Just waited to see if they would spot her, prepared to do whatever it took to protect herself and Voodoo.
At first, Indigo thought they were going to move right on past her without even knowing she was there. She was sure Voodoo had done a good job of hiding her, and since it was difficult to see out of her little hidden shelter, she assumed it was also difficult to see in.
But like it usually did, luck turned its nose up at her.
Right as the two men were walking past, there was a gust of wind. It seemed to come out of nowhere, although there had been signs of a storm brewing as they’d walked this morning.
This particular gust of wind blew the branches covering her at the same moment that one of the men happened to be looking right in her direction. If he’d been facing the other way, he might have missed her, but she saw the exact second it registered just what he’d stumbled upon, and she did exactly what Voodoo had told her to do.
Aiming the weapon, she fired at the man’s chest.
It worked.
He went down, but the sound of the gun echoing through the forest seemed to fill her ears, her mind, momentarily stunning her.
This wasn't the first time she’d heard gunshots, but it was the first time she’d caused them, and she was pretty sure she’d just killed a man.
There was no regret, per se. Indigo was well aware of the stakes. She knew she was fighting not just for her own life but Voodoo’s as well because she was pretty sure he wasn't going anywhere any time soon. Ifkilling a man was the only way to give them a chance, then she’d do it time and time again.
“Well, lookie here,” the other man said, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that she’d just shot, likely killed, his friend. He merely stepped over the body and moved slowly closer, watching her warily, but also like he still believed he absolutely held the upper hand.
Which he likely did.
He was armed, too, and he was a whole lot more competent when he came to using said weapon, where she was in shock just over the sound of the gun firing.
Maybe that was because Voodoo had warned her about how they wanted to avoid tipping off the others that they were there, and gunshots would do that. She didn't know how many men had been in this group, or how many Voodoo had already killed, but there was every chance that one of them had already called in this position to Dr. Gardner and more guards were flooding to this area.
Nothing she could do about that now, though.
What was done was done, and all they could do now was deal with the fallout.
“Found the little pain princess all hidden away. Boss is real unhappy that you’ve caused this much hassle,” the guard told her. She didn't recognize him, so he didn't work at the facility where she’d been held.
Although she was sure there were other sites.
Who knew how many people like her, like Voodoo and his team, had been experimented on, tortured, caged, and eventually lost their lives to the scientist’s drugs.
“Boss is already annoyed with all the trouble his team has caused these last few months, then his sister joining in, and the Baby Genius turning on him. The last thing he needed was you pulling a little disappearing act,” the man continued. “He’s going to berealhappy to have you back. Especially since you met them. He’s hoping you're going to be able to lead him right to them. They out here right now?”
Panic stuttered in her chest as the man looked around as though he expected to see Voodoo and his team come striding out of the forest.
Didn't he know enough to realize that if that were the case, he’d be a dead man walking?
Knowing she might not get another chance, as the man was distracted looking about, she fired the weapon she still clutched in her hands.
This man dropped the same way the other man had, and Indigo shivered at the realization that she’d killed two people now. Stolen two lives, even though she knew there had been no other choice, no other way.
Hiding was no longer an option. Not only would Voodoo know that she’d fired his weapon and likely be heading this way, but any other remaining men would also have heard it and be converging on this area.
Which meant she had to move.
Pushing to her feet, Indigo said a quick prayer that her leg could handle what she needed it to do and then took her first step. Between her own enhanced ability to heal thanks to the drugs, and Voodoo’s what could only be described as magical powers to heal, her leg didn't buckle beneath her.
Didn't mean the bones had fully fused together, or that she wasn't causing more damage by walking on it, but at least it was somewhat functional. There was no time to grab her crutch, she had to get out of there. She had no idea how close Voodoo was, or how close the nearest guards were.
Running felt like pushing her luck too far, especially since luck never seemed to be on her side, but still, Indigo moved as fast as she could manage. There was no pain from using her broken leg, but she was so very aware with each step she took that it could still give out at any second. It was still broken even if she could use it as though it wasn't.
Stumbling along, she had no idea where she was going, or where she should be going, just moved blindly through the forest. With each uneven step she took, she kept expecting shouts, gunshots, capture.
