To Be A Killer

Chapter 85: Rollercoasters

"Runner Five, report to-"

"Think before you speak, Mr. Yao," Janine says sternly.

"Yeah. Force of habit. Sorry."

I bite back a smile. "It's alright. Old habits die hard."

"How's your arm feeling?"

"Hurts. A lot." I look at the long sleeves covering the stitches. It took Maxine almost an hour to stitch me up. Simon had to hold me down when she forced the needle through my skin. Even in my unconscious state, I still managed to thrash around to the point that Si had to pin my shoulders to the floor and basically sit on top of me to keep me still.

I wish I had more time to rest, but there's no time for me, for any of us. Tomorrow is the day the world ends, unless we can stop it.

"Has the pain meds Maxine found in that house you stayed in not helped?"

"It's helped some." Lies. All lies. The medicine just made me feel worse. My skin aches and stings, but Maxine said this morning it's already looking much better... but pain medicine doesn't make the pain go away. It seems that they don't work on me. At least OxyContin doesn't...

"That's good. Anyway, given what you've been up to, today should be a doddle."

"Should he be saying that out loud?" Maxine asks, only half joking.

"You're going to petition His Majesty, the King."

She rolls her eyes. "Sam."

"Oh, come on. How often do I get to say that?"

"Runner Three has decided not to accompany you on the mission today," Janine cuts in, her cold voice cutting through the playful mood.

"Because Jaime beat him up?" Sam guesses.

"Because Simon almost got a child Jaime took care of killed," Maxine corrects. She sends me a certain look, as if to ask if I'd forgotten that. I hadn't. As someone who's lost a child, I find it offensive that she thinks I may have forgotten such a thing. "It doesn't have to be your own kid to feel it."

"Well, yeah. I mean, no one's defending Simon."

She sends me a raised brow as he says this. "Are you sure about that?"

"I never tried to condone Si's actions and I still don't, but unlike you, I understand that there is more than just black and white to people," I spit back, anger boiling my blood. I feel my face start to grow hot even in the freezing weather. "I think Simon still has good in him. He's still a person, but that doesn't mean I think what he's done is right, or-or even justified, for the most part."

"I would certainly hope not," Janine says, cutting off Maxine before she can say anything. "At the moment, being functionally immortal and immune to zombie bite, Runner Three is of operational use to us as a scout. He will be preforming reconnaissance today, and returning with an update from Tony.

"Meanwhile, you will be visiting Buckingham Palace. I've been in radio contact with our King, who suggests he has some information which might be best communicated personally. As we know, Moonchild is trying to find you, so you'll be radio silent until Jaime gives the all clear."

"The palace," Maxine sighs. "Should I wear a hat?"

Sam chuckles. "You could. Something big, maybe with a feather."

I feel a smile stretch across my face, but it drops when Janine speaks harshly.

"No, you should wear your normal running equipment."

"We were joking." It just nearly pains me to keep the deadpan out of my voice. "Do you think we'd actually try to find a big hat with a feather?"

"Seeing the amount of odd things you've found, I wouldn't put it past you to go looking for one."