Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"I suppose we may have to comply." He looked me up and down, a mocking smile on his face. He'd known all along. He'd just wanted me to confess of my own accord. The nerve… He continued. "We don't want any trouble, do we gentlemen?" He paced towards Nancy, who was shaking violently. "You," he grabbed her upper arm roughly and threw her across towards the door, "can leave. We have our criminal. Thank you for your co-operation." She stumbled slightly as she bent to pick up her bag.

"Liushu? I can't just…"

"Please? Don't bother."

She looked stunned for a moment, like I'd slapped her. But she bit her lip nervously and nodded. Then she turned and left the room, not looking back. As she obscured the light from the door, a ghastly shadow played over the room. One more friend, no matter how briefly, was gone – again.

"Shoot her, instead."

My eyes widened at the implications. But I swallowed my fear. I'd rather die myself, than deprive Nancy of her own life. My eyelids closed over my eyes slowly, as I mentally prepared myself for what was to follow.

At that point, the door smashed against the wall forcefully, causing my eyes to snap open of their own accord. "Don't you dare!" Bellowed the woman loudly. "You're going to shoot our new source of information?"

The woman's hair was tied tightly in a bun behind her, although you could tell she'd been in a hurry because there were wispy hairs dancing around where her fringe would have been. Huge glasses framed her dark eyes. Her eyebrows are arched in a sign of severe disapproval. "You do nothing with her without direct orders from myself or His Excellency Trieze. Am I understood?"

All three soldiers saluted her smartly, leaving me to look around the room in amazement. Then I recognised her. She was the one who shot at me in New York! Colonel Une! How did she end up here? And why was she saving me from execution? It didn't seem to make any sense to me.

"Ma'am."

Another soldier – was there no end to them – came in, followed by two more. Between them they pulled someone along, although that someone was protesting loudly. My heart dropped like a lump of lead. The braid was the give away…

"He was snooping in the corridor ma'am." The boy fell silent.

Colonel Une smiled at me, then turned to the boy. "I trust you know each other?"

I glared at the top of Duo's bowed head silently. He refused to look at me. Shame maybe, or denying acknowledgement.

Two words passed through my head.

Nice going.