Portrait of a Shattered Woman
Chapter 8
Escaping Reality: Part A
"I wasn't aware that you were considered innocent." – Spike Spiegal
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Swiftly.
The world passed by in streaks of colors.
It had to be quick or she'd back out.
The building was large with wooden double doors and brass knockers.
They were easy to pick.
She shuffled inside, feet stumbling over the carpeted foyer.
The air was cold.
It took a moment in the darkness for her to locate the double spiral staircase that was to lead her upstairs.
The heaviness in her legs was only becoming apparent as she neared the final step.
Another set of double doors hovered behind the top step, a sliver of blessed golden light slipped through a crack.
Nearly silent she crept towards them, the air becoming stale and difficult to fill her lungs.
She forced the air through her nose. She forced the air to ease her nerves.
And she pressed her eye to the crack . . .
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Her mind plunged through an array of gold and silver flashes that left her in the Redtail to be thrown about in the ship's violent shudders. The monitors flashed in bright shades of red and orange, while a chorus of alarms blended with the sudden ache in her head and the gritting sound of tearing metal.
Faye's fingers flew across the control panel, running a few systems analyses, each check highlighting a list of damaged systems. Her eyes didn't waver at the results; instead they shifted upward readying for another advance.
The throttle tilting forward to nearly max, she was once again in control of the ship. It surged forward, propelling itself back towards the skirmish. The hum of the engine was soon joined by a clicking sound that was becoming more apparent with each rap.
Slowing, the ship began to rattle. An explosion on the main hull thrust the ship ahead, tail swinging around to its side. Her body strained against the belt as it jolted to a stop.
Another more prominent light joined the chaos of flashing colors around her. Its two yellow words seared through the confusion of blurring colors.
Master Alarm.
In gold letters that matched the alarm, the main screen began to scroll through a list of problems, the words unreadable. The light danced over her cheekbones, set high in her almost tired face, creating hollows of inky shadows beneath the bones.
Faye tapped on the gauges, unsure if the power loss was actually a fuel leak. She switched to auxiliary power, the propulsion system only sputtering in return.
"Of course this would happen." The woman deadpanned while feather light fingers flicked across the panel, rerouting power from minor systems to the thrusters.
"Wha..s...th...ho..d... u....."
Flicking an unreadable look to the transmitter, she pressed one final button. Around her the Redtail roared back to life and shot forward with frightening speed. Faye twisted in the cockpit, eyes glittering cold as ice while searching for the other ships. They quickly locked on to the crafts, barely catching glimpse of the stray missile that passed through her previous position.
Ahead of her, the tattered remains of the silver ship now fanned out amongst space. Surprisingly the unidentifiable materials still managed to retain a ghost of their original shape. A corner of her lip upturned at the grave, pleased that her attacker had already been dealt with, but disappointed it wasn't her who had delivered the punishment.
The Redtail continued forward, approaching the sleeker red vessel that Spike was commanding. A long rod had extended from beneath its nose in preparation to fire the Swordfish's most powerful weapon, the plasma cannon.
"I do get one." Faye spoke flatly into the transmitter as she steered her ship to intercept Spike and take over the chase. Closing in the distance, the screen flashed her weapons ready.
It was her last missile, but it would find its target, even if it wasn't the one who had struck her.
Unexpectedly the fleeing ship changed direction, now barreling towards her, neither her nor it slowing down.
The transmitter emitted static, but this time she didn't try to decipher any words from within its strange code, her attention transfixed on the gray devil that was advancing.
CLICK
Nothing happened.
The devil was still coming, and nothing had happened. The letters, "ERR-MALF" laughed at her from on the control panel.
Malfunction?
Her grip tightened on the control levers. Lady Luck helps her out once then abandons her again. How fickle.
Veering left to keep from colliding with the other ship, Faye caught sight of the Swordfish lowering in beside her, cannon extended. In a brilliant flash of light the plasma cannon fired. With its pieces scattering like its comrade, the other ship exploded in a flurry of orange.
The yellow communication light flashed once again as she allowed herself to slip further into the chair, eyes languidly flipping over it and the laughing voice within. "Al....ys......cau...g.....pr..b..ems...."
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The light was all around her, and she could see nothing.
Slowly there were blurry shapes, and then it softened.
Inside was a study. Desk, sofa and filing cabinet, but none of these were important.
There was a man digging through the cabinet.
She was chained in place, her feet no longer cooperating, but for small faltering steps. Almost to the carpet.
The man turned.
She froze.
Motioning for her to take a seat, he smiled.
She remained in place.
A businessman that worked at home; would killing him be any different than shooting a bounty?
He asked again.
She'd shot several bounties, would this be any different? Would it feel the same?
