Something rears up behind the stranger.
At first, I can't see what it is. It looks like a blob silhouetted in the moonlit sky. Then I realise it's another human.
My heart drops.
There's two of them.
Movement happens quicker than my eyes can follow, and the stranger on top of me is yanked backwards slightly. The pull makes him loosen his grip a notch, giving me enough space to kick him in the side.
At least, I think theres enough space, until he catches my foot and yanks it backwards, knocking me off-balance. l fly with force, smacking my face off the ground. I immediately feel blood pour from my nose. There's a grim triumph when I realise my body weight pulled my foot free from his grasp. I waste no time scrambling to my feet.
Behind me two voices yell out, one harsh and one frantic. "Get away from her!" - "Let go of her!"
Is that Elijah and Vince? I'm in disbelief. But I turn and realise the second shadow wasn't another person here to get me. It's Elijah. It's Vince. They're here. They're helping me.
Relief, sweet and strong, flushes through me.
They're both holding off the attacker, who is pushing his hardest to get to me, like a snarling dog after its prey. It's terrifying.
"Will you run already!" Vince snaps, they're struggling to keep the man in place.
It's the first time they've both looked their age. They're just teenagers fighting a fully grown adult and they're barely winning.
"Get Stan," Elijah grunts. "We'll hold him here."
"Okay." I say, turning to leave.
I hear them start scuffling, but I don't look. In the next instance something is yanking me back by my hair. The stranger darts in front of me and kicks me in the stomach whilst landing another blow to my jaw, my vision spots black and red. The kick to my chest is so hard air is forced from my lungs, the pain is like nothing I've felt before. I can't breathe, I fall, gasping.
I watch from the ground as Vince grabs the guy by his head with one hand and punches him in the nose with the other. There's a crackling sound and I know the guys nose is broken.
Get up, my brain demands of me.
I rise unsteadily to my feet. The man shoves Vince off him but Elijah is there, landing another blow in the same place. Whilst Elijah goes for the nose, Vince goes for the ribs. They land repetitive blows and it barely seems to make a dent as the man staggers towards me.
"Amelia," Elijah barks. "Go and get help."
"I'm trying!" I splutter.
My legs are unsteady as I try and scramble away from them. When I look back I see they've managed to get the man on his knees. Then he bursts onto his feet again and pushes them off, slow and coordinated, like a ballerina.
He's going to come straight for me.
Adrenaline is flooding me in painful waves. My heart hammers and hands shake, I ignore the throbbing pain in my chest from where he kicked me and will my legs to break into a sprint. Now I don't dare look back, I don't focus on how hard it is to breathe or the feeling of blood spooling down my face.
I have one job. Get help. They need help. But when I reach the end of the path and I'm closer to the main body of the school I hear Elijah call, "He's gone!"
I skid to a halt and spin, both the boys are at the edge of the field, close to the wall that surrounds the school. They're looking up, like the guy managed to jump over it. But it's impossible. That's a thirty-foot brick wall.
There's stillness for a moment. Nothing happens. My heart seems to calm, and then the boys make their way towards me. Together. In unison. As a team. If I hadn't just been attacked it would be the weirdest thing I've ever seen. Elijah wastes no time in wrapping his arms around me as they reach me.
I sag against him. "Thank you."
"Are you okay?" Vince asks. His face is etched with worry.
I nod. "I think so."
"We should get her to The San." Elijah says.
Vince agrees. "Give me your other arm, we'll carry you."
"I don't think I need you to." I mumble.
But he slides himself under my free arm anyway. Then suddenly all the lights go out, and everything fades to black.
****
When I wake up, I don't feel much, but the inside of my head is fuzzy, like I've had too much alcohol and no water for days.
"God, that's one hell of a black eye." Someone says.
I open one eye—the other stays shut like it's glued that way. Sitting to my right are Vince and Grace; Elijah sits on the bed to my left, massaging his shoulder. Both Vince and Elijah look as bad as I feel.
"You look terrible." I say. My lips feel swollen. "Almost as bad as me."
Vince laughs. "I really doubt that."
"How do you feel?" Elijah's voice is tender and his hand engulfs mine.
"Okay. I guess." They all look at me. "Who was that guy?"
Elijah shakes his head. "We don't know."
"How did he get into the school?"
"We don't know."
"How did he escape?"
Vince and Elijah throw each other a look. Then Vince says, "he abseiled. With a portable ejecting anchor."
"Like a villain from a Bond film." Grace adds.
Elijah shuffles on the bed. "Did he say anything to you?"
"Just that he wanted the hard drive."
Vince looks uncomfortable as he gnaws his little finger. His other arm is crossed against his chest. "I've never seen him before, and I know everyone Daniel trusted. That was someone from somewhere else entirely."
I blink at him. "You mean there might be more then the C.O.A after me?"
Vince shrugs, "It seems like it."
Elijah throws him a warning look, "That's just speculation. We know nothing for sure."
As pragmatic as ever. I lean into the pillows and look around the room. It strikes me how similar the San is to a hospital. A long room with with a row of beds on either side, curtains surrounding each bed to separate them. I'm the only person in here.
The first time I went to the hospital, I was eight years old. Mum had fallen down the stairs at home and hit her head quite hard. Dad had been away on a trip so it was just she and I. I remember the amount of blood coming from her and the scream she let out.
The paramedics gave me a lolly and told me I was the most well behaved child they'd ever had in their ambulance. The doctor stitched mum up with a smile and told me to wake her every hour when she fell asleep. I remember feeling so important.
Now, I really am important. There is a bioweapon inside my head, information worth dying for. I don't need the hard drive to access what everyone wants and only Elijah knows that. No one else can ever find out.
They stay with me until the nurse with the clipboard orders them out.
"Except for you," she tells Vince. "You been assigned to stick with her for the next twenty-four hours."
I look at Elijah, expecting him to kick off. Instead he kisses my forehead and says, "At least I got to save you for once." I laugh and lift my face up for a soft kiss on the lips.
Then he steps aside allowing Grace to give me a squeeze. "Your face looks terrible," she tells me as she pulls away, both her hands on my shoulders. "Really. It's the first time you've ever looked like shit."
I chuckle, "Thanks a lot."
"See you in the morning." Elijah says, then they're gone.
Vince gets comfortable in the chair next to me. He looks so young and bruised, yet made no complaint about staying behind. I watch him for a while then turn my eyes to the ceiling. Thousands of thoughts race through my mind.
"If you're worried about what Grace said, don't be. You don't look that bad." I look at Vince and he smiles a little mischievous grin. "It looks good. Your face. It always looks good."
His eyes stay on mine, the silence growing between us. When it gets too much he scratches the back of his head and looks away. I really wish Vince would stop making things so confusing. I have no idea what role he is supposed to play within my life. But I know I'd like to find one for him.
I give him a smile, even if it hurts my face to do so. But he looks down and away. I've disappointed him somehow.
"You should rest." He tells me. "I imagine there's going to be a lot of questions and stares coming your way tomorrow."
"Yeah," I sigh. "I imagine so too."
I do as I'm told, and lean back into my pillow with my eyes closed. But for the first time since this began, I feel weak and meek and I don't understand why it had to be me.