"See?!" Alex hissed, swinging around but then stopped. It was Uborevich on the floor – not George.
"Come on. Let George take out her anger." Camryn grabbed Alex's arm and dragged him away.
"Kimmie, what are you doing?!" Uborevich spat as George kneed him in the groin and pushed him to the ground. George glared down at Uborevich, yanking down her shirt that he had pushed up.
"Did you really think I was going to let you touch me again?" she said in her normal voice, watching the Russian rise to his feet.
"You're going to pay for that," he growled.
George crunched her knuckles. "Bring it."
"Dakhov was right, I should have gone for your sister."
George laughed and ducked a punch Uborevich threw at her. She grabbed his fist and twisted it behind his back and threw him into one of the lab tables. George advanced and threw a back roundhouse kick into the side of his head. She smirked as she heard the satisfying crack of his neck. Uborevich cried out in pain.
"Does it hurt?" George sneered. "Just consider yourself lucky that my sister isn't here. Within thirty seconds of torture, she'd make you wish you were dead."
Uborevich smirked back. "But it wouldn't be torture. I'd enjoy her too much." He kicked George's feet from under her. He pinned her arms to her side and pulled himself on top of her. George began to panic.
"You won't get away from me this time, Kimmie," Uborevich hissed. "Kelsey won't be here to save you this time."
George's heart skipped a beat. Did he know?
"That's right, Kimmie. I know what happened last night. I found burn marks from the electrodes on my neck."
George cursed silently. Suddenly, Uborevich began to touch her again – roughly this time.
This can't happen to me, George told herself desperately. She closed her eyes and thought of Alex. She remembered last night – his kiss, his body, his promise. She told herself that Alex was the only person allowed to touch her like this.
Only Alex, only Alex.
Uborevich slid his hands down and grabbed a firm hold of George's jeans.
Camryn lay down on the floor with her legs spread apart. "George, pretend you're going to rape me."
"You want me to do what?!"
"You heard me. Just do it."
George awkwardly knelt down between Camryn's legs and grabbed her hips. Camryn's serious face made this even more awkward.
"Now watch carefully," Camryn told George. "If you're ever in this situation again, this is how you get out of it."
Only Alex…
George pictured the technique Camryn had taught her that morning. She could do it. She had to. George grabbed Uborevich's hands and held on tight. She lifted her right leg and in one swift movement, swung it across Uborevich, locking his elbow. She rolled over onto her side and slammed her leg down onto the floor, which should have broken the man's arm. Uborevich reacted quickly and bent his elbow. George was now kneeling on one knee with Uborevich's arm trapped and bent at a bad angle beneath her other knee. She tightened her grip on his hand and slammed it down on the floor. The bones cracked and shattered on impact. Uborevich screamed.
George stood up and shoved Uborevich onto his back. She pushed her foot onto his neck, closing his throat.
"You won't kill me – you can't. You're too nice, too innocent," he gasped.
George laughed. "I love how everyone thinks I'm just some innocent little girl who can't protect herself. Bye, Uborevich." George pulled her foot back a bit. Uborevich smiled and relaxed. George slammed her foot into his face, causing him to black out. George grabbed two beakers from one of the shelves. She went to the chemicals cabinet and filled the two beakers with clear liquids. She sat Uborevich up against a lab table and waved one beaker under his nose – concentrated ammonia. Uborevich sputtered as he awoke.
"Sir, sir, are you alright?" George asked, kneeling down in front of him.
"Kimmie? What happened? My head is killing me."
"I found you like this, sir. Here, have some water." George placed the beaker to Uborevich's lips and tipped a good amount of the clear liquid into his mouth. He swallowed and immediately collapsed to the floor gasping for air.
"Kimmie?!" he rasped.
George smirked and sang, "Little Pavel took a drink, but he will drink no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4." Uborevich's eyes hardened as the realization of his death fell upon him.
"Bye, sir."
Then his eyes were blank. George was finally free from him.
Alex and Camryn sat side by side at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria. Camryn ate calmly, scanning the crowd for George. Alex stabbed his fork at random pieces of pasta on his place. He hadn't eaten anything for the first ten minutes of lunch hour. He glanced over at George's tray across the table. Where was she? What was taking her so long?
"Hey, there's our girl," Camryn said, sticking a forkful of pasta into her mouth.
Alex looked up to see George walking toward the table. A boy stood up and said something to George. George forced a smile and said something back to him. Then she came to the table and sat down. She immediately began eating without saying a word.
"Kim, what hap-"
Camryn jabbed Alex in the side. She shot him a warning look. "So, what do you want to do after lunch?" she asked George. "We have the rest of the day off. Today's afternoon classes are optional."
George shrugged. "Do you think we can get out of here for a while? I just need to get out."
