Zelgadis found himself focusing on the little BMW the Shelby was chasing, mostly to avoid thinking about the rainstorm that had rolled in while they had been doing their concert. Valgarv and Martina were not getting away with this.
"Fucking bastards," Lina screamed, "I'll teach you to mess with me!" She punched the Shelby's gas and sped up. The BMW was fast, but on the straightaway it wouldn't outpace her beautiful Cobra.
"Shit, they're gaining on us!" Valgarv spat.
"I thought you told me this was going to work," Martina whined. Her father was going to kill her after he found out she was implicated with drugs, "Waht are we going to do?"
"Shut up Martina," Valgarv shot, "I am trying to think!"
"Last time you thought, we got laughed at by all those people in Explosion Array. I don't like your ideas!"
"Martina, shut up before I..."
"You shut up! My reputation has been ruined because of you."
"Only because of how much of a bitch you are."
"What was that?"
"They have to be careful," Zelgadis said, "Slow down a little Lina."
"Why, we've almost caught..."
"Lina."
Lina felt her blood run cold; Zelgadis was dead-serious. She slowed herself, taking a deep breath and watching quietly as she drove after them.
"We're crossing Dynast Brass Bridge Lina, watch yourself."
"As if you were much better, what with your gloomy attitude and constant whining!"
"Shut up, Martina!"
"And you're not exactly well equipped either."
"Martina, I'm warning you."
"Oh, you're going to do something? I'd like to see..."
"Fuck!"
Zelgadis' breathing stopped as he watched the BMW hydroplane, sliding sideways and rotating until it hit the railing, which caused it to flip and land half-on, half-off the bridge. The flash of memory came to him, and he could smell the cold concrete, feel the blood cooling around his face. Everything hurt, and yet everything was numb.
"Shit!" Lina cursed as she skidded to avoid the BMW, stopping only feet from it's rear end. She turned and looked, "Zel, are you," saw his eyes glazed over, and smacked him, "Zel!"
The slap brought him to, "What?"
"The BMW flipped. As much as I hate to say it, we've got to help them."
Zelgadis paused for only a moment, the smell of rainwater and blood fresh in his mind, "Alright."
The two of them got out of the car, and a metal squeak came from the bridge as more concrete gave way underneath the BMW, causing it to tip.
"Fuck, it's going over!" Lina cried as she leapt forward, stopped by Zelgadis, "Zel, what do we do."
Zelgadis watched, startled as the car fell off the bridge into the river, "Lina, use the cell phone to call the police," He ran to the driver's side of the Shelby and opened the trunk, the rain starting to pour in sheets. He raced to the back, lifted the hatch, and snatched Lina's tire iron. He kicked off his shoes and yanked off his socks.
"Zelgadis, you're not..."
"If I don't, they won't make it," Zelgadis started, then kissed her on the forehead, "Call the police, and tell them to bring an ambulance." He dashed to the edge, the BMW already sunk to the rear window. Cursing to himself, he leapt in, clutching the tire iron to his chest.
The water froze his blood; the Dion River lived up to its cold, powerful, and unforgiving nature, and Zelgadis was forced to exhale as he finished entering the water. He looked about and located the car, swimming toward it. It was too dark to see in, but since he couldn't see either of them against the windows, he guessed they were unconscious.
He followed the car down for a few seconds, then swung the tire iron against the passenger side window. It cracked, but didn't burst, and Zelgadis swung again, the window giving way. The rush of water into the car pulled him toward the car, and he shot an arm inside to undo the door lock. Groping, he found it and pulled hard to release it, his lungs beginning to protest at the held breathing they were being forced to endure.
He next found the door handle and opened it, water rushing to fill the opened cabin and equalize the pressure. He forced himself into the vehicle settling on top of Martina. Moving quickly, he found the seatbelt buckle and released it, then floated over to Valgarv and did the same.
His lungs burned; he should have gone up sooner! He yanked on Valgarv, who refused to move, one of his arms caught in the seatbelt. Zelgadis focused and yanked harder, a firm pop sounded from Valgarv's shoulder. He looked to Martina, and was surprised to see Lina rising with Martina in her arms.
His vision getting darker, Zelgadis swam hard out of the car and pushed to the surface. Once his head broke through, he coughed and tasted blood. His vision returned, and he spotted Lina pulling Martina toward one of the concrete supports underneath the bridge. He followed, though somewhat more sluggish than before, and dragged Valgarv onto it.
"Lina, do you know CPR?" Zelgadis asked. When Lina nodded, Zelgadis gave her an exhausted thumbs up and passed out, his body finally quitting on him.
Zelgadis could feel air being pushed into his mouth and nose, and someone was shouting some kind of medical term. His eyes drifted open, and he could see Valgarv across from himself, still unconscious. Darkness fell, and he could still smell the rainstorm outside, the cooling blood, and Lina's hair.
"Lina..."
Zelgadis' eyes opened, an unfamiliar hospital ceiling staring back.
"Zel?" he heard Lina's voice, and turned to it. Lina threw her arms around him, hugging hard, "Thank the gods you're alright!"
"How long have I...?"
"About three hours, you big idiot," Lina smiled.
"How long was I underwater?"
"I waited three minutes after I talked to the cops to dive in after you, so that would make about five minutes. Doctors say they're amazed you held together so well, what with your previous injuries."
"I told you Lina, Zel is bionic, a true cyborg," Xellos said as he came alongside them, "Pity though."
"How's that?" Zelgadis asked.
"I was hoping you'd die and I'd be free to chase Lina for myself."
"Xellos," Miwan piped up from out of sight. Zelgadis sat up, and he saw everyone there; Miwan in the back, Rezo at the door, Zangulus and Vrumugun seated on his right, Jiras munching on a donut that looked stale.
"Hungry Jiras?" Zelgadis poked.
"I found them in the nurses' lounge. I'm sure they won't miss them."
Rezo came up, "Zelgadis, I have one thing to say to you; good job. Though it was a little more rash than I'd have been, you did something that takes a tremendous courage to accomplish. I'm proud of you."
"Don't get mushy on me," Zelgadis laughed, "Besides, I don't think what I did was anything special."
"You should have heard Valgarv, cursing from the moment they pulled him out of the ambulance."
"That's because my left arm was out of place," Valgarv hissed. The group parted, and Valgarv sat in the doorway, looking tough even in his wheelchair. Valgarv wheeled in and stopped next to Lina, "Lucky for me, it doesn't hurt as much as it did. Greywords, I know we've been enemies for a long time, and I still hate you for a lot of what you've done, but," he paused, looking like he hated to say it, "Given the circumstances, I think I'm willing to try again at peace." He held his hand out, "You saved my life, and Martina as well," Valgarv blushed, "And I think we both owe it to you."
Zelgadis shook his hand, "I understand. Maybe we can even try being friends?"
"Maybe," Valgarv warned, "But don't think this means I'm going soft."
"Going?" Xellos chuckled, "You've been soft since you started dating Martina."
Valgarv blushed, "Shut the hell up Xellos, or else I'm rescinding my offer."
Zelgadis only smiled, "You'd better get used to him; he's worse than Lina is."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Zelgadis laughed, "You know what it means."
Lina pinched his arm, "Yeah...you're an idiot."
