Neither of us denied it, which was basically an agreement.
"Wherever they are now, it's not their choice. I've got an offer," Crash said.
Cormac was brewing and Crash was waiting for an answer so I jumped to grab the olive branch.
"We're listening," I said.
"We find them together, get them out and let them make their own choice from there."
I saw Cormac's mouth shape into a no and cut him off before he could speak. "Give us a minute." I signaled our group over while Crash went back to his people.
"I don't like this guy," Cormac said the second we were out of earshot.
"We don't have a choice."
"Your shoulder still hurt?" Cormac asked, eyeing me up.
I immediately dropped the hand that had unconsciously been holding it. I knew my shoulder would heal on its own, but it was still burning like crazy. I didn't want anyone else to know. They didn't need distractions.
"No, already closing." It wasn't. I could feel trickles of blood dripping as I stood there, but I'd tell him when we were alone and away from the humans. By that point, it would probably have closed anyway.
"We've got to work with them."
"Absolutely not," Cormac said.
"Sabrina and the rest of them are close. Crash and his people are heading in the right direction. They could potentially beat us there. So, I repeat, we don't have a choice."
Cormac was so aggravated by the idea, he didn't even remember to shutter his expression, or maybe he just didn't care who saw the anger in his eyes. It normally annoyed me when his face was a mask. This time, I wished he'd mute it down.
Chip was getting more skittish by the minute and we needed him functioning. Katie, on the other hand, was proving to be quite tough. This was a girl that I could get along with and I needed some more estrogen around. Without Sabrina, I was drowning in manliness. Plus, she was small. I was sick of arching my neck to talk to everyone.
"I agree with Jo," Katie said.
Oh yeah, Katie and I were definitely going to get along.
"Sabrina and Oslo weren't slouches. Whoever took them had some power," I said, seeing a little momentum building.
"Then we'll bring more muscle."
"Private word?" I asked Cormac as I walked a bit further away from Katie, Chip and Dark. Cormac followed me over. "I don't know exactly what you're capable of, especially now." I didn't elaborate, knowing he knew exactly what I was talking about. "But it's pointless. Even if we get them out of there alone, if they're determined to go to the senator, they will."
"I won't let her."
It saddened me a bit that the only one he cared about was Sabrina, but there wasn't much I could do. "You can't lock her up and you know it. All we'll be doing is exhausting much needed manpower."
"Fine. We'll do it your way, but I don't like it."
I turned and nodded to Dark, instinctively knowing he'd understand and explain to the others as we called Crash over.
"We go in together, but I run the show," Cormac said,
I cleared my throat. "We run the show," I corrected.
"Why do you get to?" Crash asked.
"Cause we know the location. It's our game, we're just letting you play," Cormac replied.
"This isn't dodgeball, people," I added.
"Okay," Crash said. I saw a hint of a smile on Crash's face and that was it…I knew something was off. The guy was just too damn agreeable. This was not someone looking for a fight. How did he get to be in the position of leading this group? Crash glanced in my direction, as if he knew I was sensing something off with him, but his eyes moved on quickly.
"When we get closer to the locale, a couple of us will go ahead on foot," I said. Cormac and Crash looked at each other for a second and then nodded.
"Get in the trucks. It'll be quicker."
"Can you fit us?" I asked, looking at his guys and wondering how close I wanted to get to them.
"It'll be tight, but yes."
We split into two groups. I could tell Cormac was uneasy dividing up, but we didn't have much of a choice. Neither group wanted to be with the other, but they also weren't ready to hand over a truck.
I squeezed into the front seat of one hummer, in between Crash and one of his G.I. Joe men. Chip had come with me and was squished in the back with the other guys. Dark, making a show of changing, which was so not his style, changed into wolf form and followed along on foot. A few miles were nothing to him.
