Hidden Secrets (halted)

Part 5

Mike slipped his hand in mine. I took in a shaky breath, I was now an orphan! Mike rubbed his thumb over mine as he smiled warmly at me.
"I'm here for you!" I nodded as I faintly smiled. "Have you had a doctor check you over?"
I nodded, "they even checked my bullet wound and that's been confirmed as all good!"
Mike tucked hair behind my ear and released a heavy breath. "Come, we need to go!" Mike then pulled me out of the hospital room and down the corridor. We reached a fire exit and Mike stopped to look around, checking if it was clear to go. He pulled open the door and rushed me down the stairs.
We burst out of the bottom fire door and into the open.
"We need to head to the train station!" I nodded as I looked around for any sign of an assassin but the street was deserted. Mike ushered me down the street until we reached a station sign. I was beginning to feel tired! It dawned on me that I had been sat in the hospital all night, praying to myself that Mike was going to be okay and still remember my name.
We walked on to the stations platform and sat on the cold metal sheltered seats, waiting for a train.
"Mike, do you even have any money?"
He looked at me with a smirk, shaking his head slightly. "Am I ever not prepared!"
"Apparently not according to last night, when you unexpectedly got pounced on! Or the time I ran away from you, or the time before that-"
"Okay, I get it now! But I do have money!" He pulled out a card from his pocket, "well not notes but this will do!"
I rolled my eyes and turned away to look down the tracks for any sign of a train.
I got pulled into Mike's arms as he held me to him. "Don't roll your eyes at me!" I looked up at him and stuck out my tongue, like a child. And he responded like a little kid would. He gasped and had an expression that said he was shocked.
"Where has all this attitude come from!"
I giggled as I lifted my hand up and poked his nose. I do crazy things when I'm tired!
Mike returned the favour but kissed my nose instead of poking it which made me scrunch it up.
I jumped out of his arms, making him frown, but I heard the familiar noise of the clicks of the train moving slowly down the tracks. I couldn't wait to get inside and start to move on away from all this horror and to my new life.
"Trains here, come on!" I turned to look at Mike who looked grumpy and he slowly joined my side, putting his arm around my waist. I barely even noticed as I began to step forward but couldn't. I looked up at Mike who was eyeing up the train, like he doesn't trust it.
It halted in front of us and the doors opened, Mike still didn't move.
Passengers began coming off and Mike watched every one of them, I realised what he was doing, he was making sure we weren't going to be attacked.
We eventually got on the train and sat down on two seats together, I was next to the window and Mike put his arm over my shoulder, I lifted my legs on to the seat and turned my back to Mike, so I could lean back on to him resting my head on his shoulder. That meant that his arm went over the front of my shoulder so he put his hand over mine and intertwined our fingers.
I can't remember when I fell asleep, but I remember watching the blur of the countryside pass by.
I woke up led across the seats, I sat up alarmed when I realised Mike wasn't here, but when I turned around he was stood behind me.
He noticed my look of panic and he gave an apologetic look. "Sorry, I had to go. If you know what I mean?"
I shook my head rolling my eyes. "But next time wake me, so you don't scare me half to death!"
"I thought about it but you would have a strop at me for waking you, just so I could go!"
I sighed knowing he was right. He joined me back on my seat and I got back in my comfortable position with his arm over me and holding my hand.
"You know, I could get used to holding you like this all the time!" I looked up as he cleared my face from my hair.
"The changing station is coming up so don't get too comfy!" I stuck out my bottom lip sulkily. "It's not my fault so don't be pulling a face at me!"
The train stopped and we stood on the next platform for our train which made us wait ten minutes. We got to a compartment that was empty but quite cold so when we sat down on the seat I cuddled up to Mike. He put his arm over me and rested his head on the top of mine.
"We're heading back to Cardiff to get my car that I left at the hotel." I felt a shiver crawl up my spine with the little history that had made a huge effect on my life.
