The blast from her singeing the scanner knocks me out of my trance. But I’m too late.
Of course you are. And you just let the most valuable prisoner escape.
Fuck!
Guards meet me at the top of the stairs, looking confused at the almost empty hallway. Explaining the best I can, they look dumbfounded at my admission. “You just let her go?” one confirms.
“It was a mistake. One I will soon rectify,” I assure, but they don’t look convinced. Pushing past their barricade, I follow the steps down to the room I left Kalliope and Kate in.
I’m struck by the scene where a massacre must have taken place. Red stains the normally white walls and bleached floor while Kate heaves up in a coughing mess.
“That fucking bitch!” she seethes, but between the coughing and the blood, it’s not nearly as intimidating as she wants it to be.
“What happened?” I inquire, looking at the ground to sidestep the sticky mess.
Her palms pound into the puddle, creating another splatter across the surrounding areas. “What do you think? She tried to kill me!” she booms. “Where is she? I’m going to make her wish she was dead.”
“She’s gone.” The room falls deathly silent after my admission. Kate’s head turns agonizingly slow, and her stare bores into mine. She’s absolutely fuming.
“What do you meanshe’s gone?”
“She escaped.” Beats pass, and I think she might combust with all the pressure she’s putting on her molars. Then she stands in frustration, stomping her feet through the wreckage, and walks out the door, mumbling under her breath.
Blowing out a breath, I summon one of the servants to get this mess cleaned up, not having the energy to do it myself.
Padding my way through the facility, I ignore the faces blurring in my peripheral until I’m knocking on a door.
“Enter,” the male voice sounds from the other side. When I step in, my commander doesn’t look up from the pile of paperslittering the desk, analyzing who knows what, not paying me any mind.
“I wish to be granted leave, Commander.” The last word tastes bitter on my tongue, but I ignore it.
“Ah, yes. I heard about your little encounter,” he muses. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that word would get back to him—foolishly I thought it would be me bringing him the news.
“I’ll retrieve her. She couldn’t have gotten far in her state.” It’s true. She’s malnourished and lacks muscle mass. Her brittle bones would snap at the first encounter of whatever lies in the woods. They might break with just a measly little fall.
He taps his finger on his chin. “What makes you think you’re equipped to handle such a mission when you watched her waltz right out of here.” He has a fair point. I know I fucked up, and this is me trying to make things right.
“I serve you, Commander. Let me earn back your trust and prove to you that you can count on me,” I plead. A wicked smile forms on his face, and he spouts off an idea. “I know just the thing.”
“You’re telling me, instead of going after that slimy, two-faced bitch, I’m being sent to do your grunt work?” Kate’s attitude hasn’t changed since the last time I saw her. Freshly showered, the only thing not keeping the attack a secret is the lengthy scar across the length of her throat.
“It’s not grunt work. It’s needed for the next phase once she’s retrieved.” I’ve explained this to her multiple times, and she continues to pace in the commander’s office, wearing a line in the carpet.
“Why don’t you go, then?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, willing all the power I have to not blow her to smithereens.
“Because he knows you. He doesn’t know me. You’ll be backin a day. Then we can have all the fun we want.” Dangling that carrot in front of her face sealed the deal. We share a smile, and my stomach is in freefall, imagining what the next steps entail. It’s been hours, and if there’s one thing I learned about the girl who was withering away in that cell, it’s that she’s resilient.
But I stand by my previous statement: she’s in no condition to fight any of us, let alone survive one night against the elements.
“Fine,” she finally relents, and I let my shoulders sink a bit in relief.
“It’s settled, then.” My commander beams, effectively dismissing us. When we exit, Kate kisses me goodbye, and for some reason, the strength she uses to keep me close is tighter than I would like, causing my skin to crawl, and I can’t get away fast enough.
It is part of the requirements to see the medic before we depart. A handful of other guards and I make no fuss as they inject us with whatever they need to and give us the all clear.
Gearing up, the other guards are going on about the attack. “I’m surprised he hasn’t put a hit out on her head. Did you see the carnage she created?” That one sounds like he’s scared shitless.
“I saw. I can’t believe one little girl did that. Fucking lunatic,” another chimes in, but then adds, “What’s the plan of attack?” All their heads swivel to me, waiting for their next instructions.
