Darkness Past

by Sherryl Hancock

  “Fucking cunt!” the man yelled, grabbing at her again. Cat tried to evade him but tripped over the man on the floor, who grabbed her foot. Instead of falling, though, she lifted her foot higher, stomping on the man’s arm.

  She turned to run to the open door. She was tackled—she reacted like a wild animal, punching, kicking, doing everything she could to get away. He had her on the ground, punching her in the face, and she did everything she could to block him. In the background Cat could hear someone yelling—it was jumbled, but she heard “… the fuck… doing?!” She did her best to turn her head to see who was speaking, and that was when the man on top of her landed the blow that knocked her out again. The room faded to black.

  When she came to again, it was night. The room was dark, and this time her hands were tied over her head. Her head was aching wildly, and her arms hurt. Moving around, she felt her boots were still on and her jeans still fastened. At least these men didn’t go in for raping a woman who was unconscious… at least not so far. She did her best to clear her aching head and listen for anything that would give her a clue as to where she was. Closing her eyes, she let her mind go silent and listened. She could hear a TV on somewhere in the house; she heard talking, but only in murmurs. Somewhere closer she heard a sliding glass door open… Was that waves she heard? The beach? What kind of drug dealer was this? Was he holding her in his own home? Maybe she was imagining the sound of waves…

  Later, someone came in; he said nothing to her but gave her some water, leaving shortly after. A few hours later, she wasn’t sure how many, someone came in to take her to the bathroom. She was surprised when she was allowed to go into the room alone. But when she looked around the room, she realized why—the only window was tiny, over the shower. Even so, she made a point of running the water as she quietly climbed into the shower to open the window slightly. She did hear waves! She also smelled that salty sea air and felt somehow relieved. Looking in the mirror in the bathroom, she saw the damage from her captors. She didn’t care—it was worth it to keep from being raped. She just hoped she had convinced them she wasn’t worth the trouble she’d give them. Her head was throbbing as she did her best to clean her face off. Her mind was racing as she did. To her way of thinking, some rich doctor wasn’t going to kill her… at least she hoped not, but why kidnap her? It was that nagging thought that kept her awake long into the night. Something wasn’t right.

  The next day someone came into the room with a phone. He handed it to her, his face warning her not to say too much. Cat didn’t care—this was her chance! Sitting up to take the phone, her vision swam. She took slow deep breaths to try and steady herself.

  “Cat?” Kyle said, sounding worried. “Cat, is that you? Are you alright?”

  “In some sense of the word,” Cat replied, hearing how gravelly her voice sounded.

  “We’ll get you back, don’t worry,” Kyle said. Cat knew he was drawing out the call, hoping to get enough time to trace it.

  “10-4,” Cat drawled laconically. “Hate the beach anyway.”

  The guy who’d handed her the phone snatched it away, slamming his fist into her face as he did. Cat saw stars, and then her vision went dark.

  Cat woke to the feeling of someone sitting on the bed. Her brain said fight, but her body refused to respond. Her head was aching; she couldn’t even open her eyes. She heard the click of a knife locking into place and braced herself for what was to come. Maybe they were just going to kill her now, she thought, but then she felt the rope at her wrists being tugged. Forcing herself to open her eyes, just as she was lifted up, she saw that it was Kana and let out a moan of relief.

  “I’ve got you, babe, I’ve got you,” Kana said soothingly.

  Cat passed out again, dropping her head against Kana’s shoulder.

  When Cat woke, feeling groggy and out of it, she saw that Kana sat beside her. As the big Samoan noticed she was awake, she reached out and touched Cat’s hand. Cat smiled softly, even as she looked around expecting to see Elizabeth. Her heart fell as she looked back at Kana.

  “She’s not here,” Cat said. It was a statement, not a question.

  Kana took a deep breath, expelling it slowly and shaking her head.

  Cat closed her eyes, feeling tears sting the backs of her eyelids. When she opened them again, Kana looked pained.

  “Where is she?” she whispered sadly.

  “Cat…” Kana began.

  “I don’t want to know, do I?”

