Sakis Queen (Shredder/April 1987)

Part 7

Chapter 7

April gasped as the Priestess and her guards filled the room. She looked down at her one weapon, the pathetic little sai, and wondered how the hell she was going to get out of this.

"Woman of the other world," the Priestess said, striding forward with a flashing eye. "You have had your night with the Paelo. It is now time to transfer ownership. I am also afraid you must come with me. I see that Ancha has told you."

"She tried to escape," Ancha said, continuing to hold a strung arrow at April. She stepped back slowly and glared at April, pleading for her to escape, motioning with her eyes toward the back passage.

April noticed that Ancha had cut Shredder's bonds and he now stood passively watching this whole situation with blinking, sleepy eyes. She decided to take quick action. Like a flash she was behind him, an arm wrapping around his torso, the other holding the sai up to his neck. He tensed but didn't struggle. April peeked around his bulk. "If you come one step closer, I'll slit his throat!"

Suddenly, there was jolt of pain in April's hand. An arrow shot by a particularly accurate archer had knocked the sai out of her hand. It clattered under the bed. For a moment April thought all was lost, but she noticed the sleek, golden arrow lying at her feet. She scooped it up and placed its ultra sharp tip to Shredder's throat. Steeling herself, she slashed him with it. Shredder gasped and his hand went to his throat. It was a shallow cut, but April was satisfied to see a dramatic amount of blood pour down the front of his gi shirt. The archers surrounding them gasped and faltered with their weapons. Even the Priestess allowed alarm to show on her face. "Do not harm him!"

"I'll do worse than harm him" April hissed. "I've said from the beginning that although he was my property, he was a great enemy and an evil man. I could slit his throat in a second! Killing him would be my greatest triumph!"

"Do not..." the Priestess attempted to bargain. "We could work out some sort of trade...your friends..."

"Yes, my friends," April spat. She began to back out of the passage that Ancha indicated. The group of soldiers started forward, but in response April slashed at one of Shredder's biceps. He whimpered as blood surged down his arm. The Priestess held up her hands to her soldiers and they ceased to follow. "What do you want, woman of the other world?"

"I am leaving now with the Paelo," April said. "Do not attempt to follow, or I will kill him. We will return and bargain for my friends. Do not harm them or I will only return the Paelo's head to you!"

With that she dragged Shredder from the room and hurried him down the passage. She was amazed that he followed her even though she had just cut him twice. He held his arm, which was still bleeding badly, and glanced at her with a kind of confusion. "Look, I'm sorry I cut you," she whispered as they ran. "I won't hurt you again, but you have to help me get out of here! Those women back there will kill you...ok?"

He nodded as they ran, but still seemed unsure. They emerged from the dark passage in a kind of courtyard that was overgrown with disuse. They fought their way through the brush and came to an old garden wall and a rusted gate. April rattled it with despair and then turned to Shredder who watched her closely. "Kick it open!" she ordered. With seeming ease he lashed out at the metal gate and it flew open.

Before them lay a slope, leading down into the dense, dark jungle. April paused with anxiety, quickly calculated which way was north-west, then dragged Shredder into the brush after her.

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They had pushed through the dark, steamy jungle for what seemed like hours. April now knew why Ancha had told them to come this way. The jungle was so dense, she couldn't imagine anyone would ever be able to follow them. They were both sweaty and tired, April limping along in her gauzy dress and Shredder stumbling in his blood-stained tunic. She now regretted cutting him for two reasons: one, he had turned pale with obvious blood-loss. But, more importantly, over the last hour, his eyes had grown more and more aware and alert, as the searing pain of his wounds cut across the last remnant of the sleeping drug Ancha had administered the night before. All morning he had seemed to be in a waking sleep, but now it was obvious he was coming around.