Chapter 45…

"Here?"

A rough hand pressed into the back of Ashley's left shoulder. The touch was gentle - dry fingers probing carefully; but the light touch sent a wave of sharp pain through Ashley's side.

The dark haired woman grit her teeth in response to the pain. Ashley pursed her lips and let out a slow breath of air - releasing the urge to scream in a softer more-controlled way.

"A little higher…" Ashley hissed in discomfort.

The fingers belonging to the rough hand moved an inch higher from where they had once been. Another fresh wave of pain shot through Ashley's side as the fingers softly dug into her flesh.

"Closer?"

"That's the spot…" Ashley slowly inhaled and exhaled - fighting through the pain.

'Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…'

"Yes I see…" The fingers dug deeper into the throbbing flesh of Ashley's shoulder. They stopped and pinched against a particularly sensitive spot; the movement elicited a gasp from Ashley.

"Right there…" Ashley seethed, her fingers curling up to form fists.

"Yes… right here indeed," Doctor Fedorov mumbled as he felt the area. "Definitely a pulled muscle… but most certainly not a torn one. That is good."

"Yeah, I figured as much…" Ashley squeezed her eyes shut. She continued to breathe in and out - although at this point it was more because she just needed a distraction.

'Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…'

Ashley curled her hands against the cool metal of the examination table she was seated upon. If she was squeezing any harder she might have dented the metal.

"There is a lot of discoloration…" Fedorov removed his fingers - finally giving Ashley some relief. "And I can imagine it is very painful…"

"What gave it away?"

"The spitting, seething, and swearing under your breath."

Ashley chuckled, feeling the pulled muscle in her back shudder painfully. "It really fucking hurts, doctor."

"On a scale from one to ten-"

"One."

"So… it does not hurt at all?"

Ashley huffed and rolled her eyes. "Ten…"

"That's what I thought," Fedorov chuckled. The doctor reached out towards the examination rooms provided desk - snatching a clipboard and pen off of it's surface. "Perhaps you should wait until I fully explain myself, yes?"

"Noted."

"Hmmph," Fedorov scribbled something down on his clipboard. "As your physician, I would recommend that you take the next few days off. You will need to rest those muscles for a while. Would you like some medication for the pain?"

"God yes…" Ashley sighed. "I can't sleep on my back because of the welt…"

"Very well…"

With a sharp ripping noise, Fedorov tore a slip of paper off the bottom of the clipboard. He presented the scrap to Ashley, who accepted it with her free hand. Turning the scrap paper over in her fingers Ashley realized that she was staring at a doctor's note.

"Would recommend a temporary sick leave of seven days…" Ashley read the words off of the paper. "Signed Doctor Aleksandr Fedorov…"

"Give it to your boss," Fedorov shrugged. "So they don't think that you're faking it."

"What if I just showed them the massive blotch on my shoulder?"

"I assure you, it wouldn't work as well as the doctor's note."

"Fine…" Ashley grumbled. She slipped the doctor's note into her pocket before turning her attention to her jumpsuit; Ashley grasped the zipper and zipped it up to her neck - concealing her chest.

"I…" Ashley trailed off for a moment. "Don't suppose that I could get paid sick leave?"

Fedorov chuckled. "That would be a question for your boss."

"What do you think my chances are?"

"Does a farmer who takes a day off act surprised when he has no food for the winter?"

"Spare me the old sayings…" Ashley held up her hand and winced. "I'll head over to the mill and give them the news."

Ashley gently brushed past the doctor and headed towards the door of the examination room.

"Don't worry about losing out on some wages…" Fedorov chuckled from behind Ashley. Judging from the sound of footsteps the man was following behind her. "Aren't you a very wealthy woman now?"

"Please…" Ashley rolled her eyes as she walked down the hallway. "I have more than I used to… but I'm nowhere near rich. Besides, most of it has gone towards the debt…"

"Which I thank you for," Fedorov added. "You have made quite a lot of progress on paying your bill."

