Marked

by Penelope Scott

  "What the fuck happened?" He demanded angrily.

  "Gunshot," Echo answered stiffly, not even stopping in her mad dash towards the back door. Maddox took to running next to her so he could get filled in on the way. "Sucking chest wound and a stomch wound, both through and throughs," Echo continued, "I fixed her up as best as I could, but she needs a doctor."

  "Irvine, get that door open, and tell Shy to get our ride going!" Maddox roared, whirling around and gettig right down to business. Echo was relieved to hear him taking charge. Keeping her head together through all that had taken every ounce of energy she had. With Maddox resuming leadership she suddenly felt like all she wanted to do was lay down and cry. But it wasn't over just yet. She looked over at Lys, hoping to get some reassurance, but his face just mirrored her own anxieties. Looking down at Ro, Echo wasn't sure how she would make it through alive.

  *

  "They're coming," Lucien said suddenly, looking up from his the computer in his lap. Shy looked up at him from Andrew, who had began fussing and refused to be soothed. Andrew rarely got like that, and with all the others inside the labs with their lives at risk, it wasn't really reassuring.

  "Is there a problem?" Shy was almost afraid to ask.

  Lucien looked grim and nodded, "Ro is injured. You'd best get the bus started. We will need to move immediately."

  Shy didn't need any more than that. She handed Andrew off to Athena and was just turning the key in the ignition when the laboratory door burst open and Irvine came barging out, waving his arms.

  Maddox followed soon after, yelling at people behind him, and then came Loch.

  Shy nearly burst out of the bus in her excitement. Loch! Loch was alive! She was so thrilled she nearly got up and ran to give him a big hug. She probably would have had Loch not turned to help someone else get out and Shy saw the gurney emerge from the doorway. Ro was tied into that gurney, with Echo and Lys helping Loch to carefully get it up the stairs and outside.

  Shy's hand flew to her mouth as she contained a gasp of horror. Ro's gorgeous face had lost all its colour, and one long arm fell limp and lifeless over the edge of the mobile bed.

  A few seats back, Athena saw her sister as well and started to scream.

  Maddox burst onto the bus, barely breathing and ordering everyone to get back and hurry the fuck up. Everyone was too stunned to do anything other than what they were told. Even Lucien scampered back and out of the way as Lys and his brother got Ro onto to bus, followed closely by Echo.

  Irivine remained behind and directed the escapees towards the bus. Eight or nine more people of varying ages, races, and genders came dashing towards the bus and freedom. There wasn't any time for introductions.

  None too gently, Maddox removed Shy from the driver's seat on the bus and got her into gear even as Irvine and the last of the escaped Chosen were crowding on.

  "What about Angel and Bambi?" Shy wondered as the bus slowly chugged forward.

  "They know what they're doing." Maddox growled sadly.

  "We're just leaving them behind?"

  "They're buying us time, the least we can do is take it. Don't worry about them. They're tough ladies, if anyone can get out of that tight spot, it's them."

  Shy nodded, but deep down soemwhere she knew that Angel and Bambi would probably not survive. They were sacrificing themselves so the rest of them could get away. Biting back tears, Shy turned towards the chaos at the back of the bus. There was nothing she could really do for Ro, so she took Athena and Andrew in her arms and held them gently as all three of them cried like babies.

  *

  It wasn't long before police negotiators arrived to try and sort out the hostage situation that had unfolded at Remington Medical Labs. Police cars and news media parked outside the glass lobby doors with cameras and megaphones, hoping to get some idea of what was going on inside, and why terrorists (as Angel and Bambi were being referred to as) were holding up a Medical Laboratory.

  Inside the doctors sat on the floor with their hands behind their heads while Angel stomped around in a nervous fit. She could hear the chatter of the people outside, begging them to release the hostages. Bambi was sitting calmly in a chair by the only exit, but Angel didn't have that kind of self-control. She didn't regret taking on this mission, but she sure as hell didn't like it.

