9

Confrontation

They flew past the Tuvanau welcome sign. The road caused the bike to rattle but Elsa remained in control. What the fuck had she just seen? That thing wasn't just some rebellious leader. It had military background just by how expensive that armor must've been. Even the way it held itself screamed military. This was no ordinary rebellion. Something was wrong.

Elsa shook her head. She didn't have time to think about that now. They had to leave the island. Any business Anna had to continue no longer mattered. They needed to leave. Alive. Preferably with Anna tucked under her arm. They couldn't go back to the cabin, it was too open, too close to the city. It wouldn't be safe. Instead she drove past the driveway and further towards a different part of the island. The Hotel. It would be the safest place to be. Hans would be there to protect Anna as extra help. Even if none of the security guards came back, Elsa had reinforced the hotel like a fortress. They could spend weeks there if need be.

It started to rain. The road began to fill with puddles and mud. Elsa slowed the motorcycle down as they approached the hotel, well, it was more like a beach house. Built to be rented out by a group of people, or one rather wealthy individual, as it was in this case.

Elsa stopped the bike in front of the building. She felt the bike beneath her, purring and hot from strain. Elsa patted the bike as if it were a pet that had just completed a complicated trick. She wiped a few stray hairs that had come loose from her braid and stuck to her face. A few granite steps led to the immaculate entrance. Such a stark contrast to what the two had experienced not moments before. Anna took her helmet off and let it fall onto the ground. It landed in a puddle causing mud to spray into Anna's shoes. She paid no attention to it, if she even noticed what happened. Anna's eyes were fixed on the building, yet distant and unfocused. They chose a direction and stuck but didn't pay attention to exactly what. Elsa had seen that look before. She took Anna in her arms and led her to the beach house.

They entered the building in silence. The entrance gave way to a grand living room. The ceiling arced upwards. A few couches were in the room, a piano sat in the corner. Opposite them, the large glass wall that Elsa had been so worried about to begin with, cast multicolored light into the room. Hans stood in the kitchen to their left.
"Go ahead and sit on the couch. I'll be over in a minute." Elsa said to Anna. Anna walked over to the couch. Her shirt was torn somewhere. Her pants had blood on them. Her hair was a mess. She looks so… defeated. Elsa thought. She looked over to Hans. Hans looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"What are you guys doing here?" He said. Elsa rushed over to him.

"It's bad down there and getting worse." She said under her breath so Anna couldn't hear. "We need to get off this island. Tell Kristoff to get the plane ready." Hans stood stunned. He set what ever he had been cooking aside, nodded and went into the other room, where Elsa had heard the call from earlier. It was the makeshift headquarters for the entire operation. It felt like such a long time ago. Elsa walked over next to Anna and sat down.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Anna nodded, reached out and hugged Elsa.
"Thank you." She said, into her shoulder. "I thought…" She started to say but didn't finish. Elsa pulled her in tighter.
"It's okay. Everything is fine now." The released and Elsa motioned Anna into her lap. Anna laid down on it. Elsa began petting her hair, just like they did every night, although, it was more difficult with Anna's hair in the state that it was. Elsa looked around the room.

The room was immaculate, built for modern day kings. The floor was hard wood. The piano was on a platform a few steps higher than the rest of the room. It would've been a nice place to stay. It's unfortunate they would have to leave it so soon. Elsa thought that maybe Anna would've liked seeing what Elsa did reinforce the place. Maybe she'd show an interest in body guarding and they could start a company together. They could move out east, set up a couple operations and then… What am I thinking? None of that made any sense. Elsa let out a sigh and looked down. There was a coffee table in front of them. On it, a series of magazines, a drink, an ashtray with a lit cigarette in it. On the corner she saw something dark black. Something she recognized. She leaned forward, careful not to push Anna off her, and moved a few magazines out of the way. It was a card. Small, business standard. It was black. The only thing on it were 4 silver letters. E.L.S.A.

"We have to go." Elsa stood up. Anna sat up in the couch, shocked by the sudden movement. She rubbed her eyes. "Anna we have to leave right now."
"What? Why?"

"Anna, trust me. Let's go." Elsa grabbed Anna's hand and they walked to the door. Hans slid in front of it, one hand up to stop them.
"Where are you guys going?" He said.
"We just wanted to check to see if the others were here yet." Elsa said.
"I think it'd be best if you guys just stay here. Kristoff is on his way. He'll be here in a few minutes. So, Let's just sit down." For a moment, nobody moved. Elsa stood her ground. They were locked in a stare down. Elsa looked past Hans. Through the glass panes of the door she could see the bike sitting in the driveway. It was maybe 50 feet away. They would need what? 5… 10 seconds to cross that distance. Another few seconds to start the bike, maybe one more to make sure Anna was okay. As she did the mental math, she felt Anna shift at her side.

Hans exploded in movement. From his hand behind him, he pulled a gun out. Elsa's arm shot out, hitting him in the wrist. The gun flew across the room. Elsa kicked the inside of his leg. Hans fell to his knee. She punched him in the throat. His hands shot up to his throat and he fell to the ground coughing.

"What the fu-" Anna began to say. Elsa grabbed Anna's hand.

They ran outside. Elsa jumped on the back of the bike. Anna went for the motorcycle helmet. "Not now, quickly, we have to go." Anna shook her head. second guessing herself.

Rain, matted down Anna's hair to her face. Her feet splashed in puddles as she ran over to the bike. Anna didn't know why she went for the helmet. What had she been thinking? Just a single look at Elsa's face showed how bad everything was. She could tell, Elsa was scared, there was a calm control in her eyes, but she was also scared and that was the most frightening thing Anna had ever seen. Elsa wasn't supposed to be scared. Elsa was perfect, completely in control. Whatever was scaring Elsa, should scare Anna tenfold. Anna hopped on the back of the bike.

