The Wolf's Daughter

19 - Only You

Shifting out of the crowd, Wren and I jumped off the back of the stadium steps and snuck beneath the wavering rafters.

'There, look.' She pointed to a tunnel entrance, guarded by two armed Highwaymen.

'You take the one on the right, I've got the left.' I whispered as we crouched, the cheering crowds hiding any slight sounds we made. Springing from the shadows, I grabbed the guards' gun and jabbed the hilt hard against his forehead. It knocked him out immediately. Wren clung to the others' neck, squeezing until he lost consciousness and lying him on the floor. Wrenching the iron gate open, we dashed through the slosh to get inside the pit. The cheering of the Highwaymen dinned above us and I could hear Athena yelling as she battled some kind of animal. Rounding a corner, we saw light at the end and I threw an arm out to stop my daughter.

'I need you to wait here.'

'What the fuck? No!' She protested, trying to shove past.

'Wren, listen to me. I need you here to make sure this tunnel stays clear. I'm gonna help your mom and then we're fuckin' getting out of here.' She glared at me as I spoke and my brow creased. 'Just... please trust me on this one little red.'

'Fine.' She hissed, drawing her gun and standing guard. Turning, I swung my own rifle into my arms and sprinted out into the pit. It took a second for my eyes to adjust having been in darkness for a few minutes. Rushing Athena's side, I let a bullet tear through one of her competitors.

'Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes!' She joked, swinging her bat aggressively and knocking another Highwayman out.

'Yeah well, heard you were causin' some trouble down here.' I chuckled, taking out another bandit with a single bullet. Even though she was acting her usual go-lucky self, just from a fleeting glance I could tell she was on the verge of exhaustion. She was heavily wounded, almost to the point that I was surprised she was still alive. I let my anger simmer in my stomach. Not the time to go into a fit of rage. 'You're in a bad way pup.'

'You're telling me.' Athena laughed dully, struggling to stay on her feet as she clobbered a fighter to death.

'We've got hijackers in the pit! Release the fighters!' The announcer screeched over the intercom and Wren came darting out of the tunnel.

'We've got a hell of a lot of company!' She screeched, rounding the corner and bringing a sea of fighters after her. I could hear Athena's breathing become laboured beside me and she almost tripped over her own feet.

'No, no, no. Come on soldier, up ya get.' I linked my arm with her own and held her upright but she started to sag, pulling me down too. She slumped on the ground heavily and I crouched beside her, panic sitting in my stomach. 'Athena no come on.' I cupped her bloody face in my palms, willing her to get back  up.

'I need some help!' Wren squealed, doing her best to cover us and keep the throngs of Highwaymen at bay. My head whipped backwards and forwards from my daughter to her mother. I was going to lose them both unless I thought of something fast. Pinching my eyes closed, my brain rattled as I tried to think over the din of gunfire. There was one option, one that I really didn't want to have to use but at this point it felt like the only option.

'Wren?! Do you still have that music box Joseph gave ya?' I yelled, clutching onto Athena in a bid to keep her awake.

'Yeah but you aren't having it!' She screamed in response, bullets spraying across the pit. 'I won't let you hurt mom!'

'We're all gonna die unless you give it to me!' I screeched, stretching an arm out to her. 'Now!'

'Urrrgh fine!' She rummaged in her pocket and threw it my way. Snatching it up, I turned to Athena and softly cupped her cheek in my hand.

'I'm sorry for this.' I choked as my fingers wound up the box and braced the lid, but she gripped my wrist with what little energy she had left.

'It's okay. Get us outta here Jake.' She said quietly.

'Us, we're strong. You, Wren and me, we're strong. Everyone else here is weak. Weak.' I drilled it into her through tears, teeth clenched tightly together. I didn't want to do this but I had no choice. I had to protect them and get them out alive. Pulling the lid of the box open, the mildly disjointed melody of Only You creeped into arena and Athena slammed her eyes shut tight. She writhed a little but I held her hand tightly, letting her squeeze every single digit. 'Cull the herd.'

At my words, Athena's green irises shot open and her pupils grew small. The tunnel vision. It'd worked. Rising slowly, Athena bent to the floor and picked up a discarded machine gun before firing it wildly not only at the Highwaymen in the arena but those spectating too.

'She's gone wild! Everyone fucking evacuate!' The announcer's voice blared over the intercom as the viewers began to retreat. The stadium seats started to rattle a stampede of people all made their way for the exit. Athena stalked the perimeter, shooting as she went. I made sure to praise her every time she got a good shot in order to maintain the illusion. Wren tore through the remaining men sent after us, taking them out bit by bit. I watched on as the Highwaymen fled, using my rifle to take the occasional one out.  Soon enough, the arena was cleared out and I was left alone with my girls. Dropping my now hot rifle to my side, I let out a tired exhale and wiped the sweat from the back of my neck.

'Uhm...' Wren's voice caught my attention and I spun around, colour draining from my scarred face. Athena was advancing, gun barrel pointed right at our daughter's chest.

'Hey! No!' Rushing over, I threw myself in front of Wren and outstretched an arm to Athena. Her pupils were still small and focussed, trying to complete her mission. 'Wren's strong like us. You don't hurt her.' My instructions seemed to fall on deaf ears as her finger inched over the trigger. Her arms dipped the gun sight so that it was now aiming past me to graze our daughter's waist. I watched in horror as Athena's index finger started to press down softly. 'No!' I growled, lurching forward.

BANG

I grabbed the gun and tipped it up so her shot sailed over us. The force at which I threw myself forward sent Athena reeling backwards, the back of her skull knocking into the ground heavily. She lay still. Far too still.

'Pup?' I queried softly, falling to my knees and crawling to her side. 'Pup? Come on, get up.' I nudged her limp body gently but there was no response. 'Don't you dare do this to me now.' I hissed, the tears threatening my eyes again. 'Don't you fuckin' dare leave me now.'