She watches them both silently.

Alex had heard enough. "Come on. Lets get out of here."

.

She calmly turns to follow Alex.

At Alexs words, suddenly Cully reached under his T-shirt and yanked out a pistol, aiming it at Kayla.

Alex fired at the same moment Cully did, their shots echoing through the room like the backfiring of a car. Time slowed, sharpened. Cully staggered and fell backward, his gun clattering to the floor; a red bloom of blood burst from his shoulder.

Alex sprang across the room; time snapped back to normal speed as he grabbed Cullys gun. The man was struggling to sit up, grimacing as he clutched his shoulder. "Lemme finish her off!" he gasped out. "By the Angels, lemme finish her off!"

She runs at Cully and, the tiny object in hand, peppersprays him.

He cried out, the pepperspray burning.

She turns to Alex, strangely calm.

"...Are you okay?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"Then come on, lets get out of here before his friends show up." Cullys cell phone was lying on the floor; he stomped it hard a few times, until the display screen cracked and went blank.