-Don’t pull your punches or you’re not getting out of here.-
But she’d already decided. She knew she could, but she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t be the one to take the game to the next level. Wouldn’t become the monster.
But that didn’t mean she would bow from the fight.
Her attack’s momentum spun her around so for a second, her back was to her guards. Whirling around, she dodged as one grabbed for her. Side-step, crouch, pivot. Her weapons landed flush into his stomach. Lifting her body from her crouch she added more power to the movement. Air whooshed from him in a gargled rush, and his body landed hard after rising from his feet. On the way down, face met knee, and he was out.
-Two down.-
Stepping towards the next Soldier, she used the downed body as a step to propel her, but she’d lost too much momentum and the Soldier was ready. The one who’d tried to talk her down now moved his arms at incredible speed to block her flurry of attacks. When an opening presented itself, she brought a table leg smashing into his temple.
Stunned but not down, he backed away.
She didn’t allow him the retreat. Her swift strikes continued to hit him on shoulders and sides, the whole while she cursed his padded uniform that made her attacks more bothersome than destructive.
From up the hall, from the spot that was her goal, that would lead her from this prison wing to the rest of the house, a shot rang out.
For half a second, time suspended.
As the information the sound broadcasted was interpreted, the role of the Soldier in front of her changed. Suddenly protector, Dee wasn’t ready to defend against his leaping form acting as shield against whatever attack the gunfire facilitated. With his body covering hers, she couldn’t see what happened.
Then, the pain hit her, rocketing through her in an explosion to her senses.
She lost time. When a voice she thought she recognized broke the hum in her ears, she latched onto it as a point to keep her from shouting out her pain.
“It’s alright. Get up, Soldier. Let’s take a look at her.”
Dee came up spitting, one leg pushing herself from the pair looming over her. “You shot me, you prick!”
Kanchi bowed, a mocking gesture that had Dee’s face furrowing into deep rivulets.
“It was you who forced it.”
“Oh, so I shot myself then?”
A single chuckle caught like some fast-spreading contagion. Dee found herself surrounded by a cadre of laughing Soldiers while she bled onto the floor.
26
Kanchi stared at Dee while the laughter rang out around him, noting her face blush at the merriment but not letting it take concentration from her rage.
He’d heard the story of Amrae’s assault. Heard there was no reason the girl should have survived it. Even Daniel, assigned to protect her and only five paces away, sensed the attack too late. It was the girl’s reaction that had saved her. Saved her and alerted her bodyguard, who’d managed to pin the traitor.
Kanchi understood the anomaly’s rage. Understood her frustration at being locked away, not knowing if she was among friend or foe. He even recognized the despair of never being able to trust those entrusted to protect.
It was this broken trust that had the powers-that-be decide to allow Daniel’s visit. In the absence of so much drama, the request would have sent the young Soldier far from here. None of them should be so close to her. None of them knew, yet, what she was capable of. Not even their Master. It would not do to blur the lines of loyalty.
He refused his thoughts that turned to Hamal whose presence in the hall just now had been an experiment all of them wondered over.
Assigned as her guard for the first rotation, Kanchi had overseen her chronic pacing, had catalogued the rise and fall in her energy. He’d watched as her eyes filled with some strange madness; watched her lose control, all the time wondering if she was a danger to him, or herself. Her frantic rearrangement of the furniture before plunging the room to darkness had left him baffled.
When Daniel arrived, Kanchi had listened carefully for what they would talk about; what they would do. But there had been nothing. Only their even breathing to let him know they hadn’t somehow escaped the room.
Why Daniel would come, to say nothing, do nothing, Kanchi was curious to ask. But it was above him to be curious, so he said nothing. Asked nothing. He watched. He kept Daniel away. He obeyed orders.
Still, that the girl might have gotten past ten of Zibanitu’s Soldiers, his Soldiers, if not for the pistol’s interference, was something. He hoped to have another opportunity to see her in action, even as he understood what kind of danger that thought involved.
