Storm

Chapter Forty-Six

My breath hitched.

I hit the floor.

For a second, nothing happened. Then, it crashed over me like a wave. Pain radiated out from my left leg. Excruciating, mind-consuming pain. Pressure exploded from my thigh, and it took my head a second to wrap around what had happened.

My fingers scraped against the tiled floor weakly. I needed to get up. I had to escape. Get away from this pain...whatever had come over me...

I looked down and saw red.

I couldn't breathe.

"You do still surprise me. That's the funny thing about recruits. You think you know every little thing they do next, but then they whip out something new. I've seen plenty of dumb crap in my days, but I think what you just did was the dumbest." Agent Mika knelt over me, gun still in hand.

Before I could move away, he mercilessly pressed his thumb against the gunshot wound now puncturing my thigh, wiping away blood as if to inspect his handiwork. I let out a groan, barely able to say anything in return.

"Trust me, you're in for a lot more." Agent Mika stood up, shoving his gun back into his belt. He towered over me, and I couldn't help the fear that slid like oil in my veins.

I pushed away as much as I could, but even that movement was too much for me. This was more than just a flesh wound. All I knew was that too much blood was leaking out of my leg, and I definitely wouldn't be running out of here on my own feet.

I squeezed my eyes shut as another wave of pain rocked my body. Please stop. Please.

"Now, let's go. Go on in the cell. Make this nice and easy." Despite his words, I could see the smirk on his face. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. He knew I couldn't move, much less walk into that cell on my own. This was his own version of torture.

And I wasn't having it.

I began scooting away from the cell, not caring about the consequences. I was already in so much pain. A small voice argued that if the consequence was more pain, maybe it'd be enough for me to pass out.

It wasn't giving up. I needed to believe that. It was holding off until I found the right moment.

I wouldn't be getting out of here. I just needed time to come up with another escape, a different route.

Mika let out a loud laugh as he watched me struggle across the cement ground, my blood painting the concrete dark red. Bile rose in the back of my throat.

That was all me...I was going to die.

A sharp kick slammed into my side, and I let out an involuntary whimper. My eyes squeezed shut as the pain crescendoed. Stop, stop, stop, stop.

The next time, I was prepared.

I watched him pull his leg back and I curled up onto my side, hoping to give my body some cushion. I shut my eyes tight, feeling my throat close up as tears threatened to blur my vision.

But the second kick never came.

Instead, I felt a hand. Calloused but gentle.

"Hey, hey...I'm right here. Okay? I'm going to move you if that's all right...," Asten murmured, his voice right next to my ear.

I let out a soft whimper, and immediately felt embarrassed. Asten was here. He was here.

I didn't allow myself to question how that had happened.

My leg throbbed again as I felt Asten carefully wrap his arms under my legs and shoulders. I kept my eyes shut. I wanted to pretend this was some stupid dream, that I'd wake up and the pain would just go away.

And then I was in the air, my bad leg dangling into space. The scream got caught in my throat. A moan slipped out instead as my eyes opened.

Agent Mika lie face-down on the ground, a dagger protruding from his back. His blood mingled with mine on the floor.

He looked funky lying there. Was he dead? I couldn't tell. If not, I knew he'd be soon. A terrible laugh nearly slipped from my lips.

What the hell was wrong with me?

Asten held me close to his chest as he began to run. Alarms had started blaring, and I hadn't even noticed. He looked down at me quickly, his expression dripping worry, but the second he caught my gaze, he gave a tight smile. "You'll be alright. We're almost there. I promise."

All of it was a lie. I wasn't going to be alright. I didn't even know where we were headed.

Suddenly, the sounds of explosions erupted from somewhere nearby. Loud, earth-shattering ones. Debris showered down from the ceiling, caking Asten's hair and my clothes. The white particles reminded me of snow.

I remembered running around in snowstorms when I was a little. My mom would always yell at me to get back inside before I caught something, but my tiny hands kept grabbing at the many snowflakes. My fingers now stretched out, brushing against a bit of plaster stuck on my shirt.

I rubbed the powdery material beneath my fingers, watching it drift back to my shirt. My leg still felt like it was being shoved into a boiling vat of lava. I just felt dazed. Confused. My vision was a bit spotty and it began to hit me that I was still losing blood.

My blue-tipped fingers brushed the powdery plaster once more, right before another explosion shattered my eardrums.

Then another.

Another.

Another.

Then...

I gasped.

And slipped down into a dark watery abyss.