tells me.

“I’m not going to. I’m going to shut this door and you are NOT to open it under any circumstances whatsoever until either James or I tell you to. Do you understand me? NO matter what happens.”

He nods with fear in his eyes. I tell him again to call James and then I hit a button and the door shuts as I crawl back around behind the wall. I stand up with a gun in each of my hands and look around to see if I can see anyone. I see movement outside one of my side windows and I shoot and hit the guy. I see him fall, but I doubt he’s dead. I move to the living room and barely miss a bullet. I stand behind a bookshelf, and duck as a vase on top breaks above my head.

“Who the fuck are you and why the fuck are you shooting at me? Do you not know who I am?!” I demand out to the men outside.

At first I got a few more bullets shot at me as an answer and then I head someone yell out. “We’re here for Rich. He wanted us to make sure that we let you know that he’s sorry he had to go last time but hoped you would understand.” The guy laughs out loud.

I had a feeling it would be that jackass. “Well I’d have you give him a message back for me, but I don’t think it’s going to get back to him after I kill you!” I yell back. Following up by moving out from behind the shelves and shoot out the window. I pause a bit to see if I hit the guy. Plus side is that I did hit him. Bad side is that there was another man standing right beside him that takes a shot, and he is successful.

The bullet hit me in the shoulder, the same fucking shoulder. I am tired of this. I fall back behind the bookshelves and slide down to the floor. It takes me seconds to see that this wound is a serious one.

JUSTIN

I cannot believe she locked me in this room. I feel helpless and scared for Arianna. I cannot understand why she wouldn’t get in this room with me. So, here I am in a small room where all I can do is watch Arianna through the TV monitors lining the wall. I already made the call to James and after he swore uncontrollably he told me he was on his way.

I pace the small room as I continue to watch the monitors. I stop when I hear Arianna yell out to the guys outside, and then I see the bullet hit her. I ran to the door, but couldn’t figure out how to get out of this stupid room. I frantically ran my hands all along the wall trying to find some button, switch, or anything that will allow me to get out and to Arianna. I do everything and fail. I go back to the monitor that shows Arianna sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, trying to wrap her arm up to stop the bleeding. She looks up at the camera and gives me a faint smile as she tells me she is okay.

It is not probably 5 minutes before I hear the front door behind kicked in. I move to the monitor that shows the door and I see three guys come in with huge guns. I am officially scared for Arianna and questioning myself for getting involved in this lifestyle. I look over to where Arianna was, but she is no longer behind the bookshelves. I look through all the monitors and finally spot her in the dining room, standing behind the wall, looking around to find her targets. I see her move to take a shot and hits one of them right in the middle of the forehead. As horrified by this as I was, I couldn’t help but be proud of my girlfriend. She amazes me everyday, as morbid as that may make me feel.

She moves to the other side of the doorway and the two remaining in the living room take shots at her. After missing her again, they decide to split up. I see her take a deep breath and move to take another shot. She stands in the middle of the doorway and proceeds to shoot several times. She hits the guy in the leg and in the stomach. The guy immediately falls to the ground. “Oh thank God” I breathe out a sigh of relief. Arianna moves toward him with her both guns pointed at his head.

“So, you were sent here to kill me, huh? You work for Rich?” She asks him with her gun pressed to his temple.

“Yes and I am not the only here to kill you.” He smirks up at her.

I wanted to reach through the monitor and kill the guy myself, arrogant bastard!

“You’re loyal to a man that just sent you to your death. Believe me when I tell you that he knew I was able to kill you when he sent you here, along with all your friends.” Arianna smirks right back at him. “Here’s what I’m going to do for you. I’m going to show you more mercy than your boss did. I’m not going to send you to a quick death because that’s TOO merciful. What I’m going to do is allow you to live and go back to Rich and tell him to fuck himself and that he just started a war that he is not going to win. He should have just let it go.” She informs him and with a final kick to the wounded leg, she sends him on his way. She takes his gun of course before he goes. The guy drags himself out and as quickly as he can leaves the house.

I sigh in relief again. I start to smile because my girl was winning. My girl – I like that. She may not be perfect and may even be a hazard to my health and even my life, I still like the sound of call he my girl. I smile as I look over the monitors, but something catches my eyes. I see Arianna walking through the house looking for others. She takes a quick a glance at the camera and smiles at me again. She winks as she continues through the house.

I follow her through the monitors and watch as she checks out all the corners. I’m watching the monitor with her when movement in another. I go to look and see the other guy that had split off coming up behind Arianna. He goes to aim his gun and she doesn’t hear him.

I yell out her name at the monitor but she cannot hear me. She walks around more. Just as the guy goes to shoot, I see her sweep her feet out and the guy goes down. She knew he was there. I should have known. She point her gun at him. “Really? You thought you could sneak up on me?” She laughs. “I don’t think I’m going to be more merciful with you than your friend earlier. I’m going to kill you.” She smiles.

The guy starts to laugh which obviously annoys her. I just stand there and watch the monitor waiting for something to happen. She demands to know what is so funny. “Well, I wasn’t planning on sneaking up on you? He was going to.” He says laughing and pointing his head behind her. I cannot believe I didn’t see the guy walking up behind her.

She turns to see what the guy is talking about and is met with a guy dressed in black with a black mask on and he moved so quietly. Before she could react, he had shot several rounds off. She jerks a few times as the bullets hit her. I couldn’t tell how many had actually hit her. I am too busy yelling out “NOOO!!” I’m back to frantically trying to find a way out. I need to get out to her. I can’t take it. I am scared I’m going to lose her before we even have a real chance. “ARIANNA!!” I yell out. I am punching at the walls when I hear a voice and hear more gunshots. I run over to the monitors and see James standing in the door with a gun in his hand. He had shot both men while commanding the men to check out the rest of the house and grounds.

ARIANNA

I cannot believe it. They got one over on me. I felt at least five bullets hit me. I fall to the ground and things started to go fuzzy. I can make out the guy in black move to put one more bullet in my head. He aims, but when I hear the gunshot he is the one that falls. I hear another shot and assume that it is the other guy that falls. I hear James giving commands to our men and then he moves over to me.

“Arianna, we need to get you to the hospital fast. You are losing a lot of blood.” He tells me. He goes to move me but I start to whisper to him for it is all I can do. He makes me repeat myself because he can’t hear me.

I try with all my strength to be louder. “Justin” is all I’m able to get out.

“What about Justin? We’ll call him on the way. Let’s go!” He goes to pick me up again but I stop him.

“No” I whisper, “Justin’s in there.” I tell him looking towards the wall where the room is.

James yells out to Charles and has him come over and pick me up as he goes to get Justin. “Justin, open up.”

“I would if I knew how.” I faintly hear Justin yell back.

“There’s a small button on the floor. It is right in the corner over here.” James tells him.

In about 2 seconds, the door is open and Justin is pulling me out of Charles’ arms and into his. “Arianna, I tried so hard to get out here.” He tells me as if he could have done something.

He practically runs out of the house and gets in the car James arrived in. James hops into the driver’s seat and speeds off to the hospital. I bet the men our left to secure the house and get back to the mansion to inform the crew what happened. I am sure we arrived at the hospital faster than any ambulance could have gotten us there. Justin carries me in and starts yelling. I do not know what happens after that. I finally black out and pretty much wait for the bright white light to overcome me.