He held out a hand, knowing from the smell of the blood and the grimace on her face that the wound was already healing. He hadn’t been briefed on this aspect of her oddity, but why would he? Need to know was implied in every aspect of their lives.
“If the bullet is still in your leg, we’ll want to get it before that wound shuts it in.”
She stared at him, murderous thoughts easily read in her eyes. He stared back, her bravado eliciting no reaction in him as he held out a steady hand to her. As the seconds passed, the others in the hall grew uncomfortable, but he remained steadfast, indifferent of her decision.
When her eyes dropped to her leg to take in the blood that slowed to a trickle, he thought she might lash out one last time. Despite the reasons she received the shot, she’d taken the injury better than expected. There’d been no rant or rave about it. She’d accepted her punishment as an anticipated effect of her actions.
“At least you weren’t trying to kill me. That’s something,” she said between clenched teeth as she used the wall to pull herself up.
He smiled to himself that she hadn’t accepted his help, nor had she denied it. Whatever this girl was, she wasn’t a complete idiot.
“Seriously, Kanchi. You shot her.”
Dee’s head came up fast at the sound of his name. “That’s it.” She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath. “I couldn’t remember your name. Kanchi.”
He turned to Nathan, the one who’d thrown himself between her and the bullet. “I didn’t pull the trigger, but it was how we brought the situation to rest.”
“To shoot her? You were told to shoot her?”
Kanchi’s reputation was solid enough that he knew the question wasn’t for lack of belief in his words but in the order itself. Kanchi never felt the need to explain himself and that Nathan would presume to ask was ridiculous, thus the question was ignored.
“Cap’, the Doctor’s enroute.”
Kanchi nodded at the information called from the end of the hall.
They waited for Dee to get to her feet, most of her weight pressed against the wall. Resting her head against the solid surface with closed eyes, she took a couple of breaths before pushing off the surface with a groan. When she stumbled, Nathan moved to help, but a gesture from Kanchi halted his steps.
“Being unconscious will help the Doctor work faster, though it’ll force one of us to carry you to your bed.” His tone was void of expression.
“I can walk, thanks.” She found her balance on one leg before attempting a sort of skip-step towards the door.
This time, he didn’t contain his grin. A few others smirked as well, but she was too distracted to notice.
She made it a few steps before a sharp inhale had them all tense. She glanced over her shoulder, face set with clenched teeth. “Maybe a little help.”
Kanchi nodded, face blank. He motioned to Nathan.
While Nathan maneuvered Desiree into her apartment, arm around her waist, Kanchi turned to the others. “Anyone need to be relieved?”
Yestin covered his nose with a piece of fabric and Kanchi was sure a couple others had taken substantial hits, but none came forward.
“Yestin, go. Send someone to replace you.”
Yestin paused as if he might argue, but the look on Kanchi’s face had him obey without co
mment.
His men taken care of, attention returned to Desiree’s progress. Kanchi motioned for Seth to follow Nathan while the rest remained positioned in the hall. Kanchi would take a shift inside her apartment. He would take every shift until he believed the stubborn fool wouldn’t try anything else.
Motion from the mouth of the hall alerted him that the Doctor had arrived, assistant in tow. Close behind were two others he didn’t recognize.
He halted the second pair, ignoring the scents of breakfast food and coffee wafting from beneath the covered plates on their cart. They squirmed under his scrutiny, eyes glancing furtively at the door the Doctor passed through, its closed position making their hearts beat wildly as they wondered if they would be turned away, or worse.
They managed to squeak out, “Her breakfast.”
“And coffee.”
Kanchi looked from one to the other with an expression that put Soldiers to fear. “I didn’t ask.”
They shrunk in on themselves, waiting for Kanchi’s decision, not knowing he wouldn’t. It wasn’t his place to choose or decide.
Speaking softly into a mic at his collar, he waited for a response.
When the pair was cleared, he followed them into the apartment.
