Chapter Ten

The metallic rings started to settle, as did its passengers' stomachs. The Lifeboat's door slowly opened, allowing the trio to receive cool spring air along with the sound of women chanting. Lucy was the first one to recuperate from the trip. She carefully (but certainly not gracefully) stepped out of the machine, glancing around her in amazement.

Lucy had been to many different periods of time. And still, every time she was excited about being there. It was the historian in her. "We're here." she finally said with a sigh. No one answered her. Lucy turns back towards the Lifeboat to see Wyatt and Rufus hunched over next to the machine.

"Are you guys okay?" she asks them with no real concern shown in her voice. Wyatt looks up into Lucy's knowing eyes. "Oh, yeah. Just nauseous as usual." he answers her sarcastically. Lucy scoffed at him and turned toward the tech. "Rufus, you alright?" she asks. Rufus groans and answers her. "I will be."

Wyatt slowly straightens up, takes in a deep breath, and starts walking towards the chanting. "Well, we don't have a lot of time. We better figure out what Flynn wants." He turns back to Lucy. "Do you have any idea why Flynn would be here?" Lucy looks at him and shrugs. "The only thing I can think of is Women's Suffrage."

The men looked at her for an expected explanation. "A lot of women were undercover messengers for secret companies during this time. They definitely lived adventurous lives." she continued. "I can only assume Flynn is trying to find a messenger for Rittenhouse. "By this time, both Rufus and Wyatt had recovered. "Alright then." Rufus said. "Let's go find Flynn."

The trio began to head into town. All around them were women shouting and holding up signs that said "VOTES FOR WOMEN" and "WOMEN ARE CITIZENS". The team walked around for awhile, with no luck of finding Flynn. But Rufus came up with a plan.

"Hey, guys. It's too big of an area. We'll cover much more space in less time if we split up." he told his colleagues. Wyatt looked at Lucy concern written all over his face. He turns back to Rufus. "No! That's not going to happen." he demanded. He couldn't leave Lucy. She was too important to him.

Lucy could see the worried look in Wyatt's eyes. She tried comforting him, but just made him more adamant. "Wyatt..." she began. But he interrupted her. "No, Lucy. I've already lost you once. I am not going to lose you again." Wyatt continued. "What if Flynn finds you first and hurts you while I'm gone?"

Lucy looked up into his deep blue eyes and saw the genuine concern he felt for her. "I can take care of myself." she told him, but he wasn't convinced. "If it makes you feel any better, I can take a gun with me just in case." Wyatt started to calm down. If he wasn't going to be able to protect her, than she was going to have to protect herself.

He reached down and took hold of one of his guns. Slowly, and carefully he handed it to Lucy. She took it in her fragile hands and placed it in her purse. "Be careful, okay?" Rufus told her. "I will." she answered.

When Rufus had left them, Wyatt pulled Lucy towards him and kissed her promptly on the lips. Her lips were captured by his in an instant. They leaned into one another, both expressing how much they need each other.

But, Wyatt breaks away, stepping back in order to see Lucy's face. Neither say anything. They don't need to. Lucy smiles at him, grips his hand and tightly squeezes. "I'll be fine." she whispers. He nods as she turns to walk away.

About twenty minutes later, when Lucy is almost ready to give up, she spots Flynn. He's walking with a woman on the other side of the street. Lucy begins to follow close behind when she realizes who the woman is. Susan B. Anthony. Probably the most famous suffragist of her time. Lucy wasn't going to let Flynn take the icon of women's suffrage and get away with it.

She followed the pair for a couple blocks when they suddenly turned into an alley. Lucy inched her way to the entrance of the alcove. Her shaky hand went to the gun, that was still tucked away inside her purse. She let out a breath before jumping out, poising her gun at the target. Staring down the barrel of Flynn's gun.

XXX

Wyatt and Rufus had both searched and found nothing. So, they met up in the exact place in which they had split up. "Did you see Flynn?" Wyatt asks his friend. Rufus just shakes his head. They weren't too far away when he heard the sound of a gunshot muffling a blood curdling scream.

He jerks around towards the direction of which he heard the blast, and his heart stops. "Lucy." he says, barely above a whisper. He sprints down the street, with Rufus close at his heels, hoping he won't be too late.

When they finally reach the alley they find Lucy lying on the ground, clutching at her side. Wyatt's breath hitches. "Lucy!" he calls out. He kneels down beside her, and pulls her gently towards him. Her breaths were jagged, and her eyes held terror in them. Holding her close to his body, Wyatt tells her, "I knew I never should've left you." He takes Lucy's hand in his, lifting it off her side. He sees that her once golden dress was soaked in blood.

"We need to get her to a hospital, and fast!" Rufus tells him. Wyatt nods. Slowly and carefully he lifts Lucy's fragile body, adjusting her weight in his arms. "It's okay. I've got you." Wyatt tells Lucy. "Everything is going to be okay." he whispers. Wyatt carries Lucy down the street, catching stares from people on the way. He looked back down at the woman in his arms and noticed that she had become unconscious.

A few minutes later they reach the Lifeboat. Rufus climbs in first. Once safely in the machine he lifts Lucy into the Lifeboat, setting her in her seat. Wyatt climbs in after him, never once taking his eyes off Lucy. Rufus buckles himself in and begins starting up the Lifeboat. Wyatt leans forward in his seat and buckles Lucy's limp form into the seat.

As he fastens the belts on his own seat, Wyatt stares at Lucy, silently praying for a miracle. "Please, Lucy. Stay with me. Just stay with me." he says. How could he have let this happen. He should have stayed with her. It was his job to protect her. Rufus interrupts Wyatt's thoughts. "Hey, man. Hold on. Will get her back safe and sound, I promise." Wyatt nods, still looking at Lucy's now pale body.

The machine began to whirl. Clanking erupted from within and lights flickered. The last thing Wyatt saw was Lucy sitting in front of him. And the last thought was of blame for what had happened to her. What happened to the only woman in the world now that he truly loves.