He was at her side in moments. His hands were all over, first gently cupping her face before quickly traveling down to observe her shoulder. The lightest touch of his fingers made her wince. He sensed her distress for he pulled his hands away, smearing her blood on the tiles beneath him.
"God, Shay, it went straight through," he said, the panic flashing across his face. She would have reached out and grabbed his hand if moving her arm didn't result in agony. How much damage had the bullet done? She blinked away the sudden fear, suppressing the worrisome thoughts.
"Think I can't feel it?" She snapped. She didn't need to be informed of the gruesome details, for she could feel every little one. Distressed, Carson instantly began applying pressure. She cringed beneath him, lightly punching him with her unwounded arm. He didn't stand down.
"Carson, get off!" She hissed, grabbing his wrist with her free hand.
"We've got to stop the bleeding." He responded firmly.
"I'm going to live, really. But you… you aren't helping!" She said the last four words through gritted teeth, face contorted in pain. His gaze softened and he removed his hands, coming away bloody.
She knew she had to move. She couldn't just lay there on the floor until it was over, right in the line of fire. Even if her instincts told her to run she refused to listen, driven by the determination to finish what she started. Yancey hadn't been killed, for he was groaning a few feet off to her right. It would be a matter of minutes before the man was on his feet again. She planned to keep that from happening.
"Help me up," she ordered Carson. He nodded his head and snaked one arm around her waist, standing slowly with Shay in tow. He was careful not to move her right arm or brush the wound, keeping his grip firmly on the left side of her body. He smelled of blood and sweat, a rather unpleasant mixture. He'd been beaten, she could tell by the bruises lining his jawbone and the blood on his temple. At least I made it before they killed him, she thought thankfully. I did something right.
"You scared me," Carson whispered, dark eyes gazing into her own. She had no idea what kind of torment they'd put him through, but he still seemed to be the same boy she'd fallen for a year ago. There, with their faces just inches apart, she couldn't have been more thankful that was the outcome. She was once a ship with two anchors but now only one remained, and he was in her arms again. She'd come so damn close to losing him.
"I'm fine," she lied, an unintentional edge to her voice. Carson pursed his lips but seemed to understand she didn't intend to be so cold, instead slowly easing her back onto her own feet without saying a word. Despite the mind-bottling pain she could sense something was aloof- it was far too quiet.
She reached behind her back, feeling around for the handgun that was supposed to be tucked into her belt. She felt nothing but the fabric of her shirt. Her heart rate increased as she began to feel the effects of adrenaline sinking in, the pain in her shoulder gradually diminishing. Something's about to go down.
"Carson, did you take my gun?" she asked warily.
"Your M16, yeah."
"No, my 9mm."
"Never touched it."
Shit. She swallowed back the lump that had formed in her throat. Had she lost it back in the hallway? That was my father's gun. I can't believe I'd lose it so fucking easily.
"Looking for something?"
His voice turned her blood cold. She slowly turned, swallowing back her nervousness. A few feet away, risen from where he'd fallen, was her enemy, and the enemy had her gun. It wasn't just her gun- it was her father's gun. Despite the pain, despite the blood, despite the physical exhaustion, she met Yancey's eyes, dark eyes blazing with determination and nostrils flaring. Vicious.
Weaponless, she stood little chance of defeating a man with a firearm. Handicapped by injury she stood little chance of dodging a speeding bullet. She had something Yancey didn't, however- a fierce willpower that would not be easily deterred. Nobody could get inside her head and stay there for long, for Shay was a master of shutting herself off, connecting with her inner strength and pushing forwards. Defeat would not come easy, not now. She had much too far to fall.
The first bullet went speeding towards her, allowing her only seconds to sidestep out of the way. The second shot sent her diving for the floor, crawling her way over slick tiles to her blood splattered M16. Never before had something been so close yet seemed so far. She only had seconds and she knew it before the next bullet would be fired. The chances of it being a fatal shot were too high for comfort. The idea propelled her forwards, sending her pushing her body even further to strain. Every wrong move of the arm sent a sudden bolt of pain bursting through the haze of adrenaline, followed by teeth grinding together to silence cries of pain. She did not give in.