Ashley walked past the main desk and turned around so that she was leaning over the counter. Fedorov stopped behind the main desk - taking a moment to remove the remaining paper from his clipboard and slip it into a paper drawer.

Fedorov shut the paper drawer with a dull thudding noise. "Be right back…"

The older man turned around and walked down the length of the hallway behind the desk; his white doctor's coat fluttered behind him as he moved out of sight.

Fedorov would return a few moments later, a small white pill bottle clenched in his right hand. The man set the bottle down on the countertop and used the tip of his index finger to slide it in Ashley's direction.

"Here you are - something for the pain," Fedorov mumbled. "Remember to read the instructions on the bottle for directions."

"Got it."

"Don't operate any vehicles after you take these," Fedorov warned, wagging his outstretched finger. "And do not take them with alcohol…"

"No machines, doctor," Ashley sighed and accepted the bottle of painkillers. "And don't worry… I'm still cutting back on that stuff; alcohol, that is..."

"Your presence at Dema's bar last week makes me doubt that."

Ashley quirked an eyebrow up. "Celebratory drinks, doctor."

"Yes… a celebration for the damned machine that gave you that pulled muscle," Fedorov quirked his own eyebrow up. The man gently tapped the tip of his pointer finger against the countertop.

Ashley had to resist the urge to throw her head back and sigh. "This again?"

"Just… be careful around that old titan…" Fedorov warned. "It's dangerous…"

"That 'old titan' is what's letting me pay off my debt so quickly," Ashley huffed. "It's also good for the town. How many pulled muscles were you treating before this? With the titan hauling trees - there are going to be a lot less injuries around here..."

Fedorov's lips crawled upwards into a tiny grin. "True, but operating that titan has left you looking like you just came from a drunken brawl. You are paying your debt off quicker now, yes. But I would rather not see you destroy your body to do so-"

"I can handle a few aches and pains-"

"You say… while a bottle of painkillers hangs precariously from your pocket…" Fedorov's small grin grew in size.

Ashley sighed and looked at her boots. "Yeah, yeah…"

"Don't destroy yourself to pay off your debt… or to serve the town…" Fedorov warned, his voice becoming stern. "Continue to think this way… and you will destroy yourself. The titan is replaceable, but you are not."

"Sure, are there any other philosophical lessons I should know about?" Ashley deadpanned, her eyes half-lidded. She felt a slight aching in her chest from the doctor's words…

A friend had told her something similar once…

Not wanting her face to give anything away, Ashley quickly banished the thoughts from her mind.

"How about listening to your elders?" Fedorov chuckled.

"You can't say that, you're a biased source."

Fedorov loudly chuckled in response to Ashley's joke.

"Anyways," Ashley rapped her fist on the countertop. "How much do I owe you?"

"Forget it," Fedorov waved his hand.

"Really?" Ashley blinked.

"You're already paying back several thousand credits," Fedorov shrugged. "I can overlook a small pill bottle."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Fedorov made a shooing motion with his hands. "Now, give that note to whoever needs it; then go get some rest... doctor's orders!"

"Seven days?" Anatoly breathed out in a sigh. The man lifted his eyes off of the scrawled paper to peer into Ashley's face. "Must have been a bad pull…"

"I even got pills for it…" Ashley weakley (and carefully) shrugged. "I uh… don't suppose that you could offer paid sick days?"

Anatoly gave Ashley a flat look and the woman sighed.

"That's what I thought…" Ashley mumbled. "But you guys should be ok for the next week anyways, right?"

"There is still plenty of lumber to be cut from the recent haul," Anatoly handed the note back to Ashley. "Perhaps I could put you on light duties? Sweeping or something?"