Mike noticed, which I regretted. "I'm so sorry, I never wanted to scar your memory because of me!" I looked out of the window as I moved out of his arm. I huddled in the corner rubbing my arms to get rid of the goosebumps from getting cold. "Nicole...I didn't-!" Mike had just suddenly stopped, he probably knew there was nothing to say to make me forget.
I jumped slightly when material went over my shoulders. I turned to Mike and realised he had put his jacket over my shoulders.
"Thanks." I muttered it as I adjusted it better so it covered more of me.
I leant against the window and began to daydream. It was like personal home movies were playing before my eyes. I saw me, but as a child, stood at the window gasping at the landscape full of rolling hills and animals in the huge fields. A person walked into my view, it was my mum, accompanied by my dad. My eyes started watering as a smile grew on my face at this treasured memory. It was the last day my parents were together.
Another figure went into my view but this person I didn't know, they were looking directly at me and I don't recall seeing this person in my memory!
I didn't realise they were real until they grabbed me and roughly pulled me to my feet, the jacket falling off my shoulders.
My whole reaction was delayed as I only started to react when the man had my hands handcuffed behind my back. My instincts told me to look for Mike. I only had to blink to clear my sight from my watery eyes to notice he was in a choke hold in front of me.
"Please, don't hurt him!" I felt an agonising pain at the back of my head, as it was forced forward from the impact.
"No, don't touch her! He wants her unharmed." The man holding me started dragging me out of the compartment.
"You're not taking her anywhere!" Mike tried to free himself from the man choke holding him.
"Yes we are, but you're not coming!"
"What are you going to do to him!"
The man lifted up a gun and put it to Mike's head.
"No! You can't do that!" I winced as a gunshot sounded, the man holding the gun fell to the floor. The man holding me pushed me back inside the compartment as he turned around holding up a gun for protection. Another shot sounded and the man collapsed. A person was now stood in the doorway.
"Cody!"
"Nicole I'm so sorry!" Cody ran towards me and hugged me.
"What? I thought you said he was dead!" Mike was still stood in the same spot, he looked confused but more angry. Cody searched the body of the dead man and retrieved a key. He returned to me and unfastened my handcuffs. Cody hugged me again but I broke free of Cody's embrace and ran to Mike. I wrapped my arms around him and I looked up at him. "I'm so glad you're not dead!"
I turned back to Cody, "thank you so much!"
"Hey blonde boy, how are you still alive?"
"I was tranquillised, not shot, in fact I was tranquillised twice!" That explained the sound of both gunshots.
"But how are you here Cody?" He looked out of the compartment, checking the corridors.
He turned back around to face me but his body was slanted like he was going to run out of the compartment "They brought me here, they believe I'm still on their side."
"How can we know you can be trusted?"
"Mike! He saved your life!"
"And!" I hated his cocky attitude!
"We can save the arguments for later, we really have to go!" The sound of men calling out Cody's name answered my question for me. If they caught us they would actually kill Cody this time, for what he has done.
Cody started to leave and I began to follow.
"Nicole, are you seriously trusting him?" I nodded as I carried on towards Cody. Mike hesitated but eventually sighed running after us.
Mike walked by my side and he held out a jacket in his hand, he had picked it up after the man made it fall off.
"Here!" Mike put it over my shoulders and weakly smiled.
"Thanks!" I returned the same built smile. We were stood on the platform waiting for the next train and when it came we weren't impressed!
There was only two carriages and it was packed! We had to squash in trying carefully not to lose one another.
Station after station it seemed to get more busier and my legs were aching from standing up.
"We'll be there shortly. Don't worry!" I nodded to Mike, I hope he was right!
Our station eventually came and we were all relieved to get off, breathing in fresh air and stretching out in the space around us. It felt like sudden freedom!
We all climbed into the back of a taxi, I was stuck in the middle. Which didn't really surprise me but one of them could have decided to go in the front!
We got back to the hotel and we all made our way to the car park. I heard Cody make a whistling noise as he saw the car we were going in.
"Nice ride!"
