by Marie Dry
Madison knew he didn’t think anyone would get past him or that the humans could help him, but he wanted to salvage their pride. He respected them for trying to help.
He looked at Madison. “Go to the apartment.”
“I won’t go outside. I’m going to the children’s ward to help.”
They stared at each other for a long time. The buzzing sound, of the rioters coming closer, got louder and louder. She’d never seen emotion on Viglar’s face before. His skin wasn’t as pliable as a human’s. But now he focused on something behind her, and she could clearly see frustration. He clenched his teeth and glared at whatever it was.
“Small humans, go back to your ward.”
Madison turned and, in spite of the seriousness of the situation and the low humming noise that denoted the rioters coming closer, she had to bite back laughter.
Two boys and a girl stood behind them, each with a stick in their hands. One of the sticks looked like the handle of a broom, the other one part of a drip holder, and the third one she had no idea where the little girl found it. They wore identical determined expressions, looking so cute in their brand new hospital clothes. That was something else Viglar had brought that was much appreciated. Before he’d provided outfits for the patients and doctors they all looked seriously frayed around the edges.
“We’ve come to help the aliens against the bad people,” the oldest boy said in a belligerent voice. He had dirty blond hair and freckles and Madison fervently hoped her own freckles didn’t stand out against her skin like that from her own fear. He couldn’t be more than ten years old.
“He made my tummy stop hurting,” the little girl said. She missed a front tooth and spoke with a lisp. She had dark skin and tightly curled black hair above a serious little face with dimples in her cheeks.
The other boy squared his shoulders. Madison thought he might be about eight or nine. He was built on sturdy lines with ash brown hair and serious brown eyes staring out of a square face. “The alien doctor got my leg to grow longer. He said if I exercise, it will look just like the other one, like it’s supposed to.”
Madison stepped toward them, addressing Viglar over her shoulder. “I’ll take them back.”
They all took a step back and held up their makeshift weapons to hold her off.
“No,” the little girl said.
“We’re not going,” the boy with the thin leg said.
“We’re helping the aliens fight,” the leader of the trio said.
Viglar started pacing and Madison tensed, ready to grab the children and run if he turned mean. It would break their hearts.
He came to a stop in front of them and stood looking down at them. “You show great courage and honor.”
They stood up straighter and the little girl gave him a gap-toothed smile.
Viglar held out his hand and Madison blinked. Three small swords or maybe three long knives lay on his hand. He handed them to the children.
Madison shook her head. “You can’t give such small children weapons.”
Was he seriously thinking of allowing them to stay and fight?
“They will be our last line of defense. If anyone gets past me and the adult humans, the small warriors will stop them.”
Madison had slowly been falling for him, this serious alien whose whole life seemed to be dedicated to his work. And her. Now, seeing how he spared the kids’ pride, that love blazed into a raging flame. In this one moment, she knew she’d never willingly give him up. Madison decided to just play along. No way would he leave children to deal with rioters that got past him. Holding her gaze, he stepped back and a thin transparent wall appeared between him and Madison and the children. Having seen their technology work she knew no one would get past the shield.
“Why don’t you stay on this side of the shield?” she asked him.
“I am a warrior,” he said.
Madison nodded and looked at the children.
Viglar glanced at them as well. “The shield will hold, stay in the children’s ward,” he said at last.
“Love you,” she mouthed.
He nodded and stepped outside to face the crowd. Madison wanted to stay, but she would only be a distraction. Still, she hesitated.
“Go, Madison, we’ve got his back,” Viktor said through the shield. He didn’t have to raise his voice to be heard.
“Thank you, guys. Look out for yourselves.” She ran to the children’s ward and helped the nurses to keep the children calm. They’d sensed the angry vibes and heard the droning sound as rioters surrounded the building. Someone put on a TC and they watched as reports of riots all over the country were shown. Madison’s stomach turned.
She sincerely hoped this was not because of a fly-away comment she made because she was hung over.
A half an hour after she entered the children’s ward, the sounds outside changed. The children whimpered as people screamed. She heard strange whining sounds and closed her eyes. She didn’t want the rioters to get to them, and especially not the children. She also didn’t want so many people to be killed. Most of them were probably just sad, desperate people.
Hours later, Viglar appeared in the doorway. He looked around until he found her sitting in a visitor’s chair with a little boy sleeping in her lap.
“You’re all bloody again,” she said and smiled through the tears of relief she couldn’t hold back.
One of the nurses, who had ignored her for the last few days, came and took the child and Madison stood and went to Viglar. Uncaring of the blood spattered all over him, she threw her arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“Of course I am safe. I am a superior warrior.”
She laughed and they walked to their apartment with their arms around each other. She showered with him and they ate--she, her vegetables, and he, his raw meat.
“Was it bad?” she asked.
He shrugged. “There is no honor in fighting an enemy that helpless. They were desperate people, most of them hungry.”
“Tell me you are going to change that. Make things better.”
“We have done a lot, but the humans have to work harder at saving themselves.”
“I know.” She smiled at him. “I am tired, let’s get to bed.”
“We will sleep. Tonight you are not capable of giving your warrior many hours.”
