MCSM: Reformed Rescuers #4

Part 17 (Jesse)

With one hand, Jesse kept Hadrian in a tight headlock. The other hand was gripped on her stomach as she tried her best to keep blood from pouring out. Unfortunately, it wasn't working so well. At least the knife only went in an inch before he pulled it out. It could've been much worse.

The hero side of her told her that she had to kill him if they wanted to escape.

But the more human side of her told her not to kill him.

She can't kill. Can she?

She glanced up at her friends. Their faces were scared and hopeful, but didn't give much help to her deciding. She looked back down at Hadrian. It was painful to. He was a monster. He killed many, treated them like dirt, and caused harm to so many people. It would probably be best if he was dead. Horrible memories flashed through her mind as she looked at him.

She looked up at her brother specifically. He gave her a determined look and nodded. She nodded back.

She couldn't bear to look at Hadrian as she braced herself to do something she'd never done before, nor ever want to do.

Kill a person.

She gritted her teeth and tightened her grip around his neck. Hadrian strained the words, "P-please don't d-do this Jesse."

Jesse felt a pang in her chest. She was about to kill someone who was begging for their life. Does that make her a monster? A hot tear dropped from her eye.

"Jesse!"

She looked up at Jess. He stared at her, "I know how hard this must be for you, but you can't let him change your mind. You know that this is the right thing to do. Think of all the lives you're saving!"

Jesse tightened her grip. Mevia screamed, "Stop it! Please! You can't kill him!" As Jesse glanced at her, she saw tears in Mevia's eyes as well. Jesse closed her eyes as another tear fell. She had to ignore the pain she was feeling as she did this.

She heard footsteps racing in her direction. She glanced up to see Mevia running towards her with an ax.

Jesse released the grip on Hadrian's neck. He gasped for air. Jesse grabbed his shoulders as Mevia continued towards her. She raised the ax and struck it through a body.

But not the one she intended to.

At the last moment, Jesse had lifted Hadrian up to protect herself from Mevia's strike. That took both hands, so it caused her wound to feel so much worse. Hopefully she didn't split it open even more, but at least it was better than being stabbed with an ax. Jesse set him down and her hands returned to her stomach. Mevia, seeing what she had done, dropped to her knees beside Hadrian who had her ax plunged into his chest, "What have I done?"

Jesse averted her gaze. She knew Mevia and Hadrian were both monsters, but she still felt bad about making Mevia kill him instead. Jesse just caused him to suffer. But it wasn't what she wanted to do. She wanted to make it as painless and fast as possible. But her arms refused to kill him herself.

Technically, it was still her that killed him though. She looked at him once again. He was covered in blood. And his right shoulder had a bloody handprint from Jesse. She looked down at herself. Now she was covered in her own and Hadrian's blood. She was a monster now.

"That was intense! Nice moves Princess!"

Princess? Only one person has ever called her that. She looked up to see all of her friends untied. And more? Radar, Romeo, Stella, Aiden, Cassie, Carson and two girls she didn't recognize. Oh, Carson. That explains it. She thought. She leapt to her feet and walked in their direction, hunched over, "What are you guys doing here? How did you..?" Gratitude and joy filled her heart.