The Cost of Justice

by Nova Drake

  It was one of her favorite apartments. A tiny top floor industrial studio space, with brick walls and old worn wood floors full of character and imperfections. It was small. But the ceiling was high, and the windows were tall, and the destruction of the world had touched this place a little less than everywhere else.

  Using the last of her energy, Jess dragged Creepy across the floor and managed to get him into her bed. His burned shirt tore away easily, and she cleaned him up and bandaged him the best she could. In the dark, it was difficult to tell how badly he was hurt. His head wasn’t bleeding, so there was nothing she could do for that. Once she was done with his chest, she moved on to his hands. Tossing his leather cuffs on the ground next to the bed, she treated the burns there as well. Having done all she could for him, Jess collapsed onto the couch and tried to ignore the memories of her shitty day.

  Chapter 15

  The one thing Jess hated about the tall windows in her studio was the amount of damn sunlight that filtered through them in the morning, even with the haze of pollution. Mornings were awful. Hell, she wasn't even an afternoon person. She was usually still trying to wake up when she visited Kat for her evening cup of coffee. Her mood left a lot to be desired before she even opened her eyes.

  With a frown, her eyelids parted. The first shift in position reminded her of the previous day’s events. Her neck ached from sleeping on a tiny sofa, and her bandaged arm throbbed from the girl that nearly melted her before Creepy came to her rescue.

  Jess groaned as her sore muscles adjusted to sitting up. Still half asleep, she made her way to the bed and sat to look over his chest. The burn covered a large portion of his chest, but it wasn't as bad as she'd expected. She pulled his hand into her lap and examined his palm. Not especially experienced with burns, she had no idea what more to do for him.

  Jess was about to check his head injury when his wrist caught her eye. Rough scarring ran along the inside, some of it was pretty bad. The leather cuffs he typically wore would cover them but based on the scars, his wrist had been cut into repeatedly. She climbed over him and picked up his other hand, running her fingers over the same scars on the other side. The cuts were messy but concentrated in one spot, and noticeably worse on his left.

  Her mood clouded over with emotions she didn’t realize her rusty, defective heart could still muster up, allowing just a touch of compassion while no one was there to witness it. She scooted a little closer to his head and gently turned it. Feeling the back of his head, she found a bump from the impact. There was swelling, but it seemed no worse than the head injury she woke up with after her concussion. Hopefully, that meant he would be alright. She turned her attention back to his hand, distractedly running her fingertips over the scars on his wrist. She glanced at the floor and wondered if she should replace his cuffs before he woke up and got angry. Assuming he would wake up.

  “That’s not what it looks like.” The rough voice made her jump a mile.

  She drew in a sharp breath. “Holy shit, what is wrong with you? Can you do anything without scaring the crap out of people?” Jess masked her embarrassment with irritation. She had nothing else at that point. She quickly brushed his hand off her lap and casually scooted to the edge of the bed.

  “Not really,” he answered. His eyes remained closed as he answered.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He shifted slightly and winced. “I will be. The bright light is bothering my eyes,” he added, waving a hand in the direction of the window.

  “Oh, uh sorry. It’s the sun. I wasn’t especially happy to be woken up by it either.”

  He nodded, still not even attempting to open his eyes. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence. He cleared his throat. “Where am I?”

  His question brought back memories of the night before. “In one of my apartments. They one you mysteriously knew the exact location of,” Jess answered coldly.

  Creepy’s mouth opened to respond, but he quickly closed it, obviously considering his answer. He shifted uncomfortably again. “I was trying to get you away from the manhunt.”

  “Right.”

  His eyebrows drew together. “How did I get up here?”

  Ha! He claimed he didn’t know where her apartment was, yet knew she’d had to get him up the stairs. She wanted to call him out on it but instead took a second to really take him in while she had the chance.

  He still hadn’t even cracked his eyes open, lying in her bed, unable to see, burns sprawling across his otherwise perfect chest. It was the first time she’d seen him vulnerable. The first time he didn’t scare the crap out of her, and she couldn’t bring herself to take advantage of that. With a sigh, she dropped the interrogation until they were on a level playing field.

  “I dragged your heavy ass up the fire escape and treated your burns.”

  His eyebrows raised and his mouth hung slightly open for a moment before he managed to force out a couple of words. “Uh… thanks,” he mumbled as if they were the most awkward words to ever pass through his lips.

  Jess smirked. She had trouble with that kind of thing too. But this was her way out of it. “Yeah well, you burned your hands to get Sunshine off my ass, so I figured I owed ya. We’re even.”

  He gave her a short nod.

  “Um so, I’m gonna go wash up. Then I’ll run out and grab some coffee. You look like you’re about as much of a morning person as I am,” she joked.

  Creepy didn’t respond, just gave another short nod. Quite the conversationalist. The guy had the personality of a rock.

  “Okay, then,” Jess mumbled as she headed for the shower.

