Had she been dreaming it again? Or had her friends really came to her rescue? Or was she still in Shroud’s basement?
Warm hands brushed the hair away from her face before something warm and wet replaced them. Gently, it worked its way down her neck, her chest – which stung a little – and her arms. Someone started stripping away her clothes that stuck to her skin and smelt, somehow, metallic.
Her whole body tensed at the sound of a male’s voice, some part of her expected it to be Shroud’s cool, accented voice but it wasn’t. It sounded almost like Jack. ‘Please don’t let it be a dream. Please, don’t let it be a dream’, she found herself wishing.
The fog in her head cleared at last and the weight that had kept her eyes shut was gone. Ruth’s eyes snapped open and they watched as Nikita stripped off her dirty clothes, cleaned the skin beneath and put on fresh warm clothes.
“Oh, you’re awake.” She smiled.
Ruth croaked, “Where am I?”
“We’re still at Megan’s. How’s your eye?”
“What?”
“You’re blue eye. Just before you passed out, it glowed brightly and you said something about… bones.”
“I saw them, right through your skin.” Ruth remembered, as Nikita helped her sit up. “Why is that?”
“Megan and I have a theory. Do you want to hear it?”
“Sure, I’m all ears.”
“Well, remember when I got hit by that bazooka and I was forcing my healing powers to work faster.”
“You got that extra blue stripe in your hair.”
“Right, we think it’s the same with you. May be you were forcing yourself to heal a little last night. But it’s not glowing so bright any more.”
“And I can’t see what’s beneath your skin.” Ruth moaned. “So if I get hurt again and force the healing, it’ll do that again?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“I thought I heard Jack.”
“He’s just gone to make you some breakfast. Megan’s taking care of Frost’s body for me.”
“So she’s dead?”
“Yeah.” Nikita said awkwardly, not meeting Ruth’s gaze.
“Where are Mason and Jesse?” Ruth asked to change the subject.
“They’re unloading the van. Looks like we’re setting up shop here.”
“Shouldn’t we be going after Shroud? He’ll be coming for us, I’m sure.”
“You need to rest first. No overexerting yourself, okay? We’re taking today off.”
“But…”
“We know, Ruth. It’s been an intense couple of days – to say the least – we’re just having a time out before the big face off with Shroud and his crew.”
“You know who we go after once we’re done with Shroud, right?”
“How can I forget? She tried to blow us up, remember?”
“Actually… I wasn’t talking about Mama.”
“Then who…? Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Him.”
“Exactly. What do you want to do about him?”
“Why does it matter?”
“He’s your Dad, Nikki. It’s your choice. Jail or, you know… the other thing.”
“Kill him. How do I decide that?”
“We can’t leave him. He’s bad.”
“How are we any different?”
“We’re not evil. Nikki, the man beat you and your Mom up for years. If that’s not a good enough reason to put someone behind bars – at the very least – then search me. Because I don’t know what to do about him.”
“I thought you’d opt for that other thing.”
“I’ve never been a fan of him, that’s not news. But he’s still your Dad.”
“Exactly.” Nikita got to her feet and moved towards the bedroom door. “We’d be the biggest hypocrites, Ruth, if we caught him and sent him off to jail.”
“We didn’t have a choice.”
“Yes, we did.”
“Okay, fine we did. We chose to do what was necessary though. Your Dad is an entirely different story. He’s the bad guy, Nikki. We’ve done a lot of good to the world by ridding it of his kind of people.”
Nikita laughed, it was a little choked but cold. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ruth.”
Nikita brushed past Jack on her way out as he entered with a steaming plate of scrambled eggs and toast. He gave her curious glance before turning back to Ruth with her breakfast.
“What’s up with her?”
Ruth sighed. “Talking about her Dad. I don’t know what I’m going to do there.”
“Oh, I see. What are you girls going to do about him?”
“I’m letting Nikita decide that. I just don’t want whatever she decides to come between us. I went completely the wrong way about it.”
“She’s just upset. Nikita killed her childhood babysitter last night. I’m sure she’s in no mood right now to talk about her Dad.”
“But you agree with me, right? He should be locked away.”
“Oh definitely. He’s no better than Shroud or Mama, he doesn’t deserve freedom.”
“What about me and the girls? We aren’t exactly innocent either.”
“You’re no angels,” Jack admitted, “but you’re not evil either, Ruth.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“No, seriously, thank you. For always being there for me. Sticking up for me even when you probably shouldn’t.”
Jack laughed. “Eat your breakfast, West. There’s a surprise for you downstairs when you’re ready.”
“A surprise?”
“Have you forgotten what day it is?”
Jack leaned over and kissed her so gently as if he feared she would break at his touch. That brought back a memory. Weeks ago, when she’d first met Jack and he’d discovered who she really was, he made a promise that, once she turned eighteen, he wouldn’t hold back on her any longer.
Ruth felt herself blush and a heated sensation started to creep up her neck and ears. When Jack pulled away he looked happy, really happy, which surprised Ruth as she wasn’t too sure if she was happy herself. Only when she was in Jack’s did she ever feel close to it. But today was her eighteenth birthday, she’d better act happy if she couldn’t muster true happiness.
“I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.”
The eggs and toast were eaten in a heartbeat. She still felt hungry as she checked herself out in the mirror, adjusting her hair and clothes before going downstairs. Her eye was only a shade or two brighter than normal but she still opted to put on a lens to cover it anyway. It was still a little alarming and it really drew the eye’s attention towards it.
