Red Hood: Shooting In The Dark

Chapter 8: Knight in shining red armour

As I walked through the crowded hallways of the Gotham central hospital, I wore my leather jacket to fight the losing battle against the cold. My finger tips nervously holding the ring that held my keys together. My eyes carefully watched Cameron as he politely chatted to a doctor. Some files and papers in his strong arms. Cameron glanced at me from the corner of his eye, I sent a nervous smile across my face. My hand giving a weak wave. His face clearly showing his distaste for his next conversation with me. He excused himself from his other conversation before walking towards me. His broad shoulders were completely slumped, his eyes cast down to the ground. My nervous smile faded, clearly he was still hurt from my 'rain check'...

"Hey Cameron." I said, my voice weakly showing joy.
He said nothing.
I opened my mouth as if to say something but I quickly shut it. He could barely look up at me. He awkwardly scratched the back of his sandy blonde hair. He sighed before finally looking up at me.
"Katherine, we need to talk about...your 'rain check'."
I gulped. My mind cursing repeatedly, I could barely even nod at him.
"Okay." I said, trying to hide the stinging pain in my chest.
"I know you didn't have a family emergency."

My eyes widened, shock hitting me. Does he know?!

"H-how...?" I muttered. My voice box barely able to let out a noise.
"I called your Mom, I wanted to know how long you would most likely be staying with her. She told me that she's perfectly fine and hasn't talked to you in a week."
Busted.
"What's going on Katherine?"
I felt his concerned eyes look down at my smaller structure.
"Cameron I-" I cut myself off. My teeth bit my bottom lip tightly, my hands slammed against my head, my nails digging in my scalp. I can't tell him, that would put him in danger. I don't know what I would do with myself if something happened because of me.
"I can't tell you" I said finally.
"Why not?" He asked sharply, I blinked. Shock making me flinch back.
"Because it's complicated"
"What could possibly make you lie about something so terrible?"
"Hey, that is not fair-"
"Is it because you don't like me?"
"What? No!"
"Then just tell me why you had to lie to me"
I paused. The words caught in my throat, salty tears began to burn my eyes. I couldn't say a thing. Cameron's expression had long since froze in frustration, his jaw juttered out like bile lingered in his mouth.
"It-it...I-I, I'm sorry. I can't" I muttered.
"Fine. Have it your way" He said before sharply turning and walking away. My hands suddenly gripped on to his strong wrists.
"Don't..." he said simply. He forcefully pulled his wrist from my grasp. My tears blurred my vision as he walked away.
Not looking back.

I rushed towards the exit, tears clearly flowing down my face. I can't even explain myself.
Thoughts and emotions rushing through my brain. My mind was completly cluttered. There no way I could possibly fix this situation.

The cold leather sleeve of my jacket acted as a tissue as I wiped away the tears from my eyes. I took a short sniffle as the back of my palm wiped away at the bottom of my dry nose. My finger clumsily fumbled with my motor bikes keys as the pale light from the car park light shine down on me. My legs stopped as it reached the side of my motor bike, my eyes still glued down at the mess of keys. The mold and the night's gloom lingered in the nearly completly empty hall. I cursed as the lack of light made it hard for me to find the correct key.

Suddenly a hand gripped on to my shoulder pulling me back from my motor bike. Before I had time to react another set of hands violently pulled me away from the safety of my motor bike.
My back slammed against the car park's cold concrete wall. My eyes widened as I saw two thugs wearing dark ski mask. I attempted to let out a scream but the one thug who had took a hold of me pulled a small sharp pocket knife and held it close to my flesh.
"Scream. I dare you" he snarled as I could do nothing but take large gulps of air, my body froze with fear.
The other thug quickly snatched my bag, his grubby hands looking through my belongings. All he could find was papers and a few stray files.

"Nothings here" the second thug said.
The first thug turned his head, not removing his cold steel knife from my throat. Taking the distraction as a opportunity I slowly slipped my hand into my demin jean pocket. My fingers clumsily tapping against my flat screen. My eyes continously glanced down at my phone hoping I could reach any one.

