42. The Fort

Nico and Francois clutch their bleeding hands while Nico shouts dismayed: "Are you mad!” The rest freeze like statues; too bewildered to do or say anything. Jack slowly shakes his head from side to side and frowns: "I hope this will be your final lesson not to mess with me when I have this thing in my hand, Nico. Sorry, but you have given me no choice and as you see: I do it! Just a bit higher and I would shoot through the bones of your hands. I only shot through the underside of your palms so that the pain caused you losing your grips.” Amazed Francois and Nico are now looking at the cuts at the underside of their hands where the bullets cut through the flesh. Francois speaks for the first time in his heavy French accent: "Where did you learn to shoot like this? I have never experienced something like this before.” Nico adds: "32 Battalion?” Without emotion, Jack looks at them: "Best sniper in the whole battalion. So, be careful, and listen when I speak in the future.” Nico expl