Chapter Two Shot
Nikki can hear her captors talking indignantly to each other, as they head down the hallway. They are speaking in Hong Kong's native language. Their melodic voices send shivers down Nikki's spine. She is a young girl in the company of young men. She quickly pulls down her spandex shorts. She hopes they do not notice— but when Diamond's hand squeezes her arm, she cries out.
"Stop adjusting your shorts," Diamond commands softly, "or I just might end up shooting your ear from the sheer annoyance of it all."
Pervert…
Nikki's heart speeds up in anger and fear. She brings her arms up to hug herself. She has never felt so weak and helpless before this night. She is in her pajamas, for heaven's sake. She feels so uncomfortable. They come to where the elevators are located, and one of her captors hits a down button. He hits it ten times— impatiently.
Why didn't I take karate when mom told me I should…? Nikki thought to herself.
A few seconds pass, and then an elevator opens.
Nikki shivers, trying to keep her stupid tears from slipping. She feels Diamond tighten his hold on her elbow. He has seen her face.
Stupid tears…
"Get in," he tells her. His voice does not mock her, but it is vacant of all life.
Escape… I must escape… Come on— I can't even think! What is wrong with me?
Nikki can't see for a second, her tears blur her eye sight so badly.
"Damn it— I told you to get in," Diamond pushes her forward— soft.
His touch is too soft in this situation.
He pushes her once more, this time even rougher. It is for good measure. It is to make sure she won't know what to think of him.
Nikki slams against the elevator wall.
I can't have her… Diamond tells himself softly.
"Diamond—" his brother begins, in a soft sympathetic tone. He knows. All of his brothers know. They all treat him as if he's a fragile piece of glass that will break if touched.
"I have it under control, Coal," snaps Diamond in their language. He doesn't mean to come out so harsh. But he hates himself for everything now. He feels like he's a walking plague. He killed his mother… he killed their baby-sitter… he killed their dog… he killed… well…
He looks over at Nikki. She had sunk to the floor, and was hugging her knees. She is scared. It had been so easy, grabbing her. But he knows that with Division fast on their heels, it was only going to get even scarier. For her. Especially since she wasn't familiar with this world— a world where people like him roamed. Movers. Pushers. Rarely any watchers. Trackers. Healers. And other oddly endowed people. Division didn't exactly use humane ways to stop people like him that they desperately needed. No.
But it isn't our time to die.
He knows this for certain.
The elevator halts. Weird. It stops one floor short. This hasn't been part of the plan.
"Coal…," Diamond warns. This is a Division tactic. Typical of them…
Ah… I hate Division.
Coal nods.
The elevator opens with a ding.
In one moment Coal is standing off in the corner, the next he is kneeling next to Nikki, and using his body to shield her.
Nikki gasps, as soon as she feels Coal holding her. She hadn't seen him move. It was as if he had moved in a blur of motion. He seems to vibrate against her too— as if in jittery anticipation.
Anticipation for what…?
Gunfire.
A sound like thunder ricochets around the small elevator shaft.
Nikki screams, and curls up around herself even tighter. Vaguely she feels Coal's arms tighten around her. Her heart pounds hard in her chest, and she knows that her life is over. She just knows it.
I'm hit… I'm hit— thank god I don't feel any pain, though… Wow… dying is painless.
"Seize fire!" shouts someone.
Nikki looks up, confused, and dazed.
I'm not dead…
Whoa… what happened? What is that?
Diamond stands with a hand out. Before the elevator is some kind of barrier. It shimmers with rainbow colors. At the exact same moment that Diamond lowers his hand the barrier disappears. Nikki's eyes widen— is that why they hadn't been killed? Is that why Diamond stands there— is that why he's not dead?
Who the heck are they? Superman— and the justice league?
Nikki tries to push Coal away from her, but he only buries his face into her hair.
"It's not over," he whispers. His voice is almost soothing. His breath brushes strands of her hair.
Ah… no. I can't escape… not with so many people after me with guns.
Vaguely, Nikki notices the fire alarm going off in the building. It is a loud fire alarm— yet she can barely make it out…
"Where's the girl, you stupid boy?"
What girl? Me? Do they mean me? The shooters can't see me…? Nikki's eyes widen.
