Killer Empire

Chapter 42

DEVORA HAD BARELY even made it to the helicopter before she heard the excited cries of her friends. Out from the clearing of trees, she could spy Travis and Dallas waving enthusiastically, urging her to hurry as best as she could.

"Just a little more and we're there," Devora said through gritted teeth.

The wound on Cain's side, though had been claimed to be small, was actually worsening with every step he took. He was obviously struggling with something as simple as walking properly, the grass below their feet crunching and scratching as he dragged his feet across the plains in an attempt to just get by. They were almost by Travis's side — since he had run towards them at full speed to act as a support when a gunshot went off from behind Devora — a flock of birds was scattering from the canopy into the brilliant azure sky.

Instantly, Devora turned her head back towards the commotion, her heart thumping so loudly in her chest that she could feel her ribcage practically tearing open. Then, it stopped. The blood in her veins ran cold, possibilities flying wildly through her mind as a sharp gasp was elicited from her.

"Hey," Dallas smiled, reaching their side without a clue as to what the gunshot might have been. He limped over, lips still ghastly pale. "Is Candice still raging like a hormonal bitch inside?" He forced out a chuckle. It took him a good second or two before he noticed that their little gathering was one man down, his smile dropped completely from his face. "Where's Nathan?"

Tears stung painfully against the rims of Devora's eyes as she bit down hard on her lips. Without a word, she eased Cain onto the helicopter and little Markus rushed towards his father immediately. They embraced, no words exchanged though the meaning between them was loudly spoken through something far more valuable. Father and son, finally reunited and one step closer to safety. While the scene was heartwarming, it still did nothing to soothe Devora's worried heart.

It took Devora not even a second's worth of hesitation before she reached towards her little stash of weapons, quickly pulling some more firearms and little knives before strapping them tightly against her. She turned, head too far into a determined sort of daydream as she strode back towards the direction of the little building where she had last seen Nathan and Candice in.

"Devora, where are you going?" Travis asked, a hand placed on her shoulder though she didn't stop. He was hence forced to walk along with her, strides quickening the more they left the site where the helicopter was.

Dallas was close behind, tottering around like a child that had just begun to learn how to walk. Any traces of pain from his wound was well-disguised; he was soldiering on like the trained killer he was.

"Dora?"

That nickname snapped the last nerve in Devora's body. For what felt like forever, since the blasting reverberation made by the shot of the gun, all that Devora could hear was the roaring of her own warm blood in her ears. She couldn't see beyond worry and panic, guilt flooding her like waves brought on by a hurricane and towards the coasts.

She blamed and berated herself for leaving Nathan alone. Although she knew he was a highly trained assassin and a very experienced fighter, he was also her teammate, her friend, and maybe something more. It was a foolish move on her part and could even be seen as a betrayal.

Worst of all, it might've cost him his life. She might've been the reason he perished.

"I have to go back. I left Nathan alone to fight Candice and that... that gunshot..." she trailed off.

"Shit." Tossing his hands up and into his hair, Dallas cursed out a bright vocabulary, to which Travis equally matched in a softer tone. "You left him there alone with that murderous psychopath?"