"Thanks!" This is the first time I've probably heard them two talk nice to each other. I hope they keep it up!
Mike was driving and Cody was sat in the passenger seat, leaving me to have all the space in the back.
We were travelling for hours and occasionally stopped at a service station if one of us had to use the restrooms or if we complained we were starving.
We pulled off the motorway and parked at an abandoned warehouse. I looked to the front where Mike was.
"This isn't the safe house is it?"
Mike started laughing and shook his head.
"Of course not, it doesn't fit your standards!"
"My standards!"
"Yeah, your highness!"
"Shut up!" I flopped back in my seat with my arms folded across my chest, sulking.
"We're spending the night here!"
Cody nodded in agreement. "Good cause I'm beat!"
We all headed into the warehouse and it was freezing, it was all one big open space with a metal bin in the middle, full of ash and not fully burnt newspaper.
"We need to find some stuff to burn!"
Me and Cody both nodded in agreement as we separated to find any pieces of wood or paper that could be used.
I turned around to take back my findings to burn but Cody was there, which almost made me jump.
"Sorry, did I scare you?"
I shook my head. He smiled relieved as he stepped closer. I felt sudden butterflies in my stomach. Why was I so nervous?
Cody leant closer and carefully placed a kiss on my lips.
That is why I was nervous! I looked up at him with wide eyes, he just kissed me! Why?
"I'm sorry, I had to do that! I've wanted to since we met!"
I felt myself blush as I looked down at the floor. "I'm gonna...I need to...fire." I turned and walked back to the metal bin where Mike was throwing in some wood.
"You've got quite a bit there Nicole!" He smiled over at me as I dropped in my findings that I held in my arms.
I was left speechless after that event!
Morning came too soon as when I woke up I just wanted to go back to sleep. We all made our way back to the car to begin our journey back to the safe house. I moaned when we got back on to the motorway. How far is this place!
We were now officially off the motorway and we have been driving down some country lanes for quite a while. It was deserted and I was wondering how far away this safe house is!
"We're here!" I opened my eyes as I had fallen asleep, and I looked out of my window to see a gorgeous cottage, with a front garden full of flowers and plants. Ivy had grown across the front of the house and it had a little gate and pathway to the door. It was perfect!
I ran to the door excited as Mike came up behind me putting his arm around me to put the key in the lock. He turned it and opened to the door. I ran inside checking out all of the rooms. On the outside it looked tiny but the inside was huge.
There were three bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms and huge wardrobes. There was a stylish kitchen and a spacious lounge. I think I was in my possible dream home!
I found my room, a master bedroom and collapsed on the bed, it was so comfy!
I found some fashionable clothes in the wardrobe for me. The whole room had been filled with all the things I needed. I laid out an outfit on the bed as I was going to go in the shower but I decided to see how Mike and Cody were doing.
Mike disappeared into one of the spare bedrooms, further down the hallway and Cody had settled down in the lounge, watching TV. I returned back to my room and stepped into the walk in shower.
The hot water soothed my face, it washed away all of the emotion that has built up inside me, and I suddenly just felt the urge to sing. I haven't in a while and it could make me feel that my life is normal for a moment, away from the stress and danger, and all the other obstacles now in my life.
I began to sing a song I used to sing with my dad when I was younger but I felt my emotion creeping back so I decided to change it. I thought for a while as I tried to think of a song to sing and I began singing a chorus of an Imagine Dragons song, Round and Round, quietly, afraid there would be someone who can hear me, which is silly as there is no one else in here! I then started to hum the tune as I forgot the lyrics.
I looked down at my waist where I had been shot, my stitches were hidden beneath a square bandage. I'll have a scar, a permanent reminder. I then stared at my hands, the hands that aren't so pure anymore, but now hands that have killed!
My concentration focused on my wrist where I noticed a faint mark appearing. It wasn't a red rash mark, or a bruise. It looked like a very faded tattoo was forming on my wrist. I had to keep blinking to make sure I was seeing correctly, it was getting darker so now it looked like someone had drawn on my skin with a black permanent marker.
