Chapter 11: Kala + Felix + Wolfgang
Felix had her flattened against a wall before she even finished the sentence while he looked about nervously.
"You can't just go about saying that stuff in public," he admonished her before finally releasing her arm when he deemed the coast clear.
"Sorry," Kala muttered, smoothing the wrinkles out of her shirt.
The echo in her head that had known him for years wondered when Felix had gotten so paranoid. Probably after his best friend had been kidnapped by a shady government organization – Kala reminded herself.
"I do though," she continued rushing to keep pace with Felix, who was turning down yet another narrow street, tearing into his second sandwich.
He sighed around his sandwich, "Look I get your little revenge fantasy, but we kind of have enough on our hands without a side quest, ok?"
"No," replied Kala, finally unwrapping her sandwich and smothering the irritating voice in her mind, the voice that belonged to old Kala, that told her eating while moving at this clip was really a bit of a choking hazard. "I have an idea."
For the third time in less than two days Felix was forced to reassess his opinion of Kala Rasal.
He had come to the conclusion that he was right the first time. She was in fact batshit crazy.
He watched her even now, peering over the lid of his laptop, as she paced around his apartment, occasionally picking up a half empty box and stacking it more neatly.
She was alternating between talking incessantly into a Bluetooth earpiece and staring avidly into space.
That wasn't the crazy part.
The crazy part was that it wasn't turned on.
He was fairly sure she didn't know he knew that. He was also fairly sure that she thought he hadn't noticed that when she wasn't staring into space she was conducting an entire conversation.
By herself. In at least two languages. In one long sentence: like - 'Hi Kala, Bye Kala, Do you think we should get another Glock for this excursion Kala? Why yes Kala what a great idea Kala!'
That was not to say the plan wasn't good. It was pretty damn genius he had to say, especially given the time crunch. She seemed to have a whole team of people behind her, including a cop, which made Felix's skin crawl, and a hacker. But still...
Wolfie, he thought, imagining sending his words out into the universe and to his hopefully very intact brother. I don't blame you because she might be the most beautiful woman I have ever met, but she is also the craziest, and don't forget I knew your mother.
"You ready?"
Kala stood in front of him with an expression of grim focus and Wolfie's gun clutched uncertainly in her right hand. Felix noted that at least she had the sense to keep her finger off the trigger.
The bottle of ominous looking black pills she kept taking sat unopened on the counter beside her.
Felix nodded slowly, and then jerked his head in the direction of the pills, "What are those for?"
Kala smiled sweetly, "Allergies."
Felix stifled a snort. Still a shit liar though. There was that at least.
Wolfgang wasn't sure this time how long he had been unconscious this time. That was not good. Or maybe it was good. He wasn't sure of much of anything anymore.
They didn't ask questions this time. There were no medications. No blockers, no DMT, just the people in the suits and the electric paddles, and the pain.
Always pain.
He had thought of her at first, like he had last time. He didn't even think her name, that wasn't safe, but he thought of the trails that raindrops made as they trickled down her face, warmth, yellow, cloves and cinnamon, anything about her really. But even that had been driven from his mind. Now he just wanted the pain to end.
And then, almost as if in answer to that thought, she was there.
Wolfgang flinched instinctively, no she had to stay away; they were going to hurt him again. She had to run. He almost said it out loud - Run, Kala!
But her thoughts admonished him, and he found himself standing next to her, leaning against a brick wall. She was in Berlin. Why was she in Berlin? He started to croak out a warming, but she placed two fingers to her lips.
Desperation solidified in his veins. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but he was so weak he wasn't even sure if he was fully with her. It felt like he was watching a movie, not his own life.
This certainly looked like a scene from a movie, he dimly noticed.
It was impossible to focus, she wasn't safe - he had to do something.
Instead of being useful his aching eyes chose instead to skitter around the scene. They were outside some sort of private gym. The alley was empty.
