Chapter 18 - Eight Years
1153 Words
Nikita
Niki quickly put her shirt on,and rolled onto her stomach. Kace did the same.
“Hey, what happened to your leather jacket?”
“I lost it at the bar Cal found me in.”
She didn’t want to have to explain to Kace why she was there.
He looked at her with shock and anger. “That's right. You danced with Cal?!”
She rolled her eyes. “I was drunk.”
She peaked over seeing a group of people walking around with flashlights.
“We need to leave, now.” Kace whispered.
They both started making their way to the abandoned building. If they ran, they would easily be seen. Together they entered through a crumbled hole and started to make their way up the wooden decaying stairs.
Kace leaned forward. “But Cal? Really?”
She turned her head. “I was drunk,” She whispered.
Niki stepped on a weak board and it broke underneath her. Kace caught her arm, but the board landed with a loud crash.
“Over here!” A voice yelled.
They scrambled up the steps. Kace followed close behind her. The idea was to hide, not be trapped in a decaying building.
“Even drunk, you danced with Cal?”
Honestly, Niki didn’t remember much. She remembered being hot and she remembered Cal being annoying.
“Shut up. I couldn’t think.”
They dashed across the floor, Niki remembered a little nook that was well hidden they could hide in.
Kace scoffed, “Obviously.”
Something flew into the building. They stared at it, then it whistled and smoke started to fume out.
“Gas. They’re trying to smoke us out!” Niki said.
“Let’s go.”
They ran to the nook. Kace lifted the hatch and Niki climbed in. Kace followed before closing it.
“You didn’t kiss him, did you?”
Honestly, Niki had no idea. “Will you just drop it!”
She turned and started going down another ladder. They were back onto the main level.
“Let’s head to the river,” Kace said.
They were about to go until people with masks that most likely had night vision as well started filtering in. Niki quickly backed up. They needed to find another way out.
“Go back up, go back up.”
Kace started to ascend. But the ladder rung broke and Kace fell hard to the ground, his impact caused broken boards to fall on top of him.
Niki ran to him and began pulling boards at him. She heard shouts and people advancing towards them. Kace grimaced in pain. Orders were being given and they heard their footsteps coming ever closer. There wasn’t enough time. She could run and probably could make it to the river, but she would have to leave Kace behind. If he was left behind then they would surely find him. But if she helped him then they both would be arrested.
“Go Niki, I’ll be fine,” Kace said. “Go.”
She stood, still in debate. She couldn’t leave Kace. She couldn’t. The voices neared their location. In a split second, she made a third option. She quickly placed the boards back over Kace.
“I’m sorry, but it has to be me.”
“Wait! No.” He tried to wiggle out.
“I’ll see you soon, Kace.”
He shook his head as he continued to try to move out.
Niki said her next part, “Don’t worry about me.”
She placed a board over his face. Niki stood facing the oncoming. Quickly, she made her way to the front door knowing it was futile. Once they saw her, she ran. They all chased after her.
She felt two sharp points and immediately she felt like her body was on fire as she fell to the ground. They had shot her with tasers and her body spasmed in pain. She couldn’t even scream out. Soon it ended and her body relaxed, but she felt tired. Niki stood to run again, but she was quickly overwhelmed. They cuffed her and walked her to the back of an unmarked van. They enclosed her in and hit the side of the van and it lurched forward. All she could think about was how much she hoped Kace was alright.
****************
Niki sat in a cell. They didn’t take her to the police station, she would have recognized it. This place was different, somewhere more secured. She had looked for the flaws with an articulate eye, and what she determined was that everything required a thumbprint and a code which she quickly realized 83572.
But she admitted to herself this was far above her treatment in the pits. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad home for the rest of her life.
She looked around. There were other cells, but all were empty. It was quiet with only the dim cell lights illuminating her area. She sat crossed legged on the floor doing her memorized collection of songs, poems, articles, to keep track of time.
Sleep started to take over her senses and she felt her head fall down dozing. But before she could make the final descent into sleep, she heard the door click open.
She lifted her head. A woman walked into the cell. She was tall wearing a black skirt and blazer. Shadows created a mask over her features.
“You're getting sloppy. Seen by the river three days ago. I assumed it would take several attempts to arrest you. I’m quite disappointed; however, I am still very happy to meet you.”
Niki strained her eyes. “Who are you?”
“Oh that will come soon, Nikita. I’ve been watching you a long time, but it took some careful planning to make sure you were who I thought. The Crimson Spider boss can be tricky. Isn’t that right, The Executioner?”
Niki stilled. The woman knew her, really knew her.
She continued, “What brought you to the warehouse, what made you so oblivious to someone following you? The man who followed you, called it in. So hard to know who to trust nowadays.”
Her mind reeled. Trust? Followed? What was she saying?
“Why the warehouse?”
Niki looked away, unwilling to talk. But apparently, she didn’t have to. The woman clicked her tongue.
“You’ve been dabbling in love. You should know better. Look where it got you. I thought you would have learned by now, if not from your own experience, then from mine.”
Nikita looked up, she stood and walked closer to the bars. Did she know this woman?
The woman walked forward into the light, “It’s been a long time, my gladiolus.”
Niki reeled back, stunned. She had called her by her mother’s nickname. But, it had been eight years.
“Mom?”
- Writer
