When he returned to her bedside, he lifted her wrist again and held it for a while, then placed it carefully down and walked out of the bay.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Velda sat up, then got off the bed.
Ethan lay, restrained and unconscious, next to Park, the man who’d been shot by the Caruso. There was also the man they’d shot in the runner, Jint and Falre, the two men she’d shot in the room she’d been hiding in, as well as a fourth man. Maybe Ethan was responsible for this one.
It was getting crowded in here.
She moved between the beds and made her way to Ethan, whose stretcher had been placed up against the far wall.
She reached out and rested her hand along his jawline.
He is still recovering, the silver balls told her.You will need to wait a little.
She was so relieved he was going to be fine, she closed her eyes to force back tears, then bent and kissed his forehead, lingering a moment. When she lifted her head, she noticed the device that unlocked the restraints on the counter top, and took it to deal with Ethan’s. She left them, open, on his wrists, though, so a quick look would hopefully reassure the crew that he was safely secured.
It was hard to go back to her bed and lie down, but she’d barely had time to climb onto it and close her eyes before the door reopened.
“Where’s Yarmouth and why aren’t you tied up?” The person speaking was not a voice Velda recognized.
Whoever they were, they took a few steps into the room, and then, before the door could close, someone else stepped in behind them.
“What are you doing here, Rist? Aren’t you supposed to be protecting Sylvester?” Yarmouth sounded taken aback.
“Sylvester wanted me to make sure the woman is shackled. When he was here earlier with Linao, he noticed it wasn’t done.” Rist’s voice was softly menacing.
“I’ve just done a scan. She’s completely unconscious. She literally hasn’t moved since she was brought in.” Yarmouth’s tone was just as soft.
“Lucky for you,” Rist said. “Where are the shackles?”
“I’ll get them.” Yarmouth moved past him and Velda heard him moving things around in a cupboard. “Can you help me grab these?” he asked.
Rist gave a grunt of annoyance and moved away, and then Velda heard a thump.
She couldn’t see what was happening, it was all going on behind her bed, but it sounded like Rist had just collapsed.
“I’m so tired of taking shit from these assholes,” Yarmouth said.
He moved past her bed, touching her hand lightly as he went by, and the door opened up again and he was gone.
Why do they keep touching me?she asked the voices.
They feel a shot of happiness when they do. They can’t help themselves, and it gives us more opportunities to make them protective of you.The voices sounded pleased.
Velda rose up on an elbow and twisted to look behind her.
Rist lay, collapsed, on the ground.
Velda thought he looked dead.
32
Ethan came awake in a rush.
The door of whatever room he was in had just closed, but he knew, before he even opened his eyes, that Velda was here with him.
He sat up, just as she lifted up on an elbow and twisted to look behind her.
Five other people lay unconscious on stretchers between them.
