The Downfall

Chapter 9

If only they had left sooner. They were nearly out of town. They were almost there when it happened, almost free. It was a surprise attack from the government. Seth swerved around people, pushing the car to go as fast as he dared it to. " Duck! " He yelled and for once, Nadia did as told. A bullet whizzed past where her head had been a second before. A crack was now in the windshield from where the bullet exited. Nadia wished they hadn't confiscated her weapons now.

Seth practically read her mind. " Backseat. " Looking back, Nadia could have kissed Seth at that moment, could have, not would have. He had thought of everything. She could see survival packs and next to it were two of her GLOCK 19s. Each held 15 rounds. Down by the floor was Seth's personal favorite; an m16. Laid out in the seats, belts of knives ranging from cooking to throwing. She figured he had more weapons in the trunk.

Typically, Nadia was a dagger girl or a bow one, never a truly one for guns. But she was trained in them, you had to be. It was something like a movie. Seth was speeding past, dodging everything he could, while Nadia leaned out the window shooting back at whoever was shooting them. That was until Nadia was hit. A bullet was launched into her shoulder, nearly making her fall out of the car, if it wasn't for Seth pulling her back in. She hissed when the fresh wound roughly hit the seat.

Someone landed on the top of the car. There was no time to take care of the bleeding shoulder. Before she was able to shoot up, at the person, she heard gunshots being fired back. . .from their angle. Someone was helping them. . .but who? Seth and Nadia shared a glance, debating on shooting the person, even with the help they were given. They couldn't take any chances. Not in war. That was until Nadia heard the three bangs on the roof. They were almost knock like. As if it were a code. Nadia hesitated, only four people, including her, knew that code. It was the all okay for strategists by the strategists. Simple, but who would really figure it out?

Only two out of the four could knock. . .or rather bang that harshly. It was either Nick or Taylor. As much as the girl disagreed with Nick, per se, she hoped it would be him. He could handle stressful situations in a way that Taylor couldn't. Which brought her to the next fleeting thought, why would it be Nick? They argued constantly, and as much as Nadia hoped it wasn't true, she figured that the other would have been happy that she was carried off to jail that day.

The rest of it happened in a blur.

Seth finally had the brains to pull them off the roads and into a forest. They drove for an hour after they stopped hearing the others follow them. They had to be sure. They had pulled into a small clearing, Seth and Nadia finally deciding to see who exactly had helped them. She tried not using her shoulder too much, at least, not until they could get the bullet out. Turning, to inspect the savior, or prisoner, a small, but audible gasp left Nadia's lips as she realized who exactly it was. It was Nick.

A smirk plastered his lips when he heard the short female gasp. " So shocked to see me, princess? " She sent a small glare his way, raising her wounded arm to aim the gun at him, wincing and nearly dropping the damned thing as she did so. Both Nick and Seth took a step towards her, each willing to help. As much as her mind screamed at her to not trust either of them, but at the point of time, she trusted Nick more than she did Seth; despite him bailing her out.

She stepped closer to Nick, almost trying to shield into him, even with the few step distance between the two of them. Despite their arguing, or as they liked to call mutual dislike, Nadia and Nick each held a certain respect for each other. They went to the other before they went to the group. He had easily crossed the distance to her, turning her to the side lightly so he could properly see how horrid the wound truly was. Another whimper of pain left her, even with Nick's fingers delicately skimming over her shoulder, trying to at least find the entry point. Nadia squeezed her eyes shut, not only to help control the pain but so she couldn't see the look of hurt that coated Seth's features when she chose Nick over him.

" I can't get it with the shirt on. " He muttered softly. For once, Nadia couldn't hear any smugness in his voice. It sounded like he legitimately wanted to help. That was why both, Nick and Nadia, were shocked when Seth intervened.

" No. " He growled out, taking a small, but threatening step forward to the two. Nick's infamous glare hardened as his gaze remained on Seth. Nadia's brows furrowed in confusion at his actions. Why was he so against it, if in the end, it would help?

" Dude, what's your problem? " Nick spoke, his voice clear and easy going ( for the most part ) but his eyes gave him away. They always said that the eyes were the windows to the soul.

" Right now? You're my problem. " Seth seethed before turning to Nadia. " Can we really trust him, Nads? " The tone he used with her was softer as he called her by the affectionate nickname. He wanted her to trust him again, despite the mistakes he made in the past.

A small, dark chuckle left Nick's lips, shocking Nadia and Seth from their previous staring match. " That's rich. Really rich coming from you. " Nadia looked between the two men-- no, boys, for they were acting like it, completely at lost for words. But just as quick as she lost her voice, she had found it.

" Stop arguing! " She snapped, sending a harsh look to both of them. Pointing a finger at Nick with her good arm, she spoke once more. " You, you're going to help me with my arm. " She commanded. Seth snickered and she instantly turned to him. " You will shut your mouth and help Nick fix me and then as a group, " She used her finger to point at each of them this time, " we'll figure out where to go from here. "

Both boys looked at her for a moment, as if questioning ' who the f**k does this chick think she is? ' before doing whatever task she assigned them. Turning back to Nick, he motioned to her shirt. She rolled her eyes lightly and attempted to pull it off herself. . .which, in all honesty, didn't end up as well as she thought. She had ended up getting stuck somehow with her head and left elbow through the head opening, and her right arm still plastered to her body, coated with blood. Nick laughed. He had the audacity to laugh at her.

" Need some help, princess? " He spoke, a small, smug smirk coming to rest on his lips, amusement laced in his voice. It was infuriating how easily he could switch personalities. He can go from a sweet, caring guy to an arrogant, stuck up, no good loser. Yes, she called the doctor a loser. His question was met with a look of annoyance.

" No, not at all. " Her words were heavily coated with the finest sarcasm. Nick felt the corner of his lips pulling upwards. Back to their banter. Even with only knowing each other for the few short weeks, each had come to accept and appreciate the banter. More often than not, it was playful, that was until it wasn't. Wordlessly, he helped her out of the now ruined shirt. The lingering scent of blood would give them away. They would have to discard or burn it. Seth returned with a bottle of water, not voicing his already known opinion of Nick taking care of Nadia.

" Here. " He practically threw the bottle at the two. He missed Nick's outstretched hand and hit Nadia's wound, making her let out a small scream of pain.

" Oh f**k. . .Nadia I'm- " Seth started to apologize before being cut off by Nick.

" Since you obviously can't do a simple task and end up hurting her more; why don't you go set your useless ass down so you don't cause her any more pain? Hmm? " Seth knew better than to answer, at least with the pain crossed look Nadia still had as she dug crescent marks into her palms. Finally, Nick was able to finish taking care of the wound. Clearing it out, retrieving the bullet, and then dressing it. The process itself wouldn't have taken very long if they hadn't argued about it in the first place. " You're alright now. "

That was a lie, none of them were alright, truly. But he was talking about the shoulder. So, Nadia let it go. Leaning against the car door, a new shirt rested loosely over her body, careful with the bandages, as she looked at the two males.

After a pregnant silence, Nadia spoke, " We need a plan of action. " The others murmured in agreement, each making a point to not look at other.

" I say we make camp, and then in the morning see what all survived the attack. " Nick suggested, the first of the men to pipe up. Nadia's eyes practically shot out of her head as Seth just gave him a weird look.

" Right. . ." Seth drawled out, " Because it would be logical for us, convicted convicts, to return to a city who wanted to hang us. That's a peachy idea. " A thing the three of them shared, they were all fluent in the language of sarcasm.

They settled into an uneasy silence, glancing at one another, debating on their next step.