"We will have to kill you. Resisting arrest—"
What happened next surprised Florin with its swiftness. Erol flipped the gun from under the robe and with three snap shots dropped all three men.
Florin did not let surprise hamper him, for Erol's shots were echoed by his own rifle, which caught two men who were further away.
As the rest of the attackers dove for cover, Florin was pleased to hear the blast of a rifle from the side of the lodge, and the whine of a shattered blade as the gyro plummeted to the ground.
Yma had done well, hitting where he told her, at the base of the props. The moment of victory was rudely shattered by a volley of fire from the men around the lodge.
As Erol sprang from his chair and dove towards the door, he was hit and fell outside. Ignoring his wound he kicked over a table and used it as a shield, returning fire. Florin's thought of rescuing him was cut short by Erol's yell, "Get to the back of the lodge. They may rush it."
Florin made a dash for it, finding Erol's words true. The attackers were moving in. He still heard firing from the front and side, so he felt reassured.