The Rogue

Chapter 10 - Revelations

His body knocked the wind out of me, as he threw us both against the tiled bathroom wall. In an instant, his leather-gloved hand covered my mouth, muffling my scream.

How could I fight him off? Another trained assassin, this whole plan was plain stupidity. Alessia hadn’t needed to have any worry about me getting Adam killed; it was always going to be me. Still, I had to try.

I kicked him with the heels of my boots, smashing against his shins. He didn’t even flinch, retaliating by crushing me against the wall harder, restricting my breathing, until I had no choice but to stop resisting or be suffocated.

He pulled my right arm up above my head, pinning my left with his body, he began pulling down the sleeve of my jacket. I seek his eyes, under his black hood, but I only see darkness.

“Tut-tut-tut. I will have to do something about this” he scolds, his voice crackly and robotic, changed by his mask. His gloved thumb rubbing over the almost healed mark on my arm, making the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

I wriggle and try to reach my conductor with my free hand, but his body is pressed too close against mine. But it was futile, His head dropped, and spotting what I was reaching for, he plucked it from my pocket like a lucky dip.

“This is all he armed you with? i***t”. He slipped it into one of his many pants pockets, along with my last shred of hope. I closed my eyes. Adam help me. I beg internally.

“Who are you?”I pant, trying to buy time.

“Saviour or enemy, you decide” his altered voice sent chills down my spine. He was no savior as much as I needed one, the way he was manhandling me. He pullsed a blade from his sleeve, and pressed it against my arm. The sting is enough to make me cry out in pain, making him cover my mouth again.

I thrash against him again, kicking at him, putting all my limited strength into every movement, but he wore each blow to his rock-hard shins like I was merely gentle water lapping at him. My resistance was useless, he overpowered me, twisting my arm behind me. He flipped me over, pinning my chest against the cold tile. I could feel the warm exhales of his breath, against the back of my neck, making me sick.

“Adam Help me!”I screamed as the last resort. The man let out a chilling robotic laugh. "are you naive or stupid?" he taunts.

Crash!

A panel of the bathroom ceiling air vent clattered to the ground, startling us both. The masked man turned in its direction, dragging me around with him.

Another figure, that of a woman, now stood in front of us, ready to pounce. She tilted her head, taking in the sight before her, before moving like a flicker, she tossed two small balls up to the bathroom light, shattering the globes, plunging us into darkness as a familiar haze filled the room. I felt the blade appear at my waist, sliding under my shirt, digging in enough to make me freeze.

“And I was beginning to think this was too easy,” the man taunted. As the haze thickened, blocking out all view of the woman.

“Come on, don’t hesitate,” he continued. The uneasy feeling I had felt in the field began to boil inside once more, the one that, for years, I only felt in my nightmares.

I was knocked from the man’s grip, falling to the hard floor, the tile leaving a sting like ice and winding me. Despite the pain, I took it as my chance. Crawling in the haze, I made my way to the bathroom door, hoping neither of them would step on me.

I felt for the door, shaking it, but it was jammed. Looking up, it was blocked by the man who now stood leaning over me.

“Where are you going, pretty girl?” The man grabbed the back of my collar, pulling me to my feet and dragging me back into the haze. To my horror, He began shooting in the dark at the woman, the sound piercing my ears, thrusting me into a world of ringing silence.

As he swung me around, shooting blindly and wildly in the dark at the woman, I managed to spot it; a fire extinguisher, I focused, pushing the pain from my mind as he spun me around again. I unclipped the buckle, he seemed not to notice, too distracted by the woman in black, who darted this way and that, dodging his shots. On the next spin around I grabbed it.

“Hey, wannabe Vader!” I got his attention; as soon as he stopped I swung the extinguisher up, smacking him in the side of his skull. His grip loosened and he stumbled backward into the haze. Dropping the extinguisher, I bolted to the door, ripping it open, and stumbling into the hall, I was engulfed by more darkness and more smoke.

It’s night at the hotel all over again. Sirens echoed the halls yet sounded far away from the ringing in my ears, drowning out all noise; the odd spark and flicker of lights illuminated the dark shadows moving in the haze.

“This can't be happening,” I thought out loud, frozen on the spot. I had to find Adam, but how? when I couldn't even find the exit. Before I could make a further move, my legs are kicked out from under me and I fell to the ground, my head crashing against the tile, blinding me momentarily. As my vision returns, my new attacker is straddling me, wrestling me as I instinctively try to push him away. The panic inside continues to rise, consuming me. Every inch of my body is a wash with a sickening cold sweat, a feeling I had hoped I'd never feel again, but like it or not, I knew this was my only chance.

"Stop!" I pleaded one last time, as I managed to slip a hand under his collar. One tiny bit of skin was all I needed, my attacker screamed out a tortured scream and rolled off of me, his body still.

Panting, I pulled myself to my feet, wiping sweat on my sleeve; I didn’t dare to look at the heaped figure on the ground. Instead, I started running.

In every direction I went, I found only walls and locked doors. I caught glimpses of movement in the smoke, stopping me in my tracks.

As I try to get my bearings, I’m pulled sideways, through a door. My stomach rose to my throat, feeling like I’m falling as Im pulled at a speed that was inhuman.

Coming to a halt, I spun, taking in my new surroundings. Six masked figures circle me, still like soldier waiting. Each one was dressed the same as the man from the bathroom, perfect clones, further disorientating me.