We'd gotten close enough that Chip could direct us the rest of the way without having an issue. If the driver could stop hitting every bump going, it would be smooth sailing, but I wasn't so lucky. Every time we hit a bump, my shoulder slammed into Crash and pain shot down my arm. I could feel the blood still leaking out of the wound. Why hadn't it healed? Cormac and Dark would smell the blood but not think anything of it, since they'd assume any injury would already be closing.
I was positive something was very wrong with my shoulder, but I needed to suck it up and not be a wimp. We were so close to where Chip said we should be to find Sabrina. Another few minutes and we'd stop. That's what needed my attention.
As much as I wanted to take the lead, I knew Cormac and Katie were best suited. That girl moved like a cat and just as quietly. I had no description for how Cormac was moving, other than maybe strange. I was going to force myself to be a team player, even if it killed me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Crash looking at the hole in my shirt before he noticed me watching him. I did a single shake of my head. His stare paused for a moment and then he looked away, holding his tongue. Yeah, I didn't know who Crash was, but I didn't think he was a company man.
"Here," Chip said. "It shouldn't be too far." Our Hummer pulled over to the side, closely followed by the other.
We piled out and my eyes instinctively sought Cormac as I watched the men in the other truck pile out.
"Cormac and Katie are the best people to go ahead," I said once everyone grouped together.
"I need one of my guys to go," Crash said.
"Your guys are too loud. They'll hear us coming," Cormac said.
"We'll be here, waiting with you. They won't go in alone. They'll go, check out the situation and come back," I said.
Cormac nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay," Crash said.
I watched Cormac and Katie leave in the direction Chip told them. It was hard not to be nervous. I wasn't so sure Cormac wouldn't take an opening if he saw it and then what? But there was nothing else to do but wait, as we watched them disappear into the dark.
As soon as they were completely gone, our group split into two. G.I. Joes on one side, Freaks R Us on the other. We were outnumbered, but had a lot more to work with so it felt even anyway.
My shoulder was throbbing worse than ever, but I was doing everything I could to act normal. I was just about to tell Dark and ask him to help cover for me when Crash walked over.
"Can I talk to you over on the side for a moment?" he asked, as I stood there with Dark and Chip.
"Sure," I said, not being able to think of a plausible excuse not to agree. With Crash, I'd have to pretend everything was fine.
"By the truck," he said, and motioned to where the one Hummer sat by itself. I followed him around to the other side wondering what this was all about, also knowing I could probably kill him as long as he didn't shoot me again. His guys stared curiously at both of us as we walked together. "I'd like to go over the maps with you."
We stepped over to the truck and he pulled out huge maps and held them up, blocking our view of everyone else.
"We've got to get that bullet out of your shoulder."
I looked at him warily. He already knew enough about us to identify me on sight, but I wasn't going to spell out Keeper secrets to him that he might not know. The fact that Keepers could normally heal easily from bullets wasn't something I wanted to explain. Even if this one was taking a while, it would happen soon enough.
"It's fine. It was just a graze."
"There's no exit hole in the back of your shirt."
I narrowed my eyes. "I'm fine."
"It's not going to heal."
Man, this guy was stubborn.
"I told you, I'm fine."
"I know what you are and I know what you people can do." He leaned a hair closer and spoke in slow and punctuated words. "It's not going to heal. They're not regular bullets."
I kept my face neutral as I realized I was screwed.
"Exactly," he said.
Okay, maybe I wasn't so neutral on the facial expressions. But I was afraid he was right. I could feel the wound still dripping blood. I hadn't even clotted yet. It should have stopped bleeding, at the very least.
"I can take it out."
I looked around at the dust bowl we were currently in. I'd never discussed infection with any of the Keepers, but I didn't think it was an issue.
"Why do you want to help me?" I asked, eyeing him skeptically.
"I can't answer that."
"Nothing personal, but I'd rather have one of my own people do it."
"The guy with the paws or the one that can't stop shaking? Do whatever you want, but I can't have my men knowing."