Kala was wearing his leather jacket – his chest gave a weird spasm at that - and a pair of tight black jeans; she had his gun in a shoulder holster. Wait what?
You are hallucinating, the rational part of his mind explained.
Well, then. Insanity was looking pretty damn good.
The door to the gym swung open, Lila walked out slightly flushed and an impeccable white dress.
Wolfgang ground his teeth together. Never mind. He'd take the paddles.
Kala however gave a very uncharacteristically predatory smile as the other sensate's eyes fell on her. Lila jumped in shock.
Kala wiggled her fingers in a sarcastic approximation of a wave.
"Hi, bitch," said Kala leveling his gun at Lila's face.
Several things happened at once all.
Firstly, he watched Felix appear from the shadow behind the door, syringe in hand, face grim, as he snuck up from behind wrapping his arm around Lila's throat.
Secondly, Lila, faster than expected, made a desperate grab for something inside her purse.
Thirdly, that thing was a gun.
Fourthly, Kala (or was it Sun?) executed a frankly impressive kick at the purse, but it was slightly too slow.
And then everything was moving too fast.
A shot rang out. Wolfgang went from being the most aroused he had ever been to being the most terrified. Pain, pain again, tore into his left shoulder.
And his hold on her snapped.
Kala woke to the dulcet sounds of Felix cursing in her ear.
"What happened?" she asked blearily. Felix stopped swearing abruptly.
"Since when do you speak German?" he countered staring at her suspiciously.
Right. She hadn't taken blockers. Wolfgang was in there somewhere.
She noticed Felix was covered in a lot of blood.
"Uh," said Kala, numbness was spreading through her body, and the world felt distinctly fuzzy, not unpleasant though, just –
" – Am I on opiods?"
It was Felix's turn to stutter, "Uh yeah, sorry about that, but I um figured it was better than the alternative."
"The alternative?" Kala felt dread begin to settle over her.
It was all coming back to her. Lila. Wolfgang - distant and incoherent. A gun firing. Pain. Kala gasped and shot to her feet. She turned her head to look at her left shoulder.
"Easy," Felix held her steady by the knees. Her shoulder was dressed and tightly bandaged, her arm wrapped up in a tubular sling.
"Felix," Kala began unsteadily.
"Yeah, yeah," He muttered waving aside her thanks, "It was just a nick, nothing serious, I am shit at stitching though so you will have a scar."
"How did you –"
Felix eyed her with fond exasperation, "It is like you haven't even met Wolfie." He deadpanned.
"Oh, right." Kala made to stand, the world swirled gently.
"I gave Ms. Pissy-and-Neapolitan the shot you told me to," he said rising from the floor to join her when it seemed like Kala would remain vertical. She is tied up in the bathtub."
"Great!" Kala tried to rein in her euphoria. Scientifically, she should be recording these side effects. "What did you give me? Heroin? Morphine? How many milligrams? This is incredible."
"Some oxy that I had lying around from after my surgery, I might have over done it though. Look, Kala chill, you are starting to concern me."
"Oxycodone." Kala gave an experimental wiggle. "I've never taken oxycodone before. Well, " she thought of Riley's extensive experimentation, "Not first hand at least."
Felix looked momentarily perplexed and then shook his head dismissively.
"Great." He snapped his fingers in front of her face, "Crazy gang-boss assistant in bathtub, Wolfie in mortal danger, time crunch – remember?"
"Focus," murmured Will, grasping her firmly about the ribs, "You can push past it."
Kala took a few deep breaths, the room lost some of its shine; she started to feel vaguely nauseous, "Sorry," she muttered to both of them.
Felix's expression softened slightly, "You did good Kala." He gave her uninjured shoulder a squeeze. "We will do giggly drug trips next time ok?"
Kala managed to give him a disproving glare. Felix smirked, "Ladies and gents, she is back!"
Will shook his head, "Do you think the shoulder injury will effect the plan?"
