White Knight

6

The next thing I remember, the police were on the scene. I had Zoya in my arms and someone was running towards us. I turned to attack, still in fight or flight mode.

"Easy Knight! It's just me," Douglas sank to the ground next to me. "That doesn't look to good. How about we get her to the hospital." I nodded weakly. Douglas helped me to my feet and got a grip on my arm.

To their credit, Coast City Hospital had gotten fairly used to me arriving unannounced in their ER with a friend or two in tow. So me showing up in the middle of the night with a dying teenager and the police captain wasn't too out of the ordinary.

"What happened?" A doctor rushed up with nurses and a bed. I placed Zoya on the bed with shaky arms.

"Gun shot wound to the abdomen. It was about five minutes ago." Douglas answered for me.

"Has the bleeding always been that bad?"

"I don't know. Knight?" Douglas nudged my arm.

"Uh, yes. I think so."

"And a name? Blood type? Any allergies?"

"Zoya. Her name's Zoya. That's all I know."

"Okay, thank you ma'am."

The doctors wheeled her away. Douglas placed his hand under my arm, guiding me out of the ER and into a bathroom. After locking the door, he pulled my helmet off. "Maverick, I..."

"Not your fault. I shouldn't have been there. I shouldn't have done the interview. I should have just sucked it up and written it myself."

"Maverick, this was not your fault. You couldn't have known..."

"But I could have! And I did!!" I rubbed my face, feeling blood from my hands spread. "I am a telepath! I knew this was going to happen and I did it anyways. Those gangsters you picked up, they were coming after me and I knew it and I chose to meet Zoya anyways."

"Okay. You need to calm down. You are not doing either of us any good in this state. Go home, get cleaned up. I'll call you with any news. Okay?"

I shook my head, picking up my helmet and collecting myself. "Thank you."

"That's what I'm here for. Go home. Go see Devin. And get cleaned up."

I looked down at my hands. My entire front was covered in blood. "Is this... is it all Zoya's?"

Douglas shook his head silently, letting me fill in the gaps. I nodded silently and left.

When I arrived at home, I unknowingly recreated Devin's worst nightmare. I showed up in our kitchen, in the dead of night, cover in blood, and fell to the ground. Devin was on me in a second.

"Maverick!" I reached out for her and she grabbed my hands, lifting me off the floor. "Is it yours? Are you hurt?" I shook my head. "Okay. Good. Let's get your shoes off and get you to the bathroom. It will be easiest to clean you there."

I complied her, letting her pull off my boots and lead me slowly to the bathroom. A dripping blood trail followed my route through the house. Once we got to the bathroom, Devin peeled of my top and tossed it into the tub.

"Okay, Mavs, you're scaring me. You usually would have made a quip about me taking your shirt off being sexy." Devin wet a washcloth and started on my hair. "How bad?"

"They shot Zoya."

"Oh."

"It's not all her's. I... it was the cartel guys. They were mad at me. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."