We ate our steaks, sweet potato fries and green beans. The mustard dip was gorgeous and whilst I had a huge appetite my eyes were bigger than my belly. Edward ate what was left and even had both slices of apple pie and cream. I tried a mouthful and drank my tea but was soon too tired and full to move.
I was helped to the bathroom by Gerard to use the toilet and give myself a rub down with a wet face flannel. I was surprised how easily I could move even though I had just been shot hours before. My recent surgeries obviously made this seem a walk in the park and I joked with Gerard that Rambo was a pussy compared to me. There was hardly a part of me that wasn't scarred in someway. Edwards biggest scar was from when he fell off his bike as a kid and split his head open. His mother fainted when it happened. He said he was a total wuss when it came to pain and inpatient when it came to illness. He also said I had not only taught him patience but also that he had never really felt pain in his life other than heartache. It made me sound a total bitch but I accepted it as it was the truth.
I had spoke to Mary on the phone and told her not to worry I was fine. She said press were all over her house and the village. That someone had managed to catch the shooting on their camera phone as they filmed me coming out of the deli, having spotted me in the bookshop. I dropped to my knees to pick up Edwards olives and the window behind me shattered. I had even heard it as the guards were already on top of me as more shots rang out. I now knew why the TV wasn't on. Edward was protecting me. Youtube had a lot to answer for. There were other shots of guards blocking the view as I was carried out into the car screaming in pain and calling for Edward. I hadn't realised I was. Blood trail photos and the shopping littering the street. Mary and Arthur were so distraught that Edward promised to get them flown out as soon as the security detail was complete. There was no point in adding to Stan's already full plate. I promised them I would stay in the palace and not move anywhere. Mary mentioned the news and said the palace had issued a statement, along with our own palace. The prime minister had made a statement, the president of the US had tweeted about it and all secret services were in collaborating to find those responsible. She said there were experts on the news talking about it and said I shouldn't be out of the hospital but it was not a secure location so I was moved to the palace. Prince Albert was spotted covered in my blood and reported to have administered first aid at the palace. I had a vague recollection of him answering the phone to Edward but that was it. I hadn't seen him since.
Stan had appeared at some point as I dozed off and spoke to Edward who I was cuddled up to with one leg elevated on a couple of pillows.
"We have her phone and I am tracing who tracked her card. They got the location quick so they must had been watching the villa but given the security was pushing them back they would have to travel. When she used that card it would have pinged them her location and the mission was a go. They would have spied her, tracked her and her security detail before taking a pop at her. If she hadn't dropped that bag of shopping that bullet would have took her out. We are dealing with an amateur. Based on the trajectory and calibre of bullets it is a hit but it's got an old school feel about it. I think this is unfinished business to do with the assassination of her family. I'm using all my contacts and got the feelers out but one word keeps popping up 'Felix'. I don't know what it means yet but I can tell you what it means for her. She is on lock down. She may not like it but I am not here to make friends. I am here to save her life and find out who has it in for her."
"She won't give you any hassle," Gerard replied. "What the hell is this 'Felix' thing?"
"I don't know but she is caught up in it somehow. I can't stress to you enough how lucky you are to be holding her alive in your arms tonight."
Edwards arms tightened around me as he pressed his lips to my head.
"This game of cat and mouse is deadly serious and I'm about to set some traps, but in order to do that I need to knock on some very heavy doors."
"Anything you need just ask and we will do it," Gerard replied.
"I may even have to take Victoria out of the picture and hide her. If it comes to that how will you cope?"
"Badly," Edward replied.
I opened my eyes and raised my head a little to look at Stan. "But I'll do it," I said.
"You're suppose to be asleep," Edward whispered. "Don't worry it won't come to that."
"It might, but only as a last resort. The hunter just became the hunted. He will either run or dig in. If he has resources to help him he could already be gone," Stan said in a no nonsense tone. "I think we are dealing with an individual but I suspect he is acting on a previous execution order."
My blood ran cold, I closed my eyes as Edward held me tighter.
"You need to hear this Victoria so you understand when I tell you to do something, you do it. No questions, no hesitation. If I say drop, you drop."
"Why do you think it was a previous order?" Gerard asked.
"She is the only survivor of her family's execution."
"Execution was how I described it but I was told it was an attempted carjacking that went wrong. I never believed them," I said feeling relieved someone was finally seeing things my way.
"A car full of people. There would have only been one target. I suspect the assassin decided to take them all out as he gets a kick out of pulling the trigger and ending someones life. I now need to work out who was the target. This brings me to the hardest part."
My heart stopped in anticipation of his words.
"I may need to show you some crime scene photos of the scene..."
"No... No... No way," I said starting to shake at the thought.
"These photos may trigger a memory. I can walk you through the incident and reinact it..."
"NO! I would rather die!" I yelled at him burst into tears.
"And you will. If we don't catch him, you will," he replied.
"SHUT UP!" I yelled.
"I'm am not going to sugar coat it for you Victoria. You have a target painted on your back and unless we find him, he will find you."
"GET OUT! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!"
"Calm down," Edward whispered.
"NO! TELL HIM TO GO EDWARD!"
"Can we please just let her recover..."
"With all due respect your highness this is not your decision, it is a directive from the Palace and..."
"I'm not with this palace, I'm English!"
"You are with the Prince, as such you are with the palace. And this is a directive from both monarchs."
"I couldn't give a shit who said what. I am not reliving anything. They can all fuck off and that includes you!"
"Victoria please calm down," Edward pleaded.
"You are just sitting there letting him tell you what to do. What is wrong with you!" I yelled at him.