Her hand found the gun. Without hesitation, she snatched the weapon up like a hawk to prey, rolling over onto her back. She struggled to find Yancey at first, sweeping the room before finding him, shifted from his original position. He had Carson restrained once more, his arm locked firmly around the boy's neck, Shay's gun pressed against his skull. Carson was struggling to no avail, the whites of his eyes showing.
"Move and I'll finish what I started," he sneered, pressing the weapon harder against Carson's skull. She had the advantage of speed, she realized, after calculations of the options she had. If she shot Yancey he would fall before able to shoot Carson, but with their heads so close together the risk she'd hit Carson was too great for her to consider. There was truly nothing she could do. Someone else would have to step in.
Her eyes shifted quickly to the hole in the wall, where Axel was peeking around the corner. Jess was picking her way over jagged remnants of wall, attentions diverted elsewhere. Selena could barely be seen, just the top of her blonde ponytail above the crest of Axel's head. I can't count on her. She wouldn't kill her own father. Who in their right mind would? Calling out for Jess would take too much time, and Axel wouldn't risk the shot either.
"You wouldn't kill someone in front of your daughter," Shay hissed, motioning with her head to Selena. Yancey's eyes danced to his daughter, where a look of shock clouded his features. It quickly faded however, replaced by his usual icy smirk.
"Watch me." No. He wasn't going to put a bullet in Carson's head. She'd come too far, done too much to just lay there and watch him die like the helpless girl she most certainly wasn't. She was a good shot. I've survived these past two weeks living on risks. If I don't take one I'll lose him. Nut up or shut up, Shay.
"Never." She aimed for the far left of Yancey's head and pulled the trigger.
Chapter 46
She missed. The bullet skirted his head by a wide berth, continuing on past his ear and flying into the wall behind him. Her breath hitched in her throat as she realized the inaccuracy of her shot- she'd had one chance and she'd blown it. I was trying too hard not to hit Carson, and now he's going to kill him. Add that to my list of failures.
Another gunshot. Shay slammed her eyelids shut, hoping to block out Carson's final moments. She'd have to face the gore eventually, but seeing it happen was always worse. She'd be forced to live with the scene replaying behind her eyes forever, the look in his eyes as Yancey pulled the trigger.
She opened her eyes with a small whimper, knowing what she found would be anything less than pretty. For a moment she believed she was hallucinating, for Carson was still standing, not a bullet wound in sight. He looked notably shaken, his eyes the size of eggs and his bloodied hands quaking, but asides from his previous injuries seemed unharmed. Their eyes connected for a few seconds and they both smiled. He's alive. Oh thank God, he's alive.
It was then her eyes found Yancey. He was lying on the floor with his face up, a thin trickle of blood slipping from between his lips. A single red hole grinned from his upper torso, crimson staining the shirt around it. She eyed his chest for the rise and fall of his breathing, ready to do a double tap if necessary. His chest did not rise.
She then turned to the hole in the wall, finding three had grow
n to five. Axel had his long arms thrown around the neck of a girl with bright blonde curls in a tight, gratified embrace. A boy with shaggy hair was standing just inside the room, his assault rifle pointed towards the tiles. Recognition lit up in her eyes as she realized these people were not strangers at all- they were Kyleigh and Owen.
Despite her moment of giddiness there was still no explanation for Yancey's demise. Carson didn't have a gun, nor would he have had the chance to. Axel, Jess and Selena had not moved from their previous positions. Axel wouldn't have risked shooting in fear of hitting Carson instead and Selena didn't seem like the type of girl to kill her father, Carrier or not.
"Ka…Katrina?" Carson's stammer brought her attention back to him, where she just now noticed the short girl standing at his side. Her reddish brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, a few stray wisps sticking to her forehead with sweat. She had a terrified look in her eyes even if her visage remained collected, lips twitching in the slightest. Her gun was still pointed towards empty air, the exact space where Yancey had been standing.