  Kana didn’t answer, dropping her eyes from her friend’s. Cat nodded, closing her eyes again. Silent tears slipped down her cheeks.

  “At least tell me you got the bastards,” Cat commented, her tone edged with sadness.

  “We did,” Kana said, nodding, “but they’re not talking, and we don’t know who ordered this. We’re still looking into it though. Don’t worry.”

  Cat nodded. Part of her really didn’t care. Her world was crashing around her at this point anyway—what difference did it make?

  Elizabeth arrived at the hospital with a sense of dread. She knew she was in trouble and there was really no way out of it. She hoped that no one realized that she hadn’t been alone on the trip to San Francisco, but she knew that her aunt had ways of finding out anything she needed to know. Elizabeth paused at the doors to the hospital, trying to gather her courage. She had no idea what she’d face inside. Part of her wanted to run away, but she knew that she wouldn’t get away with that either. Drawing up the courage that had gotten her through numerous scandals in her life, she walked through the automatic doors.

  She was directed to the ICU. There she encountered the Gang—Cat’s friends and Elizabeth’s own family. Meeting stares and inquisitive looks with a haughty look of her own, Elizabeth proceeded to the room she’d been told Cat was in. Once again she paused before pushing open the door. The first thing she noticed was Kana, the big, dark-haired Samoan sitting in a chair next to the bed. She also noted the dark, angry look Kana shot in her direction. Then Elizabeth looked at the woman lying in the bed, and all thoughts of the trouble she was in fled. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Cat’s face was battered and bruised; Elizabeth gasped involuntarily at that sight. She could also see that Cat was crying, which told Elizabeth that everyone did indeed know where she’d been and with whom.

  When Kana stood up suddenly and walked toward her, Elizabeth stepped back, terrified that Kana would actually strike her. The look on the darker woman’s face was so filled with anger that Elizabeth could feel it coming directly at her. Bracing for what was to come, Elizabeth was truly surprised when Kana walked past her and out of the room, closing the door behind her.

  When Elizabeth looked back over at Cat, she saw that her eyes were open now. She felt a sudden rush of shame for what she’d been doing while the woman she loved had been being brutalized. Cat turned her face away from her, but guilt and shame drove Elizabeth to walk over to the bed, wanting to somehow make it up to Cat.

  “Cat…” she began, reaching out to touch Cat’s hand, wanting to offer some kind of explanation but not sure what she would say.

  “Don’t,” Cat growled, pulling her hand away.

  Elizabeth’s lips trembled. She knew she was in the wrong, and there wasn’t much she could do to change it right now. She just hoped she could make up for it somehow.

  “Cat, please…” Elizabeth began again, thinking if she could just lie her way out of this…

  “Get out,” Cat said, her voice as cold and hard as her heart suddenly felt.

  “Please—”

  “Now,” Cat said, her voice unchanged.

  “If you’ll just let me explain—” Elizabeth whispered.

  “Get out!” Cat roared, coming half up off the bed in her vehemence. “Now!”

  Elizabeth jumped in response to Cat’s anger.

  “Catalina, please!” Elizabeth cried, terrified now, knowing she’d screwed up badly this time.

  “She said to get out,” Kana said from the door, h
er look immovable. “Get out, now. Or I’d be more than happy to remove you.”

  The last was said in a low threatening tone, and Elizabeth didn’t doubt Kana for a moment. She hurried out of the room past the glaring Samoan. Out in the hallway, Elizabeth encountered her aunt and uncle. There was a closed look on Midnight’s face. Glancing at Rick, Elizabeth saw his disapproval clear in his deep blue eyes. She ran from the hospital, unable to handle the overwhelming sense of failure she was feeling.

  ***

  Kashena was in the office when she got the call. She answered it while she reached for her coffee; it was going to be a long day with Baz in San Francisco guarding Samantha Cobb.

  “Ma’am, this is Sergeant Ross from the San Francisco Police Department. I’m calling about Special Agent Supervisor Sebastian Bach?”

