The Kiss of the Blade

Chapter Twelve.

Noah:

Noah stared at nothing specific. Zee was up and around but everyone including the nurses insisted that he stay in bed. So there he lay, waiting for Nigel to come back so he would have someone to talk to. But he hadn't come back. And Noah was starting to worry.

A few minutes later a troubled looking nurse entered the ward. She had frizzy, silvery hair, but she didn't look old. She looked...Experienced.

She took his readings and then, when she was double checking his name, she exclaimed loudly.

"Um...What happened?" Noah asked.

"So we do have a Noah Jones!" She said, ignoring him.

"So I'm famous now?" He asked in an attempt to make a joke.

The nurse looked at him and said, "There was a little boy with dark hair and eyes like yours asking for a Noah Jones. He was way back in the east wing. I think he meant to come here but got lost! Oh dear!"

Noah shot up in his bed. He looked underneath his covers and was thankful to be wearing a pair of jeans under his hospital gown. He slid out of bed and ordered the nurse to take him to Nigel.

She pushed him back onto the bed with surprising ease and sternly commanded him to stay in bed. She handed her clipboard to a passing nurse and stood in front of Noah.

With a sigh, Noah accepted defeat, but the nurse stayed where she was. Noah shrugged and closed his eyes, suddenly very tired.

Zee:

Zee sat by the duck pond outside the hospital. The waters were swirling and a single old duck lived in it. No surprise there. Algae was growing on the surface, and a family of mosquitos were breeding near the edge. She sat by it, hoping Noah would get better soon.

The doctors had said that the wound wasn't too deep but he had lost a lot of blood and he was exhausted and needed rest. She nudged the duck pond with her toe and the startled duck looked up at her.

She smiled and tossed it a few crumbs that she had swiped from the cafeteria.

She sat for a few minutes lost in thought when her phone rang. She picked it up without a second thought, thinking it was Nigel or someone. It wasn't.

"Zee Ryder?" A voice asked. It was deep and husky...Vaguely Familiar.

"Yeah?"

"You've been stringing him along too long. You've been delaying the murder. It has to happen now. We have our person in place. Just give the word."

She recognized the voice as that of the man who had handed her the file way back in the beginning of the assignment.

She was about to give the word when her throat constricted. No matter what she did, she wasn't able to get those two words out of her mouth - Do It.

"We're waiting, Ryder."

Zee hung up and ran back to the ward. The room was empty except for a lady in a black assassin's outfit. A discarded nurse's outfit was lying at her feet. She had a gun aimed at Noah.

Zee ran at her and kicked the gun out of her hand. Zee caught it, and aimed a blow at the lady. This time, however, the lady wasn't caught by surprise. She caught Zee's hand and pushed it away. Zee let herself get hit a few times. This allowed her to find her opponents weakness: When she attacked, she left her right side undefended.

Zee let herself get hit one last time. She staggered back and as the lady was about to hit her again, Zee jabbed out with her left hand. It hit the lady's stomach, hard. The lady crumpled, and Zee stepped back in triumph.