"Because he knows how to save your life and I don't. And I don't just have your life to consider. Six people were injured today not just you. One was an eight year old child."
I felt my anger replaced with dread.
"The child is ok, it was the window blowing out in the shop behind that cause the injury, but the person targeting you would have no qualms in gunning us all down. What if Thia and the children had been with you today?"
"Don't even go there," Gerard said paling at the thought.
"The person could still be in the area. If they are the same person who blew up your shop, killed your family and shot you today, what is next? They have a taste for it," Stan said giving me another stern look.
"Then I want to go with you. Now, today," I said realising I was putting everyone at risk.
"No, don't say that," Edward said looking mortified at the thought.
"I am a target. You are a Prince. These are your friends and if I am nowhere near them or you, you are safer."
"No!"
"Stan, make the arrangements please," I said ignoring Edward. I had to be strong and save them or risk them ending up the same as my family. Dead and buried.
"You're not going anywhere," Edward snapped.
"I buried my family. I am not burying you..."
"You are not leaving this palace!" Edward yelled.
"You cannot stop me."
"Watch me!" he said getting off the bed and storming out of the room.
I sighed, resigned to my fate.
"If you can make arrangements please," I said to Stan in barely a whisper as the tears choked my words.
He nodded.
Gerard stared at me thoughtfully, his expression full of sympathy and concern. He knew it was the best decision too. They should have just too me there from the hospital not back to the palace where I was a risk to everyone.
He left the room with Stan and I was left alone. I reached for the remote and turned on the TV. Every news channel was full of reports. Then there is was the video, the pictures, the faces of witnesses and reporters outside the palace. Someone had tried to kill me... again! I looked down at my bandaged leg and shoulder before breaking down with a mixture of fear, shock, horror along with the knowledge that I was about to go into hiding without Edward. What had happened to my life? A few months ago I would get up, work in the shop all day and walk the street without getting shot at or blown up. Now I was barely able to hold myself together physically and mentally. I was living in another Country, under Palace Arrest and terrified for not only my life but those around me.
I thought of my dad and what he would want me to do. He would want me to stay in the palace and hide. He would also want to save everyone and not put people at risk. One life for the many.
I lay there crying, wishing my dad was here to tell me everything was going to be ok and he would take care of everything but he wasn't and never would be again. Instead I was left feeling like my every move was being watched through a rifle lens.
Edward hadn't returned in over an hour so as the door opened I expected it to be him. Instead it was Stan and two men.
"Am I going?" I asked dreading the answer as it meant everything was real. Not a dream. I was living a nightmare.
"We need you to put these clothes on," he replied.
He wasn't going to answer any questions. The two men helped me into the clothes, which included a weird muscle looking body suit. They were changing my shape. I was becoming masculine. My leg and ankle were strapped up so tight I could barely feel it. I was made to walk up and down unaided. I stumbled a little. It was adjusted and I was made to walk again until I could do it without limping even for a few steps. It was very painful but I could do it. I was then presented with a weapon. It made me jump out of my skin.
"You need to pass as one of my men. Get your head in the game. Pretend you are someone else. An actor, role-playing. I will give you hand signals like the others. There will be no verbal communication," he said as a rubber nose, stubbled jaw and neck with an adams apple were glued to my face. "Do you remember how your father used to frown when he meant business?" he asked.
I nodded.
"I need you to wear that frown and only look at me. Do not look in any other direction. Do not look at the press or the scene outside. Is that clear?"
I nodded as I felt the glue drying on my face like a clay mask. I was feeling claustrophobic in all this gear but it was necessary. My hair was put into a net and a wig was fixed. Coloured contacts lenses in my eyes. I was amazed at the speed with which they were moving. The body suit even had fake willy to fill out that front and it was explained to me that it worked. The plastic 'she wee' I was asked to put against my girl bits when they made me use the bathroom first, was then fixed to the end so I could hold the bizarre dildo looking thing and wee through it. It was very clever and the gloves on my hands made them look twice as big.
I was taken through a route and signals we would use. Coached on how to hold the firearm like a professional. My walk was too feminine so I had to go over every step from the door to the car like a dancer. It was choreographed. Another man was called in at the end and watched as we acted it out again. He nodded and Stan gave us the 'go' command.
"Don't you dare cry!" Stan growled as I nearly did. I knew I wasn't getting to say goodbye to Edward and we had argued before he stormed out. No doubt to go argue with his Uncle. When he returned I would be gone. I felt like I was betraying him but I would rather that then bury him.
Stan signalled and the dance began. Exiting the room, watching Stan only. Reacting to his signal whilst wearing a serious frown like my father would have. I could feel the pain of my leg screaming at me but I carried on ahead. The weight and heat of the disguise was unbearable but if it saved lives I would do it.
We made it out to a car. Stood beside it and listened to Stan giving orders. I remembered every move, including the casual lean against the car and finger on the trigger of a car. I was to go with one of the men whilst Stan went back inside to ensure people thought he was still watching over me in the palace.
When we got into the car, Ileant forward as instructed and took out a map from the glove box so we lookedas though we were discussing something. We drove off. I held my breath as Iacted out my role. Passing my ID to a guard to allow me to exit the palace. Itook off my sun glasses like Tom Cruise eyeballing someone. We were out andheaded off. I leant my arm on the door and chin against my hand casually asinstructed. Masculine. Remember to be masculine. It was bloody hard when al Icould concentrate on was the pain in my calf muscle like cramp and the fact Ihad just left Edward behind. He would hate for it but I'd rather have angrywords flying about instead of bullets.