“What do you want from me!” I screamed at them.

They don’t falter. Not even a flinch. I panic trying to find a way out, but I am trapped. I have only one option.

I pull my right sleeve up, hold my arm out and wait. Do they want me? They can come to me.

One masked figure steps forward, but pauses, looking behind me-

“Ivy Stop!” Adam hisses as he crashes into the room, Bryce following behind. The masked fighters turn their attention to Adam and Bryce. They were outnumbered.

Bryce and Adam both seemed torn as to where to go, but all our gazes were drawn upwards as a tick tick ticking filled the room.

From a vent up above, a small silver ball fell, landing at my feet. The figures jump back, but one. I looked from the ball to him, as the tick tick tick sped up. I didn’t know what was coming, but I only knew from their reaction this was not going to be good.

"Run Ivy!" Adam screamed. Little did he know that is what I was already planning.

I ran straight into the man waiting for me, my arms up bracing for the impact and ready to find some of his skin. Instead, of being hit with pain, I'm greeted by his arms wrapping around me, pulling me close to him. The ticking ends with a crack and a hiss as another wave of smoke is released. Only this smoke is different, it seems to burn the air. The smoke thickens the air, and my lungs begin to burn. I cough, choking as if I am drowning in air, and so does the man holding me. His grip loosens and I slip away from him, holding onto just his gloved hand, he gives me a tug and I fall, right back into his grasp and across his waiting blade. The blade slides against my side, cutting me like butter, the pain searing. I cry out with what little air is left in my lungs but am silenced as he thrusts something hard and metallic between my jaws before pushing me back away from him, disappearing back into the smoke.

The air is suddenly easier to breathe, yet my chest is heavy burning from whatever I had just inhaled, I cling to my side, feeling the warm blood seeping through my shirt and jacket. Gritting my teeth, whatever is in my mouth, makes it easier to breathe in the haze. I turn, stumbling to the back wall, feeling my way to an exit, I pull the handle and fall out the door straight into a crowd of students. Quickly, I spit out what was in my mouth, shoving it in my pocket. Fire engines were just arriving in the car-park as I carefully weave my way through the crowd, thankful for the distraction, that no one would notice me. I Head for the tree line. As I make my way to the end of the crowd, Alessia stands before me, her eyes ablaze, her fury burning through me.

“I’ve got her” she hisses into her watch before grabbing my wrist, pulling me after her.

We were able to slip past the onlookers in the car park back to the treeline without a second look. I caught just a glimpse of my father and Katherine speaking with the police. Alessia zigzagged us, never letting go of my wrist through the gardens. I winced with every step with my stomach wound, but Alessia didn’t stop propelling us forward. At the fence, she released me and waited for me to stumble and jump over, before joining me with ease and grace on the other side. Every step was dizzying as I fought against the pain radiating from my stomach, my head, and my lungs...

“Thank you…” I pant, she holds her finger up and shushes me.

“I did this for Adam, not for you. I will not come and save you again. Understand?” I nod.

“You need to drop this victim charade you’ve had going on. Adam might fall for it, but I don’t.” her Italian accent was scathing. The warmth she provided at our first meeting was burnt out and gone, replaced by only ice.

“Well, Adam is the one assigned to me, so isn’t his opinion the only one that matters?” I blurt before thinking, the pain bringing out the sass. She went to speak but her eyes darted up as two gentle thuds landed behind us. She glared at them before disappearing into the darkness.

Adam and Bryce were sweaty and panting as they hurried to join me. Adam looked me up and down his eyes a blaze to match that of Alessias. I hold my breath, gritting my teeth, taking a moment to prepare myself for the berating I am surely about to get.

“Don’t say anything,” I warn him.

“I know you are pissed off at life, Ivy, but that was pure idiocy”, he ignored my warning, snapping at me before turning for the SUV. “I said don’t say anything” I snapped, wincing as I clutched my side, dropping to my knees. It was Bryce who first noticed. I tried not to take the sadness in his eyes personally.

“Adam” Bryce urged, waiting with me.

Adam turned back to us, his eyes zoning in on my hands.

“You’re injured” he rushed towards me, dropping to his knees in front of me.

“It's not bad,” I mumble, but he’s swiftly laying me down on the damp grass. Bryce turned his back to us, slowly circling, eyes alert.

Adam unzipped my jacket, pushing it aside. His eyes widened as he sees my blood-stained shirt.

He pulls it up methodically, folding it up over my chest like a crop top.

“What are we dealing with?” Bryce asks his voice sterner than I’m used to.

“Abdominal laceration” Adam doesn’t look at me, his eyes are focused on my wound, he’s thinking.

“We could try Connor?”Bryce suggests,

“He’s the best option we’ve got” Adam scoops me up, carrying me to the car, his warm cologne, intoxicating me, taking my mind from the pain.

I pulled my jacket completely off in the car, so Adam could wrap gauze around my waist. As I did, the black mouthpiece slipped from my pocket. Adam grabbed it turning it over in his fingers.

“I thought you said you didn't give her a filter Bryce,” he says, furrowing his brows.

“I didn’t,” Bryce confirms, confused.

Adams's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I swear I saw panic, but it was short-lived. I couldn't tell if he was about to relax or if the berating I was anticipating was about to occur.

“Get us to Connors, unseen and fast,” he ordered Bryce, who slammed his foot down, racing us away from the university, with more questions than when we arrived.