The sound of a gunshot pierced her ears. She looked towards the source of the gun. Hans leaned in the doorway, on hand on his throat, still recovering from Elsa's beat down. The gun was in his hand. Smoke rose from the barrel. Elsa raised her gun and shot back. Bullets tinged off the outside of the building. The motorcycle jumped forwards and hurried down the driveway. The rain blocked Anna's vision and stung her face as they flew down the road. In the distance coming towards them, Anna saw headlights. Elsa veered right, off the main road and into the jungle. The jungle floor itself was clear. A few ferns and branches lay across the ground. Elsa deftly maneuvered around them. Was there anything she couldn't do? Anna realized her stomach felt warm. She looked down to see thick, matted, blood.
"Oh my god. Elsa, I'm bleeding."
"No. You're fine."
"No, Elsa look, Fuck. I'm bleeding." Elsa grunted.
"It's me." Anna froze.
"What?" The reality of what Elsa said set in. "We have to stop."
"Not until we put enough distance between us and them."
"Elsa, you're hurt."
"I'll be fine." And that was the end of that conversation. Any time Anna tried to bring in up again, she was shot down by Elsa's cold voice, or the rain caught her words. After what seemed like ages, Elsa slowed the bike down. At first she couldn't tell why. They were in some sort of shallow ravine. The rain was beginning to fill it, as about 2 inches of water covered the ground. Nevertheless, Elsa stopped the bike and looked around. It looked like they were surrounded in jungle, jungle and more jungle. Elsa maneuvered the bike through a thin slit between a few rocks in the side of the ravine. If Anna was just walking by she would never have noticed it. Elsa pulled the bike inside out of the rain. Anna hoped off. She rushed to Elsa's side and helped her off the bike. Elsa gripped her stomach. Her clothes were caked in blood, despite the rain that tried to wash it away. Propped up by Anna, they made their way towards a clearing near the back of the cave. Elsa collapsed to the ground, bringing Anna with her. Elsa let out a groan when they hit the ground. Anna sat up and pulled Elsa's shirt back. Underneath was a bullet proof vest with a hole punched straight through it.
"Elsa I'm gonna have to pick you up. We have to get this vest off." Elsa nodded and grit her teeth. Anna slid her arms underneath Elsa's and lifted, sitting her up. Elsa let out a muffled scream. Her eyes shot open. Anna pulled the vest over Elsa's head and then set her back down onto the ground. She pulled Elsa's undershirt, which was matted in blood, back just enough to see the wound. There was a lot of blood. Elsa was trembling and taking large deliberate breathes. Her eyes were still wide from pain.
"Elsa what do I do?"
"Put pressure on it." Anna leaned forward and put both of her hands on the opening. Elsa let out a gasp and grit her teeth. "Fuck!" She yelled. After a moment she regained her senses and said "Listen to me very carefully Anna. You have to stop the bleeding. Bandages, cauterizing, quick clot. Whatever you can find alright?"
"Elsa what do you mean?"
"The best change of you surviving is by saving me so… you're going to have to leave me here."
"What? But-"

"Anna listen. If you can't find anything… If I die-"
"You're not gon-" Elsa brought her hand up to Anna's face.
"If I die, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave so early. It's not your fault." Elsa paused, breathing though the pain. "You need to get off the island as soon as you can. Don't trust anyone. You can take my gun. The safety is on the side, you just point and shoot. There's more ammo on the bike. Don't forget to breathe."
"No. no. no."
"When you shoot, make sure your palms are below the barrel. It'll slide back and slice your hand open if you're not careful."
"You're not gonna die." Anna's eyes teared up. Elsa's breathing was heavier and slower now. Anna felt warm blood between her fingers.
"If you run into trouble, focus, breath, and remember there's….." Elsa spat blood from her mouth. "There's always a weak point, always an opportunity for you to get the better of someone else. Know your own weaknesses so people can't use them against you."
"Elsa, I don't know if I can do this."
"You'll be fine." Elsa's body relaxed and her eyes began to flutter. "I'm tired." Elsa looked up at Anna with a smile. "I really enjoyed our time toge-" She started coughing. Blood spat out of her mouth again but this time she didn't even turn her head and the blood landed on her shirt.
"No, Elsa stay with me, please. Elsa. Elsa! Who's gonna make pancakes with me if you die huh? Who's gonna watch old movies? Or… or who's awful puns and I going to listen to? Who's lap am I gonna sleep on huh? You can't die." Anna sobbed. "You can't." Elsa smiled her eyes still closed.
"Everything…. Is going…. To be… okay." Elsa looked up at Anna. Her bright blue eyes pieced into Anna's soul. Elsa reached her hand up to touch Anna's face. If time could stop right now and Anna could remember her face forever she would be happy. But the laws of time were not forgiving that day as Elsa's eyes rolled back white and her body went rigid. She started shaking.
"No. No. No. Please!" Anna begged. She pulled Elsa in, unsure of what else to do. For a while she half sat, half squatted in that position. At some point Elsa stopped shaking. The rain echoed throughout the cave. The motorcycled ticked as it cooled. "Elsa?" Anna leaned forwards and listened for Elsa's breath. It was faint, but it was there. "Elsa, it's gonna go okay. I'm gonna go get help. You better be alive when I come back or you're fired alright?" Anna ripped a large strip from her shirt and wrapped it around Elsa's body. "I'm gonna fix this." She said with a shaky determination. Anna grabbed the gun strapped to Elsa's leg and headed out into the rain.

A/N: Hey sorry this is so late... again. Midterms/life. If you like this story feel free to leave a review. Same goes it you hate it. Let me know what ya'll think! Thanks for reading!