At first Dan saw no one, and the house was quiet as he moved from tree to tree advancing through the forest toward the right side of the drive, halfway up to the house. Even though the sky hinted at the impending dawn, the light from an opening back door suddenly exploded across the parking area, illuminating the garage and Marri’s car. That’s when Dan saw the body at the right back corner of the cabin next to the woodpile. Careful, Danny boy. 

Shielded from view by foliage and dim light, Dan removed the safety and checked his position before slowly raising the barrel and holding his stance absolutely immobile as he had so many times in another life. All of his skills were being brought to bear while he focused on analyzing the setting. Dan was only 40 feet to the right of the cabin behind a tree when Benny appeared. Benny was holding a gun that he immediately raised to eye level when he first looked across the lot. 

Dan followed his gaze to discover Marri poised in shooting posture on the far side of the lot from Benny, 40 feet further up the drive from him. They formed an equilateral triangle in position. 
Marri don’t hesitate! But she did.

“Benny?” Marri called out. She partially lowered the crossbow. 

Marri! No! 

Benny spotted the slight dip of her hold on the weapon as he squinted at the female figure in the close shadows at the edge of the woods. “Ms. Carmichael?” He lowered his gun as well. 

Ms. Carmichael? Well trained to hold position regardless of distractions, Dan nonetheless fought the urge to search for another woman lurking about. 

Just then Tony stepped into view beside Benny. “Hey, Tony!” Benny beckoned as he turned slightly. “Look who’s here. It’s Lisa Carmichael, the attorney who helped sell the cabin for my mom.”

Lisa? Attorney? He thinks Marri is some lawyer? A third layer of disguise?

Tony screamed, “You idiot! That’s Ana! Shoot her, you fool! Now!”

Benny spun back to Marri, raising his weapon simultaneously, but Marri was already there. Don’t hesitate, Marri! She immediately pressed the trigger, and the bolt sped across the distance between them, exploding through Benny’s throat. Blood sprayed from his neck and burbled out of his mouth as he collapsed to his knees and dropped forward on his face.

Marri reached for another bolt, but this time Tony was ahead. He had already withdrawn the Glock from his shoulder holster and was swinging the barrel into position. Marri looked up in time to see Tony smile and aim, and then the top half of Tony’s body exploded. The remaining trunk and legs crumbled in place.

After taking the shot, Dan had automatically reloaded and now he stepped out from behind the tree to cross the driveway. At such a short distance, a 30-06 has devastating effects. Dan could see he would not need a second shot.

Still standing in the driveway, Dan’s attention rapidly turned to Marri who by now had smoothly rearmed the crossbow, initially aiming at Tony. But rather than lowering her weapon as Tony died, she instead maintained her firing stance while she evenly swung the crossbow to her left searching for the other shooter, and finally pointing her weapon downhill along the driveway directly at Dan. Originally smiling, Dan now frowned. And Marri squeezed the trigger.