𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐝𝐞𝐧 | 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 |

56 | 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫

Shaun

I place her on a bed inside the hideout, various of our allies surrounding the place with medical instruments in every corner. They pounce on her quickly, cutting up the destroyed fragment of her clothing to reveal the injury itself, her stomach gushes a deep gold while a big chunk of it starts to turn black, similar to when we found her.. the insane amount of blood loss making her skin start a decaying process.

A slender hand grabs my arm and pulls me from the room, the door closing on the medical teams frenzy to save her. I turn to be met with Galina's shocked face, her eyes going between me and the door.

"She's in good hands, Hastings. Go and wash the mess off, we need to be ready for Miles' orders." I look down once she finishes, the whole suit being drenched in a river of gold, her blood forever imprinted on the fabric.

Rebecca murmurs something and takes me by the arm, pulling me along to the makeshift bathroom. She sighs before turning around and leaving, closing the door with a saddened look on her face.

I can barely feel my lungs fill with oxygen as I start to undress, staying only in underwear. I take a gallon of water and the medium sized bar of soap, running it gently over the dried blood on my body. Hot tears prickle my eyes at the events, not being able to grasp the fact that she sacrificed herself to protect me.

Why though? Her life is more important than mine. She can find another man and live happily if she gives herself the chance, even if the thought of her with another hurts.

I rub at my skin harshly, glasses becoming foggy by the heat in the room and the emotions within me. I stop rubbing when the pain becomes slightly unbearable, washing off with water and shaky hands rinsing off the residues.

I place the cap back over the gallon and stand still, watching slightly how I mistakenly made scratches all over me, the evidence that I harmed myself with no intention being clear. I dry off with a cloth beside the window, dabbing slowly over the stinging marks, the pain disappearing once the cold water is completely dried.

I open the door and quickly look everywhere, not willing to be seen halfway naked by anyone, much less Galina. A sigh leaves my lips as I hurry away to what can be considered our room, closing the door and going over to my belongings. I pick out a simple shirt and jeans, not in the mood to dress fancily.

A knock resonates through the room as I'm finishing tying on my sneakers, willing to be confortable for whatever the next step with Deimos is.

"Shaun, you done in there?." Comes from Crane, her usual loud voice being reduced drastically to a whisper.

I hum loudly as an answer, the woman opening the door and laying against the frame.

"Bill received the news already, he's about to call and wants all of us there." I look up while discreetly wiping a loose tear, the woman having changed from her sporty look, to a casual, all dark clothing, beanie being discarded by her wireless headphones, music surely playing from them. An anxious habit of hers.

I nod and stand, going to follow her to receive the next set of orders. Her hand stops me from going forward, a void look on her face.

"We need to burn your clothes. We can't leave traces for the Templars anymore than we already did. The less blood they find, the better. Is that okay?." I nod and shrug, not worrying for a set of clothes worth nothing more than the life of the woman I love.

I pass beside her and head towards the main area, a few feet away from Galina's form beside the havoc of computers lies the closed room door, where hushed conversations and hurried steps are heard from. I abstain myself from heading inside and being with her, knowing that she's probably already without clothes as well as the medics surely would not take too kindly to any interference.

The Russian assassin turns when she hears my footsteps, passing a wary smile and a nod. I reciprocate the action and take a deep breath when William's name appears in the screen, Rebecca answering the call. The man sports a nervous stance, shoulders stiff and a hardened face, putting up a facade to appear strong, the older male being fond of Deimos.

"I'll keep this brief. I'm sorry to hear and see the fatality that overcame one of the team members, and it is because of the extreme damage and lowered defense that I recall you; Shaun, Rebecca and Deimos back to Peru. Gavin is close and therefore en-route aboard the Altaïr II, he'll dock at a port in Gravesend in a few hours. I've given the medical team a set of instructions to safely and carefully transfer the goddess, you should quickly pack up and go. Galina, a new assignment has your requirements in Tunisia. We'll be seeing each other soon." His face disappears from the screen and both women quickly get to work.

I turn back to look at the closed door, determination fighting to gain mental control over fear.

She'll be safe. I'll make sure of it.