It took some effort to push myself up out of the mud. A hard glove under my elbow startled me, and I jumped back to see the guards there. One of them was holding out a polishing rag for me to wipe the mud from my eyes.
“Thank you,” I said, as I took the offering.
“Bad,” the guard said, looking at me as his word reverberated through me.
“Looks worse than it is.” And not as bad as Kitty was doing right now. “I didn’t call you guys. How did you know I was here?”
“Paddy.”
Paddy; the only person I felt might be able to handle this situation, and I couldn’t find him. He clearly knew what was happening, though. For someone that had been so interested in the beginning, he’d shown his true colors quickly.
“Where is he?” There was an edge to my voice I couldn’t hide.
They shook their heads and then dropped them, as if sad they couldn’t help.
Fuck Paddy. I didn’t need him. I was handling it myself.
I struggled to get to my feet to move forward, allowing myself to lean on the guard who walked beside me.
***
After staying at a hotel in my effort to avoid Fate, I swung by the building I’d met Luke at yesterday as soon as I could get out of bed. It was abandoned.
The window that had framed Kitty being tortured was smashed. The chair she’d sat in was there, the ropes still hanging from it. They knew I’d come back and were sending me a message. They wouldn’t use it again. I looked through the place from top to bottom anyway, all the while knowing I wouldn’t find her.
Mid-step into the other room, the phone vibrated in my pocket, area code from nowhere calling. I hesitated for a split second before I answered it, as my distaste warred with my duty to Kitty.
“What?”
“Why so angry?” Luke mocked.
I closed my eyes for a second and calmed myself before I asked, “What do you want?”
“There’s a job to be done, as soon as you finish chasing your tail.”
“Text me the details.” I hit end on the phone before he replied and left the building.
***
Another “save” job; a new person to keep alive for Malokin’s grand plan, which I was still unable to fathom. I could live with those on my conscience. Keeping someone alive could be undone. Killing them was final and a line I’d avoided crossing so far.
If I knew why he needed them alive, maybe I’d change my mind, but one job at a time was my motto. Still, I dreaded the day when I’d understand his purpose.
I was hidden behind some bushes when they walked into the clearing. Two guys pointing a gun directed some other guy they called “Tom” on where to go. As far as karma, it was a close call on who was the worst of them. They were all dull and had cracks running along their skin.
“Move it,” one of the guys with the guns said.
“Please,” Tom pleaded. “Don’t do this to me. I didn’t do what he said.”
Tom kept talking, but I didn’t bother listening. It would be easier to save him if I didn’t know what he was being accused of. Didn’t look like the henchmen were listening, either.
They were five feet past where I was crouched when I jumped out. I nailed the guy closest to me with the hilt of my knife to the back of his head. He landed flat on his stomach, alerting the other two to my presence at the same time.
The second henchman spun, his gun aimed at me, now. Their hostage froze, not knowing what to do. Seriously, did I have to do everything for this guy? I kicked the gun out of the guy’s hand and yelled to his hostage, “Run!” since he didn’t seem to have the instinct to do it himself.
Tom took off into the woods and I was left with the last conscious henchman. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re going to pay for that.”
“If I were you, I’d leave now.” This was one of those times I wished I looked like a linebacker. Even in my all black “don’t mess with me” clothes, no one took me at my word. Seriously, how could he miss my “I mean business” ponytail?
He circled me and I followed, keeping him in sight. “You dumb bitch, you don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
“You need to leave this alone.” I watched his face get angrier as I spoke. “I’m really not looking for a fight. I don’t want to have to kill you.” I held my hands up. See?
It didn’t matter what I said. He came at me. I ducked his swing and took out his legs in the process. I turned back and saw him already getting to his feet. His friend started to moan, alerting me he was awake now, too. That would complicate things. It was harder to keep two of them off me without doing any mortal damage.
This went on for a while. One would swing and I’d take him out and then the other would come at me. I could’ve done it all night, until there was a gun pointed at my head. Somebody had been a bad henchman and found it while I’d been busy trying to not kill his friend.
“You don’t understand, I’m trying to let you guys go. Don’t do this.” I kept shaking my head, hoping they’d eventually catch on that I’d been going easy on them and leave.
“Who do you work for?” The one holding the gun asked.
“Name’s Malokin.” I found a perverse humor in telling them. Good luck doing anything with that information.
One guy’s face scrunched in concentration. “You know that name?” he asked his friend. When the guy shook his head, he turned back to me. “Who the hell is that? And why’s he getting into our business?”
“I have no idea. I’m just the hired hand, but I think it’s time to call it a day.”
They decided not to, and the next thing a bullet that I barely managed to dodge was whizzing past my ear. Then it really got ugly. They had a friend. There was a punch in my kidneys and then a kick to my shoulder.
It became crystal clear once I felt the stab in my side that it was going to come down to them or me. If I didn’t start playing for keeps, I wouldn’t be walking out of this forest; I’d be buried in it, fertilizing the trees.
Chapter 26
What a fate.
My elbows dug into the soil as I dragged myself on my stomach into same brush I’d jumped out of. It wasn’t far enough away to do me much good, but it was all I could manage at the moment until I recouped some strength.
By time it was over, it had become a blood bath. I’d only narrowly escaped with my life. So much for not killing anyone. I’d taken out three humans who shouldn’t have died, even if they might have deserved it.
It hadn’t been easy, either. I wasn’t in top form, these days; I’d only made it out by sheer force of will.
Closing my eyes, I tried to pinpoint the pain. Towards the end of the fight, the blows were coming from every direction, but I’d stopped noticing them. I’d gone from conscious choices and maneuvers to pure instinct, blocking out everything—including pain—that I didn’t immediately contribute to my survival.
Even my memory of the fight seemed hazy now, as if I had stepped outside of myself in those moments. Now, I was definitely back in my body, and it was telling me a pretty gruesome story of what had happened.
I was covered in blood, and more than a healthy amount of it was mine. Everything hurt, but I had to prioritize. Staunching the bleeding before it stole my consciousness needed to come first.
It was a new moon, making the evening even darker. That wasn’t normally a problem anymore, except for the black spots floating around my vision. I shook my head, trying to clear it, and ran my hands along my body. I’d sprung a bad leak somewhere, and I didn’t want to wait for the puddle to form before I found it.
My lungs didn’t want to work either, and there was a sharp pain near my ribs. I tried to think back to a first aid class I’d taken. ABC: airway, breathing, circulation. My airway was clear, but my breathing was getting rough. That trumped finding the leak.