27
She should have just let one of them carry her. Her arrogance about walking on her own had been for nothing. It hadn't gained her points with anyone, and who cared if it had? But once her pride made the decision, she hadn't been able to take it back. Until she reached the point where her next step would put her on the ground. That would have hurt her pride more than the ask.
With each step, the pain increased rather than slip away as the wound healed. It was when a pathetic sound of weakness leaked from her throat she knew she'd pushed too far. She didn't need to look around to know all eyes were on her. She felt their stares, felt the atmosphere pause while they waited to see how she might lash out. But they didn't know she was too tired, too mortified by her feeble attempt to make a break for it. Too humiliated by the smirks passed around they thought she was too distracted to notice.
"Maybe a little help." She wasn't sure what her expression told the commander. She didn't care. The pain threading through her thigh into her hip took her focus.
On Kanchi's order, Nathan came to her side. She leaned into him more than she'd have liked, but with his help, she was soon through the door. A second Soldier trailed close behind.
She shut her eyes, allowed Nathan to guide her, repressed the claustrophobia the click of the door closing behind them pressed on her.
They'd shot her.
Her nagging inner-voice berated her for not putting them in their place.
But they hadn't tried to kill her. They'd just stopped her.
She could have escaped.
Pain stabbed through her leg. She fell forward, Nathan's arm around her all that kept her from falling. Her eyes squeezed shut, breath pulled through clenched teeth. She should have just let one of them carry her from the start.
Almost to the bedroom, Dee needed to rest. Nathan waited with her, his arm keeping her upright. Dee let out a squeak of surprise when Seth scooped her up like she was his bride. Too startled to reprimand him, glad for the relief in her leg, she made no comment.
When her leg banged into the doorframe, she hissed, and Seth froze.
"Sorry?"
She squirmed out of his arms, holding tight to him to gather her balance, too distracted by shooting pain to kill him. Even her inner-voice was drowned out in the aftermath of the extra shot of agony.
A deep breath set her intention of making it the ten feet to the bed. Three hops put her within proximity, so she was able to throw herself onto the surface. The motion of hitting the bed sent tremors of suffering through her, and she paused uncomfortably on her stomach. When the flare subsided, she willed herself to roll over.
More pain laced through her. She squeezed her eyes against it, a tactic that worked as well as the early hissing had to keep it at bay.
With a long reach, she grabbed a bedpost, dragging herself in spurts until she could sit with her back against the heap of pillows. She refused to think of how ridiculous she must look. How weak. How not like someone to respect and fear.
A stern-faced woman came into the room while Dee settled. Given the white lab coat that hung over her casual business attire, Dee assumed this was the doctor who'd be responsible for taking the bullet out of her leg.
The doctor sent a not-so-subtle frown at Nathan and Seth upon seeing her patient struggling to get comfortable.
"Alright, let's see what they've done to you."
Dee pinned her attention to the doctor, analyzed each step of the short-haired woman, tapping her, not believing this human acted as infirmary specialist to the Soldiers of Zibanitu's House. When the doctor made it around the bed, Dee pushed herself upright, primed to leap away, though nothing about her suggested she was anything but what she sensed.
"Yes, please, put pressure on that leg. Maybe we can cause more damage before you let me look at it."
Dee swallowed the lashing words that threatened to spill out of her. In another situation, she might have appreciated the woman's sarcastic humor. Now, the underhanded reprimand fell on ears too worried about danger to be pulled into witty banter.
The side of the bed Dee ended up put the wrong leg near the edge. With an impatient sigh, the doctor motioned for Dee to slide to the other side. No easy task over the soft surface when she couldn't apply pressure to the leg sensitive enough every motion incited discomfort, Dee did her best.
Another scathing look from the doctor brought Nathan across the room. He stood on the side Dee struggled for, leaning over so his chest was flush with the bed. He took her in his arms, sliding her to where the doctor could more easily work.
