The Little Scout: Sweet Justice

Chapter Eleven

Ben's POV

"Ben!" Someone shouted. He turned around to see Sophie. "Are you alright? You look a little down." Sophie sat beside him, her legs swinging over the edge of the railing. "Want some...food?"
"No thanks, I'm not hungry." Ben replied.
"You haven't eaten in days." She pointed out, Ben shrugged.
"I just haven't been hungry."
"Starving yourself won't get her back."
"I know, why she did leave, Soph?"
"She did it so I, Lourdes, Maggie and anyone else couldn't get hurt. Ben, she practically saved lives."
"She's not coming back, is she? I need to find her, this is just...it's driving me mad."
"I know, Ben, I know. I want her back too but we've just got to wait until Weaver gives us the all clear."
"And when will that be?"
"I don't know, Ben...She's going to be okay, I promise." Sophie lays her hand on Ben's shoulder for comfort.
"How's Logan?" Ben asked.
"He's better...not fully over Jimmy...but he'll live, I guess."
"I'm sorry, Sophie, I really Am."
"Don't be, it's not your fault, Ben. Some people just take longer to grieve."
"Have you ever thought of helping Dr. Glass?"
"Sometimes, yeah."
"You'd look sweet, with a little nurse outfit on."
"Ben Mason, are you hitting on me?"
"Oh god no, I still have a girlfriend, somewhere." Ben gave her a half-smile.
"Yeah, just remember that, Mason." She gave him a playful shove. She, now, was so much like Tessa, he admired her for it.
"Hey! What's that?" Ben pointed down to the people down below. "Should we go check it out?"
"You go down, they look harmless." Ben nodded and climbed down.
"Hey, what brings you around here?" Ben asked them. "Are you lost?"
"I need to see the Mason's." The little girl said.
"I'm Ben Mason." He told them.
"It's Tessa. She's hurt." Ben's heart stopped at the mention of her name.
"What's happened?"
"The car, it tumbled over and...And...She's stuck."
"Where is she?"
"Not far from here, I can take you." The oldest girl said. They were all bleeding furiously.
"I'll take you to Dr. Glass, she'll fix you up."
"Do you know where my Dad is?" The little girl spoke up. "His name is Pope." Ben nodded. "Can you take me to him?"
"After we've seen Dr. Glass." He promised her. "What's your name?"
"I'm Samantha, this is Jess and Almond." The eldest girl looked about Hal's age. She was much taller than Ben, she had white hair and electric blue eyes, Hal would like her. Almond was small, only a bit older than Matt was; she had small brown eyes and long brown hair that reached her elbow, she looked like Pope. There wasn't much to the child in Samantha's arms just that she was only about three.

Ben led them to Dr. Glass. She sat, looking over her work. "Hi, Dr. Glass." Ben said.
"Hi...who-"
"This is Samantha, Almond and Jess. They need your help, they know where Tessa is, and they're injured." Dr. Glass just nods. "And this one is Pope's daughter." She sits them down and cleans up their injuries.

"Almond!" Pope ran in and just stopped beside Ben.
"Dad!" Almond cried, running towards him. He scooped her up and held her close. "I thought something had happened to you!" She was crying. "You said you would come after me, what happened?"
"I did, Al, I did but...you just disappeared."
"Sparky found me."
"Sparky?" He asked.
"Samantha." She told him.
"Oh, Al, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Pope just held her close to his chest. "Thank god your alive, I don't know what I'd do without you." Ben was so close to crying, he just sat beside the door trying to look tough. He'd never seen Pope care about anything.
"Its okay, Dad, I forgive you. I understand." She promised.
"Pope." Dr. Glass started. "Can I talk to you, you too Ben." They wandered off to the corner of the Med Bus.
"What's happened, where did you find her?" Pope asked.
"They were just trying to wander into camp." Ben told him. "They were all covered in scratches, something about a car flipping over. You could tell it was Tessa driving."
"They knew Tessa?"
"Yeah, they stayed with her for a while." Anne explained. "Samantha won't talk and I'm not even sure if Jess is able."
"State of shock?"
"Maybes, the thing is, until we find Tessa we don't really know what's happened. Unless Almond tells us everything."
"I'll see what I can get out of her, I'm just happy she's back, Tessa or no Tessa." Ben just nodded.
"You think we can get her back, tonight?" Sophie stood behind them all and Ben jumped a little.
"We have to, if the metal stays there too long then she'll bleed to death." Anne said. "Tell Weaver first, Ben, go with Sophie. I'll tell your Dad."

Half-an-hour later, Almond was riding in the front seat of the car with Pope. She sat on his knee and pointed out directions so Sophie knew where to go. Ben sat in the back, his gun clutched to his chest, ready to get out at any minute. "There! There's the car!" Almond cried. The car was overturned and it's headlights were on, showing crushed glass. Sophie stopped the car and Ben jumped out.
"Tessa? Tessa? Are you okay?!" Ben shouted.
"Shut up, we had Skitter's on our backs." Almond hushed him. Ben went closer and closer. He kept expecting to see Tessa just lying there, glass in her hair, eyes closed, blood staining her clothes.
"She's not there. How the hell can she not be there?!" Ben shouted. "I swear to god, when I get my hands on her..."
"Hang on, look...tracks..." Sophie pointed out, showing him.
"They aren't hers." Almond told them. "They look...like Jake's." Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
"That sonofa-" Ben started.
"He'll be long gone by now, they don't look fresh." Almond crouched down to get a better look.
"I swear, if she bleeds to death in his arms, then..."
"Don't think like that." Sophie placed a hand on his arm for comfort. "But if that does happen then I'll kill him with you."
"And me, Mason." Pope promised.
"We should go back, get some sleep, and continue looking in the morning." Sophie suggested. "C'mon, back into the car."