15th September, Monday, 1:19 pm, 2028
Observe, evaluate and try to stay alive. Observe, evaluate and try to stay alive. Observe, evaluate and try to stay alive. Observe, evaluate and try to stay alive.
Observe, evaluate and try to stay alive.
The phrase kept flashing in my head. I winced at the shocking discovery that I had in fact, managed to fail to observe and evaluate, luckily still alive. My head was still spinning and my left side felt completely numb. I drank in my surroundings, and figured I was in a hospital. Several drips connected to my right hand, and my left one brushed up against my side to feel a thick bandage around my waist.
Suddenly it all came rushing back to me, the function, the attack, the blood, the screams, the pain and everything synonymous to it. The fear in people's eyes, their blood on my hands and the weird knocking in my chest making me feel as if my heart will burst out of my chest.
"Ms. Clark, are you okay? Ms. Clark? Ms. Clark, look at me. Ms. Clark!"
I snapped out of my trance and glanced up at a nurse who had just shook my shoulders roughly. I didn't realise I had been panting and I tried to control my breathing as I came to the real world, knowing I was safe, knowing I was okay.
"What just happened?" I asked, my voice coming out scratchy and shaky as the nurse prepped up a few medicines for me to take.
"I think you had an anxiety attack. It's okay, it's common after... incidents like these." She said carefully and I slowly nodded.
"The other patient who came in with me, is she okay?" I asked, remembering Bridget's injury.
"The drummer? She's still in OT." The nurse replied nonchalantly, changing my bandage.
"Is she going to be okay?" I asked in concern and she shrugged in response, finishing up with the bandaging, "Don't really know, I'm not on that operating team."
"Oh, okay." I said, dejected and worried.
The nurse walked out of the room as I fiddled with my fingers, "Mrs. Petrova, she's awake."
At her words, I craned my neck in anticipation expecting to see Daphne walk in but all I saw was an extremely disturbed Amelia and a very grim Aurelia walk in through the door. I frowned in confusion and sympathy at their expressions
"How'd you feel?" Amelia asked, rushing to my side and sitting on the edge of the bed I was lying on.
"Better." I replied and looked at Aurelia who physically seemed okay except for the bandage on her arm.
"Where's Daph? She didn't get hurt did she?" I asked in concern as Amelia and Aureila exchanged worried glances and the latter handed me her phone which I took hesitantly, looking at the pair in confusion.
"Daphne Petrova: corporate genius or criminal conspiracist?"
I choked on nothing as I read the headline which flashed on the phone and looked up at Aurelia and Amelia who were now sitting with grim expressions on their faces.
"What the fuck does this mean?" I questioned in confusion as I handed Aurelia her phone back.
"She got arrested, the police suspect she is behind the attacks." Aurelia answered.
"Which is absolute and utter bullshit I tell you. Only because she wasn't injured in the attack? That's their ground to arrest someone?" Amelia spat, crossing her arms over her chest as a few pieces of her dark red hair fell in her face.
"What do you mean 'attacks'?" I asked, ignoring Amelia's little rant.
"There was one in Central Flame Square an hour ago, it just got reported. People are drawing comparisons and the similarities are quite a lot and they think it's Daphne." Amelia explained as my eyes widened in shock.
"That's absurd, why would they think Daphne would even do something like this?" I said, flabbergasted by the sheer ridicule of the circumstances.
"The police are not sharing any detail and god the media is loving this." Aurelia muttered the last part, crossing her arms over her chest.
"But Daphne's innocent, the police will investigate and they will get to know she's a victim." I reasoned and Amelia scoffed.
"I'm not afraid she will be convicted, there is no chance. What I'm scared about is her hot head and big mouth." Amelia replied and Aurelia and I couldn't help but agree that Daphne was indeed a gutter mouth when she was angry and could say some very questionable things on impulse.
"Should we get her a lawyer?" Aurelia asked and I noticed Amelia's ears perk up.
"Yeah, that's the least we can do." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.
"But we need a down right amazing one to get her out of this charge. It's a big deal." Aurelia pointed out and I thought about the lawyer fraternity, going through the names of my fellow advocates in my mind.
"I think I might know someone." Amelia said as she looked at me knowingly and I narrowed my eyes at her until realisation dawned on me.
"No, no, no, no. Absolutely not." I said, shaking my head violently.
"Oh, c'mon Ivory. He's the best in town." Amelia shot back but I continued to shake my head.
"He also happens to hate Daphne's guts."
"Oh please he won't spoil his track record for a stupid grudge."
"I am not talking to him, especially for a favour."
"Ladies!" Aurelia interrupted our banter as we looked in her direction.
"Who is the 'he'?" She asked and I sighed as Amelia gave me one last look knowing I would be giving in any way.
"The best criminal lawyer in town, Carl Henderson."
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Fated Retribution
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