  Chapter 16

  Jess rushed out of the bathroom after her shower. She’d realized about halfway through that she still hadn’t gotten his name. Now that he couldn’t run away, she had the perfect opportunity. Creepy was accurate, but admittedly not her best nickname.

  She made it two steps out of the bathroom before she realized the bed was empty. A glance around confirmed that he was gone. Jess folded her arms over her chest with a huff. Really? Fifteen minutes ago the guy couldn’t open his eyes, but he can manage to escape from the top floor of a building through a window? Jess checked her bolted door to confirm that he hadn’t gotten out that way, but it hadn’t been pried open. What the hell?

  Jess paced the room. Why would he pretend to be in worse shape than he really was? Why would he feel the need to escape? If she wanted him dead, he would be - she’d had plenty of opportunities. Why the act? Was she supposed to take pity on him?

  Growing angrier with each unanswered question, Jess stopped pacing and froze at the biggest question nagging at her. Why did she even care that he was gone? Marching over to her boots, she let out an angry laugh. I don’t care.

  ***

  Jess plunked down at a table in the diner and glared out the window at the dry, dreary day. Kat set a cup of coffee in front of her and slid into the seat across from her. Jess eyeballed her questioningly.

  Kat smiled warmly, her wide blue eyes running over Jess. “You look like you could use a friend. What’s wrong?”

  Jess was irritated by the prying, but she couldn’t bring herself to take her frustrations out on Kat. She was so sheltered and sweet. Jess’s gaze moved away again. “Nothing,” she mumbled.

  “Jess, you’ve been coming in here for years, and I’ve never seen you this upset.” Kat tapped a finger on the table as she paused to think. “Come to think of it I don’t think I’ve ever seen you upset at all. Contemplative and mischievous - absolutely. Troublemaking, without a doubt. But angry and rattled?” She shook her head, “This is definitely the first I’ve seen this. You have your quiet moods, sure, but I didn’t think anything could really get to you. So tell me. What could possibly have shaken the force that is Jess?”

  Kat stared at Jess intently, eyes sparkling with interest and awe. Jess’s discomfort was ratcheting higher by the second. Run. Run now. Her gut instinct demanded escape, her heart and brain reeled with confus
ion. She was torn on how to respond.

  It was beyond strange to hear someone talk about her like that. Words like this seemed to come easily for Kat, but Jess couldn’t think of one thing to come back with. Not even a smart-ass comment. And those were her specialty. She was vaguely aware of the fact that she was staring at Kat the way most people would react to a massacre.

  After a few unbearably awkward seconds of silence, Kat’s gaze dropped. She was clearly hurt that after all this time, Jess couldn’t come up with some tiny way to act like a friend.

  “Uh… uhm…” Crap, she really had nothing. Kat’s sad eyes looked up at Jess with a glimmer of hope. “You should see the other guy?” Jess tried to joke.

  Kat frowned and rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible,” she answered with a little smile that let Jess know she would let her off the hook. Kat’s eyes settled on Jess’s arm, and her smile quickly faded. Her brows furrowed with concern. “Jess, that’s a bad burn. What happened to you?”

  “Long story. No big deal.”

  Kat’s lips pressed into a tight line, and Jess knew she wasn’t going to budge again. She reached out and firmly clutched Jess’s hand. Jess tensed instinctively at being grabbed, but instead of letting go when she saw Jess’s reaction, Kat gripped her hand tighter and glared.

  “Get over it, Jess,” she snapped. “This is what’s going to happen. Something is clearly bothering you, and your arm is messed up. I’m willing to let one of those things go, but not both. I’m guessing that you will find it easier to let me treat your arm than you will to talk about whatever is wrong with you.” Kat stood, still gripping Jess’s hand firmly. “So let’s go in the back, and I’ll fix you up with our burn kit.”

  Jess sized up Kat, a little taken back by her aggressiveness. She wouldn’t have thought she had it in her. She was almost proud. But she also wasn’t used to being told what to do. Jess’s eyes settled on Kat’s death grip on her hand. She could easily get out of it and out the door, but probably not without hurting Kat at least a little. And not just physically.

  Kat noticed the direction of Jess’s stare and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I know you could kick my ass, but I also know you don’t want to hurt me. Are you going to risk it just because you're too stubborn to let me take care of your arm?”

  It wasn’t worth the risk. Jess frowned and stood. She looked down at Kat and almost laughed that this little girl, barely five feet tall and with hardly any fight training at all, just got her to cave to her will. Impressive.

  “Okay,” she agreed softly.

  Still holding her hand, Kat led Jess to the back, past the kitchen and storage area. She stopped near a little first aid station.

  Zain passed through with a cup in his hand and saw his sister dragging Jess around. He raised an eyebrow at her with a smirk but said nothing as he snuck back upstairs. Yeah, she knew what that look meant. She’d recently told him not to give his sister a hard time, and he was calling her out, questioning if she’d be following her own advice. The little shit.

  Kat motioned to the little counter. “Sit,” she ordered. Holding back half a smirk of her own, Jess did as she was told and Kat went to work treating her arm.

