The Shadow of Winter

Chapter 20

        (Name) moped in the staff lounge, listening to female agents of G.U.N. chatter away over their paper cups of coffee. Among them was Rouge the Bat, who leaned against the girl's table with the back of her thighs while she spoke to a woman with sandy blonde hair. The woman's name badge read "Agent Topaz." (Name) had seen her before long ago, during her first stay at G.U.N. Headquarters.

        Occasionally, the agents turned their attentions to (Name), doting on her. They wanted to make her feel comfortable after the poor girl had been kidnapped and barely escaped execution. "Want another coffee, hon?" said Rouge, motioning to the empty cup on the table.

        "Yeah, thank you," said (Name). Dark circles painted her eyes. After the ambulance took her away last night, she had been brought to the G.U.N. medical ward to be thoroughly assessed and cared for. (Name) spent the rest of that night alone in a large room filled with many beds, with only a curtain for privacy from passing medics. Even though she had slept until late the next morning, the girl's body ached with exhaustion.

        (Name) looked up with gratitude when Rouge placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of her and dropped a few containers of creamer. Eyelids drooped, she opened all the containers and poured them into the black liquid, turning it a cream color.

        "Someone has a sweet tooth," grinned Rouge, and (Name) returned a faint close-mouthed smile.

        The chatter in the break room quieted when Detective Vector shambled in. "No one can find Lupo anywhere," he said, making his way to Rouge. "He must've fled the state, maybe even the country. We'll continue to keep an eye out, but he's probably long gone." He stopped at the table, just bumping it, and (Name)'s coffee swayed.

        "I also heard back from one of the team members the Commander sent out to scan the lake. He said they found quite a few remains under the ice and are in the process of diggin' them up. They got one out right now, take a guess at who it is."

        "Remington Carter," said Rouge with a pleased tone. "How Shadow knew he'd be there, I've no idea. It's just like those old mafia movies, where the snitches 'sleep with the fishes.'" She chuckled, shaking her head, and (Name) was reminded of an old classic, The Godfather. She had watched the long, drawn-out movie with her family and had found it difficult to focus on in its entirety. The events that had recently played out certainly resembled parts from it.

        "Maybe it's a gangster thing. Anyway, how's the kid doing?" Vector regarded the girl with beady vermilion eyes. "How's your leg? Still hurtin', I'll bet."

        Gazing down at her coffee, (Name) shrugged. "It doesn't hurt as much if I don't move it. The doctor said it will take a long time to heal. He said it might be a month or two before I can even use crutches instead of a wheelchair."

        "Yikes," said the crocodile, cringing. "At least you don't have to worry about your leg getting messed up by some sadistic creep. You're safe now." He felt horrible about what happened to (Name), but she was protected under the guardianship of G.U.N. until Lupo and all his mob cronies were dealt with. The government agency would be watching her closely. They'd make sure she went someplace shielded from any manner of maltreatment.

        "What's going to happen to me?" asked (Name), looking up from her untouched drink with an intense stare. "It hasn't been mentioned once. I can see nobody wants to talk about it."

        Vector grit his fanged teeth. "'Cause it's a bit of a sensitive topic. Just know that you'll be fine and that we'll take care of everything. You'll go back to a somewhat normal life, to school and such, makin' friends and hangin' out like kids should. And maybe you'll even find a nice new family—"