Diamond does not reply.
Nikki wonders if Coal's vibrating body has anything to do with her not being seen.
Heck he is vibrating like those shavers at a hair salon.
Nikki returns her attention to Diamond. She watches in awe as the elevator doors crunch closed with a simple wave of his hands. And in another flick of his wrist Diamond wills the elevator to the first floor.
The doors open without a ding this time.
Diamond smirks beneath his mask, and strolls out.
"Come," Diamond calls to Coal and Nikki.
Coal drags Nikki out by her elbow. "Diamond," he pushes Nikki forward, and speaks to Diamond in Hong Kong's dialect.
Nikki watches this short exchange of words between her captors. They are Asian. She can see the slant and the dark color of their eyes. She can see the milky color of their skin. She can see how skinny they are beneath their baggy shirts and denim jeans. They wear all black. The one called Diamond wears a golden chain around his neck.
I could probably choke him with that… and escape—
But he has a gun… and some superhuman power.
I'll think about all of this later… I guess.
I promise— I will escape— I will go and find Aaron… and then… then…
If I'm alive later…
Nikki is so far gone amongst her thoughts that she doesn't even notice when Coal goes running off, and she is left with Diamond.
Diamond watches Coal leave, and then turns to Nikki. "Come on," he says knocking her out of her thoughts, "Division doesn't care if you're harmed— as long as you're stopped. We have to keep on moving."
Nikki turns her head slightly, to see that Coal has left them.
"I don't understand," she says, "please why are you taking me— where are you taking me?" Her voice comes out in a strangled, hoarse, sound.
Diamond does not answer. He only grabs her elbow and jerks her down another hallway, away from the lobby's entrance doors. From there Nikki hears the sound of sirens. She hears—
Help!!!!!! Help! I'm being abducted! Help— why isn't sound coming from my mouth?
Nikki touches her throat with the hand that is free of Diamond's clutches.
I… I can't speak… stupid voice— why fail me now? Why go into shock now?
Diamond pulls Nikki into a restaurant.
Plates filled with food still sit steaming on the tables. Nikki's stomach rumbles. She trips over a tray on the floor and steps over strewn food and broken glass.
So… so hungry.
"In here," Diamond looks over his shoulder, and then pushes her before him into a women's restroom.
What are they doing in a bathroom? Nikki wonders if they're hiding. But Diamond strides past her, towards the window in the last big stall.
I'm not going to pee for him.
"Come here girlie," Diamond calls to her, "I'm going to break this window, and help you through."
Ha! Let's see you try to break a window—
Crash!
Nikki whips her head in the direction of the door they had just come from.
Oh no. Oh no.
"Come on girlie!" Diamond urges her over with a sweeping motion of his arm. "They're coming, and there's only so many bullets that I can handle. Come on!"
Nikki rushes over to him, "W-what are you doing?!"
Diamond swings his elbow back— as way of answer— and the glass in the stained window shatters.
"Come on— climb through. But don't try anything funny, okay girlie?" Diamond watches her with sharp eyes.
Nikki nods, in sheer panic she climbs through the window, and waits for Diamond to follow. She is standing in a narrow alley. She looks around, in a quick sweeping glance. Then she looks back at Diamond.
Whoa— how'd he get through the window so fast?
"Eyes on me, girlie," Diamond says. He grabs her chin, and makes her stare into his eyes. "No escaping. Now hurry." He lets her go, and turns down the alley. Nikki follows close behind. She clutches the bottom hem of her shirt, and shivers. Something isn't right…
Suddenly she hears something.
Crash—
Shucks why does it sound so much like the end of the world…?
The ground shakes.
Men with guns.
Diamond's dark eyes. Nikki sees his eyes widen a fraction beneath his mask.
"Down on the ground! The ground!" Diamond's mouth moves.
What is he saying…?
Gunfire.
Ouch.
Pain in her hand.
One chance to scream. Another chance to cry.
Then falling— darkness starts taking over. Fear.
A world of agonizing pain.
"No! Girlie, hold on. Hold on! I got you— hold on— hold on! Coal!!!!!"
An angel.
Hee-hee. He's got pretty eyes.
Bye-bye angel…
Eyes fluttering closed.
Arms— tight and warm.
Heaven.