The grass green contact lens, which matched her other natural eye, didn’t quite block out the blue any more. Shrugging it off, Ruth descended the stairs to find the living room bedecked with bunting and an ice bucket with a large bottle of champagne sat chilling on the coffee table. Another table had been set up with food and, at the end of it, a small pile of presents.
“We snuck out last night when you passed out.” Megan explained, pointing out Jack and Mason. “It’s not much. We bought the champagne, food and decorations before we left New York. Before you got kidnapped.”
“Thanks, this is really sweet. Isn’t it a little early for booze though? What time is it?”
“It’s almost two o’clock.” Nikita pointed to the clock they could all see in the kitchen wall.”
“How long was I out?”
“Well, when we found you, it was only around four. You’ve been out ever since.”
“Oh, man, I’m so tired.”
“May be you should sit down.” Jack suggested. “We don’t have to open the champagne till later.”
“Thanks.” Ruth said, flopping down onto a leather couch. “I wouldn’t say no to more food though.” She smirked.
“Okay, I’ll make you up a plate.” Jack laughed.
“And I’ll go get the gifts.” Mason leapt to her feet, followed by Nikita, walking over to the gifts.
“Did I miss anything while I was out?” she asked, pushing herself up on her elbows as Jack returned with a plate piled high with party snacks.
“Nothing happened. Nikita and Megan took turns at watching out for trouble on the roof.”
“Here you go.”
Megan and Nikita dropped the parcels into Ruth’s lap. Considering it was a rushed, last minute job, Megan and the boys had gone all out. Ruth got some new clothes, music and books as well as some killer looking throwing knives to add to her collection.
“These are great, you guys. You’re the best.”
“We also got you this.” Nikita held out a small disposable cell phone with a bright silver ribbon. “I had the idea after Megan made a confession to us last night.”
“What confession?” Ruth asked.
Megan sighed and half closed her eyes before saying, “I called home.”
“WHAT?! When?”
“In New York, when Mason and I went over to the grocery store he gave me some change and I used the payphone right outside.”
“And I figured,” Nikita rushed on before Ruth could retaliate, “if we’re successful, it won’t be long before we can all go home. It’s your birthday, Ruth, you should call home.”
“What about you?” Ruth asked, looking at the disposable cell.
Nikita laughed a little sadly, “Who am I going to call? My abusive terrorist of a father? Or my Mother who disowned me?”
“You could call your Gran.” Ruth suggested.
“It’s not the same. These are your parents. Call them.”
“Okay,” Ruth felt subdued, “I’ll call them. I’m going to go call from the roof, I need some space.”
They all nodded and agreed she’d need some privacy.
“Do you want me up there with you?”
She sighed, “No, but stay close.”
“Why don’t I wait at the bottom of the roof stairs?” he asked.
“That would be great.”
Presents and party forgotten, Nikita, Megan, Mason and Jesse all wished her well as Jack followed Ruth up one flight of stairs to be left at the bottom of another.
“If you need me, just call me.”
“I will.”
Ruth made her way upstairs and walked out into the garden rooftop. There was a small swinging chair by a very calming looking water feature so Ruth made her way over to the swinging seat. She crossed her legs before dialling her home number. As if they were waiting on it, the phone barely made one ring before it was answered.
“Hello?” answered her Dad.
Ruth cleared her throat to speak but, whatever words she wanted to say didn’t follow.
“Ruth?” her Dad asked.
“It’s me.” She answered. “Hi.”
“Oh, my god, Ruth! Where have you been? We thought you were…”
“I’m alive. I’m so sorry, for putting you through all this.”
“Just tell us where you are and we’ll come get you.”
“I can’t Dad.”
“Is someone making you say that?”
“No, I’m alone and I’m fine. I think I’ll be home soon.”
“Megan’s mom said you were coming home. She told us all about what the meteor did to you girls.”
“She did?”
“Yes. Are you still with them?”
“They’re downstairs just now.”
“Are they okay?”
“They’re great. They’re sad. We all want to come home.”
“Then come home.”
“I can’t, Dad, not just yet. I’ll put you all in danger if I do.”
“We can protect you all from whatever’s after you.”
“Sorry, Dad, but this is out of your depth. Not even the police can keep us safe. We’re on our own.”
“Ruth…”
“Please, Dad, this is really hard for me too. I didn’t want to leave but we were tricked. I’ll explain it all, I promise I will. But you have to let me be for now.”
“When will you come home?”
“I don’t know but I don’t think we’ll be gone much longer.”
“Okay.”
“Does anyone else know about our… powers?”
“No.”
“Does anyone else know why we haven’t come home?”
“No.”
“Good, because they’ll all be in danger too, probably, if they knew.”
“I promise we won’t say a word to anyone.”
“Thanks. I’d better go now.”
“No, Ruth, wait…”
“Dad, you know what I have to do.”
“Just one more thing. I want you to promise me something.”
“Anything.” Ruth bit on her lip, wondering if she could keep this promise.
“Give ‘em hell, darling. Give ‘em hell.”
She smiled her menacing signature smile, “My specialty.”
She hit the end button and turned to see Jack standing just outside the door. Not caring how long he’d been there or how much he heard, Ruth threw herself into his arms. Even though the tears started to stream down her eyes and onto Jack’s shoulder, a smile lingered on her lips and her Dad’s voice rang in her ears. “Give ‘em hell.”