'Someone's coming!' Ellie hissed at Tila and Jayce as they continued to bicker. Why did they need argue all the time? Especially now! She peered through the window again, minimizing her profile so only her eyes and forehead would be visible from the outside. She couldn't see the agent.

'How do we get to the library?' Tila demanded of Jayce.

'Uh, through those doors, then up the stairs to the right. You'll come out on the same hallway as the library.' Jayce pointed to the double doors at the far end of the kitchen.

Tila sprang to her feet. 'Ellie, let's go.'

Ellie and Jayce quickly followed. Tila darted forward. She reached for the door in front of her just as the door behind her was kicked open and crashed against the wall. A man in a grey suit stepped through the doorway. A woman, dressed to match, entered and stood beside him. Both raised weapons.

'Alright, hands in the air, kids,' said the man. His tone was firm and polite and left the words 'or we shoot' unspoken. The message was clear nonetheless.

Tila's answer was immediate. She snatched the nearest thing she could find, in this case a glass jug, and threw it at his head. Her aim was careless, her throw unprepared, and the jug shattered against pans hanging from hooks over the metal counters. Glass sprayed in all directions. Both agents fired back, but shielding their eyes from the glass fragments meant they missed too. Tila dived for cover behind the island, pulling more pans and utensils to the floor with her in her haste. The crash of the metal avalanche on the tiled floor was deafening.

Ellie and Jayce were on their hands and knees by the exit. Ellie waved her over. 'Quick!'

'I'll catch up. Go!' Tila ordered shouted over the noise. Ellie was about to refuse but Jayce pulled her away and the door swung shut behind them.

Maybe he can do something right, she thought, then she tuned into the moment.

Tila shuffled backward until she was sure the agents couldn't see her. She leaned to one side and peeked around the corner.

The female agent was creeping silently along one side of the island. Her counterpart would be coming up the other side. The agent saw Tila and raised her pistol to take a shot. Tila turned around, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She scooped a handful of cutlery from the floor popped up and threw it in the agent's direction. Tila missed, but so did her target.

On Tila's left, the male agent crept closer too. He fired. Tila ducked, grabbed another fork, popped up and threw it. She missed again. He stayed still and fired at Tila again. Now the female agent was closer. Step by step they were coming for her.

The man fired again, aiming for the counter top above Tila's head. This time Tila could hear the click-hiss of the weapon discharging, and the faint ping of the needle ricocheting off the brushed aluminium cabinets above her.

They were pinning her down, one of them forcing her to take cover while the other advanced. She eyed the exit. Her friend was safe for the moment. Tila only had to make sure Ellie stayed that way, and she had promised herself long ago that she would do whatever it took to keep Ellie safe.

She scratched around for another weapon to use and her hands closed on a chef's knife.

Whatever it takes.