  “What’d he do this time?” Kashena asked, thinking Baz had irritated some suit at the courthouse.

  “Ma’am, I’m sorry to say that he’s been shot.”

  “What?” Kashena felt the blood draining out of her head as her hands grew cold instantly. “Is he… I’m… Is he okay?” She gripped the phone tighter as the man paused. Baz couldn’t be dead—she would know… she’d feel it, right?

  “No, ma’am, he’s in critical condition. I understand you are in contact with the Attorney General. We need to inform—”

  “I’ll do it.” Kashena said, reaching for her jacket. “Is Deputy Attorney General Cobb alright?”

  “I, um, yes, ma’am,” the sergeant stammered. “She was not hit. Agent Bach shot the assailant.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the officer replied, sounding pleased.

  “Good,” Kashena murmured. “Thanks.” As she hung up, she put her Bluetooth in her ear and strode out of the office toward the elevator, her mind racing. She dialed Midnight’s direct number, knowing that she was in San Diego dealing with the attack of one her former officers.

  Because of that, Kashena was surprised when Midnight answered the phone on the third ring.

  “Chevalier,” was the brisk, distracted greeting.

  “Ma’am, it’s SA Marshal.”

  “Marshal, what is it?” Midnight asked, sounding immediately focused on the call. Kashena appreciated that.

  “It’s Bach. He’s been shot.”

  “What?” Midnight sounded as shocked as Kashena felt. “Is he okay?”

  Kashena fought back the tears that wanted to clog her throat. “I… Ma’am, he’s in critical condition.”

  “Oh, Jesus…” Midnight breathed. “Are you with him?”

  “Headed there now, ma’am.”

  “By car?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “No, go to the airfield. I’ll have one of the aviation staff waiting for you—they’ll fly you there. Did you hear if Deputy AG Cobb is alright?” Midnight asked, her mind racing.

  “She is, ma’am, and thank you,” Kashena said, happy for the help. She’d wondered about asking the aviation unit but wasn’t sure if it would be misuse of state resources.

  “Go check on our boy, and find Deputy AG Cobb. I’m sure she’s freaked,” Midnight said, her tone both authoritative and supportive. Kashena took heart in it. In less than half an hour she was on a plane heading to the Bay area. When it touched down, she was met by an agent from the San Francisco office, who drove her directly to the hospital.

  Kashena hit the doors to the hospital at a dead run, lifting her jacket aside to show the security guard her badge as she passed him. Inside she ran straight up to the front desk. She pulled her badge off her belt and showed it to the nurse.

  “Agent Sebastian Bach was brought into Emergency—I need to know where he is and who can tell me how he is.”

  The nurse looked startled but responded quickly to the authority in Kashena’s voice. She tapped at the keys on the computer in front of her.

  “Mr. Bach is in surgery right now. There’s a waiting room on the sixth floor. The doctor will find you there when Mr. Bach is out of surgery.”

  “Thank you,” Kashena said crisply, and strode toward the elevators.

  When the elevator didn’t come fast enough, she located the door to the stairwell and jogged up the six flights of stairs. She was doing her best to work off the tension she was feeling. All she’d been told was that Sebastian had taken a round in the chest and he’d been airlifted to San Francisco General.

  In the waiting room, Kashena saw Deputy Attorney General Samantha Cobb. She was being set upon by reporters asking her what had happened. The attorney looked frantic as she was assailed with questions.

  Kashena walked up, pushing her way through the reporters.

  “Alright, back up,” Kashena said, moving to stand in front of Samantha. “The Attorney General’s office has no official statement at this time.”

  As she pushed the reporters back, Kashena blocked anyone from getting to Samantha again. When the reporters finally retreated, Kashena turned around to look at the much smaller woman.

  “DAG Cobb,” Kashena said, “are you alright?”

  Samantha stared up at the blond woman.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “Special Agent Supervisor Kashena Marshal,” Kashena said, pulling her jacket aside to show Samantha her badge. “Are you alright? Were you injured?”

