‘I hold you responsible for this mess,’ Lars yelled as she threw herself behind the nearest cover. ‘And I am not going to let you forget either!’  
The chatter of automatic weapons, the sound magnified by the surrounding mist, making the room echo like an industrial sized rock tumbler. Bits of rock exploded off the pillar like fragmentary grenades. Centralized to the right.
 
Adjusting herself, her back sliding along the pillar as she groped for her side arm. Cover first, weapons, second, escape third – kill Mac, tentative number four. Ask for refund on day spa, five.
 
‘Go to the bath houses you said.’ Lars grumbled. ‘It will help with the epidemic you said. Now we have to deal with some idiots with guns who think that this is the perfect time to pick up an easy mark.’
 
Fingers closing over the edge of her towel, Lars gave it a sharp jerk towards her and pulled out the ten millimeter she had stashed between the folds. The familiar weight of the pistol was reassuring, the modified handle elongated to fit her larger hands and secured in friction tape fresh wrapped. Pulling back the slide she wracked a round into the chamber.
 
‘Oh this is going to be fun.’ She muttered. Now where the hell had Mac gotten off to? ‘Mac, you dead?’
 
Several more shots cracked off the pillar in response. That was stupid, giving away her position, she was slipping. That was how this whole mess had started, she had let her guard down. She was not going to make that mistake again.
 
For now, it was time to correct this mistake before it became an error.
 
Whirling around the corner she dove into a roll and made for the deepest part of the swirling fog. Keep in cover, keep concealed, make for the exit. That was the plan.
 
That was the plan.