KING OF HEARTS and QUEEN OF SPADES

CHAPTER VIII. WHATEVER IT TAKES

Anya's office, a few days after the explosion

- Yes Mam'. Mhm..thank you...mhm...yes Mam'.
Anya was pacing around her desk trying not to slam the phone on every hard surface she could meet. The person at the end of the line was making her extremely uncomfortable.
Lexa was playing with her keys and Echo was glued to her phone screen. From time to time Echo was watching Anya. Lexa moved closer to Echo and nudged her shoulder whispering in her ear 'stop sexting, we are in a meeting'. The other girl just shoved the phone in Lexa's face making her a bit jumpy.
- Read! said Echo gritting her teeth.
- Okay okay...sorry I was rude. Lexa raised her hands, surrendering to Echo. Is she that cool?
- Who?
- You know who...sexy Blake was it?
- Fuck you, Lexa! Yes, she is cool, I mean she is a normal girl and nothing more.
- Did you sleep together?
- Is this relevant to you? Did you hook up with No.1 Criminal?
- Echo....be honest. Please...
- We...umm...just quickies and nothing too touchy-feely if that is your concern mom. She said the last words in a mocking tone.
- Be careful with this thing...heart rules are unwritten and love is a dangerous thing.
- I will...why are you so concerned about it? Is this mission such a big deal tho?
- Echo, you are my sister and I wan-
- You want what, Lexa? said Anya making both of them jump.
- We were talking and I wanted to tell Echo that I've got her back no matter what.
- Mhm, said Anya raising one eyebrow, as I am 12 and I believe you too. Come on, what's new to report?
- I managed to find out more about Octavia's nephew and niece. Here are their school reports and a couple of pics. Lexa handed to Anya a file.

The debriefing felt like an interrogatory for Echo –both sisters gave her hard times because she had some forbidden interactions with Octavia. She grabbed her coffee mug and headed towards the other exit from the precinct. On her way to the main floor, she texted Octavia. Echo pushed the door with her foot while her left hand was rummaging through her pockets for the lighter.
Once she was outside the precinct, near the parking lot she lit her cigarette and took the first blow as if it was a magic potion meant to calm those demons. She leaned against the red brick wall and took a sip of the black liquid, not the best coffee but works. Echo was looking off into the distance drifting into her thoughts.

Blood was dripping over her face and chest. Her muscles were about to give up on her after 7 hours of hanging there like a piece of meat in the butcher's shop. The pain on her back seemed to be the only thing that kept her awake –those cuts were burning her soul. It takes a lot to break her soul but her body might give up sooner. Her left ribs were already broken and she cannot remember the last time she could walk properly. The guard approached her with a bucket in his hand. He threw ice-cold water at her yelling 'Wake up bitch'. The water sent a jolt of pain and shivers down her spine waking every cell in her already drenched body. He pulled the chains and lowered her to the ground, punched her in the back of her head making her go face flat on the concrete. Picking her up as if she was a bag of potatoes, he left the room and went towards the huge metal doors.

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Heavy boots were marching towards the heavy metal door. She stepped outside and the light blinded her immediately leaving that dusty wind hitting her face for the first time in 6 months. She blinked for a few seconds and then everything snapped –the desert, must be Mexico or closer to the US border. Her mind was puzzling with the speed of light: she was kidnapped in March, the water was salty in that hangar bay and now the hot, dusty air bleaching her shoulders tells her it is mid-July or closer. One of the people with those heavy armors approached her signaling her to move. After so many days of wearing them, the handcuffs were not that uncomfortable. They were moving them again. She could not look back but heard one of them or her yelling at another prisoner.