Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Forty Four

A/N -- me: *knows I should take a break and that I shouldn't be posting every day*
Also me: *does it anyway*

It was a few weeks later when Zayn heard a knock on his office door. He was swamped --scribbling away at paperwork as he bid them to enter. He didn't look up immediately, as he was too entranced at the overdue work. The sound of clicking buckles and heavy footsteps filled his ears and then, they stopped in front of his desk.

"Hello again, general," came a familiar husky voice. "I bring news to you from the guardian sanctuary."

Slowly, Zayn's eyes moved from his desk to his visitor to find just the burly woman he'd been wanting to see for quite some time now. She was just as intimidating as ever, too --big as hell and fully clothed in black. He jumped up at Hench's presence, not even registering her words. With narrow eyes, all he could say was, "You!"

She took a quick step backward, startled a bit at the sudden movement and furthermore, his abrupt conviction. She raised a perplexed brow. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Zayn said after a second. "I have a bone to pick with you. I have several bones to pick with you, in fact."

"Uh oh," Hench said, completely unthreatened. She wore a lopsided smirk and crossed her thick arms over her chest, clearly amused at his antics. "Am I in trouble?"

Zayn took a breath. He hadn't thought of how he'd approach this, only that he would. He cut right to the chase. "I know who you are."

"Oh, ho, ho! Do you, now?" came snarky laughter from the mighty woman.

The general almost wanted to tell her to come off it, that he had her caught, but then he saw something in her eyes. Somewhere beyond her satirical attitude, there was panic that rose within her that she was trying her best to guard. He took a breath and sat down. He'd need to be cautious. He chose his next words carefully, as he realized he was currently skirting around a jackal. "Forgive me. I did not mean to offend you, and I surely did not mean to sound accusing."

Regardless, Hench withdrew from the situation further, now backing towards the door. "Forgiven," she said, putting up invisible shields around herself despite his efforts to placate her. "I can send someone later with the information, if you will. I am sorry to bother you, general." He watched as one of her hands grabbed the door handle.

"Wait," he bade. "Please don't leave."

She stopped for a minute, and there was a deep-seated look of horror on her face.

"I've been looking for you. For months, I've searched and I've scoured to find any trace of what might have happened to you," Zayn said, staring hard at her. "The clues all led me around you, you know? One after the other... but it was never enough, not until very recently. You were gone. Vanished. You picked up the tracks you left behind so well. For twenty years, your trail went colder than death. But you were here all along my search. Watching. Guiding Iris. I see you now, Cricket."

Hench shook her head. "I can't do this right now." Her voice went grave. "Don't make me do this right now."

Zayn opened his mouth, but promptly shut it. There was so much he wanted to say --to ask. But he didn't. Something about the way she looked at him made him hold his tongue. Herein lay the real dilemma --one that he now saw. What could one do if they found someone that never wanted to be found?

Was this his place to confront her --this girl that had gone through so much? This girl that had had so much bad happen to her in her lifetime? He had to ask himself that. Was there every any hope that he could undo years of trauma? She wasn't Elizabeth, whose response to being rescued had been idolization of him and his men. Something about the woman now in front of him was warped --something in her mind was obviously skewed beyond what he could hope to repair. No. This was not his place. Hench was a variable. As much as it burned him to do so, he let it go. "What have you got for me, then?"