A Happy Coincidence

Chapter 23

When it first happened, Rory didn't really know what was going on. The man moved so fast and the pain seemed delayed but soon enough it hit her fully and she realized. Rory could feel the warm liquid oozing out from her wounds, soaking into her clothes, and pooling around her. She couldn't see it but she knew it was blood, the rusted metallic smell alone proved it, and the fact that she was in unimaginable pain. Her eyes, blurry with tears, narrowed on the knife, still sticking out from her chest. That was the only reason she was still alive, the blade was acting as a plug to keep her from bleeding out in the alley. The taste of pennies crept up from the back of her throat; her blood mixing with saliva in her mouth trickled out as she heard heavy footsteps from the street.

It felt impossible to breathe deeply enough to shout for help so Rory inched her way to grab the discarded beer bottle beside her and hurled it toward the strangers. The glass shattered and the voices stopped for a moment but quickly the strangers continued on their way. Tears rolled down Rory's cheeks, terrified and unable to move, she was certain this was where she'd die.

--

"Fucking asshole." Happy roared as a burly man holding a purse bolted out into the intersection just as Happy rolled up to the corner. He didn't think anything of it, he had to reason to, until Jeffrey started out into the street after him. "Jesus." He growled and followed until the man jumped into a car and raced off out of view.

"What are you doing here?" Jeffrey asked anxiously, relieved to have that confrontation over before it began. "How did you find us?"

Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked over the man but didn't answer the question. Happy turned back the way he came intent of finding Rory. He surprised himself by being so wounded and angry when Juice traced Rory to a club but now it felt different.

"Who was that guy?" He asked Jeffrey who followed at a distance. "And where's Rory?"

"He was a bounty; we were trying to scrape together some cash."

"Where. Is. Rory?"

"We don't know." He said fearfully with hand on his gun. "John's looking for her."

"If she's hurt, you're gonna die."

"She's fine." He stammered. "She's like a daughter to me. I'd never let her get hurt."

Happy shook his head and continued walking, further conversation would result in a bullet in this guy's head and Rory wouldn't like that. If she were hurt though, or worse, Happy would deal with her anger after he murdered both Jeffrey and Johnny.

"Who's this guy you were tracking?" Happy asked, pulling out his phone. "I'll get my guys on it and if he touched her, he'll die too." With a dark look at Jeffrey, Happy took the paper he offered. As he was talking with one of the Rogue River patches he read off the information on McGee.

"They'll find him?"

Happy nodded. "Yeah, they will. Fucking idiot, this guy's no bail jumper. He's got warrants for violent shit, hasn't been arrested on it yet, what's your game?"

This was bad and Jeffrey knew that going in, he just wished he hadn't been so quick to dive in because of money and smug confidence. "I didn't know until she'd already gone in the club. There's a reward, he's got a price on his head for official capture and plenty of assholes who want him delivered for revenge." Jeffrey hated admitting it aloud. He tended waiting for Happy's rage but when he opened his eyes, he was alone.

--

Pain aside, Rory felt good, weightless as if she were swimming while she limboed between consciousness. Her head bobbed as she tried to keep her eyes open but even open she could barely see anything. There were new voices floating around but none she could recognize or understand. Knowing there were people so close gave her some glimmer of hope although she felt she was setting herself up for disappointment.

"Rory?"

That voice cut right into her brain, her eyes opening again slowly. Feeling blindly for something to throw, Rory began to slide down the wall, her body almost flat on the ground, as Johnny moved a step or two into the alley. She began to gasp, her new position making it almost impossible to breathe.

"Jesus," he ran down the alley. "She's down here, guys. Call an ambulance." He dropped to his knees beside her, lifting her slightly to help her to get some oxygen despite the blood slowly filling her lungs and chest. "Rory, shit, I'm sorry."

As she looked up, behind Johnny, and saw Happy running toward her she smiled. "I'm going to kill them." He said to her as red and white lights illuminated the darkness around them. Taking her from Johnny, he stood and carried her to the street, his chest tight with indescribable emotion. "Don't be scared, little girl. I'll see you soon, I promise." He kissed her blood covered lips and felt scared for the first time in his life. Laying her out on the stretcher he stepped away as they worked frantically over her. Happy was at a loss, he didn't know what to do or how he was feeling. There was only one thing he could do and watching her die wasn't it.

He turned, his eyes falling on Johnny and Jeffrey. At first he hated having met up with them while searching but he could see now they could be useful. "You two are going to help me find him and you better hope to god she's okay."