"Tempting… but I might have to pass," Ashley winced as her shoulder throbbed. "Just standing is painful…"

"That titan really beat you up…"

"Operating it is a pain in the ass…" Ashley grumbled. "And everywhere else too…"

Anatoly chuckled in a low tone and looked down at his boots. A tense blanket of silence fell over the two of them and Ashley could feel a cold sensation on her neck.

"So…" Ashley spoke in a lower tone. "Are we… still good?"

"How so?"

"On the deal, I mean," Ashley turned her head, carefully scrutinizing the man in front of her. "What's the old saying… loose lips sink ships?"

Anatoly frowned and chewed his lower lip.

"We're still good on the deal…" Anatoly frowned. "You operate the titan, I won't tell a soul about… well..."

"Good," Ashley swallowed. "Good…"

"I mean that," Anatoly shifted where he was standing. "This place has been more productive in the past week than it has since Little Ivan died. You are doing a good thing for us…"

"Yeah…"

Silence once again fell over the two of them.

"Is there… anything else?" Anatoly cautiously asked.

"No, no…" Ashley swallowed. "I just-"

The two were interrupted by a dull crashing noise. Alarmed, they both hurried in the direction of the disturbance.

The noise disturbance had come from outside the mill. Squatting in the shade of the mill's main building was Big Ivan. The titan had been moved from the shed on the hill to it's new resting spot by the mill. Until the workers could construct an overhang, Big Ivan was protected from the elements by a bunch of tarps.

But it was not Big Ivan that was causing the commotion. Rather, it was the messy man in alcohol stained clothes - who was kicking the titan and swearing profusely.

"Damn it…" Anatoly's face contorted into a look of frustration. "Gregori!"

Ashley's superior sprang forwards and grabbed the owner of the mill by the back of his shoulders. He dragged Gregori away from Big Ivan's chassis - the drunken man spitting and swearing the entire time.

"Do you need help?" Ashley asked, already extending her hands.

"No… don't hurt your shoulder..." Anatoly struggled out. "He gets like this sometimes. What he needs is a bucket of ice water to the face… but we obviously can't throw him in the river…"

After ten to fifteen minutes of struggling, Gregori began to tire out. The unwashed man went limp in Anatoly's arms; gingerly, Anatoly lowered Gregori to the ground.

"Christ…" Ashley wrinkled her nose. "He's like a child. Is he always drunk?"

The woman carefully made her way around the resting man. Ashley approached a still dormant Big Ivan cautiously - her eyes already scanning the titan's chassis for damage.

"If not drunk then trying to be…" Anatoly loudly panted. The man watched as Ashley inspected the titan for damage; he took a moment to wipe his sweaty forehead.

"What is his problem?" Ashley spared a glance at Gregori. The man was now lying in a fetal position on the ground - his eyes half lidded. "Lack of self control?"

"One of many…" Anatoly brushed off his jumpsuit. "Most of the time we don't even know where he is. The only reason he stays near the mill is because he owns it; but he pisses away all of his money on drinks. That is why all of the guys here look to me for direction. I was the only one to step up and take charge..."

"He didn't seem to like the titan much," Ashley gently traced the scuff marks Gregori's shoes had left on Big Ivan's left leg.

Anatoly's face darkened. "He never has…"

Ashley frowned. "What do you mean?"

Anatoly bit his lower lip and looked around for a moment. "Back during the guerilla wars… a lot of the villages and towns were placed under siege by the IMC - Okraina was no exception. One day, Gregori was off working at the mill… when a stray mortar from an IMC titan landed on his home..."

"Oh…"

"His wife and son…" Anatoly breathed out a sigh and looked to his feet. "Well…"

Ashley silently looked at the man lying on the ground. Gregori had adopted a fetal position - his eyes fully closed, having succumbed to unconsciousness.

"He was always a lush…" Anatoly continued. "But after that day… it only got worse…"

"I pity him…" Ashley frowned. "But it doesn't make me like him better."

