Uranium ➵ The Old Guard

➵пять

The four immortals walked into the small hotel tired and slumped. Andy got them a room and they stomped up the stairs. Nicky dropped his things as soon as he got in the door and jumped on the bed, sinking into the covers. The crew laughed at his antics and Joe joined him, cuddling into him as Nicky turned to face his husband.

"Oh you two," Andy said sitting on the edge of the bed and melting down. She didn't let the small pocket of happiness stay for long though, her face dropping as she thought of Aleandra. Alone with no one to explain to her what was going on. Andy felt her gut clench.

-

"Go away," she mumbled. Aleandra's face was buried into her pillow and her arms were wrapped around herself.

"You know I can't do that," Nathaniel responded. "Orders are orders."

"I had orders from Kurchatov to not go to a civilian hospital, or anywhere really, and be quarantined if this happened. I'm obviously not being quarantined."

"Kurchatov-77 is gone," he stated.

Aleandra glared darkly at him, "Don't remind me." 

She hadn't been sleeping much because of it. When she closed her eyes, they were all there, dead and laughing. 

"I won't then." He moved to call on Anita to help Aleandra change. Once he did, the two waited in silence. Aleandra shifted slightly, noticing the sting of pain gone, and pretended to wince. Nathaniel turned his head at her movement and nodded as she cringed.

Anita opened the door tentatively, taking up as little room as she possibly could. Nathaniel moved swiftly to his feet, his body stick straight.

"I'll be just outside," he told them and walked stiffly out the door. He didn't really need to remind the two women, Anita had been by several times. Enough to not have to announce his departure.

Aleandra watched the door close slowly, the mechanisms locking in place as soon as it was completely shut. Her eyes brightened as Nathaniel's scuffed shoes were no longer in sight.

"Hello Miss Dimitrov," Anita greeted warmly, setting down a stack of towels.

"It's alright to call me by my first name," Aleandra said. Anita raised her eyebrows and went back to checking the towels.

"Is everything going well?"

"It's okay."

She hummed in response. Anita didn't have to say much, she let Aleandra know what she was thinking with only a look or a hum. She reminded Aleandra of her older cousin Natalia in that sense.

Natalia was always Aleandra's favorite family member. One of the only ones who listened to her when they pushed each other over the bridge. Her family was strange and she knew that, but the person who seemed the least like the rest of her family was Natalia.

"Any more nightmares?" Anita asked.

Her dead colleagues weren't the only people plaguing her nightmares. A group of four, three men and one woman, repeated her name over and over, searching for her. What they would do when they found her, she didn't know, but she kept a watchful eye, expecting the worst.

"No," she answered. Anita nodded and gently guided her into a sitting position.

"Anita?" The nurse looked up. "Is there anything around here other than this place?" Anita straightened up completely and gave Aleandra a look.

"There is a small town a few miles away, but it would take a day to get there on foot. Are you trying to leave?"

"Is it wrong if I do?"

Anita shrugged. "You'd be breaking the rules."

"They aren't rules I have to follow."

"Kenny will come after you."

"He doesn't even need me anyway." Anita guided Aleandra's shirt over her head.

"You're here so he wants you for something," she said. "When Kenneth Wisteria wants something, he makes sure he gets it."