Nemesis

XIX - Consequences

Nemesis

Chapter XIX — Consequences

[Askjell Ft. AURORA — To Be Loved]

[02 November 2023]

[New York-Prebysterian Hospital]

[11:41]

Orla awoke with a startle to find herself in a hospital ward. She looked around to find Miranda in a seat beside her, fast asleep. It seemed that she had stayed the night to watch over her. Orla stared at her with an expression that exuded compassion while simultaneously expressing her shame. Perhaps she had overstepped her boundaries quite a bit and it nearly got her killed. 

Orla could not help but think back to the event that was mere hours ago when she fell into the hand of unconsciousness at Dragunov's hand. The thought of her death could not leave her mind, but neither did her desire for revenge. Orla had finally found her father's killer, so how could she turn back now? How could she step away when revenge was fingertips away. All Orla had to do was make a much more coordinated plan, because she knew that she could lure Dragunov out. 

She tried to speak, but quickly stopped herself when she felt a stinging pain in her neck. Orla touched the area and took notice of a few bandages wrapped around her neck while wincing at the pain of her touch. She also undid her hospital gown and rolled her eyes at the sight of more bandages — those that made it much more difficult to breathe. Right as Orla put the gown back on, Miranda began to stir, yawning and stretching as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. She took a look at Orla, who stared right back at her, shame in her eyes. 

"So, you're finally up." Orla tried to say, her voice a bit raspy. "Yeah, are you okay?" Miranda asked and Orla did her best to nod, ignoring the pain in her neck. "Good, we need to talk," Miranda responded, standing up from her chair and Orla sighed, well aware that there was a rant on the way when she had barely gotten over the one from the previous night. 

"I'm sorry, for what I said last night, I went a little too far..." Miranda started, catching Orla off guard as this was not what she had quite expected. She had predicted that Miranda would chew her ear off for risking her life. Despite this showing of vulnerability from Miranda, however, Orla was still angry. Surprised, yes, but still angry. "You can say whatever you want, who am I to stop you?" Orla said, hostility injected into the words and Miranda could easily detect it. 

"Maybe I am morally corrupt, but if I wasn't, we wouldn't have gotten this far." She said and Orla glared at her. "You have some nerve trying to justify what you did to my father." She replied and Miranda sighed. "What I did to your dad was wrong, but it was necessary. I'm sorry, but that's the reality and I think you need to start faci—" "Don't act like you were the one who lured the killer out, I don't fucking need you! I'll find him on my own... and I'll kill him with my bare hands." 

Miranda looked Orla in the eyes, noticing the storm of emotions within them. There was plenty of rage, as well as pain. It also seemed her minor outburst had caused her some physical pain. "So, he's the one who did it, huh?" Miranda asked as she grabbed Orla's sheets rather tightly. Orla did not reply, but it did not take a rocket scientist to know who exactly she was talking about. Miranda had a clear memory of the man and it was not going to fade anytime soon. 

"But, you know that I won't let you go after him, right?" Miranda started and Orla stared at her in brief shock before she reverted to anger once more. "You made a promise that you'd involve me in everything!" Orla snapped, stirring up some pain in her ribs as she winced a bit. "And you thought you could take advantage of that. Dain and I fucking told you not go and use Jones as bait and you didn't listen!" Miranda said as she slammed her hand on the bed. "You stole some of my important prototypes, assaulted a bodyguard, nearly got yourself killed, and got an innocent man killed! What the fuck is wrong with you?" She added, but Orla was not willing to give in.