"Yeah. I'll talk to Dakhov. I'll see if I can get a plane to Moscow and a car."
"You can drive?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, not legally though." Camryn finished the rest of her food and left. Alex finally began eating, reassured that George was okay. Once the two finished, they headed back to the rooms. George sat on the couch and quietly stared off into space. Alex couldn't take his eyes off her, wondering what was going through her mind. He began to wonder if she was really okay. He moved closer and pulled George into his arms.
"I'm sorry," Alex said softly before kissing her.
"What for?"
"I said that I would protect you. I shouldn't have left you alone with Uborevich."
"It's okay, Alex. I took care of it. He's dead."
"What? Really? Wow…I…don't know what to say."
George chuckled. "Alex, I can take care of myself."
"Sorry."
George pulled him closer and kissed him. "What are you apologizing for now, Blondie?"
"I underestimated you."
"It's okay."
Alex kissed her again, more deeply this time. Suddenly, the door opened. Alex and George sprang apart.
"Hey, guys," Camryn said as she walked into the room. She held up a set of keys. "I got a private jet and a car. Ready to go?"
"Sure, let me get my purse," George said, getting up.
Damn you, Alex! Alex cursed himself. Not again!
"Alex?" Camryn said, poking his shoulder.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, let's go."
As the three left the barracks, Alex wondered about what was going through Camryn's head. Why was she so edgy all of a sudden? Why was she so angry with him? Did she know about him and George? Should he confront her? What could he say to her? In the end, Alex decided to keep his mouth shut and just enjoy the time away from the camp. It had only been two days, and already, it was too much.
Once they arrived in Moscow, Camryn led them to the car she had borrowed and drove around the city. Alex gazed out the window at the crowded city. George sat quietly in the back. Camryn stopped and parked the car in front of a large five-story building.
"What's this place?" George asked, speaking her first words since they left the barracks.
"A shopping mall," Camryn said.
The three teenagers climbed out of the car and entered the large building. It was busy with shoppers rushing to sales and teenagers just hanging out with their friends. George and Alex were lost in the immensity of the mall that they didn't notice Camryn slip away into the crowd.
Camryn made her way over to a tall man in his early twenties standing by a coffee shop. He had rusty colored hair that was messy and spiked in random places, a cockily slanted smile, and green eyes that Camryn recognized from somewhere but couldn't place. Army dog tags hung from his neck. A loose fitting black shirt covered his large biceps and ripped jeans hung low around his waist, showing over half of his black Calvin Klein boxers.
"Hey, Shawn," Camryn said, finally free from the other two. "What's up?"
"You took your time," Shawn replied, looking past Camryn at George and Alex – especially George.
What's every guy's fascination with this girl?! Camryn thought, a little disappointed.
"Who are those kids you're with?" Shawn asked.
"Partners, kind of, why?"
Shawn was still staring intently at George.
"See something you like?" Camryn asked.
Shawn shook his head and dragged his eyes away form Alex and George who were now looking around for Camryn. "No, just thought I recognized the girl – I don't."
"Dude, are you okay?"
"Don't worry about it." Shawn grabbed Camryn's arm and pulled her into the coffee shop and out of sight.
"Hey, Cam," George began as she turned around. "Cam? Alex, where did Camryn go?"
Alex looked around. "I don't know. No wonder I thought she was being quieter than usual. She isn't even here."
"Where has she gone now?" George asked, scanning the crowds. "Who does she think she is? Just disappearing like that. I bet she planned this."
Alex just shrugged. The stone of guilt was back and it was heavier than before.
"Well, do we just wait here or go off and possibly not find her again?" George turned to Alex, seemingly asking him for the answer. She seemed angry and frustrated – a side of her Alex hadn't seen before. Again, he shrugged.
"I'm going shopping. I'm not just going to wait around for her," George said then paused to take a breath. "You coming, Alex?" she asked, more calmly this time.
"Uh, yeah," Alex said and followed George into a clothing shop. Alex wondered why George was suddenly so angry with Camryn. Yesterday, they had been the best of friends. He wondered if it had anything to do with Camryn almost walking in on them earlier. Maybe George was annoyed that they were disturbed.
What am I going to do? Alex stressed. He was pulled from his thoughts by George walking out of the dressing room and twirling in front of him. She had on a short mini-skirt and a very tight, black halter-top.
"Think this will get Dakhov's attention?" she asked, leaning against the changing room door and smiling seductively at Alex.
Alex gulped. "You are never going to wear that outfit if you're going anywhere near Dakhov."
George smiled again. "Are you sure you don't like this outfit?"
"Shut up and take it off," Alex laughed, throwing another shirt at her. George smiled and disappeared back into the changing room.