Spy School: We Meet Again

Chapter 19: Don't tell anyone

Ben's POV

I looked down the tunnel and didn't try to hide anymore. What I saw was a person laying on the ground, with their back against the wall.

I felt relief and shock wash over me. I knew her. She was no other than the person I thought I lost forever. Erica.

I can't believe this. How is she here? How did she survive the blast? Is my mind playing tricks on me?

Erica looked up at me and gave me a small smile, but I could see that she was in a lot of pain. I looked at her and saw, that she was putting pressure on her side. Her arms were covered in blood and her face is quite pale, definitely from losing a lot of blood.

"I have to get you to the hospital." I was relieved that she was alive, but if I don't get her to the doctor, that won't last for a long time.

"Ben, wait! I can't go to the hospital. Right now everyone thinks that I'm dead, as well as SPYDER. We have the upper hand." I can't believe that after everything, she is still thinking about how to destroy that stupid evil organization.

"No, Erica I already thought I lost you for good, I'm not going through that again."

"Look, Ben, I didn't walk, I don't know how many miles, just to call an ambulance afterwards. If you will call the ambulance, I will somehow get thru this by myself."

"At least let me call your mother for help." I thought that that was a good idea.

"No! You can't tell anyone that I'm alive. The fewer people know, the better."

"You know, you can really be stubborn sometimes." I walked to her and tried to take a look at her side.

"It's just a little cut, nothing much."

"Nothing much?! Have you seen yourself? Erica, you have lost a lot of blood. You are clearly in pain. Let me take a look." I could see that she was thinking about it, but in the end, she took her hand off of her side. What I saw was not good.

I quickly took off my hoodie: "Look, I think, I should wrap the cut with your shirt for now. I will give you my hoodie to wear while we get to my apartment." She just nodded. Erica was quickly losing energy and her eyes were barely open. "I'm sorry about this." I quickly ripped her shirt open so I could get it off of her and have a long piece of cloth to wrap the cut with.

My mind was wondering to places it shouldn't, considering the circumstances. I wasn't proud of it but after everything that has happened, it was like a wake-up call for me.

Every time, that I have been thinking about her, I have always told myself that it's good that we are just friends. I have tried my hardest to push my feelings aside and be happy with the friendship that we have but after today, I understand that I don't want to lose her again. I'm done with denying how I feel about her and I'm done with running away. I, Benjamin Ripley, am in love with Erica Hale and have been for some time now, just didn't have the guts to admit it to myself.

Quickly as I could, I finished wrapping the cut and helped her put on my hoodie.

"Thank you." She looked at me and I gave her a small smile.

"Don't thank me yet. I still have to stitch you up, but we have to get to my apartment for me to do it." I helped her get up. Why did I agree to do this? Clearly, she needs a doctor, but if she has her mind set on something, that's it.

"Will you be able to walk?" I was really concerned about her.

"I don't really have a choice. You carrying me will look suspicious and something we can't risk. I think that we need to walk separately too. If someone was spying on you and now they would see us together, my cover would be blown. But if I walk alone, no one would really pay me any attention. And if someone spots me, it would be either someone who doesn't know me, or they would not think twice, because Erica Hale is dead." I did not like this and I guess Erica saw that. "Look, Ben, I have enough energy to walk to your apartment. I know you want to help me and I appreciate it, but I can't risk blowing my cover when I tried so hard to hide it before."

"You go ahead of me. Here are the keys." I did not like this at all, but fighting with her would be pointless. She took the keys and started walking up the stairs.

"Good thing that the elevator is fixed, so you won't need to walk up the stairs." I was really happy about that. Erica just looked over her shoulder to see me. She was thinking of saying something but decided against it, so we continued climbing up the stairs.

After both of us were out of the tunnel and by the statue, Erica completely changed. She hid the pain and quickly started walking in the direction of my apartment, but before, she smiled at me, like she would be reassuring me that everything is fine.

I started walking to my apartment after a minute or two. I had to keep my distance from Erica, but I didn't want to be too far from her.

I'm confused. What just happened? I thought that I wouldn't see Erica ever again, but here we are. What would have happened if I wouldn't have gone to the monument? Would she have waited? She definitely would have lost a lot more blood then she already has. I really don't want to think about it. I'm just happy that I did go to the monument in the end. Now I will just need to take care of her, do what I didn't do before. I will have to stitch her up and hope that she will get back on her feet.

I walked through the front door and decided to take the stairs. If I run, it will be faster than taking the elevator and I don't want her to wait for me, for too long.

I quickly entered my apartment and locked the door. Erica was lying on the couch and she has completely dropped her mask of acting like everything is fine. Her face displayed a lot of pain, so that made me want to move more quickly.

To disinfect the cut, I had to have running water close by, so I think the bathroom would be the best place for that. "I think we should disinfect the cut in the bathroom." Erica just nodded, so I ran to get the first aid kit and some towels. This was not something I was planning on doing when I first decided on going on a walk, but here we are.

I set the things down by the sink and quickly washed my hands. Good thing that I remember first aid from spy school because if I didn't, Erica would be in trouble.

When she walked in the bathroom I told her to sit down on the edge of the bathtub.

"I'm sorry about this. Again." I had to get to the cut so I zipped open the hoodie and undid the temporary wrap that I made with her shirt.

"You didn't get shot right?" I had to make sure because I don't want to stitch the cut up and then realize, that there is a bullet inside of her.

"No. When the building blew up, I fell on some scrap metal that was lying on the ground from the explosion. I'm just glad, that it just cut me and didn't impale me."

"Still, this is not good." I had to sanitize the cut and I knew this would hurt like hell, so I gave her one of the towels, to bite on. "Here, take this. You definitely know this already, but this will hurt a lot."

Erica took the towel and got ready for the pain. "Just don't count." So I didn't and started cleaning the wound. Erica was trying to hold back her screams, but it didn't quite work. I was trying to be as quick as possible, without being sloppy.

When the wound was cleaned, I grabbed everything needed for me to stitch the cut up. "I will start stitching it up now." Erica didn't answer me and again, just nodded. She was still biting down on the towel, her eyes were closed shut and now, after the screaming, she was breathing heavily. I hated seeing her like this, but if I didn't do this, she will keep losing a lot more blood.