Ranger's Apprentice - Race For Halt

Ch. 12

A day later, Will had found a nurse he thought was worth questioning. She was a short but skinny blonde, with piercing green eyes.
Unlike the other nurses and doctors, who had cowered away from Will and Maddie (They had redressed themselves as Rangers), this girl had not appreciated them in her workspace. And she made it known.
So Will couldn't wait to see her reaction today.
"Hullo, Madonna." He said as he walked up to her desk.
She looked up in disgust. "Hello."
Will chuckled.
"Now now, we aren't here to ask you any more worthless questions." He promised. Madonna scoffed.
"Good. I don't have time for any more of your-"
"We're here to talk about Malcolm."
Madonna froze. The three of them were silent for several seconds until Madonna suddenly turned and made her way out of the infirmary quickly.
Maddie glanced at Will and shrugged. They followed.
The had barely made it through the door before Madonna turned the corner, heading for the back of the infirmary building. Again, Maddie glanced at Will, but they could only continue to follow Madonna.
The back of the building was very grown up, with ivy and weeds spreading up the walls. It was clear this part of the ground was rarely, if ever, cared for.
"This is atrocious." Maddie said, prying her leg from a bush of three-leaved ivy. In front of them, Madonna whirled around.
"How did you know Malcolm?" She asked, her voice like a stone wall.
Will and Maddie exchanged a look, not sure what to think of Madonna's reaction.
"Um, well..." Maddie began. Will held up a hand to cut her off.
"Malcolm was an old friend of mine." He said. "He saved my life several times..." Then, thinking of Halt, he added, "in more than one way."
There was silence for several seconds until Madonna dropped her head.
"I knew him," she said quietly. "He was a closer friend than I'd ever had. Granted I only knew him about a year. But he was special to me."
Will couldn't help but notice that she spoke with a far away look, the same way he talked of Halt. Madonna really did know Malcolm as well as she said, he realized.
"We need to know something." Will said slowly. "Something only a very close friend of Malcolm would understand."
Madonna shook her head.
"I already know what you're going to ask." She said.
Again, Maddie glanced at Will.
"How can you...possibly know that?" Maddie asked.
"Because I know Malcolm. You're going to ask if I can tell you anyone he might have told his medical secrets to before he-" her voice broke. Maddie and Will both looked away.
"We need the answer..." Will said after a long pause. "A friend of mine is sick, and Malcolm's knowledge is the only one that can save him."
Madonna nodded. "I was the friend he told." She stated.
Will wasn't sure why, but the news took him by surprise. Madonna seemed no more than a nurse at the infirmary. But if she was really as close of a friend to Malcolm as she said...
"We need you to come back to Redmont with us, then." Maddie said, suddenly excited.
"What?" Madonna asked, stepping back. "I-I can't go! I live in Macindaw, my place is here, in the infirmary and helping-"
"The many other nurses and doctors." Will cut in. "And I'm sure your absence can be covered by those nurses and doctors. It will only be a few months."
Madonna looked up at Will's desperate eyes.
"You're my only hope, Madonna." He said. "Please."
The silence that followed was nearly unbearable. Finally, Madonna nodded.
"I...I guess." She said. "Alright, I'll go."
Will and Maddie sighed together.
"Thank you." Will said. Madonna nodded.
"We should leave immediately. We've already been gone over a month." Maddie said.
The three of them walked around the front of the infirmary building and onto the street. As they made their way to the horses, a new thought struck Will.
"Madonna, if I may ask, how did you and Malcolm become so close?" He asked. "I'm guessing it had to do with your line of work?"
Madonna looked at Will, suprised. "No, actually my line of work had to do with him, in a way."
Will raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."
Madonna looked up at the ex-Ranger as she spoke.
"I'm his daughter."

Plot twist, check! 😂