OK, it's me - Shepherd. I am on an unscheduled trip and typed chaps 1-3 on my phone. Thanks to my daughter (Fluffykitty) for helping me learn how to post this. Still lost on posting, but Fluffykitty will see me through. :)

Yes, you've heard from my mother, folks! The illusive Shepherd herself! :)

Frank's POV

A bullet misses Joe's head by an inch. I fire back and shove Joe hard to get him out of range. Joe lands hard on the warehouse's wood floor.

"Hey, I'm on your side, remember?" Joe says.

I do remember. That's part of the problem. We are outnumbered, outgunned and low on ammo. I have no idea who is shooting at us or how we are getting out of this alive.

Someone ran my car off the road. Joe and I found an abandoned warehouse. We're stuck behind a pile of wooden crates our enemies are blowing holes through and I can't come up with a plan.

"I've got a plan," Joe says as he rubs a bleeding spot on his leg from my shove.

"No. No plans."

Joe's plans are dangerous and unpredictable.

"Frank, they've got us trapped here. And I smell smoke."

Smoke! I smell it too. Whoever has us trapped is starting a fire to cut off our escape route.

"Cover me!" Joe shouts and runs by me.

I fire my gun and breathe a sigh of relief when Joe disappears behind a rusty metal press.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm responsible for Joe's impulsiveness. Does Joe act impulsively because he knows I can't give him permission to risk his life?

I fire a shot. The bullet hits a masked man in the shoulder. Another masked man drags the wounded one to safety. Are they brothers? Where is Joe? Why did he risk his life to get across the room?

My eyes scan the area where I last saw Joe. A rusty metal ladder mostly clings to the wall. It leads to a rickety platform 20 feet over my head.

I open fire as Joe slowly steps on the platform. Joe's strategy is excellent. He's behind enemy lines and can attack from overhead.

Joe shoots one masked man in the leg. I open fire and wing another. Things are looking up until I run out of ammo. I run out staring at the last masked guy. Hopefully my death will give Joe the time to escape.

Instead the masked guy looks at me, smiles and shoots Joe off the platform. I watch Joe crash to the floor. Is he still alive?

Please review! :)