Return of the Fallen Angel: Book 1

42

Sighing, Tina's shoulders slumped in defeat and she went to help Anthrax.

***

Anthrax and Tina stabilized Katie. They moved her next to Snowy, who offered her lap for Katie's head. Anthrax and Sarin pushed Tina outside to help with the wounded Black Watch soldiers.

Anthrax, Sarin, and several Black Watch returned with a stabilization chamber. The Black Watch saluted Snowy. She returned it with a nod since her saluting arm was injured. The soldiers' faces darkened when they saw Kita. Even unconscious, her face was a mask of pain.

Snowy watched them load Kita. She wished she could help or at least touch her before they put her in. She couldn't understand why Kita had the sudden urge to die. Things had just started getting better. Oh kitten, what's wrong with you? Is it something I did, we did, they did, is there anything we could have done? And when did I become Jane's girlfriend? I don't mind the idea. It was much like what they had before, but it felt different having a title attached to it.

With an almost funeral cadence the soldiers picked up the chamber and carried it outside to the waiting shuttle. The loud, "Present arms," command followed by the sound of soldiers saluting broke Snowy. She bawled trying her best to not get any tears on Katie.

The Black Watch returned with a stretcher for Katie. Snowy continued to sob. Anthrax knelt next to her. "Snowy, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I'm not ready to lose her Nell, I love her too much."

Anthrax tried to calm her, while pointing the soldiers to go get Sarin.

Sarin hurried in and knelt opposite of Anthrax. "Snowy what's wrong? What happened?"

Snowy told her through her tears.

"Oh, Snowy, my poor kitty. It's ok, her vital signs are good. The shuttle's going up now. The doctors will have in minutes." Sarin sat behind Snowy and held her.

"Still don't think that thing doesn't care about your sister?" Anthrax said to Tina, who'd been watching silently.

Anthrax motioned to the Black Watch to help load Katie. Tina followed discreetly. When she tried to board the shuttle, Anthrax blocked her path.

"Sorry, but we still have more wounded to attend to at the front."

"But I need to take care of her and make sure she's ok," said Tina.

"Are you interested in taking care of her or escaping us? She's going up to better hands than yours. So come on." Anthrax motioned her away.

"No, I'm not coming. Snowy's going to destroy Kita and you refuse to see it."

Tina grabbed Anthrax's arm. Anthrax cried out in pain and dropped to her knees. A crack echoed through the area. Tina spun around like a top before falling to the ground. Sarin, Snowy, and Paladin ran over to check on the two.

Snowy helped Anthrax to her feet and recover from the pain. Sarin and Paladin knelt by Tina. Sarin's bullet had hit her on the edge of the shoulder, nicking the tip of the bone and gone out the other side. Tina lay in the dirt whimpering.

Anthrax knelt next to Tina and checked her over. Two quick injections and the wound began to close. They pulled Tina up to a sitting position.

"You shot me," Tina whimpered.

"You better believe I did," Sarin snarled. "A high angel abusing her power is worse than Kita abusing hers. Everyone expects her to do it. You're supposed to be the example, especially you."

"You even attacked a fellow high angel, that's a major sin," said Paladin.

"That's right, high angels only attack to protect the innocent, defeat evil, and defend themselves. Violating that means you can lose your status as a high angel," said Sarin.