fallen | ✓

Chapter 23: "Rest"

(Tagged Picture: Zak)

Masky's POV

Her hand slipped out of mine and my heart stopped. I stumbled a bit as they pressed a dart gun to her side, shooting. I breathed desperately, running faster, pulling my silver pistol and shooting one of them in the shoulder. The person fell and was left behind. I ran faster, jumping and stomping on their chest, hearing their ribs crack under my boot. "You did this!" I cried, pulling back and burying my face in my bloody hands.

The person coughed, wincing and rolling over. I walked to kick the person again, when they took off their mask, gasping for breath. He held up her hand, coughing. "S-Stop.." He coughed some more. I pulled back again, shaking.

"Y-You..." Tears fell down my face freely. "Took her away.." I angrily wiped the tears from my face, giving him another hard kick in the shoulder. He screamed. Then I realized I dislocated it. I kneeled down next to him. "Where are they taking her?" I asked with fire behind my eyes.

He shook his head, coughing. I grabbed a fist-full of his hair. "Tell me!" I screamed.

"It's not your business." He hacked out. I clenched my jaw, kicking his head like a kickball. I huffed watching the blood pour out of the impacted area. Make that kill number... Well, I don't keep track of my kills. So, whatever.

I turned on my heel, running the way they went with Jenny.

~~~

I bounded around the corner, into an alley. "Jenny!" I yelled. "Jenny!" I sobbed a bit, desperate. "Jenny!" I cried out again. I turned another corner when I finally heard it.

"Masky!" It was her. It was definitely her. No one else would call me that. No one else would sound like a pubescent twelve-year-old. No one else but her. I followed her voice. "Masky!" Her screams were more desperate now. I turned another corner and there she was. Two bodies next to her. She most likely killed her kidnappers. But I didn't stop. Hell no, I couldn't stop. I kept running and locked her in a hug. Then I realized she was shaking and I jerked back.

And she was smiling.

"What's wrong?" My eyes searched for hers. I looked down at her hands, covered in blood, held over her abdomen. I grabbed her hands, moving them aside, and to my horror, there was a large bloody wound underneath. With a bullet in the middle. I shook my head. "No." I laughed a bit. "No no no.." I covered my face with my hands. I felt a hand on my shoulder. "You kept me sane, don't you get it?" I rubbed my eyes.

Her face softened and she bit her lip. She was ridiculously pale. She blinked for a moment. "Yeah." She bit out. Her breathing was irregular and she was fading fast. I didn't have much time. Hell, I wanted all the time in the world. If we didn't go into that tunnel, this wouldn't have to be an issue. Maybe if I never met her at all, she'd still be alive right now. "Thank you." Her voice ripped through my thoughts.

"Why?" I sputtered. She grinned.

"I'm happy I got to spend time with you before I left like this." She let out. Her voice was rough and weak. Then I locked her into another hug. "Stay strong." She choked out before going limp in my arms. And she was gone.

~~~

Hazel's POV

"What's your problem?" I cocked a brow at him, chuckling.

"Shush!" He held his index finger to his lips, leaning back and smoothing out his hair, acting casual. I folded my arms over my chest, leaning on my knees. Kath brushed past me, her hand on her forehead. She looked tired and distressed. Shortly after, Zeke trailed behind. I watched as they both passed and went into the prison, shutting the door behind them.

"Ho." I laughed. "It's the circle of li-" I shrieked as a loaf of bread was thrown at me.

"You're going to give us away." Zak shushed me. I frowned. "This is a stakeout, not a Let-Hazel-Scream-Us-Out." He leaned back again. I chuckled.

"You know, he's right." A voice said. I turned around and to my surprise, it was Clara. "Hey, Hazel." She grinned, messing up my hair. I squirmed, smoothing it out.

"Hey, Clara," I said, hearing a groan from Zak.

"Now I got a bitch and a dick on my hands." He grumbled.

"Zak, you always have a dick in your hands." Clara retaliated. I gawked at the comeback. Then Zak got up and roughly brushed past her, walking towards the entrance. Then she looked back to me, taking his seat. "You snooze, you lose." She leaned back, putting her hands on the back of her head. I laughed. "So what's been up with you?" She cocked a brow at me.

"Not a lot," I said. "Some guy came back with one of my team members, Kath," I explained. "Now they're in there." I tossed my thumb in the prison's direction.

"Aww.." Clara swooned. "Now I want to be a peeping Tom." She smirked. "Come with me." She grabbed my wrist, pulling me to the entrance inside. She cracked the door open slightly, peeking in. I squeezed in next to her and saw them around the corner, in front of a cell. They weren't kissing, but they were talking. Clara immediately looked disappointed. "Bummer." She whispered. I chuckled lightly. She slapped her hand over my mouth. My laugh didn't affect their conversation, but it made Zeke's jaw clench.

I retreated, pulling from Clara. I turned around and ran past the second doorway, out to the bleachers again. I sat down and glanced at the door. "Clara!" I whisper shouted. She shifted slightly and slowly closed the door, following my path. She sat next to me and crossed her legs.

"I was looking for some action." She scowled slightly. "Guess not."

I laughed, shoving her in the arm. "You're so weird." I poked my tongue at her. She shrugged.

"I try my best." She admitted, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"So what's been up with you?" I asked. She hesitated. Silence in the air. She tilted her head slightly as if considering my question. She coughed and scratched her neck.

"I killed like.." She pinched one of her eyes shut. "Twelve military cop whatevers..." I glanced at her. "Annnd..." She twisted. "I did it for money.."

"Where was this?" I gawked. "For who?"

"The city." She said, not even looking at me. "I did it for a masked boy." She rubbed the side of her face. "I got twenty grand." Damn.. I thought. "He grabbed my arm while I was walking around and offered me a wager. He told me if I killed over ten of those military whatevers, he would give me twenty grand." She shifted again. "I didn't expect the money because people lie so often. But I wanted to get all that pressure off my chest from the cannibals at Terminus and such." She hesitated. "He also gave me guns and lots of ammunition."

"Seems pretty important to him," I said.

"He said he was too young and weak to kill that many." She explained. "He said he needed revenge."

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