Turncoat: Turncoat Trilogy Book 1

Chapter 20.1

A bloody handprint smeared along the wall across from us. Vicki and I looked at each other and took off for the room, following the blood drops on the floor. Smears of blood on the wall grew in size and frequency. I shoved the door open and ran to Nick who sat slouched against the wall, supporting his arm. Vicki turned the lights on quickly and knelt down beside me.

"Nick, what happened?" Vicki asked.

He groaned, his eyes flickering.

I turned and grabbed my tool belt. I flipped through and found the knife before using it to cut his sleeve open and reveal a ragged hole gushing blood. I pulled the shemagh out of my pocket and wrapped it around his arm above the wound. "Give him something to bite on," I instructed.

Vicki snapped her truncheon open and wedged it between Nick's teeth.

"Nick, this is going to hurt, I'm sorry," I said and pulled tight. Nick's eyes went wide as his jaw tightened and a hoarse cry of pain was muffled by the metal pole in his mouth. "The round went through completely, so we just need to stop the bleeding," I said. "Can you move your fingers?"

He clenched a fist, reassuring me. "Okay, good. Vicki, I need you to go get flour, alcohol if you can find any cheap and water. Oh, and there is a camping stove at my place. Bring that and a bowl."

"Okay," Vicki said and dashed out of the room. I sat there with Nick, smiling weakly as I removed the truncheon from between his teeth.

"Thank you, Tawny," Nick whispered.

"For what?" I asked.

"Not listening to Kai," he said. "If you had, we'd be back there still, probably laying in a pool of our own blood."

"Because you aren't now?" I asked.

He smirked, revealing his bloody teeth. "I'm sitting," he said.

A laugh burst from my lips and I clamped my hands over my mouth. That wasn't funny, I shouldn't be laughing. Nick's loud guffaws filled the small room and he reached over with his bionic arm.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed, I can see how Vicki fell for you," he said.

I shook my head and he continued to laugh. Vicki returned ten minutes later and I returned to treating Nick's arm. When I had everything wrapped up and an alcohol soaked rag sitting over the entry and exit wounds to sterilize, I gave him a small sip of the cheap vodka Vicki found and took one myself. Vicki took a long swig of it and set it on the ground.

"How long do we wait for Kai?" Nick asked.

"A day?" Vicki suggested.

I felt my wrist interface buzz and I looked down, a news profile coming across the screen. "Don't bother," I said.

"What do you mean?"

"Following a terrorist attack in a maintenance bay earlier this evening, Dead Heads are advising military workers stationed there to remain home tomorrow. One man was arrested at the scene. Two of the terrorists managed to evade capture. No dead heads were injured in the firefight," I read from my screen. "Anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the two masked terrorists is obligated to step forward."

"We need to send a message off to the camp," Vicki said.

"I know just the place," I said.

"Oh, and it's bullshit nobody was harmed, I got that sniper," Nick said.

"Of course you did, Nick," Vicki said. "You rest up and try to get everything packed up. Tawny and I will be right back."

"Speaking of back, Tawny, how's yours?" Nick asked.

"The bleeding has stopped, I'll wash up later," I said. "It's a flesh wound."

Nick nodded. "Don't strain yourself, because I saw that stunt you pulled getting down to the slums. Your legs have to be hurting."

My legs prickled with pain as I moved, but most of the nerves had shut themselves down for regeneration purposes, so I didn't feel much right now. I'm sure I would when I finally woke up after getting to sleep.

Vicki and I left Nick there and I cringed as I thought about where we were going. We wound down through the slum, passing through the neon of the market place, ramshackle buildings augmented with mismatching signs to promote their business.

Scantily clad women stood around blowing kisses at passersby and feeling up the ones that ventured close enough for conversation. Turning down an alleyway, I saw the bouncer standing at the door and let go of my last reserve, striding forward.

"Haven't seen you in a while," he said.

"Been busy. Can I come in?" I asked.

"He's not happy with you," the bouncer said opening the door and ushering myself and Vicki inside.