The Assassin's Assistant

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Nothing can ever be easy. No, that'd be too nice. Of course, we can't have that.

Something was shaking me. My eyes fluttered open to meet the worried face of Brittany. "Lux, I'm sorry, but you need to get up. Now." She pulled me to my feet, being careful to avoid my newly injured arm. Brittany helped me, in a daze, walk to her blue sports car. She put me in the passenger seat, hastily buckled herself in the driver's spot, and sped off.

I took deep breaths. Some of the initial pain in my arm had subsided, but it pulsed with searing pain whenever I made any attempt to move it. I tried my best to keep all the blood I could in me, but the cut was gushing. I mean gushing. My clothes were painted red within seconds. Brittany noticed my struggle. "There's a first aid kit in the glove box."

With a shaky, not injured arm, I reached out to the glove box and got the kit. After a one-armed struggle, I managed to pry it open. I pulled out disinfectant, some sort of healing salve, and bandages. I cleaned my cut the best I could, generously applied the salve, and used up a majority of the bandages. When it was all done, I could immediately feel the improvement. When I had regained some of my composure, I began to question Brittany. "So what was with that? Why'd you tear up my arm?" I said, with unintentional hostility. I can't help it; Brittany really has been a waste of air lately.

Without taking her eyes off the road, Brittany replied. "I told you. They had planted a tracking device in your arm. That was probably why you were able to escape. They weren't worried, because they knew, or at least thought, that they could recover you easily if you ran off. I saw that your arm was a bit red and swollen, so I knew." How hadn't I noticed that?

The interrogation wasn't over yet, though. "Well why didn't you make an attempt to save me?"

"I never said I didn't try."

I gave an exasperated laugh." Yeah, right. Please, Brittany. I know you. You'd already pronounced me dead before any rescue was even considered." I paused. "It wasn't considered at all, was it?"

Brittany shook her head. "Look, I honestly didn't think you were alive. I knew you wouldn't talk to them, and they'd punish you for it." Gee, thanks Brittany. I feel so much better.

"When it was your fault I was there in the first place?"

Brittany looked at me. Well, not directly, more above me, but in my direction. "You know?"

"Well, I'm not stupid. I'm certain the fairies didn't turn me in. Maybe it the Wizard of Oz! Or a ninja, or maybe even a dr-"

Brittany smacked her hands against the wheel, looking back on the road. "Fine, Lux! Fine! I get it! Why don't you just chew me out all the way back? If it weren't for me, you'd be back with them!"

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been there in first place! Hey, Britt, why haven't you looked me in the face this entire time? Is it because of this big, fat black eye that they gave me? Because of you! Or the cut I have on my brow, because of you? Or maybe, you just don't have the guts to look me in the eyes because you don't want to face me after I was traumatized because of, guess who? You!" I screamed. Even I was surprised by the sharpness in my voice.

Brittany slammed on the brakes, in the middle of the road, and turned to face me. She looked me straight in the eyes. "I'm really starting to regret helping you! Maybe I should drive that sorry butt of yours back to Bexx so they can mess with you a little more! Huh? Would you like that, Lux? Because I can make that happen. I can drive back there and force that chip down your throat so that they can find you! You want me to do that? Let's go!" But Brittany didn't step on the gas. She just sat there, facing me. Wild emotions danced across her eyes. A car honked behind us, but we both ignored it, continuing our stare off. I saw something inside Brittany break. All of the intensity drained from her eyes. She looked like she was on the verge of crying. A highly trained assassin getting even close to breaking down; that’s a rare moment.