CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Sunday, October 30th
SLAVA PICKED HER UP OVER HIS SHOULDER, while Lance carried Blake's body beside them.
Once in the SUV Lance put a computer next to her, in the back seat, then climbed into the storage section in the back. Kandice craned her neck as much as it would allow, to see what was going on.
Lance had Blake's shirt off and was applying bandages to the two bullet holes. Blake wasn't moving.
Her heart was racing, this couldn't be happening right now. It was like a horrible dream that her mind wouldn't wake up from. Even though it was happening right in front of her, it was too much for her mind to process. She tried to speak, but her voice wouldn't come.
"I need a seal, now!" Lance yelled.
A metal seal flew into the back and Lance placed it over Blake's heart.
Slava took an underpass so fast that Kandice's body slammed against the door. Her body pressed into the seat as Slava accelerated onto the highway.
"Don't get pulled over," Lance said.
"We kill any polistsiya that stop us," Slava said. "Time is of the essence."
* * *
KANDICE OPENED HER EYES AGAIN. The pain in her arms had vanished, and her body was freezing. She looked out the window as the streetlights zipped by.
There was a slap behind her, "Blake, open your eyes! You've got to stay awake!"
Another slap, "Blake! Tell me something about computers!"
Silence.
"That's it," Lance said. "Keep your eyes open. Now, how do I get the footage off the computer?"
* * *
KANDICE FELT A HAND ON HER CHEST, there was a burning sensation coming from it. She opened her eyes, and Lance was applying a metal seal against her chest.
"Try to stay awake," he said. "I need you to keep your eyes open, too. You've lost a lot of blood."
With the seal against her skin she was feeling better.
"What-" she started.
"It's going to be okay," he cut her off. "I need you to press here," He placed her hand against her arm at the bullet's entry point. She tried to push, but was too weak.
"Take the back roads," Lance said. "Cops will be out for morning speeders."
Kandice felt them slow down as Slava exited off the highway.
"Hold tight," he said, and pushed her hand against her arm again.
He crawled back over the seat.
"Blake!" he yelled.
There was another slap, and then another, and another. Then, silence. She turned herself over to look back. Blake lay crumpled on the floor in the fetal position. The blood covered the back area to where it would flow in the opposite direction every time Slava took a turn.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Lance leaned forward.
"Don't talk. Just keep pressure here," he pushed against her wound.
* * *
SHE OPENED HER EYES AGAIN. They had stopped, and Lance was slapping her on the cheek.
"Stay with me," he said. "We're almost there."
Slava got back in the SUV and closed the door. They pulled into a garage, and the door shut behind them.
Lance and Slava got out of the vehicle. Lance came around and opened Kandice's door. She fell into his arms, and Lance carried her into the house.
He laid her out on the couch and ran out of the room.
A moment later, he was back with a hand full of supplies. He pulled her bandage off to pour vodka on her arm. She screamed, the burning felt like liquid fire.
"This is going to hurt," Lance said.
"Bite on this," he put a leather strap into her mouth.
Then, he drove a sharpened piece of metal into her arm. The bullet was moving around in her arm, but to her surprise it didn't hurt. Aside from a general feeling of pressure inside her muscles, her body relaxed.
It was out.
The pressure left her arm. Her eyelids felt weighed down by lead, but she fought the urge to close them.
He poured more vodka into the wound, then added the healing powder he and Slava had used. After new bandages were on her arm, he moved the seal over them, then wrapped it tight.
"Now, you can rest," he wiped the sweat from his face, and collapsed on the floor next to her.
* * *
THE MAYOR WAS STANDING IN HIS OFFICE. Kandice saw him about to kill Lance. She jumped forward slashing her claws at the mayor, but they glided right through him.
The mayor disappeared, but she could still hear him laughing at her.
Blake stood in front of her bleeding.
"Please Kandice," he reached his hand towards her, but he was too far away.
She reached out to hold him, but couldn't move. Something held her in place.
She looked back, and the mayor had her arms. She tried to struggle free, but he was too strong.
* * *
LANCE LOOKED DOWN AT HER as she laid on the floor.
"It's your fault," he said. "You didn't follow the plan."
Blake's body was bleeding next to her.
"He's dead because of you," Lance said.
* * *
KANDICE WOKE WITH TEARS ON HER FACE—her body weak and mouth dry. She tried to sit up, but the pain was too much. Aside from a deep sadness, which made her body numb, she remembered nothing of her fever-dreams.
"She's up," Lance yelled.
He came around the counter with a glass of water. He sat the glass down and helped Kandice to lean up, pushing pillows behind her. Her body hurt, but she could deal with it.
He held the glass to her mouth and tipped it so she could drink. The unexpected burn hit her tongue, and She spat it out and coughed. It wasn't water, but vodka.
"You have to drink this," he said. "It will help, I promise."
She nodded, and took small drinks. It burned, but her body was getting stronger as the burn worked its way to her stomach.
"Water?" she asked Lance.
"Okay," he said.
Slava came out of his room carrying a box. He kneeled down on the floor next to Kandice and looked at the bandage on her arm. It was wet with blood. Slava removed the bandage with care, trying not to cause her any pain. He poured more of the healing powder into the wound and wrapped a fresh bandage around it. He applied a new metal seal against the bandage and wrapped it up tight.
Lance handed Slava a glass of water. He held the glass up for Kandice, and she drank down the whole glass. When the glass was empty, Slava and Lance went to the kitchen.
She fell asleep listening to them speak in Russian. It was like listening to an opera where she didn't know the words, but could sense the emotions all the more for it.