  The doctors and Mindy, the irritating receptionist, watched her warily and cringed every time her patrol around the room took her too close to one of them. Mindy cried the whole time and allowed a young doctor to put his arms around her and feel her up while she sobbed. Disgusting.

  "Do you think it's been long enough?" Bambi asked of Angel.

  "I dunno," Angel replied, chewing her lip. How long did they need to get in and out of the lab? There was no way to estimate it accurately. They only needed to stall as long as possible.

  "What do you think they're doing out there?" Bambi asked. "Do you think they've called in SWAT yet?"

  Angel didn't want to think about that. Once swat got in they were all screwed. The atmosphere in the labs was tense. Angel longed to take off the sweaty ski mask, but didn't. Just in case they got out of there alive, she didn't want her face plastered all over the TV. "You still got rounds left, Bambi?"

  The smaller woman nodded.

  Good, they could go down fighting if they needed to. The phone started ringing on the wall near Bambi. Both women were so tense they jumped and stared at the thing like they didn't know what it was.

  "Should I answer it?" Bambi wondered as the phone rang incessantly. "It's probably the negotiator."

  Angel nodded and Bambi lifted the reciever, holding it delicately to her ear. The room went silent as everyone held their breath. Bambi said nothing, but Angel could hear the man on the other end talking almost immediately. His voice was deep and steady and soothing. It was too bad that Bambi didn't need to be soothed. Angel had never once seen the woman get flustered. She had a cool head all the time.

  "What's he saying?" Angel demanded. She heard someone move behind her and quickly whipped around, pointing her gun at Mindy's face, who was rearranging her legs into a more comfortable position. The receptionist stared down the barrel of the gun, her eyes wide and her lip trembling. "Didn't I tell you not to move?" She hissed.

  Mindy nodded dumbly, but didn't cry. It would seem that all her tears had finally dried up.

  Bambi looked to Angel from the phone and held the reciever against her breast as she answered, "He would like us to release some hostages as a sign of good faith."

  Angel had been in enough hostage situations in her military career to know how a terrorists might respond to such a thing. "You tell him we'll want something in return."

  Bambi blinked only once, "You know these tactics will only hold them off for so long."

  "We have to try," Angel responded.

  Bambi nodded, "What should we ask for?"

  Angel grinned wickedly, "Tell that bastard we want a reporter."

  There was a pause. "What?"

  "You heard me. Tell him we'll give him half of the people in here in exchange for a reporter to tell our story to. No cameras."

  "He will never agree to that!" Bambi hissed.

  "Just tell him,"

  Bambi sighed and repeated Angel's request to the negotiator, who predictably flatly told her 'no'. Bambi was about to say 'I told you so' when Angel cut her off. "Bargain with him, Bambi. Get him to share out deal with the reporters out there. My bet is one of them is desperate enough for a good story to risk their life. Give him all the hostages if you need to."

  Bambi rolled her eyes. Mindy sucked in her breath, her big eyes glittering with hope. Angel couldn't wait to get rid of her. She really hated wimpy women like Mindy.

  It took a lot of arguing, but Bambi's reasonable tone must have won the negotiator over because thirty minutes later they were exchanging Mindy was a smartly dressed reporter in black pumps and a grey suit. She held her digital voice recorder in her hand like a weapon and her back was perf
ectly straight. She walked with confidence, but Angel could see her foot shaking when she walked.

  The two women ducked around a corner to avoid snipers as they released Mindy and let her walk across the lobby, past the smart-looking reporter and out into the sunlight. Bambi held her gun aimed at the reporter in case someone tried something tricky, but the exchange went without a hitch. "You have a plan, right?" Bambi whispered.

  "Almost, " Angel admitted. She reached out for the reporter who was finally in range and dragged her into the back labs. It was the most defensible position they had if SWAT decided to break in and take them down. The reporter barely did more than gasp as she was thrown down into a hard chair and Bambi's gun came to rest on the back of her neck.

  Angel slid another chair across from the reporter and slunk down into it easily, her posture relaxed. The reporter cleared her throat and held out her recorder. She was sweating quite a bit and Angel was glad that she was holding herself together well.