"I don't see the difference between you knowing or you and all of your men."
If the senator knew we were aware of the bullets, he'd simply switch to something else. But what did it matter if Crash already knew? Wouldn't his men know too?
"I can't spell it out for you, but there is."
I surveyed the area. Crash's men were about twenty feet from my people. For the most part, they seemed to be chatting between themselves but I could tell a couple of them were paying attention to what we were doing, although not blatantly.
Chip and Dark were talking, but they kept glancing at us, looking concerned. If I hadn’t felt so miserable, I would've laughed. They didn't realize I could kick Crash's ass, even injured. I waved them over using my good side, my left hand feeling slightly numb and cold.
Dark walked over, followed by Chip. Crash was right. There was nothing Dark was going to be able to do with those gigantic paws of his. Chip was the winner. I just hoped he could stop shaking for a couple of minutes.
"What's wrong?" Chip asked quietly as he came closer, Dark not able to speak.
"I've got a problem. There's a bullet in my shoulder and I need you to take it out," I said to Chip, and pointed to the hole in my shirt.
"Here? We're going to do it here?" Chip asked.
"Yes."
His face went from concern to horror.
"What about infection?" he asked.
"I'm not worried about that. I've got to get this out."
"But you know we're running low on peni-"
"I'm not worried about it," I said flaring my eyes. Crash did not need to know every little nitty-gritty detail of our current survival state and the sad fact that we were low on medications.
Crash had gone out on a limb by telling me about the bullets but I didn't trust anyone that worked for the senator. Hell, sometimes I barely trusted Cormac and I'd lived with him. The last thing I wanted was for the senator to know how dire our situation was. That we were rationing food while they were driving around in fully equipped Hummers.
"Keep your men over there," I said to Crash and moved further into the shadow of the truck, Chip and Dark following me.
I pulled off my shirt, not caring who saw me in a sports bra. Blood was everywhere, and I hoped it looked worse than it was. Then I looked at Chip, his face a grayish shade.
"Come on, Chip. You can't chicken out on me. I need you to do this."
Dark let out a small growl, wordlessly asking me if he should shift back.
"No." I didn't have to explain that I didn't trust any of these men. He didn't either. We needed Dark in his most formidable shape. "Chip can do this," I said.
"What do I do?" Chip asked. He had his arms folded in front of him and I was hoping it wasn't to disguise his shaking. "Do we have something to dig it out with?"
I looked around to make sure no one was approaching. Crash was standing by himself several feet away from the truck but with a clear view of us and ready to block anyone that came over.
"I want you to stick your finger in the wound and feel for the bullet. You've got to get it out." When he started to wobble, I knew I was in bad shape. "Chip, I need you to get this thing out or my wound isn't going to close." I didn't tell him I wasn't sure if it would close even after the bullet was out. He looked unsure enough without that information.
He unfolded his arms and moved his hands closer but then pulled back. He took a breath, shook his hands a couple of times.
"Close your eyes if you have to. It's mostly feel anyway," I told him.
He nodded vigorously, moved his hand into position and shut his eyes before he stuck his fingers into my wound. I couldn't tell if he was making progress or making it worse. It's hard to tell expressions on a wolf but I could've sworn Dark was grimacing.
The minute I saw Crash shake his head, I knew he'd lost his patience with Chip muddling through this on his own. He walked over to us and stood there, waiting.
I looked at Chip's shaking hands again and relented. "Wipe the blood off your hand with my shirt and go stand over there. If anyone asks what you're doing, tell them I needed a couple of minutes of privacy."
"With them?" Chip asked, knowing how ridiculous it would look.
"Just do it."
"Okay," he said and looked relieved to not have to dig into me again.
Crash stepped closer to me and looked at my shoulder, visibly grimacing. "This is going to hurt like hell."
"It can't be worse than what Chip just did. Just do it."
"Yes, it can. He was afraid to go deep enough."
"What are you doing?" I asked when he positioned his left hand under my right arm.
