Chapter 16

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Just a moment!" Naomi shouted from inside.

Darjeeling was stood holding a small bouquet of red, white and blue flowers, Kay's favourite colours she thought to herself. next to her Pekoe was quickly scribbling on a get well soon card.

"Psst, how do I look?" Darjeeling whispered to Pekoe, brushing her collar, without looking away from the door.

"Huh? Why does that matter?" Pekoe looked confused at Darjeeling, who went a shade of red.

"Oh uhhh... it doesnt matter" Darjeeling stammered.

*CREAK*

The door slowly opened, as Naomi poked her head around. "Ahhh, Darjeeling, Pekoe, here to see Kay?"

Darjeeling eagerly nodded.

Naomi slowly opened the door and led them into the room, it was a rather large room off the side of a hospital ward, Kay was propped up in a bed in the centre of the room, eagerly scoffing a small burger and chips.

"I'm not sure thats necessarily the best food to be eating in recovery Kay..." Darjeeling chuckled, placing the boquet on a small table.

Kay looked up at Darjeeling mid-bite before looking side to side trying to avoid her gaze.

Arisa came from the corner of the room, inspecting the flowers, she placed a finger to her ear, whispered something and then returned to the corner of the room. she was in a black suit with sunglasses.

"Security in training" Naomi explained.

"Well Kay, I spoke to your doctors, they've ok'd me to take you out" Darjeeling said, pulling up a small chair.

"TAKE YOU OUT!?" Arisa shouted, placing her hand on her holster.

"For a walk?" Darjeeling raised an eyebrow at the eager guard.

"Oh... sorry"

"And where would that be?" Kay cleaned her mouth and placed the plate on the table by the flowers.

"I'm thinking just along the gardens a little, we need to talk"

"Sounds fun!" Kay attempted to stand but fell back onto the bed.

"Remember Kay, after a shot like that, they said its a few weeks before you can walk properly again" Naomi said helping Kay into a wheelchair.

"Shouldn't you get changed Kay?" Pekoe asked quietly, grabbing a blanket from the hospital bed and wrapping it around Kay.

Kay scowled at her, "I thought this hospital gown was rather fetching!" she chuckled, "Anyway, I have nothing to hide from the crown protector!"

"Winston Churchill" Pekoe blurted, to everyones confusion. Realising everyone was looking at her, "Sorry... force of habbit" she continued.

*2 Hours Later*

"Are we gonna talk, or are you gonna keep walking me around in circles?" Kay shivered.

"Oh... sorry, i was just, enjoying your company?" Darjeeling turned around a small corner on the path.

A group of nurses walked past, as one stopped to eat her lunch on a bench nearby.

"So what did you want to ask?" Darjeeling asked, slowly wheeling Kay in front of her.

They were continued along a small winding path on the edge of the hospital grounds.

"Eh?" Kay twisted trying to look at her.

"When you were shot, you said, when this is over, would you like to go ou?"

"OHHH... Uhhhhh, out hunting... for uhhh..." Kay looked around nervously... "the french?"

"That... was... the worst lie I have ever heard" Darjeeling stopped. "Remember, I know when your lying at the best of times, so try again"

"To buy a video game?"

"Swing and a miss"

"Fine... for coffee?"

"There we go, yes I would like that very much" Darjeeling smiled, continuing to walk. Coming to a small bench she sat down, spinning Kay to face her.

A soft breeze cooled them as they sat there, the trees had lost their leaves, yet the grounds were still and calm.

"Why are we fighting Darj?" Kay sighed.

"To protect our people" Darjeeling said, pulling out a small flask, pouring them both a drink.

"But why do we have to?" Kay took a small sip, "BAH..."

Darjeeling looked at her confused. As Kay spat it out.

"ITS TEA!?" Kay frowned, much to Darjeelings amusement.

"Yes. It's Darjeeling, from my private collection. Now drink up" Darjeeling refilled Kays cup. "Now, to answer your question, if we didn't fight, what would happen?"

"We fight to give a better future Kay, you know that..."

Kay nodded slowly.

"Plus, we wouldnt be able to have that coffee otherwise" Darjeeling smiled.

"When this is over..." Kay mulled slowly, "I want to start something, so that it wont happen again" she tapped her head in thought. "A union, or federation"

"So that our nations wont fight?"

"EXACTLY!" Kay cheered, spilling tea on the floor, to Darjeelings quiet anguish. "I reckong we should call it... The Federation of Kay!"

"hmmm... how about the Union of Japan?" Darjeeing countered.

"Yeah... thats good I guess..."

"Oh, I should show you this" Darjeeling pulled out a small tablet computer from a bag on the back of Kays wheelchair. she silently tapped on it, and angled it to Kay.

"Is that... Rosehip!?" Kay went wide eyed at the video feed.

"Yep, shes our spy in Pravda" Darjeeling looked at the feed. She could see Rosehip playing at a small arcade machine, the reflection depicitng Katyusha animatedly sitting on her shoulders.

"I TOLD YOU THE STRAIGHT ONE" Katyusha screached through the tablets speakers.

"I'm sorry!" Rosehip bounced from one foot to the other, tapping away at the controller, Katyusha desperatly clinging to her head. "I've never even heard of Totres"

"It's Pravda's best selling video game!" Katyusha gleemed in the reflection.

Kay chuckled softly, as Darjeeling turned the tablet off. "So she's a Lawyer, Driver, Cook, Researcher and Spy?"

"Yes... truly a jack of all trades, yet sadly a master of none..."

The nurse walked by them into a small building nearby.

"I guess we should get you back inside Kay" Darjeeling stood and began to push Kay back to the hospital.

"Yes... it is a tad nippy out here..."

Inside the small building, the nurse nervously looked over her shoulder, to check if she'd been followed. she pulled out a small phone and quickly dialed.

"Nonna... it's Klara... Rosehip Is A Spy... Deal with her"

"Da"

*CLICK*

Klara closed the phone, before dropping it into a small drain in the corner of the room.

*BANG BANG BANG*

"WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE" Pekoe shouted through the door.

*BANG*

Arisa kicked at the door.

"YOUR NOT GOING TO TAKE ME!" Klara shouted, pulling out a small pistol from her bag.

*BANG*

Arisa kicked the door open as Klara turned to shoot.

Pekoe dove, grabbing Arisa and dropping to the floor, as she fired a single shot at Klara...

Pekoe looked up to see Klara lying still on the floor, her uniform stained red...

"Get a doctor and get Darjeeling... We have a problem" she radioed.