  Angel waited for the reporter to speak first. It didn't take long. The woman was very impatient. She wiggled in her seat and then said into her recorder "This is Amy Reidman, channel 6 news, with..." she paused as if not sure what to call the two women. Angel smirked, Amy the reporter flushed and continued "suspected terrorists in the Remington Medical Labs. I understand you have something you would like to say."

  "Turn that thing off," Angel said.

  "But I..."

  Bambi clicked the safety off of her gun. Amy turned off the recorder and put it in her lap.

  "Now listen closely, because I'm going to tell you why I really wanted you in here." Amy gulped and Angel smiled and Bambi was hopelessly confused. "You're going to help us escape here alive. Do exactly as I say and you'll get to go home tonight, understand?"

  Amy blinked rapidly and nodded. "So you don't want to tell your story?"

  Angel threw her head back and laughed. Reporters! They were all the same. They only cared about ratings. "Don't worry sweetheart, you'll still get an excellent story."

  Bambi had no idea what Angel was planning. She trusted Angel though; she had gotten them out of tough situations before, and she would do so again. And if she didn't, well...Bambi couldn't think of anyone she would rather die beside.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  ~*The End of the World*~

  "...has declared a national emergency. The threat of nuclear war is very real and the President is urging everyone to prepare..." The radio droned on through the speakers on the bus, but Echo wasn't paying attention. No one was.

  All eyes were on Ro as she struggled to take every breath. In a desperate attempt to keep his mind off things, Maddox switched the station."Scientists claim that the asteroid, which is roughly the size of Yankee Stadium, is on a collision..."

  Switch. "The Iraqi governemt claims..."

  Switch. "...starvation and disease is widespread..." Every channel was broadcasting the same kind of horrible news. Everything was coming to a head, everyone could feel it. The tension was enough to make Echo sweat. The world was ending, and Ro was dying.

  Eleven people had been rescued from the labs, including Loch. None of them were doctors. It was so unfair! Ro was lying there, bleeding and gasping for air and no one could do a damned thing! She needed a doctor within the hour or she would certianly die.

  Echo didn't understand why it was happening. So many times they'd had close calls and come through it all alive. Every time they were in a bind nature intervened to ensure that they would, for the most part, survive. Maybe Remus had been right about Ro's purpose. Maybe she was only there to take care of Athena, and Athena didn't really need her anymore so nature was letting her die.

  'No!" Echo though vehemently. There was no way she would allow that to happen. One look at Loch's face was enough to convince her that she would do whatever was needed to keep Ro alive. She was sick of people dying! She was sick to death of losing people all the time. Ro and Loch deserved to be happy together.

  "Doctor..." Maddox was mumbling to himself. "We need to find a doctor..."

  Shy sat with her brother and the kids, sniffling and trying hard not to be heard. Athena had long since cried herself to sleep in Shy's arms, but Echo couldn't even sit. She was too restless.

  Lys didn't look much better than Loch. He was sitting next to his brother and staring at Ro's face with guilt and anxiety. Echo wasn't even sure the brothers had said two words to each other since they had been reunited.

  It looked like Lys was about to try.

  "Loch..." Lys started. He paused, unsure of what to say. What could he possibly say to his brother, who was watching his girlfriend dying as they sat there doing nothing?

  Loch barely moved, barely even recognized that he was there. He held Ro's hand in his and stroked her soft skin with his thumb. "This isn't how I wanted it to be," Loch mumbled suddenly.

  Lys managed to crack a smile for the irony, "I was expecting fireworks and cheers and hugs," Lys told Loch, "Instead..." He sighed and looked to Ro.

  "I missed you, bro. You took care of her while I was gone, right?"

  There was the guilt again. Lys bit his lip and nodded. Loch might have noticed something was up if he had bothered to look at Lys, but he hadn't looked away from Ro for a single second.

  "Yeah," Lys said, "I took care of her. She was devestated when..." He nervously twiddled his thumbs around and stared at his shoes. Suddenly his feet were very interesting. "Anyways, I'm glad you're o- alive." He didn't say 'okay'. Loch was clearly not okay, nor would he be until Ro was better. If she even got better.

