Beach Days

Chapter 23 - Try Me Once, Shame On You

Silence took over the room as I took a moment to process the information. I wanted to cry. No, I should have wanted to cry, but instead I felt this weird sort of numbness that started at the very top of my head and ran all the way down to the tips of my toes.

"I, uh, Abby?" 

"I think she needs space." Abby nodded, catching on immediately. She gently took the lead out of the room, not before sending me one last meaningful look.

I sat there, dumbfounded.

Maybe it was something wrong with me?

For fuck's sake why did all the guys I like want to kill me?

Maybe I was doing something wrong.

Maybe I was just the kind of person who psychopaths attracted.

Maybe I deserved it.

Maybe I was being punished for Lila.

I clasped my hands together to prevent them from shaking. Of all times, right now, I had to be strong. I knew I was weakened in my current state no thanks to Max Trelle, but at least now we knew for sure who the culprit was behind this big mess and Abby and I could finally bring him down.

Wait, though, wasn't he an agent?

He had the ID to prove it, too. Even Boss confirmed he was part of the organization. Did that mean he was a spy? A mole?

Something didn't quite add up.

He'd been there when I gave my speech for Lila, just how long had he been a mole then? How long had he been lying?

My mind whirled with possibilities but I tried to clear my head by doing the only thing I knew how to. I got to work.

I slid my legs out of bed, wincing as the wound throbbed under the bandages. I'd gone through surgery but it was no secret that I was in no state to fight.

Despite all this, i was filled with a strange sort of determination that powered me onwards. I had to get to the bottom of this and I had to see with my own eyes what Max was truly like. Maybe it would break me, but it would drive me insane to sit around waiting.

Now, don't think I'm one of those idiots who go running into death alone. 

After changing into my normal clothes with a lot of groaning, panting, and swearing, I managed to gear myself up to the extreme. I had two handguns and four knives hidden both on my physical self and in my bag, and I'd just started toward the door when the nurses burst in.

Their eyes widened when they took in the sight of me. Their patient, who'd been pale and drained of blood just minutes ago, was now calmly putting her hair into a high ponytail as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

I gave one a pat on the shoulder as a thank you for taking care of me, then took off running before they could fully register what had happened. Immediately, the nurses shouted for back up and began chasing after me.

I passed through the main lobby as I sprinted, and caught the hand of a very surprised Abby, dragging her along with me until she got the hint and started running with me.

We made it all the way to the edge of the forest a couple roads down from the hospital, and doubled over wheezing. I gasped as stars danced in front of my eyes, but gritted my teeth and decided I had to power through this.

Once she was sure I was fine, Abby grabbed my shoulders.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she demanded. "You're injured, Shannon, you shouldn't be doing work."