"No," Kala made her way to the bathroom, leaving Felix to stand uncertainly in a pile of blood soaked towels. "Nothing will stop me now."
Lila was lying trussed up like a pig for slaughter in Felix's dirty bathtub.
A perverse part of her enjoyed this immensely. It was in fact that same part that took pleasure in dumping a bucket full of ice-cold water onto the woman's two thousand dollar Channel dress.
Such a shame.
Lila woke with a sputter and began thrashing around violently.
"Relax," said Kala dropping the bucket with a resounding clatter on the floor, "I don't plan on drowning you yet."
Wolfgang was still out of reach, he had fallen into some kind of unconscious stupor, but she still had access to his language. Useful since the shot she had given Felix contained blockers.
Lila glared at her, but didn't respond.
"Now, I want to get one thing straight," continued Kala, perching on the edge of the bathtub and leaning over as if they were having a friendly chat at a café, "I am not much into fighting over a guy."
She flicked a strand of hair out of Lila's left eye.
"It goes against my feminist morality, you see," Kala heaved a sigh, and then dug a switchblade from her pocket, Will flicked it open and closed confidently. It was difficult to balance one handed, but not impossible.
"And honestly Wolfgang and I are not particularly monogamous at the moment. So know that when I say this it is not from some misguided jealousy over you making a play for my man, or something equally ridiculous and demeaning. When I say this, I mean it."
Kala leaned even closer, Will snapped the blade open and closed a few more time, she watched Lila's eyes nervously track the movement with deep satisfaction.
Kala forced her gaze onto hers, the blade bumped against Lila's mandible.
"You are a monumental bitch."
Lila swallowed slightly, but her gaze didn't waver. Will brought the switchblade even more firmly to her cheek.
"Where is Wolfgang?"
Lila's eyes flickered to the switchblade and back. "You are making a mistake," she hissed, "You think that I am not being watched?"
Kala gave an unaffected smile, "It has been dealt with, don't worry. Let try again. Where is Wolfgang?"
"I don't know."
Will pushed the switchblade harder into her face.
"I don't! They are too careful."
Wolfgang was stirring at the back of her head; he was in terrible pain, Kala tried not to betray that in her body language.
"Ever heard of Rasal Pharmaceuticals?"
"No."
"Liar," Wolfgang was suddenly in her place, covered in sweat and dried blood, but with a glorious snarl on his face. Lila noticed the difference immediately.
"Oh hello," a catty smile was tugging at her lips, "Impeccable taste as always, Wolfie," She gestured at Kala's body, "it's a pity, we could have shared."
"No thanks, " snapped Kala.
"This was a reckless idea," whispered Wolfgang in her ear, and Kala couldn't help closing her eyes at the feeling of his arms wrapping around her middle.
"You would know," she whispered back, and she could feel him smile involuntarily into her hair.
"You need to get out of here before Fuchs or BPO –"
"I have it covered." Kala replied sternly, turning her attention away from Lila, to face him.
"Am I interrupting something?" cut in Lila lazily. Her chest was beginning to rise and fall rapidly.
Wolfgang executed a complicated looking knife flip and then pressed the blade into Lila's jugular.
"Rasal Pharmacuticals. And don't think that I won't bleed you like pig, because I will and I will enjoy it."
Lila rolled her eyes, sweat was starting to trickle from her forehead, mixing with the water, but answered anyways, "They supply the blockers to BPO, I have a friend there that sets a few aside."
"No," Kala was pacing up and down Felix's tiny washroom, while Wolfgang kept the knife pointed at Lila. "That's a lie, I approve all of our supply and R&D manifestos. I think I would have noticed if we were making blockers."
Lila's chest continued to rise and fall rapidly, Kala noticed her pupils suddenly begin to dilate, "What did you give me?"
Kala raised an eyebrow, "I don't know what you are talking about."
"You gave me some kind of drug, I don't feel right."
Kala waved a dismissive hand, "Wolfgang?" she indicated that he should continue the interrogation.