"What?"
"She doesn't have anything! Nothing but stupid papers are in here"
The first sharply turned to me, his eyes under the mask bring with rage.
"Your a nurse right, so...where are the drugs?!" He yelled at me. My face re coiled as the words his my ears. My tongue not allowing any words to escape, his patients grew thin quickly. His voice boomed and echoed around the empty hall.
"Tell us"
"Please..." I muttered but the knife only pressed deeper against my flesh.
"Tell us now!" He snarled.
"I'm not a nurse...I was just visiting my boyfriend" I lied nervously, my voice not convicting in the slightest. I felt a cold glare pierce through me as my hand tightly clenched my phone behind my back.
"Your lieing..." the second muttered to himself.
"Huh?"
The first thug turned around to the second thug. I watched in horror as he took out my nurse I card from the inner pocket of my bag.
I cringed.

"What type of person just happens to carry a nurse badge. Hm?...Katherine?"
I licked my lips nervously.
"I - I...."
I shook my head nervously. The thug's face stiffened before scrunching up in anger.
"You better tell us where they are little missy, or else" he threatened.

"Or else what?" Said a dark firmular voice. All our heads snapped to the direction it had come. Red hood stood in the corner of the room. His shoulder casually leaning against the wall. As if my life wasn't on the line, the thug pulled me close.
"Crap it's the hood!" The second yelled. My boots clumsily staggered forward, dropping my phone. Wrapping one arm around my neck while the knife tip still pointed at my chest. Both my hands tightly pulled at his arm but it was completly useless.
"Don't take another step or she gets it" he hissed bitterly.
Great, I was now damsel in distress for Red. As if my day could not get any worse right now.

Red hood carelessly took a step forward. His gloved hands carefully hovered over his gun. The first thug nodded to his partner.
"Your going to see what happens when your boyfriend messes with us" the thug said smugly into my ear. I squirmed as I could smell his cigarette coated breathe.

The second thug lunged at Red Hood, a small knife in his fingerless gloved hands. He clumsily jabbed the knife at his chest, Red Hood slammed his arm out the way with his other clenched fist he slammed it into the thugs chest. Knocking all the air from his lungs. The thug practically threw his hands towards Red Hood' s neck. Red Hood dodged but gripped his wrist and violently pulled it back at and unatural angle. He cried out in pain as Red Hood slammed his heavy boot. Forcing his body against the ground, a loud crack rung out. He cried out once again but it was soon silenced as he slammed a fist into his skull. His body went limp he entered the world of darkness. Red Hood continued to walk forward, the thug nervously shuffled.

"Stay back!" He yelled but ignored him. In a last ditch effort he forcefully shoved me to the ground, my wrist taking in all impact. It flexed back unaturally a small cracking noise rung out. I cried out in pain as I knew I had snapped something. I looked up at Red Hood as he pointed the cold steel barrel of his gun at the remaining thug.
"Tell me why you and your little friend, attacked this lovely lady?"
"....We thought we could get a quick score, I swear."
Red Hood nodded, knocking out the useless information from his brain.
"Black Mask has been working on something. What is it?" Red snarled.
The thug spluttered over his words, knowing his poor choice in ski mask told Red who he worked for.
"Tell me!!" Red yelled.
"He's working on something big, I don't know what but he says it's some big score" he whimpered as I could feel Red smile from under his mask.
"That's all I need"
Red slammed his fist against his skull, knocking him out.

Red Hood finally took notice me, though he didn't seem in much of a hurry to help me up. The cold ground pressing against my dark demin jeans. My twisted wrist hovered across my stomach.
"What took you so long?" I said jokingly.
"Other duties called" he said. His voice almost completely emotionless. Being myserious as ever.
I snickered to myself. As I pushed myself up but ended up hissing in pain, he noticed. He looked at me carefully as I clumsily stood.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah...I think I've just hurt my wrist"
"It looks more broken to me." He said, his gloved hands checking over the limp bodies. Disarming their guns, I snickered.
"That's usually my line" I said as I inspected my wrist closer. I could barely twitch my fingers without a sharp pain stabbing in to my knuckles. I tried my best not to show the pain across my face as I felt his eyes on me.
"Leave. I'll get rid of these guys." He said.
I nodded. Neither of us saying goodbye to each other. I glanced behind me, he stood waiting for me to leave. I quicken my pace, until I was completely gone from the car park.