She smiled and held out her hand to him. He would never admit it, but she thought he might be sad at having to kill so many people who weren’t warriors.
Long after he fell asleep, she lay staring at the roof. She needed to destroy his DNA sequence so that no one could ever use it to harm him or the other Zyrgins. She loved him, and she had to accept him and the situation or join the resistance. She wouldn’t be joining the resistance. If the Zyrgins ever treated humans unfairly or killed and harmed them indiscriminately, she’d fight them, no matter how much she loved Viglar. The Zyrgins were harsh but fair. They never killed indiscriminately and she’d yet to find anyone with Viglar’s capacity to change everything and everyone around him for the better.
The next morning, he woke her with his kisses and she smiled against his lips. “Ready to be seduced to the dark side yet?”
“No, but you can try.”
After several very satisfying tries from her, they had breakfast and she put on the TC to see the reports on the riots. It had died down after the Zyrgins had dealt so harshly with them.
“It was necessary. It would only have gotten worse,” Viglar said.
“I know.”
“I have to go to the mountain today. You will call me if you need me. The riots are over and the guards have been doubled.”
“I’ll be safe here.”
He pressed his forehead against hers and left.
Madison went to the lab and unlocked the door where she kept Viglar’s DNA. She’d marked the slide as having the blood of a Jane Doe, but she wanted to destroy it. Make hundred percent sure no one could use it against him. She destroyed the blood and the
n opened her TC where she’d kept the file with the information.
Madison stared at the file in the TC. It contained Viglar’s blood, his DNA, the doorway to creating a virus that could rid them of their invaders. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t live with the thought of his blood in the hands of the people who ran the resistance. They were not out to get rid of the aliens. All they wanted was to get their hands on their technology and their DNA so they could use it for their own gain. She took an oath, an oath she took seriously, and that meant she would never help create a virus to kill off another species. She saved lives and, if there was another battle between Zyrgins and humans, she would use her skills to help wounded from both sides.
They’d simply use the DNA to exploit people.
“I’ll take that,” Rachel said from behind her.
Madison turned. She shouldn’t be shocked, but she never expected to see Rachel point a gun at her. “Rachel, what are you doing?” A part of her wanted to believe it was a joke. But she knew. Deep inside she knew.
“I’ll take it.” Rachel said again.
“Take what?” Madison asked, stalling.
“I know you have Viglar’s DNA in that file.”
Madison tried to find the command that would delete his DNA sequence while she distracted the woman who had been her best friend for many years. “Rachel, you took an oath, same as me. Surely you won’t condone anyone creating such a destructive virus.”
“If it would rid us of the invaders, yes I would.” Rachel’s eyes glowed with fanaticism. They burned with it.
“Did you put the tracker in my bag?” Madison asked quietly. “The tracker that caused a bomb to explode close to me.”
Rachel shrugged. “It was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.”
“You didn’t care that I could’ve been killed?” Up to now, Madison had refused to believe Rachel could do that to her. It seemed Viglar and Joshua had been right all this time.
“It was a bomb meant to bring the shuttle down, not kill anyone.” Rachel shrugged. “Freedom is more important than any one person’s life.”
“You’re with the resistance?” Madison said. All the signs were there. Viglar had warned her. She simply didn’t want to see it. Why wouldn’t the blasted file delete faster?
“At least I’m not sleeping with the enemy,” Rachel snarled.
Madison could feel her cheeks warm, but it was temper not shame. “You’d better disappear. Viglar has a way of finding out things. It would be better if you were far gone from this place. You won’t get far with his DNA.” The file was deleting slowly but it was deleting, at least Rachel wouldn’t get her hands on it.
“You’d betray me?” Rachel asked.
Madison just looked at the woman who used to be her best friend. Had anything that happened in their friendship been real? “You betrayed me a long time ago.”
“No, I worked for the freedom of Earth.” Rachel held out a demanding hand. “Give me the file.”
“Or what? You’d shoot me. Where Viglar can get to you in minutes. Maybe seconds.” Madison prayed Rachel didn’t know Viglar wasn’t there. As it was, she doubted there was a way to keep Rachel safe now that she’d pointed a gun at Madison. Viglar would go crazy the moment he found out.
Rachel hesitated and the gun wavered.
“She might not have the guts to shoot you, but I have no problem killing you.”
Madison swung around. A thin man not much taller than her with thick old fashioned glasses pointed a gun at her. He looked vaguely familiar and she thought he might have been at the party.
“David,” Rachel exclaimed.
“What do you want?” Madison said, praying the file would delete faster. It was at eighty seven percent. “I suppose you are with the resistance, too?”
He sneered at her. “Alien whore. You have ten seconds before I shoot you. I might shoot you anyway.”
“No, you said there’d be no violence,” Rachel said. She stepped closer to Madison, as if she wanted to protect her with her body.
“You let them know you can’t be trusted. Several aliens came sniffing around our headquarters because of you,” he snarled at Rachel.
“That’s not true. I’ve been careful.”
David changed his aim and shot Rachel several times, her body jerking as each bullet entered her body.