"Bracing you so that you don't fall when I stick my hand into your torso."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, waiting to see what the new round of pain would be like. I didn't expect it to be pleasant and when the pain came, it more than met my expectations.
I don't know how, but I managed to not cry out, even though I succumbed to tears.
"Just another minute," he said, seeing my duress. "I can feel it, I just have to get a grip on it."
I didn't nod or speak.
"Get your hands off her," Cormac growled, and not quietly.
And the gig was up. Any of Crash's men that hadn't been suspicious before would be now as they all came rushing over to see what the commotion was. None of them seemed to like what they saw.
"I'm knuckle deep and touching a bullet that I need to get out. If I leave it, she's going to bleed to death," Crash explained as he neither retreated, nor proceeded, but remained completely still. The non-action didn't stop the pain caused by his fingers still being lodged in sinew.
Cormac was now on top of us and breathing down Crash's neck as he stared down at my bloodied shoulder.
"Finish," I said. "Just get it out."
No one spoke as I felt Crash's finger dig a bit deeper.
Cormac's hand grabbed my good one. I knew it was his, even with my eyes closed. Maybe more so with my eyes closed. I could feel him trying to absorb some of my pain, another cool trick he could do that I couldn't.
"I almost forgot about that," I whispered, knowing he'd realize what I meant.
"You can't be jealous. You're the bug whisperer."
I looked over at him and found myself smiling at his joke, in spite of the pain that was still ripping through me. His eyes softened back.
I could feel Crash's fingers delving into muscle and it took everything I had to not move away, although that would be difficult in my current position, with the Hummer at my back.
"One more minute and I'll have it," Crash said. "I just have to get a grip on it. It's slippery with the blood."
"Stop worrying about the damage and get it out," I said through my
teeth. Whatever additional trauma to the tissue he caused would heal quickly, but this was torture.
He looked at me, gauging my seriousness. "Okay, this is gonna suck."
"It's been a pleasure, so far."
For a few seconds, it felt like he shoved his entire fist into my shoulder but then the bullet was out. He held it up, showing it had remained intact and not shattered when it hit and lodged near the bone.
"I'll take that," Cormac said to Crash as he stepped directly between the two of us.
Crash didn't move, still holding the bullet firmly in his hand.
I looked around at Crash's disgruntled looking men, who were now eyeing Crash with suspicion. He couldn't hand over the bullet in front of his guys.
"It's just a bullet," Crash said and looked at me.
He'd done me a favor and was looking for payback. I squeezed Cormac's hand trying to give him a silent clue. We didn't need this specific one anyway. They probably had boxes of ammo sitting in the back of these trucks. The only thing this would do is out Crash's blurry motives, ones that might end up being to our benefit.
"That was in her and did a hell of a lot of damage," Cormac said, not dropping the issue.
"We'll burn it," Crash offered as a compromise.
"Fine."
I looked around at the group and realized everyone seemed to accept that compromise pretty well.
Dark pulled together a few tumbleweeds that would make a quick fire and burn out quickly. Crash threw the bullet onto it.
"If you don't mind?" Cormac asked, looking at Crash's blood soaked hand.
"Pete? Get me the whiskey out of the truck."
A minute later, my blood was removed from Crash's hand and the bullet charred. We could finally get back to the matter at hand.
"What did you find?" I asked.
Cormac dug into his zipped pocket and dug out his funny phone. He was in stone-faced mode again but Katie blanched. It told me how bad it was before either of them uttered a word, maybe telling me more than I wanted to know.
"Yours has a camera?" I asked. I'd been carrying around this lousy phone that looked like it came from the eighties. I knew I should've been happy that Cormac had rigged up a cell service, but it was hard not to be aghast that there had been a funny phone upgrade and no one had bothered to tell me. When had fs, funnyphone with good shit, hit the market?
Shattered (Alchemy Series Book #3) Page 11
