Damsel[ed]: No Rescue Required

Chapter 14: Escaping Jabba's Lair

"You can get the electric chair for murder," I say to stop myself from gushing, 'You win! I give up, just don't hurt him, and while we're at it, can we check on Heaven? I think she might have a concussion or something.'

"Like we'll be caught." Electra rolls her eyes, tossing her flawless blonde hair over her shoulder. I let my fists fall limp in front of me. If I fight, they'll kill Gats. I have to think of another way out. "Now move!"

"He's bleeding." I dig my foot into the ground. The store is quiet, eerily so. I feel like a horror movie protagonist just before the monster jumps out of the shadows and strangles them. "You have literal blood on your hands." And she does. There's a clean slice in the shoulder of Gats' mint shirt, the fabric covered in petals of red. He twitches, giving the softest of groans. My jaw clenches. "He could be diseased, you don't know."

The woman scowls at me. Gats cracks an eye open and groans again. It sounds louder this time, and I crack a smile. Oh, ever dramatic Gats. The Electra lady looks down at him and then back at me. Her face is redder than the blood on her sweater. "You think you're so smart, huh?" Her voice falls to a growl. "I can break this boy."

I freeze up and Gats laughs a squeaky little laugh. "You wouldn't." He's slurring some, and I wonder if he's still dazed.

Electra shrugs and raises him over his head. I race to intervene. I have to help him. The Mack guy grabs me by the forearm and dumps me on the ground. I grit my teeth and skid. Electra throws Gats down at her feet. He yelps, lying on the ground limp and bloody.

"Gats!" I scramble to help him, but the Mack guy snatches my arm once more and yanks me back. I strain to get away, but his grip is so tight I'm scared he'll break my arm.

Electra points off at a distant shelf. "Dingo, grab a knife. I'm not afraid of slicing a few holes in these kids if they don't keep quiet."

I guard my face with the back of my hands. Call me sheltered, but no one's ever threatened to stab me before. Gats is still lying on his back, gasping to breathe. A ghost of a smile flits across his face, so quickly I wonder if I imagined it. "Whatever," I mutter, "do what you have to. As long as you don't stab him."

The Dingo guy gives  Electra a respectful nod, stepping over Gats' body. I hold my hands behind my back and cross my fingers, just for luck.

"I told you!" Heaven bursts from the smoke. With her chunky hoodie fluttering and her ponytail bouncing behind her, she almost doesn't look real, like a mirage. The Dingo guy jerks his head up, but he's too slow. Gats grabs him by the ankle and yanks him to ground. 

 Adrenaline floods my body and I use the distraction to wrench free of Mack. He whirls around and launches himself at me. It happens so fast I don't even move,  just brace for impact and hope it doesn't hurt too much. Man, life was pretty sweet while it lasted.

But Heaven's pretty light on her feet. She hurls herself on him and when I realize I won't die, I can't help my grin. She's shrieking and clawing like a drenched cat. "God, I told you guys you couldn't take care of yourselves!"

I shrug. Electra raises her fists and swings to intercept Hev, but I  barrel into the villain to stop her. We tumble to the ground, and I land on top. I'm gasping to breathe. Fight, Angel, I tell myself, so I ball my fist and smash it into her chin.

My skin burns from the touch, and I make a mental note to wear gloves. Leather ones, particularly, then I can ride an antihero vibe. That ought to be neat.

Electra collapses under me with a shocked yelp. I look down at her motionless body and shiver. It's a strange feeling, seeing someone lying limp on the ground because of something I did.