"Me neither," Anatoly pinched the bridge of his nose. "He wakes up… is lucid for perhaps a moment… and then drinks to dull away the pain. A terrible, vicious cycle that he has never escaped…"

Ashley felt her hands curl into fists - she abruptly shoved them into her pockets.

"I should go…" Ashley muttered. She spared a glance towards a dormant Big Ivan. "Are you okay here?"

"I'll keep an eye on Gregori…" Anatoly waved Ashley off. "Go rest that shoulder of yours-"

"I have just one thing to take care of…" Ashley spoke as she turned around to face Big Ivan's chassis. "Titan! Activate reboot sequence!"

There was a dull mechanical hum as Big Ivan booted up. His flat black optic began to shine slightly - indicating that the OS was active and present.

"Awaiting input," Big Ivan's male, heavily modulated voice droned.

"Titan, I am ordering you to enter a dormant state," Ashley instructed. "Future activation can only be authorized by your active pilot, Ashley Ishikara."

The speakers on Big Ivan's chassis hummed. "Acknowledged."

"Set activation code to 'Alpha-India-one-nine'."

"Acknowledged," the speakers rumbled. "Orders received, activation code is in effect."

"Good," Ashley nodded. "Titan, shut down."

There was a loud humming sound as Big Ivan complied with Ashley's request. His big black optic stopped shining.

"What was that for?" Anatoly asked, making Ashley jump in surprise. "Why did you make a code?"

"I'll be gone for a week. I don't want anyone fiddling around with the titan - save for maintenance," Ashley explained. "The code just keeps everyone safe."

"It's not exactly secret," Anatoly raised an eyebrow. "You said the code in front of me…"

"Yeah, but you'd have to say it in my voice," Ashley deadpanned. "How's your falsetto?"

"Poor…"

"Good," Ashley waved her hand dismissively. "If you need me, I'll be at my place."

"Goodbye."

As Ashley walked off, the bottle of pills in her pocket audibly jingled.

The trudge back the inn had been long, painful, and uncomfortably hot. Once Ashley was inside her room, she wasted no time taking off her soiled jumpsuit. The dark haired woman slapped the article over her bed's headboard and placed her boots beside the piece of furniture.

One cup of water and two pills later… and Ashley was beginning to feel a little woozy…

Ashley stumbled over to the messy covers of her undone bed. She collapsed on the soft, scratchy sheets and wormed her way underneath the layers of fabric. There were a few moments of twisting as she got settled; but Ashley finally found a comfortable spot on her side.

Ashley would not need to worry about getting bored… the pills made her incredibly drowsy.

The dark haired woman slipped in and out of consciousness. Each time she awoke, Ashley would turn her head to peer out the room's window - trying to get an idea of the time. The sky outside grew darker and darker each time Ashley awoke…

She wasn't sure when the whispering started… but it was dark outside when it did...

The whispers started off as a droning tone in the inner part of her ears. Ashley pulled the blanket over her ears and squeezed - a feeble attempt to drown out the noise.

But the whispering persisted… even if Ashley had no clue what they were saying to her. The dark haired woman writhed around in the bed sheets - trying in vain to find a position that wasn't uncomfortable.

"Be quiet…" Ashley drowsily begged. The woman rolled around in the covers to find a more comfortable spot. "Shut up! I thought you were gone…"

The whispers continued, gnawing on Ashley's mind like a horde of rodents.

"Shut up!" Ashley yelled into the dark, still air. "Be quiet! Can't I get one night of p-"

A sharp sound drowned out the whispers.

The sound was loud - startlingly loud; and Ashley's first reaction was to shoot up into a sitting position. The dark haired woman breathed heavily and swallowed. She felt her fingers curl into the soft fabric of her bedsheets.

She knew what the sound had been… and she didn't need to debate with herself on whether or not what she had just heard was real, or a figment of her imagination

Because she had just heard it again…

It was the staccato drone of automatic gunfire… and it sounded close...