  Once she was bandaged, Jess quickly jumped down from the counter and fumbled a thank you while avoiding eye contact.

  Kat shook her head and smiled. “You know I’m always here if you need anything.”

  Ugh, why did she keep pulling that crap? Jess let her eyes meet Kat’s, and she even tried to hide the frustrated look that wanted to make an appearance. Kat didn’t deserve the cold shoulder that Jess kept throwing her way. But somehow she might be the scariest person Jess had ever met. She stared into her delicate blue eyes and wondered how that could be.

  No, she knew how. Because with anyone else, Jess could easily defend herself. Because all other interactions were transactions, not relationships, even in her alliances. But Kat cared about Jess and asked for nothing in return. And that scared the hell out of her.

  Jess inspected her hands. “Look, Kat, I appreciate your kindness. I’m just not the kind of person you want to get close to. Trust me.”

  “Well, I am. And maybe everything’s not always about you,” she teased. “Seriously, I’m pretty great. I know my way around a first aid kit, I can cook, I’m a great listener, not to mention pretty observant. And most important, I make a kick-ass cup of coffee. What more could you possibly ask for? I’m definitely the kind of person you want to get close to. Trust me,” she added with a smile.

  Jess couldn’t help but smile a little too. “Well, there’s no arguing that.”

  Knowing that was about as much progress as Jess was going to make in one day, Kat led her back to the front.

  The moment they were through the door, Jess knew something wasn’t right. Kat had stepped out into the dining area just before Jess had, and there was now a gun pointed at her head. Jess froze and took in the situation. It looked to be a simple robbery. Two men with guns had taken control of the tiny dining area. One emptied the few bills from the old cash drawer, while the other watched the room.

  “Move that gun, now,” Jess demanded in an icy tone.

  “Are you Kat?” the guy growled.

  “I’m Kat,” Jess interrupted.

  She could take him down, but she wouldn’t risk the trigger being pulled while the gun was aimed at Kat. Plus there was still another guy with a gun only a few feet away.

  The gun moved to Jess’s head, and she breathed a little sigh of relief. Kat spun around and gave Jess a ‘what the hell are you doing’ look. She was about to verbalize her thoughts when Jess cut her off.

  “I’m Kat,” Jess said again. “What do you want?”

  “You got the code to the safe?”

  “Yes. Both of you come with me. Leave her alone, and I’ll open the safe for you,” Jess answered, doubting Kat even made enough money to have a safe. Not that it mattered. They’d have been better off stealing the food or the power cell in the kitchen, but Jess wasn’t about to point that out.

  “Idiot, look at her clothes. She don’t work here,” the other guy hissed.

  Kat didn’t wear a uniform but she did wear an apron. “You’re the idiot. I’m not cooking, I don’t need an apron,” Jess answered.

  “What are you doing?” Kat whispered.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Jess answered calmly.

  But at that moment, Kat turned back to the room and saw the only other customer lying on the ground behind the counter. Jess had spotted him almost immediately, and just as she’d feared, Kat was hysterical the moment she noticed.

  “Oh my God!” she gasped, tears spilling down her cheeks.

  The gun started to move back to Kat, but Jess quickly grabbed her arm and dragged her behind her back.

  “You’re here for me. Let’s go,” Jess insisted.

  Kat latched onto Jess, hiding her face in her back while she tried to calm down. Jess wasn’t used to being this patient with her attackers, but she couldn’t agitate them in this setting. Not with Kat around. Not with Zain just upstairs.

  “Don’t move,” he grumbled as he stepped back a few feet to mull things over with his friend.

  While they were distracted, Jess reached behind her, grabbing Kat and guiding her to the break in the counter, making sure to stay between her and the guns. Once she was pushed into the opening, Jess tugged her arm down, urging her to duck behind it. Kat held on tighter instead.

  “What are you doing? I won’t leave you with them,” she sniffed.

  Jess rolled her eyes. “I promise I’ll be fine. Get down and find the police as soon as I lure them into the back.” She gave Kat’s arm another tug and this time she crouched below counter height. The moron twins turned back to Jess and noticed that Kat was gone. They stormed closer, both guns aimed at Jess as she nudged Kat back and behind the counter with her boot. Jess planted herself in the opening as they approached.

  “Where is she?” he demanded trying to look past Jess.
r />   “Not important. If you hurt anyone else I’m not opening the safe for you.”

  The gun moved directly in front of her face. “You’ll do whatever the hell I tell you to do.”

  She couldn’t help it, with Kat out of the way, the snarky little smile that always showed up when someone underestimated her, made its appearance.

  “Something funny to you, Sweetheart?”

  What is it with guys and their stupid pet names?

  “Actually, yeah. Poor choice.” She leaned in closer to the guy and his gun, amusement obvious on her face. “I’m not very sweet at all.”

  The guy with the gun in her face huffed. “That so?” He sized her up, making the same assumption as anyone else. That she wouldn’t be any trouble. Boy, was he wrong.