"Told you to have a little faith," she said roughly, lowering her gun. For a moment her eyes skirted down to Yancey's body before they bounced back upwards, instantly darkening. I've been through it with her before. She's done it before. It'll wear off.
"H…How?" Shay stammered. Owen had joined them now, hovering behind his girlfriend quietly. He remained ignorant to the body at his feet.
"Told Laylia we were moving on. I might have had to force her into the truck, but that's irrelevant," she said with a smirk. "Then we drove all the way here. I knew I was in the right place when I saw the hallway." Katrina winked at her. She shrugged. It didn't matter what anyone thought of her, for she'd came there with a goal and she'd obtained it, no matter the cost. She was no longer terrified about the fact that she could kill- she'd come to accept that ability some time ago. What mortified her now was how easy it was. If you don't want to die, they have to. Practice what you preach.
Next thing she knew she was on her feet, rushing towards her friend. She threw her arms around her, grinding her teeth together when the pain from the bullet wound roared up again. It shouldn't hurt this much to give someone a hug, dammit. Katrina awkwardly returned the embrace, movements hesitant and confused. What better way was there to express her gratitude and relief than a friendly hug? Katrina had kept her word and then some- why had she ever doubted her?
"It's… It's finally over. The bastard's dead." She said triumphantly, grinning widely. Even if she hadn't fired the bullet that ended that dreadful man he was dead, which had been her goal all along. Marena and Jaycee had been avenged.
"I was glad you hadn't killed him yet. Fucking bastard used me to screw all of you over. Marena, Cassie and Jaycee might have still been here if I wasn't so damn stupid," Katrina spat, her hands clenched tightly into fists across Shay's back. She'd been filled with such a sudden rush of joy she'd forgotten about Yancey's revelation- Katrina was responsible for getting them in that box that fateful day. The man was incredibly good with his words. He knew how to worm his way inside, manipulate people like second nature. She'd seen him do it. He'd done it to her, manipulated the manipulator. It was impossible for her to be angry with her. They would have been the first Carriers regardless.
She released her, sensing how awkward the hug had become. She looked towards the floor, choosing not to respond.
"Shay, you do know everything was planned that day-"
"I know. He told me." She cut her off. Katrina's eyes darkened and she seemed to hold her breath, as if she was waiting for expulsion from the group. "I don't care, either. I would have wanted to do the exact same thing."
Katrina smiled weakly, hope refilling her eyes. She smiled back, hoping to reassure the girl even more. She'd be a fool to kick her out now, especially after she'd proved her worth two times over. She might be harsh but she wasn't stupid, and she'd certainly be making a dumb move by doing so.
Kyleigh, Axel and Jess were with them now, the two girls supporting Axel on either side. Kyleigh was fretting over Axel and his wound while Jess remained silent, watching the others interact with careful eyes. Katrina didn't seem to have noticed her quite yet.
"Shay?" She turned to look at Kyleigh. The girl who usually kept her eyes downcast in shame was instead looking straight ahead; maintain eye contact with her leader. "I'm sorry for ever doubting you." Axel's weight shifted and Kyleigh's legs almost buckled, her meek structure struggling to support his weight.
"It's fine. Laylia is one hell of a convincer." She smiled softly before breaking eye contact with a curt nod. There were lots of bandages being applied to wounds there, old and new alike. It was no longer a time to hold grudges- if both sides were willing to let go then it was best to do so. Rifts in the group were only going to become more toxic.
Without warning Kyleigh fell to her knees, a gunshot echoing through the room. Time seemed to slow around her as shock began to sink in, Axel's cries of anguish warped in her stunned state. It was over. It couldn't possibly be happening.
Axel threw himself on the floor, crawling his way over to Kyleigh. The others had crowded around, watching as he cradled her head against his chest. Her small hands were placed over a wound in the center of her chest, her pale skin covered with her own blood. It was spilling down the front of her blue tank top, pooling on the tiles, dribbling out from the corners of her lips.