He pressed the knife back against her throat, and Lila screamed as if he had actually cut her. "They do it off the book! Ok? The new CEO has been cracking down on the production, so we have been having a harder time getting the drugs, but they package it as diabetes medication for BPO – please I don't know anymore, please stop hurting me!"
Wolfgang's eyebrows creased in confusion, because he was very clearly not hurting her. But luckily, he didn't comment.
Kala nodded to herself. She did remember seeing expense reports for shipments of diabetes medication sent to Europe. Not large amounts, BPO wouldn't need that much, but enough... And of course it had been almost too easy to construct her own blockers using the supplies in the R&D labs.
Absentmindedly she picked up a hand towel.
"To use as a gag," she explained to an increasingly bemused Wolfgang, "I have everything I need."
In the end, she needed to take off the sling to tie it on, but when she was finished Will and Wolfgang were standing over her, with a mixture awe and concern on their faces. Lila had stopped talking and was simply letting out a series of muffled shrieks.
"Don't worry," Kala shrugged, "It isn't permanent, I just gave her something to loosen her tongue along with the blockers."
Will looked even more concerned, but Wolfgang was giving her a look that could only be described as glowing.
"You need to get moving," he told her and the warmth in his eyes started to leech away as the gravity of the situation returned, "You have to leave here and hide," He turned to Will, "You promised you would keep them safe, nothing about this is safe."
"I can handle myself Wolfgang, " Kala picked herself up from the bathtub, and wincing slipped her arm back into the sling. A slight wave of vertigo hit her.
He opened his mouth as if to argue, but then stopped dead. A flash of dread crossed his face, and his eyes fixated on a point behind her. Kala turned to look, but he was rushing her towards the bathroom door.
"They are coming again, go, run please,"
"No," Kala was trying to push back, "No I am coming for you, Wolfgang –"
"I love you," he whispered. There was an awful finality in his voice. Then he was gone.
Kala blinked back tears, and fumbled around in the bag of toiletries she kept by the sink, locating another bottle of blockers. Will stood tensely beside her, holding his own blocker.
In the bathtub Lila moaned incoherently.
She and Will exchanged a silent nod as they each swallowed the black capsules.
"I will tell Nomi," Will promised, while they waited for the pill to take effect.
Distantly there was the sound of rolling equipment, paddles charging. Fear sickening and metallic growing in their mouth.
"Good." Kala squeezed his hand. "How many hours?"
"23 and counting." Will offered her a weak smile.
"Well then," Kala tried to inject some bravery into her voice, "I will see you on the other side."
Felix was leaning against the arm of his couch when she exited. The apartment was deadly silent except for Lila's muffled screams.
"Should I have invested in a body-bag?" he asked, eyebrows raised.
Kala handed him back the clean switchblade, "No need, I didn't actually hurt her, only made her think I had."
Felix's eyebrows raised even higher.
"There were hallucinogens in that shot as well as a few other things, all I had to do was raise her adrenaline and she began to lose it."
Felix let out a low whistle through his teeth, "I take it back about the drug trip. Jesus woman you don't look it but you are scary."
Kala gave him a humorless smile.
"You should sleep," he said indicating the couch, which he had piled with blankets to cover the blood from her shoulder wound.
Kala nodded. "What about you?"
Felix shrugged, " I am going to get some food. I heard the info as well as you the way she was shouting, we make our move tomorrow, now it's just the waiting game."
Kala nodded again and let Felix settle a blanket over her shoulders when she couldn't do it one armed. She was dead asleep within minutes.
Hours later, when Felix returned to his apartment it was empty.
The door was locked as he had left it .Not a thing out of place inside. Nothing except the sawed off ends of rope in the bathtub, the discarded razorblade on the floor.
Both women were gone.
Without a second glance Felix walked out of his apartment and shut the door.
Uh oh... Sorry about the delay everyone - I was on holiday with no wifi. Hope you like this, next chapter should be up be the end of the week!