Free The Extinction Switch: Book three of the Kato's War series by Andrew C. Broderick Page B

breaking, and running footsteps got closer.
    “Do you think the government’s army will save us? Assuming there still is one?” Antonio said.
    “Not likely,” David said.
    Next door was now being ransacked. A woman’s shrieking voice was heard. “No! No! No!”
    “Poor Maude,” Vivianne said, clapping her hand to her mouth.
    At last, the rap on the door. “Open up now! You are ordered to evacuate this property, by the authority of the Captain of the New People’s Republic of France. You have ten minutes to leave.”
    “Shhh!” David said. Everyone was poised to strike. Silence from outside. The knock came one more time. Then there was a word that nobody could make out, followed by an almighty, ear-splitting crash. The door buckled inwards and was torn from its frame as the business end of a black battering ram appeared. The tabletop split in half. The two legs on which it leaned broke, and the pieces fell to the floor. Strips of metal from the door frame flew inward. Two soldiers, dressed in black, and wearing helmets with face visors could be seen. They brandished a clear riot shield in their left hands, and an automatic weapon in the right. Several rounds flashed from their muzzles and smashed into the ceiling of the hall. Exploding plaster and dust fell on the occupants. Vivianne screamed and dove into Etienne’s bedroom. Annabelle, Kassandra and Antonio dove into the living room for cover.
    Only David stood firm, knife in hand. “This is my house! You have no right to take it!”
    The nearest soldier, grim-faced, stepped over the smashed door, and knocked David flying backwards with a blow from his shield. David dropped the knife as he landed on his back with a nasty thud, his head almost in the kitchen. The soldier stood over the prone man, put his left boot on David’s chest, and pressed the muzzle of his gun against David’s forehead. “You now have five minutes.” Without moving the gun barrel, he looked back outside to his colleague. He flicked his head to the left. The other soldier nodded and proceeded to the next apartment. Vivianne peeked out from Etienne’s room and screamed on seeing the scene in the hallway.
    “Get stuff!” David yelled, from the floor. “Get everything you can carry!”
    “Umm… right. Guys!” Vivianne yelled, searching the hall for other faces.
    “We’re here!” Annabelle shouted from opposite doorway.
    “Get everything you can! Food, clothes, pots and pans… anything! I’ll get Etienne’s things. There are plastic bags in the right hand cupboard.”
    “We only have five minutes!” David reiterated.
    “Come with me,” Annabelle said urgently to Kassandra. She turned to Antonio. “Get our stuff from in here. Make sure you get all our clothes. We don’t know how long they’ll have to last us. C’mon, Kassie.” The two girls pushed their way gingerly around the trooper, who still had his gun to David’s head, and into the kitchen. “Food!” Annabelle said. “Doesn’t matter what it is. Get it all, including the boxes of NBH.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Over there.” Annabelle pointed to a stack of gray containers, each about the size of two shoe boxes, in the corner of the kitchen. She then began to raid the cupboards for anything useful.
    “Can I please get up?” David implored to the seemingly giant man standing over him. “I won’t try anything. We just need to get our stuff.” Thirty tense seconds passed, during which the trooper fixed David with a steely, unblinking stare. Then, the gun barrel and boot were removed. David sprang up. “I’ll get our stuff, Viv. Or as much as I can anyway,” he shouted. He darted into their bedroom, and pulled the contents of clothing drawers feverishly into travel bags. After a trip to the kitchen to grab plastic bags, he went back and rifled through the closet to try and grab personal effects. He paused at one item: a Hasselblad camera. After examining it for a few seconds, it too was tossed into a