Short Stories Volume 1

The Hero's Villain pt. 2

"Who are you?"

That was what she asked. I didn't know if I should reply right away or let this play out longer. If this was another trick of hers, then it has to be her best one yet. He was dumbfounded at her sincerity and the genuine look of confusion and fear in her eyes. He was sure he heard it in her voice as well.

In the moment all he did was gently tell her that she was safe for now. Letting her know that a doctor would be in shortly to examine her since she was hurt.

I know there are some who can fake memory loss. But it can only be done to some extent. The general reaction to a great many things would be hard to ignore or fake. That's why the doctor I had see her not only knows some medicine but is a neurologist and phycologist. Based on her responses to questions and reactions to things, he would know on whether or not she was faking this memory loss.

I waited outside her room for more than an hour. I didn't want to listen in to avoid any bias or interference of any sort. It felt like an eternity of what ifs. Which posed more ethnic and moral pressure on me. By the time the doctor came out, I was left with more questions on what to do than an actual plan.

As he told me that there was no deceit in her memory or lack of I was at a loss of what I should do and feel. This damn indecision was going to be the death of me. The same one that I had since I brought her here.

On one hand, for argument sake, I had an injured and innocent soul. On the other, this now innocent soul was once a mass murdering, world dominating sociopath that wouldn't have hesitated to kill me.

When I looked at her now, I didn't see any of that. I saw the innocent soul. One who was now scared. Right then, I was glad no one knew who she was. I could help her restart her life. Her persona of villain would have died in the blast which was still being investigated. There was no evidence of a bomb in the area or a missile or weapon being fired.

I knew the villain. She'd never put herself in a position where she wouldn't be able to get away. Especially one that would leave her so injured. Nor would she have done so in such a way that would have left me alive.

This is what was also driving me crazy. I kept repeating myself over and over. Of things she would and wouldn't do. The what ifs. Would I be wrong to treat her as before? Would I be an idiot to let my guard down? Giving her the perfect chance to kill me and escape.

I didn't know. I didn't like what I didn't know. It would lead me to make a poor choice. One that could backfire big time.

Yes there are occasions that intuition can be wrong. I don't deny it. I won't lie and say there weren't times that I had been wrong. But nine times out of ten, your instinct was always right. I knew exactly what mine was telling me. No matter what anyone else would have said.

I walked back into her room and offered her my hand. Her legs were weak due to months of not being used. I would be more than ok carrying her downstairs for a proper meal. Nothing too heavy since she's had nothing but IV's for a while. Just enough to fill her stomach without over stuffing it. There wouldn't be any point to her eating just to have her throw it back up.

For weeks we developed a little routine that entailed me helping her regain the strength in her limbs and the proper diet to go with it. She healed as quickly as I did and was soon running the trails outside now to build back up her endurance.

I'm in the kitchen stirring her soup to make sure her soup cooks thoroughly when there's a scream and furniture breaking from the dining room. Which is where I had seen her after she came in from her run. Dammit!

Rushing back with a weapon in hand, I see my villain ironically defending my newest housekeeper from one of the machines that she herself has used to kill me. Only reason I had kept the thing was the beneficial medical qualities that it can produce. That is if I could override it's original programming that was only a percentage gone.

I got rid of it's mission to kill me, but now it reads every one as a target. If it wasn't so deadly I could almost admire her skill and intelligence for creating it. Nearly once a month it randomly turns on and tries to break out of its containment.

Given how she was hurt and I've been caring for her, it slipped my mind to check on the durability of its holding cell. Because of how dangerous she made it, I made sure that all my people knew that I was the only one allowed to go down there in case it ever got out.

This time though it wasn't just him who surprised me. Before he could even raise his gun the villain tossed one of the chairs at its face. When it put its arms up to block the oncoming seat, she goes around and jumps on its back. Pulling and cutting at its wires in the neck.

Finally shaking the shock out of my system, I grab the gun taped underneath the table and start shooting in its torso and abdomen. It's how I stopped it the last time.

Grabbing my housekeeper, I put her behind me and lead her towards one of the panic rooms. Once I know she's safe I grab a bigger gun before shutting the door.

I wince when I see the machine grab her by the neck and slam her hard enough to break the table in half. Knowing that I've done worst to her when we've fought it just seems different now seeing her harmed like that.

Though it didn't last long. Whether it was adrenaline or muscle memory, I couldn't be sure. I just know what it's like first hand to be caught in the grip of her hand when she holds you and twist the arm backwards then up. Her legs don't seem to be weak anymore as she locks them around the other arm and extends her body making herself long. Causing most of the wires to get exposed on the left arm.

Once she's cleared from there, I start shooting until it falls off. Even then I have to shoot at the severed arm to prevent it from attaching itself back. Pieces of it scattered everywhere, I grab the main wire and toss it into the fire. Disregarding the future I had planned for it.

Looking back to her, she's now exposed all of its midsection. When it realizes it's become vulnerable, it uses its remaining arm to grab her shirt and toss her towards me. Upon instinct, I ducked down so her body wouldn't crash against mine. Luckily she lands on the sofa that only rolls backwards. Letting her body hit the floor with a medium thud.

She'll be fine.

Hopefully.