984 (Complex Series, #2)

Chapter Eleven

Dana stumbles backward. She trips over her own feet and falls on her hands. She desperately crawls back. Canton advances on her, a growl in his throat. Miranda steps in front of Dana, blocking her from Canton's view.

Canton continues to move closer, slightly crouched. He leaps at Miranda. She slips out of his grasp, her foot sailing against his head.

Canton stumbles backward. Miranda catches him as he falls to the ground. He thrashes in Miranda's grasp, but she holds tight. She shouts, "Camilla, open the door. Piper and Dana, get out of here." As the door opens, Miranda shoves Canton back on the bed, holding him down by his shoulders. One nurse pushes us out of the room while another comes towards Canton. The nurse pulls out a shot, presses it into his arm. Canton relaxes after only a few seconds.

They shepherd us out into the hall. Dana sits on the floor, leaning against the wall. Miranda crouches next to her, whispers something in her ear. Dana nods, desperately wiping tears away from her eyes. A drop of blood smacks the floor from her lip. Bright red against the sterile gray tile. 

Miranda breaks the silence, "So, he doesn't respond to someone he knows. This isn't abnormal behavior for an Eeke, you know. After you live with the Ecru for awhile, your only thought is to survive."

Miranda glances worriedly back in Dana's direction. Two nurses surround her, putting gels and sprays on her lip

Miranda continues, talking to a Nurse "Dana, Piper, and I will visit tomorrow, to see if there is any improvement.”

Camilla raises her eyebrows slightly, "Did you have to kick him? I’m sure it’s not going to help his emotional memory of this place."

"He could have hurt someone, he did hurt someone. It was self defense. Besides, I've been trained how to disable someone. I didn't cause any serious damage."

Camilla doesn’t seem satisfied with this answer, but she doesn’t say anything more. I wonder if this has happened before.

Miranda turns to Dana, "Is it okay if Piper and I continue on? We have a lot more we need to talk about. You can just go back to the Kitchens once they fix you all up."

Dana nods, causing the assisting nurses to scowl.

Miranda directs me out of the hall.

We reach her office. She tells me to again take a seat in those hard metal chairs. I don’t know how I’m going to keep all my secrets without lying.  

Miranda misreads my fear, "Piper, people think of me in two different ways. Some think I'm a mean and scary Leader. The others see around my authority and position, and realize I really am not that scary. Okay?"

I give her a feeble nod. I think it’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t get rid of a sliver of the fear weighting down my stomach.

She rolls her eyes, "You have just seen a lot of the bad side of me. You seem to be involved with a lot of things. Quite an achievement, coming from the Complex."

I shrug, not sure whether that’s a compliment or an insult to my ‘fake’ story.

Miranda gives me a tight smile, "I’m done with your nonchalance. This is your future we are discussing. Either you can drop the act and focus or you can continue this little show and we will get nowhere."

I shrink back. Miranda reads into every single gesture, even if they didn’t mean anything.

Miranda taps a finger on her cheekbone. “How do you know Bridget?" Her fingers hover over the light keyboard, ready to type.