Lucidity

Chapter 36 - Wheel of Fortune

Grace lay on her belly, her thin patient’s gown sodden, bunched up around her legs. Rain ricocheted from the glass surrounding her, dripped from her hair into her eyes, chilled her to the marrow. She didn’t care, she couldn’t move.

Pain spiraled into her gut, twisting and burning like a red-hot poker, finally lodging in her heart. It hurt so bad she couldn’t breathe, could only swallow ragged gasps of oxygen that cut like broken glass.

There was a thud against the roof beneath her followed by the sound of ice cracking. She rolled to one side. Eve Warden stood below her, inside the Skyway now, aiming the gun straight up, trying to shoot through the reinforced glass.

Grace blinked away her tears, was almost too tired to fight, to move. She watched as the small-star shaped crack in the glass beside her where the first bullet impacted began to widen, spreading fingers out in every direction, reaching beneath Grace’s body.

Eve’s shout of glee broke through to Grace. The glass exploded. Grace plummeted through the roof and into the Skyway. She flailed her arms, heard Eve’s scream as glass flew, then she hit the floor with a thud.

Grace rolled to her feet. Shards of glass surrounded her, blinking in the overhead spotlights. Rain cascaded through the broken roof, rainbows shimmering in the air between her and Eve. Eve’s face and arms were covered with small cuts and glass glittered in her blonde hair. She raised the gun and aimed it at Grace.

After everything she had been through, facing this arrogant, homicidal, egomaniac who had no right to call herself a physician or a healer unleashed all the pent up rage and frustration Grace had been burying for four long years. Anger, hot and bright as lava surged through her.

“You bitch!” Grace straightened, strode through the glass, ignoring its bite against her bare feet.

Instead of pulling the trigger, Eve took a step back, the color draining from her face, her aim wavering. Before Eve had a chance to regroup, Grace lowered her head and leapt across the short distance that separated them, slamming Eve against the wall. The gun flew from her hand, skittered to a stop in a pile of jagged glass.        

 The sound of footsteps and voices came from both sides. Grace twisted her head to see Jonas Helman standing at the Annex door, a breathless Kat pushing Alex in a wheelchair beside him.

“Grace, are you all right?” Kat called.

Eve shoved Grace back and started to run toward the Tower. Blocking her path was Vincent, flanked by two security guards. Eve stumbled, whipping her head to stare at Grace then back at Vincent. Grace swayed, gulping frigid air blowing in with the sleet, wiped a stream of blood away from her eyes.

“No.” Eve’s voice came in a harsh whisper, her eyes narrowed to two dagger thin steel ribbons. “Not like this.”

She surged forward, lunging for the gun sitting on the floor beside Grace. Grace pivoted and dove for the weapon as well, but Eve got there first. Glass cracked and snapped as Eve rolled, bringing the gun up. Grace braced her weight against the other woman’s arm.

Eve’s first shot went wild, sending Vincent and the unarmed guards scrambling for cover. Eve kicked out at Grace, trying to free her gun arm. Their bodies tumbled together, glass shards slicing into them, leaving streams of blood in their wake.

Lightning shook the Skyway. The thunder that followed boomed through Grace’s head, exploding it with pain. Eve’s form wavered before her as she tore at the other woman’s hand on the gun.

Eve’s finely honed talons darted out, aimed at Grace’s eyes. Grace barely ducked in time, the claws raking her neck. The gun went off again as Grace slammed Eve’s wrist against the window pane. Eve grabbed Grace’s fingers, cruelly twisting them to the breaking point, loosening Grace’s grip.

Scarlet plumes clouded Grace’s vision. Her hand grew numb. Eve’s two hands twisted the gun barrel, aiming it at Grace’s face. Distant voices, men shouting, running, swirled around her. Eve’s lips parted in a snarl, white teeth glistening as another bolt of lightning streaked through the night.

Grace threw her weight forward. A crack tore through the air. The coppery scent of blood and gunpowder choked Grace’s throat, gagging her. The rattle of a last breath escaped, collapsing into a sigh.

Then silence.

Grace found the strength to open her eyes. Rain puddled on the carpet beside her. Vincent reached her, rolled her off Eve’s still body. The two guards rushed forward, kicking the gun from Eve’s lifeless hand.

“Grace, I’m so sorry. Are you all right?” Vincent asked, wrapping her in his arms.

She pushed free. “Don’t you touch me. Don’t you dare.”

“You’ve been through a lot,” he said in a low, rushed voice. “When you come to your senses, you’ll realize that I didn’t have anything to do with it. I did everything I could to protect you.”

“Dr. V, is she all right?” Alex’s voice cut through the roaring in Grace’s head.

“No one will believe you, I have the videos.” Vincent’s grip on her hand was tighter than a vise. But it was the thundering in her head that made Grace wince. She tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come. “I’ll give Alex what he wants,” Vincent continued his urgent whisper. “Do you understand, Grace? You need to tell them it was Eve, all Eve. I’m innocent.”

He released. Footsteps thudded all around her and another man joined them. “I don’t like her color,” Jonas Helman’s voice crashed down on her like a tsunami. “Her pupils are sluggish.”

“Her pulse is thready,” Vincent said, his voice now coming from a very far away place.

“Damn tumor must be hemorrhaging.”

Grace struggled to focus on Kat and Alex. In the darkness beyond them she swore she saw Jimmy standing over them. Then everything went black.

“Pick her up, Emberek. We’re operating. Now.”