  Somehow, knowing that this was Sebastian’s best friend, and knowing that she was most likely worried sick about him but asking after her instead, made Samantha lose her composure. Bursting into tears, she shook her head.

  Kashena was surprised by the attorney’s tears. She knew that Sebastian and this woman had been at odds on a number of things. But she also knew that Sebastian had a soft spot for the headstrong, opinionated attorney.

  Sensing that Samantha Cobb was sincerely upset by the incident, Kashena did her best to comfort the other woman. She was careful to keep her gestures professional, however, considering there were a number of people around them, including the reporters.

  Kashena got a call from Kana an hour after she got to the hospital.

  “Have they told you how he is yet?” Kana asked without preamble.

  “Not yet, ma’am,” Kashena answered.

  “Call me as soon as you hear anything.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Kashena said. “I hope your friend is okay.”

  “She will be. Bach will be okay too,” Kana assured Kashena.

  “I hope so, ma’am.”

  Kana hung up at her end, shaking her head. Things were getting weird, and she didn’t like that they were happening at the same time.

  “Is he okay?” Midnight asked.

  Midnight, Rick, Kana, and Rogue Squadron were all still at the hospital in San Diego. Everyone else had gone home, planning to come back the next day to see Cat, although she’d already said she didn’t want to see anyone.

  “They haven’t told Kashena anything yet,” Kana said, looking worried.

  “You’re not thinking these incidents are related?” Midnight said.

  Kana shrugged. “Probably not,” she said. “But it’s too much of a coincidence for my liking.”

  Midnight nodded. “I know what you mean.”

  Back in San Francisco, Kashena found a private waiting room for herself and Samantha. Sierra called her on her cell phone a few times. Kashena waited until she was safely able to talk before she called Sierra back.

  “Is he okay?” Sierra asked first thing.

  “I don’t know yet,” Kashena said, shaking her head, starting to feel the effects of what was happening.

  “I wish I could be there with you,” Sierra said, her voice soft.

  Kashena blew her breath out, closing her eyes. “I wish you could be too.”

  Sierra was silent for a moment. “Kashena, do you want me to come there?”

  Kashena hesitated. Yes, she wanted Sierra there—she knew that Sierra understood what this meant to her, her best friend being shot. She wanted someone to hold her hand and tell her everythin
g was going to be alright. She wanted Sierra to be that person, but she knew it was impossible.

  “It’s too risky,” she said finally. “There are reporters here. If they see you here they might get suspicious.”

  Sierra was silent at her end. “Okay,” she said softly, feeling both disappointed and sad that she couldn’t be there when Kashena needed her most, and wishing desperately that things were different.

  “I’ll call you as soon as I hear something,” Kashena said.

  “Okay,” Sierra answered again, trying her best to hide her feelings.

  It was another four hours before the doctors came out to talk to them.

  “Agent Marshal?” the doctor said, walking over to Kashena.

  “Yes?” Kashena asked, her heart in her throat.

  “Mr. Bach is in recovery right now,” the doctor said. “We removed a nine-millimeter bullet from his chest wall. He lost a lot of blood, and there was some damage to a corner of his heart, but we’ve repaired that and feel that his prognosis is good.”

  Kashena was sure she’d faint from the relief. It was Samantha Cobb who fainted instead. Kashena caught her before she hit the floor. She carried her over to the couch in the room and laid her down. A nurse came to her aid with smelling salts; it took a moment before Samantha jerked her head away from the smell, waking as she did.

  “What happened?” Samantha asked, her voice tremulous.

  “You fainted,” Kashena said.

  “Oh…” Samantha said. “Sebastian is going to be fine, right? That’s what the doctor said?”

  “Yes,” Kashena said, smiling. “Yes, that’s what he said.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Samantha said, moving to sit up.

  “I think you should stay down, Deputy AG Cobb,” Kashena said, as she saw the other woman sway slightly.

  “Samantha?” came a voice from behind them.

  Samantha opened her eyes and saw her husband, Jeffrey, standing in the doorway to the waiting room. Kashena stood, stepping aside. Jeffrey walked in and stood next to where Samantha lay.