"Stay with me Kyleigh, come on!" Axel pleaded, brushing strands of blonde hair behind her ears. The corner of her lips twitched as if she was trying to smile, but she was far too weak. It looked as if she was whispering something for he leaned in, his ear spaces away from her lips. She went rigid for a few moments before her body went slack in Axel's arms, head flopping forwards. "No, Kyleigh, come on! Kyleigh!" His voice cracked even more the louder he cried, the pain constricting his features agonizing to watch. He'd lost both of them now.
"Shit, wrong girl."
She whipped around, lips curled back into a sneer. Selena was standing behind them, using her sniper rifle as support. A malicious smirk pulled at the corners of her lips, the very same one Shay had seen many times before on the face of her father. Fury pulsed through her, accompanied by the familiar roar of blood in her ears.
"I thought you were on our side!" she sneered as she rushed towards her. Selena was ready; raising her gun just in time to ram it into Shay's wounded shoulder. The force of the blow knocked her backwards onto her back, knocking the wind from her body. She gasped for air as her shoulder began to pulse with pain, bringing her to clench her fists tightly around her gun. It took a few moments before she regained the ability to move, immediately finding the trigger to her M16.
"I was never on your side, but killing my father didn't help! It's my job to finish what he started! You need to fucking die, Claire!" She screamed back, a frenzied look in her eyes. She was approaching Shay quickly, a twisted smile carved into her thin cheeks. She raised her gun, never once dropping her eerie grin.
"Not today, bitch." She spat, squeezing the trigger. Three rounds tore into the thin girl's torso, bringing her to her knees, hands clutching her stomach. Blood seeped between her fingers and dribbled down her chin as her eyes locked with Shay's, granting her brief access to the pain within. She took one last shallow breath through her mouth before she collapsed, falling face-first onto the floor. She did not move again. She… She was one of us. Vaccinated and cursed, just like me. But she killed Kyleigh. She was never on our side, just one of her father's little puppets.
All of her Carriers surrounded her in moments with the exception of Axel, who was still cradling Kyleigh's dead body in his arms. Something he could never do with Marena, she thought bitterly. This would have been so much easier with her here.
She dragged herself up, legs threatening to buckle beneath her weight. The air was heavy, grief and shock hovering over them like thick storm clouds. Her eyes scanned for Carson, picking his face out from the others immediately. She rushed tow
ards him and the next thing she knew she was in his arms, hands on his neck as their lips locked. She'd come too damn close to losing him- it felt right to prove why she'd risked everything to save him, even if proving it was with something as slight as a kiss. She loved him and he loved her- in a world where she'd lost everything, that was damn worth fighting for.
Maybe they'd been at it too long, given the circumstances, but neither of them really cared. He deepened the kiss, pulling her in closer. She thought she heard Katrina whisper a snide remark but ignored it, too focused on Carson and his mouth to give a shit.
She pulled away, instantly missing the warmth of his lips against hers. I've got to stop being the one to break things off. Their faces were still only spaces away, the tips of their noses brushing. His dark eyes gazed into hers while he swept a few strands of hair behind her ear, the tips of his fingers brushing her ear.
"I thought I lost you," she confessed. He sighed and hooked his thumbs beneath her jaw, tilting her head upwards.
"I promised you before that you never would. I have no intent of going back on my word."
"I'm not gonna die on you either, Cynical Carson." She sealed her promise with a quick kiss.
"Easy there, Nicknaming Nancy. You don't want to start another catfight, I can go all day." The both of them smiled weakly, as it wasn't necessarily the time to be laughing. They might now have a major victory under their belt but it had not come without loss. Kyleigh was dead and she and Axel were wounded, bound to take several weeks to heal. She was coming away scarred, mentally and physically, but Shay did not view scars in a negative light. They proved how strong she was.
Even after the substantial victory she knew the fight to survive was far from over. There would be more casualties, Carrier and citizen alike, more battles, more hate and scrutiny. Through it all they had proven they were a force to reckon with. The Carriers would prevail through anything the country, the world, threw at them. They were stronger than that.
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