Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Six

     "What seems to be the issue here?" 

     Rhett and Link dropped their arms and swiveled on their heel to face the officer. He was an older gentleman with cropped salt and pepper speckled hair, and vibrant blue eyes. Rhett looked at Link without even turning his head, and Link swallowed noisily.

     "We were, uh, seeing if this girl was okay. Sorry I freaked out over the phone, I've just never hit somebody with my car before," Link said, feeling his insides quiver just as much as his outside. Rhett and Link turned slowly when they heard something hit the pavement, Link's eyes growing the widest they've ever been. He covered his mouth with his hand as he looked at the girl, passed out on the ground at their feet. The officer parted the guys and motioned for the paramedics to come over.

     They checked her pulse and blood pressure, and they also checked her pupil response. One of them mentioned something about a syncopal episode, and Link's heart lurched into his throat. He had no idea what that meant, but it didn't sound good. If it was a result from the animal attack, their already flawed plan would surely fall through. 

     They loaded her onto a stretcher and carried her toward the ambulance.  Rhett experienced a sourness in his stomach as they further examined her. They felt around her belly as they asked them questions. Like when she was conscious, did she experience any pain in her left shoulder, as pain in the left shoulder typically indicated a rupture of the spleen which would lead to internal bleeding.

     The officer gave Rhett and Link a suspicious look before moving on to survey the car himself, perplexed sounds escaping his lips as he circled around it. His bushy eyebrows furrowed over his eyes as he tilted his head to the side. He peered at the dent on the hood of the car closely, and noticed a particular indentation in the metal that resembled the paw of an animal. 

     He took his hand and balled it up into a fist, then placed it in the crevice. He then lined his knuckles up with the extremities of the paw. Rhett lowered his eyes to the ground. The heat slowly crept up the back of his neck. Link exhaled shakily as he watched the officer finish his examination of the damage.

     The officer glanced over his shoulder at the girl in the ambulance. She was conscious and talking with one of the male paramedics. She held her shirt up to her nose, and talked to him as if she'd been stuffed up from a head cold. He turned his attention back over to the guys.

     "She's lucky to have survived that impact barely unscathed. Just how fast were you going?"

      Link swallowed noisily, looking at his friend.

     "Oh, he was going at least 70." 

     Link's eyebrows shot up his forehead as he instantly regretted giving Rhett the 'help me' look.

     "I'm going to need to take both of your names down. Depending on her condition, I may leave it up to her on whether she wants to go ahead and press charges," he spoke as he pulled a small notepad out of his breast pocket, and he gave Link a look as he did so. "I'm also going to need your license and registration please." 

     Rhett brought his knuckles up to his mouth, giving Link the most apologetic look he could muster. Link growled to himself as he sulked over to the passenger side of his car. He looked over his shoulder as the officer took Rhett's information.

     Link took the papers he needed into his hand and met back up with the officer. He handed the papers to the officer, who brought them to the cruiser to have them processed for presumably a speeding ticket. Something Link had been notorious for. 

     Rhett placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "Look man, I'm really sorry," there was a hint of a cackle in Rhett's apology. Link brushed his hand away and lowered his head.

     "I did it for Terra." Link snapped his head up and scrunched his eyebrows. 

     Rhett gave him the same exact look, except his right eyebrow had twitched ever so slightly. "Did you just come up with a name for her?" 

     Link shook his head. 

     "We don't have to keep up the act anymore. I'm pretty sure he bought it." 

     Link shook his head harder. "No. No... I don't know what that was. It just came out. I had no—" Link was cut off when something brushed against his arm, and he jumped into the air with a gasp. "Why did you do that?" He doubled over with his hand over his chest, and the girl flashed him a toothy grin.

     "It was either that or I have you thrown in the slammer for hitting me with your car. So tell me about this show that you have... Link." 

     Link slowly straightened himself, and locked eyes with her as he did so. His heart jolted in his chest as he came to a sudden realization. He'd had a run in with this girl before.