The Holiday Killer ✔️

Ch. 8 : She's Just a Little Girl

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Walking down the street from Panera Bread, something catches my eye in the alleyway. I have my hand on my gun as I walk into the alleyway. I didn't think I'd find a kid whose reaction is to scream, but they're too weak to run away. Their leg is bloody, and I notice the large stain on their shirt. This is serious if that's blood.
"Kid, I will not hurt you," I assure them, "here, have a cookie," I show them the cookie.
A bloody hand takes the cookie. I should get this kid to the hospital, but they're already frightened, "what's your name?"
"Trinity," the kid quietly says.
A young femme out in the cold and covered in blood. She's clearly freezing.
Crosshairs: Ratchet, I think I found that little girl, and she's covered in blood.
Ratchet; bring her here. You and Drift are better for the frightened child than medical stuff crowding around her.
"Come here; I'm taking you to get help."
"No, it hurts."
Scrap, I think I just figured out she has internal bleeding, but this kid has been missing for two days.
"I know it's going to hurt, but I have to get you help."
I put the box of cookies in my subspace and pick Trinity up, dreading the scream and crying.

"Open up!" I yell to the guards.
I ran as fast as I could, but Trinity is now unconscious. 
The guards can't believe the child's state in my arms and open the gate.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
Crosshairs didn't tell me that the child is unconscious and walks in with an unconscious kid is concerning. Jolt, Drift, and I can't believe how much blood is on her. It's been two days since I helped Mary; what has this kid been through? I have to tell Crosshairs and Drift to leave the medbay.
"What has this kid been through?" Jolt asks.
"More than whatever the holiday killer did to her. Look, signs of internal bleeding. She should be dead if he did it."
We rush to the operating room, hoping we're not too late, but Trinity also has severe hypothermia and infections from her wounds.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
I don't like how I couldn't stay in the medbay, even if Trinity is unconscious. I thought about having Jamie try to heal her, but Jamie's powers can't heal internal bleeding.
It's funny hearing Drift tells me to go something to try to relax when that's usually what I have to tell him.
"That's my line," I jokingly argue.
I go do a workout while Drift goes to find our charge.

A femme is already working out when I walk into the room. I've seen her around, but we haven't talked.
"Oh, I'm finished if you want to use the weights," she tells me.
"N-no, it's fine. You can stay."
"Are you ok, Crosshairs?"
It's not uncommon for soldiers to know our names even if we haven't talked to them.
"I'm fine."
"You're bleeding."
"Oh, I... hopefully, saved an injured child in time. I don't know."
I find out this femme's name is Olivia Knight before going to my room to shower and change.

My mind keeps thinking about Trinity, hoping she'll be ok, and the few times Drift and I have seen Jamie critical in medbay. Even if the situations are different, it's the same feelings; I'm worried I'll watch a human die and hope they'll be ok. 
I see Drift texted me while I was in the shower.
Drift: I said to relax, but I need your help.
Oh scrap, I know what he's talking about.

For Jamie to panic like this isn't good. She hugs me the second she sees me. 
"I'm ok," I assure her.
Do I tell her I found an injured little girl and brought her here? Unless.... scrap...
I'm glad Lightning walks in, as Jamie is calm. Turns out the other femmes want to spend time with her.
"We've known her for nine years, but forgot how she can sense fading energy. I'm not sure if she couldn't concentrate or there's no difference between fading energy and Energon signature," scrap, I was too late, "sit down."
Drift hugs me, knowing what I'm thinking.

Third-person P.O.V.
Ratchet dreads telling Crosshairs the news, but Crosshairs will ask him. As Ratchet waits for Crosshairs to walk into his office, Ratchet gets a call from the hospital.
"... thank you," is all Crosshairs hears as he walks in, then Ratchet sighing in frustration.
Crosshairs sits on a chair in front of the desk.
Silence fills the air as Ratchet dreads giving Crosshairs bad news, and Crosshairs dreads asking why he was called to Ratchet's office. He tries to tell himself he'd be here even if Trinity is in a recovery room.
"I'm sorry, we couldn't help her," Ratchet finally says, "her mom just died from sepsis."
Even though he found the little girl three hours ago, Crosshairs feels like he knew Trinity for years or that he was just told that Jamie is the one who died. He heard Trinity's mom, Mary, was pregnant with twins, and one died before birth. The father of the three kids was murdered, which leaves the only surviving child to be adopted. Ratchet tells Crosshairs that Prowl is hoping to find other family members first. Unlike Audrey, there's no adopting the baby and bringing them into the N.E.S.T. family this time around. Crosshairs asks what was the extent of Trinity's injuries. As he suspected, the kid had internal bleeding and hypothermia. What troubles both mechs is the idea that someone attacked Trinity, which caused the internal bleeding. Ratchet tells Crosshairs that Trinity would have been dead already if the holiday killer had caused the injury.
"The what?" Crosshairs asks.
"Ask Prime, or better yet, Sunstreaker!" Ratchet angrily suggests.

Crosshairs didn't think Drift would wait for him.
"Jolt told me," he explains, "Jamie is with the femmes. Come on, a walk will help you."
Crosshairs smiles, "it's funny how our roles are reversed."
"So? We're friends, and you just found out that the little girl you found is gone."

Drift didn't think Crosshairs would talk about how he feels as they walk down the street.
"I didn't even know her, but this hurts like.... like we were told Jamie is gone."
Drift hugs Crosshairs, not used to Crosshairs giving in to showing sadness.

Crosshairs didn't think Sunstreaker would come by the room late at night.
"You found out?" Sunstreaker asks, sounding displeased.
"How could you?"
"It's not me, I swear. Talk to the guards, Red Alert or Prime."
Sunstreaker leaves the room, hoping Crosshairs believes him.
I'll find out tomorrow if I'm allowed to be with Jamie. Sunstreaker thinks as he walks down the hall. This killer is ruining my life.