“No!” Madison screamed and--throwing the TC to the ground--ran, not caring that he was still shooting. He only stopped when the gun made a strange clicking sound and didn’t spit bullets anymore. It all happened so fast, Madison was helpless to stop him.
“Give me the DNA.”
“No.” She held a swaying Rachel, vaguely aware of running footsteps coming their way.
David sneered. “She outlived her usefulness. We know Viglar doesn’t trust her anymore.”
Madison barely heard him talk, or took note of him leaving. She focused on one thing--saving her friend.
Chapter 18
Red stains soaked Rachel’s white uniform at such speed Madison feared she wouldn’t be able to help her. Rachel touched a hand to her stomach and crumpled, staring at David’s departing figure with a look of such betrayal it hurt to see it.
Madison caught her just before she hit the floor, vaguely aware of people surrounding them. “Call Viglar,” she screamed. “Now, do it now, or she’s going to die.”
She applied pressure to the wounds, but they were gut wounds, and David had sent several bullets where he must’ve known it would cause the most agony, ensuring that Rachel wouldn’t survive.
“I’m sorry, Rachel, it happened so fast. I should’ve tried to stop him. Grabbed the gun somehow.”
Blood bubbled out of Rachel’s mouth. “He would’ve killed you too.”
“You’re not going to die.” Madison looked at the doctors and nurses standing around them, staring with pity at Rachel. “Don’t just stand there. Get Viglar,” she screamed. She knew she sounded hysterical, but she was scared. She couldn’t do this, not again.
“Madison,” Rachel whispered between blood stained lips.
“Shh, don’t speak. Viglar will heal you. Viglar can heal anybody.”
Rachel pressed a blood-stained finger against Madison’s lips. “Nothing can help me--I have to tell you--sorry.”
The smell of the blood turned Madison’s stomach, reminded her of a hot Alabama swamp and a dying child. “Don’t worry about that. Just hold on until Viglar gets here.” He had to get there in time. She didn’t know what to do for such serious injuries. He was Rachel’s only hope. She kept seeing Ana’s face, hearing her pleading with Madison to save her somehow.
“You have to stop blaming--yourself--for everyone who dies.” Rachel pressed Madison’s hand when she would’ve talked. “I made my--decisions and paid for it. Pay for your own actions--not mine.”
“Oh, Rachel, I can--”
“No. Promise--you’ll stop playing God.”
“I’m not, I wasn’t.” Except, she did try to have the power of life over death. She stroked a hand over Rachel’s hair. It turned a deep red from the blood on her hands.
“Was mad--Joshua.”
That was the last thing she expected Rachel to say. “Joshua? What did he do?” Madison took the towels someone handed her and pressed them against the wound.
“Rejected m...” Rachel’s voice petered off.
“No, Rachel, just hold on, stay with me.” Madison couldn’t think about this now. About Rachel being mad enough to point a gun at her because Joshua rejected her. She should’ve told her he was gay a long time ago.
“Out of my way, humans.”
Madison could’ve cried with relief when she heard that arrogant voice. She looked up at him and swallowed the tears. “Please, Viglar, please help her.”
He knelt next to Rachel and ran his scanner over her body. He pressed a slim silver cylinder against her neck then sat back and looked at Madison. “She will die.”
Rachel smiled a macabre blood-filled smile with her tee
th stained red and blood bubbling out of her mouth. “Knew you’d--truth.”
“No,” Madison screamed and grabbed his white coat, smearing blood all over it. “You have to help her. You’re Frankenstein, you bring people back from the dead.”
He removed her hands from his coat and held them in his. “Our medicine is advanced, and I can heal most wounds. These wounds are too severe. I have given her something to take away the pain. She will die in peace.”
Madison glared at him and turned to cradle Rachel close to her. Viglar was right, she did look at peace. She tried to smile at Madison. “I--am glad I had you as--my friend.”
Madison carefully wiped the blood still bubbling from Rachel’s lips. She could barely see what she was doing with the tears running down her cheeks.
“I--wish I had been a better--friend to you.”
Madison wanted to keen and scream to the heavens but she forced a strained smile. Rachel shouldn’t leave this earth with Madison’s screaming and crying in her ears. “Shh, you were the best friend a person could hope for.” This was her biggest nightmare come to life. It was just like what happened with Ana, Rachel was dying in her arms and Madison couldn’t save her. She’d thought with her years of study, with all the hard work she’d put in, that she would never have to hold a dying loved one in her arms and not know what to do. “I love you, Rachel, our friendship meant a lot to me.”
“Love you t--” Rachel’s eyes glazed over and between the one moment and the next Madison stared into her friend’s lifeless eyes--her eyes eerily like Ana’s that day when Madison saw the life leave her body.
She cried, couldn’t stop the sobs shaking her body and clutched Rachel when Viktor wanted to take her. He stroked a hand over her hair. “Let me take her. I’ll take good care of her. Her family will want to claim her.”
Viglar drew Madison into his arms. She couldn’t stop crying. She cried for her friend who’d been killed by someone she’d trusted, she cried for Ana who took one misstep in the swamp and died horribly. And she cried for herself because she knew, no matter how hard she studied or how hard she worked, she’d never be able to save everybody.