My heart started beating at the speed that shouldn't be possible!
I checked my other wrist but nothing was there, I double checked my left wrist but surely enough a mark was there. I rubbed frustratedly at it hoping it would be washed away, or at least smudge to show it was really pen. But nothing happened. My skin had turned pinky red from the friction, what was this mark?
I stopped the water and stumbled out of the shower, whilst grabbing a towel to cover myself up.
I ran out of the bathroom, my right hand clutching my towel in place, my left arm outstretched in front of me like the mark on my wrist was going to pounce at me.
I ran out of the bedroom and down the hallway towards the room Mike was last in, the spare bedroom.
"Mike!" I shouted out his name whilst I was halfway there. I looked at my wrist again, it was bold and stood out. "Mmmmm!" I forgot how real it was. "Hmmm!" I was really worried. I reached his door but it was locked, "MIKE!" I jumped up and down on the spot, why hasn't he immediately answered! I could be in serious trouble!
There were sounds of footsteps behind me. "I believe you're going to the wrong room if you're interested?" I turned around looking at the person that spoke, who winked at me.
"Cody, where's Mike?"
"Are you serious? After what he's done to you, do you remember last night?"
He had gotten me really confused!
"What are you...?" I looked at my hand holding my towel in place. "Oh!"
"Maybe I should just stay out of your love life!"
"No Cody! Wait! I needed someone's help!"
"I see!"
"It's not like that! Just look, look at my wrist!" I held out my arm, my wrist right in his face.
"I see!" He took my wrist in his hand and wiped his thumb over it, probably checking if it was pen like I did.
"It appeared when I was in the shower and I have no idea what it is!"
Cody looked up to my eyes, "that explains the towel!" He smiled faintly.
"I was hoping Mike knew what it was!"
"Come," Cody held my hand and guided me towards another guest bedroom. I was completely clueless.
He opened the door and let me go in first. He closed it behind him.
He went to the drawers and got a T-shirt out, "here, put this on!" He passed me the top and he went back out of the room, I quickly put it on, it was quite long and covered half of my thighs.
"You can come in now."
He casually came in and sat on the edge of his bed, he patted the space next to him. I didn't hesitate, I desperately want to know what this mark is.
"I was told that your dad used to work for my ex boss that sent people to kill him, he apparently stole from the lab years ago, and every single day since we've been looking for him because what he stole could have been extremely dangerous!"
"What has this got to do with my wrist?"
"I believe he must have used it on you!"
"What! Cody don't joke with me!"
"I'm not joking Nicole!"
I rubbed my wrist again, I have never been part of an experiment, this had to be some sort of trick!
"You must have been extremely ill!"
"I have been perfectly normal all my life! Apart from my breathing when there's smoke."
"This is where you need to ask Mike for the rest of the information!"
I nodded, he didn't sound happy about me having to go to Mike. I leant on his shoulder, "I'm not going to die am I?"
He put his arm around me, "I hope not!"
I looked up to his eyes, he was being serious. He stroked the side of my face with the back of his first two fingers. "I definitely don't want to lose you!" I smiled forgetting about my worry. He held the back of my head and leant down towards me. Our noses were touching as were our foreheads. I lifted my right hand to the side of his face, then our lips joined together.
"Nicole? Are you in here?" I separated from Cody just as Mike came in. "And what's going on in here?"
Cody stood up and then helped me up. "Nicole needs to talk to you!"
"About what?"
"It's very important!"
Mike glared at Cody and Cody just looked right back at him.
"Right, come on Nicole!"
Mike left the room and I began to leave but Cody held my hand, "don't let him get to you!"
"What do you-"
"Nicole!" Mike sounded impatient!
"Go on!" He kissed the back of my hand and then let it go. I ran out of the room and almost bumped into Mike as he was stood in the middle of the hallway.
"What do you desperately need to talk to me about?"
I held out my wrist so he could see what all the fuss was about earlier.

Authors Note:

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