  "Me too,"

  Lys looked up and noticed Echo standing a few feet away, watching them. She blushed when he caught her eye and tried to pretend like she wasn't watching but Lys had caught her. "Echo," he called to her, "come on over."

  Uncomfortably, Echo shifted over and sat down across from the two brothers, with Ro looking like death inbetween them. Without even thinking about it she grabbed the girl's other hand and held it firmly. She was upset with Ro, it was true, but seeing her like this made her realize just how much she valued the older girl as a friend. She'd been together with Ro since the strange band of Chosen had picked her up and had dashed across the continent with her. They'd slept in the same room and held each other through the nightmares. They ate meals together and helped each other wash their hair in greasy rest-stop bathrooms. How could she possibly let that go?

  She didn't know why Ro's impending death affected her so much more than Lydia's or Remus'. Maybe it was because she was closer with Ro, or because of Loch. It just seemed so unfair. Why wasn't nature intervening now?

  "You helped Ro back there," Loch was looking at her. His face was drawn taught. His eyes were haunted and his skin was pallid. Loch looked like he was halfway dead himself. "Thanks,"

  Echo blushed and looked away. "She would have done the same,"

  "How long have you been with them?" Loch wondered.

  "A few months," Echo shrugged.

  "Echo has saved my ass a hundred times or more," Lys interjected.

  "Really?"

  "That's an exaggeration. I didn't really do anything..."

  "She's just being modest," Lys said, "Remember the rain, Echo? Or when we had to escape from the old lady's place..."

  Echo was turning bright red. She hadn't really thought about how many times she'd helped him out. It wasn't like she was keeping score.

  Loch almost managed a smiled. It seemed like this new girl Echo had really made a place for herself in the group. His brother certianly seemed to like her.

  "Echo!" Irvine's voice made all three of the teens jump in surprise. "Get your butt up here! I need a break from navigating before I kill Maddox."

  Reluctantly, Echo got up and went to assist Irvine. Maddox had been snappish and irritable since they'd gotten on the road. Echo couldn't blame him. He was worried about Ro as much as everyone else. She joined Irvine at the front of the bus to help him look over the maps. They were trying to find a clinic
or someplace where they could get Ro treatment without drawing too much attention to themselves.

  "So what's the story there?" Loch said once Echo was out of earshot.

  Lys blinked like he didn't know what he was talking about.

  "New girl, Echo," Loch persisted, "The group seems to really like her."

  "Yeah," Lys agreed, "She's great,"

  "What about you?"

  "What?"

  Loch shook his head. He could always read his brother like a book, and right now Lys' face was saying 'I've got it bad'. "You like her, don't you?"

  "Yeah, I do," Lys admitted. "I like her a lot. But I messed it up."

  "Oh?" Loch quirked his eyebrow.

  "Yeah, I don't know if she's going to forgive me or not."

  Loch snorted, "Idiot."

  "Me?" Lys gaped.

  "Yeah," Loch continued, "You should be trying harder. It's the end of the world, moron. It's not like you have the luxury of time on your hands. Go for it, tell her how you feel. If you don't it could be too late and she could-" he stopped abruptly, his gaze falling once more on Ro. She had lost so much blood... gently he brushed a piece of hair away from her face, studying her features. He didn't want to forget a single curve or freckle on her face. He really didn't know how much longer she could hold on.

  "I understand," Lys said. "Maybe I'll go talk to her now, and leave you two alone."

  Loch only nodded, his full attention now on Ro.

  Echo was surprised when Lys slipped into the seat next to her. She was looking at a map in her lap, but not really paying much attention to it. She was too busy worrying. Maddox had found what he believed was a clinic where they might be able to help Ro. All they had to do was kidnap a doctor. Normally Echo would have been uncomortable with the idea of kidnapping someone, but today was not a normal day.

  "Hey," Lys said as he sat down.

  "Hi," Echo replied nervously.

  "Are you okay?" Lys wondered.