Dee closed her eyes against the embarrassment of it. The last thing she needed was to come across like a meek child who needed caring for. She cursed her inadequate plan, the rush of arrogance that'd insisted she was capable of escape.
-If you'd just gone all out.-
"Alright, much better. Desiree, I'm Doctor Blackwell. Despite the failings of our resident Alpha types, I am here to help you. I don't care about the particulars of what landed a bullet in your leg. I don't want to know the story. I'm just here to get you back to full health."
Dee's eyes tracked the first aid scissors a young man handed to her. When the doctor lowered them to her leg, Dee clutched the sheets to stifle her urge to yank the instrument from the doctor's hand. She was mostly sure that would be overreacting.
-Overreacting? They just shot you.-
The nagging voice pushed from inside, insisted she protect herself. The fingers tightening around the sheets ached in their indecision.
"I'm just going to cut the pants from the wound."
She's helping. She's helping. She's helping.
They had shot her for crying out loud. Shot her just so she wouldn't leave the hall.
"Wait, wait!" She hadn't planned to say the words out loud. "I'm sorry. I mean—I know you're helping, but—well—"
She wasn't sure what she was trying to say. Or rather, she knew what she wanted to say but didn't want to speak them so bluntly.
The doctor didn't make her. As soon as Dee began her stammering, the doctor turned the handle of the scissors for Dee to take. Timidly, Dee received the scissors, not quite believing the doctor had given them up without debate.
The doctor smiled at the unspoken question. "This is the easy part. Be my guest."
While Dee cut the leg of her pants off above mid-thigh, wincing when forced to rotate her leg to reach all the way around, the doctor set up a stainless steel tray-table with the instruments she would need to take the bullet out of her patient.
While Dee worked, she sent a cursory feel through the room, nervous about the pair of Soldiers too close. Regardless of what everyone said, she remained on alert that one, or both, might try to kill her. Nor had she ruled out that another m
ight barrel through the door.
Nathan and Seth stood at attention, neither looking in her direction. Kanchi, on the other hand, never took his eyes from her. Whether he'd stared the entire time or he sensed her attention turn to him now, she wasn’t sure.
Their eyes met. There was no connection, just a studious reciprocation.
The doctor noticed Dee's distraction. "What's the matter?"
Dee's attention snapped back to her task. She shook her head in answer, pretending to ignore the Soldiers so near.
The doctor looked around, eyes furrowed. "Everybody out. Let me work. She's fine, but it won't be pleasant getting this bullet out of her leg, no thanks to you lot. The last thing she needs is an audience."
Nathan and Seth obeyed, moving out of the room without a word.
Dee watched them leave, her attention catching the human pair who stood, unsure of themselves, near a cart in the other room, whose wafts of food floated across the bed. Dee's stomach rumbled.
The doctor shot an exasperated look at Kanchi. "Really? She hasn't eaten either?"
There was no expression from the Soldier. It wasn't his job to remember to feed the prisoner. His blank face said as much.
The doctor dismissed the Soldier with a turn of her shoulders, ignoring him as best she could when he refused her order to leave. At least, Dee imagined that's what she thought.
"We'll get you fed as soon as we're done here. Until then, we're going to have to open you back up and get that bullet out. I have an ultra-sound machine here I'm going to use to find exactly where the bullet is, so we don't have to do more hacking than necessary. Luckily, we don't have to worry about hitting any major arteries. They tell me you wouldn't bleed out, though I'll try my best not to test that."
The doctor chuckled at whatever Dee's face betrayed, adding, “It's going to hurt, but it won't kill you."
Dee concentrated on steady breaths while the doctor poked her leg with gloved fingers.
Twenty minutes ticked by at a pace similar to a glacier carving a path over the Earth. Each drawn-out second stretched to the next pulled together by searing pain. Asellus' tricks kept her from murdering the doctor, but did nothing to make her comfortable. The local anesthetic gave her a moment of comfort before her body metabolized it, leaving her to suffer in agony.
We Are Forever (Rishi's Wish Book 2) Page 18