She forced the air through her nose. She forced the air to fill her lungs. It was cold, and she remained in place.
A hand pressed lightly on her shoulder. When had he approached her?
Involuntarily her lips had moved. He laughed. She drew her gun.
And there was a businessman stumbling backwards, crawling on the ground "negotiating" for his life, but remaining unheard.
She forced the air through her nose. She forced the air to fill her lungs. It was cold.
A bounty, it had to feel the same.
The light was all around her, and she could see only him.
Then suddenly the pistol had burned heavy in her hand. She stared into his pleading eyes, and raised the weight in her hands.
It was cold.
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"Face it Faye, I saved your ass, again." Faye's deep green eyes were as thunderous and stormy as the sky as she stood underneath the arm of the Redtail, listening to her old friend, a cigarette dancing on his thin lips as he spoke. "There's no getting around it."
If he had saved her, then why was her ship in such a mess?
It was sitting in the hanger with a certain smugness that seemed directed at her. Everything about the ship from its broken arm to the shattered metal of its hull appeared to gloat at Faye, teasing her about the hard work she had endured to upgrade it that now rested in near ruin.
"Does it matter?" She asked calmly, eyes glinting with a strange emotion.
Spike leaned stiffly against the side of his ship, cinnamon eyes filled with amusement. "Aren't you the one that's always keeping count?" "Of the times that I did the saving.""Still on one hand, right?"
"You need to work on controlling your pride." Heedless of whatever words were going to follow she had spoke over her shoulder, legs already carrying her towards one of the supply tables. Having little experience in repairing her ship, Faye sifted through the tools her slender fingers tossing aside those that she couldn't remember ever having seen in Jet's hand, dark strands of her hair brushed whispers against her face in the process.
The air warmed with the smell of smoke and liquor, a sign that Spike had followed. The table quivered under his added weight while he leaned from his seat on the edge to watch her, disbelief evident in his eyes.With a thin metal rod with one square end and two protruding claws in hand, she paused and stared out at him through the corner of her eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do?"
"No." He answered, voice lilting in an almost secretive dance.
It took a moment for her to decide if the item in her hand was useful. Assuming it was, she laid it aside and continued to sort through the tools. "I'm going to fix her up.""You mean you're actually going to do the repairs?" Disbelief and surprise from his face mingled with the humor in his voice.
Faye crossed her arms in a haughty appearance. "I see that your getting killed didn't do anything to improve your like of pestering innocent bystanders."
"I wasn't aware that you were considered innocent."
Something in the depths of her stirred, and what almost appeared as a smile, tugged at her lips. "Some days more than others."
Expertly maintaining hold on his cigarette he grinned back. "Too bad the others are outnumbered."
"I've got to find my entertainment somehow." The upward curl in her lip began to spread, and she forced her attention back to the tools, already fighting the infection, but the sudden appearance of a hand brought everything to a halt. Faye stared blankly at the object Spike held to her, eyes flicking to the owner of the hand extended before reluctantly accepting the tool.
"Which is exactly why I don't plan to leave."
Faye lifted her eyes from the tools a strange emotion flickering within their mossy depths. "Because you're innocent?" she asked, one corner of her mouth curling upward in what suspiciously felt like another smile.
Fighting to contain the escaping emotions, she turned away missing the way Spike's eyes practically bugged out of his head at her question. "Entertainment." He corrected from over her shoulder.
"In that case . . ." She stepped around him, the tools and her ship forgotten in a sudden rush of panic. She needed to escape. She needed time to mend the gaps in her crumbling barriers before they could spread into large gaping holes.
Faye stalked to the door leading into the heart of the Bebop. Just as she reached out to open the steel door, it rolled to the side on its own accord. Leaping from within the heart of the ship, two golden eyes accompanied an equally golden girl whose words flew from her mouth in a silvery manner. "Ed carries special message from Jet-person."
She looked Ed over, waiting for the girl to deliver her message, but Spike wasn't as patient and had already arrived beside her. "What have you got Ed?"
The girl waved wildly, her arms flapping like a kite in the wind. "Faye-Faye and Spike-person need to see something! Come here!"
Faye followed the two into the main room of the Bebop, where Jet was lost in the news. He dropped his eyes over to face them only for a moment, and then pointed at the screen. "Its on every channel."
The woman lowered herself to the arm of the sofa while watching the images on the screen. Two I.S.S.P. officers were leading a man across a parking lot, their hands holding his wrists where he was most likely cuffed. The camera shook as the voice over returned. "It is quite a turn of events. The man responsible for the capture stated that he happened to stumble upon a strange man with the security system blueprints to the building behind me."
Slowly, the camera zoomed out, allowing a woman in her mind forties with dark hair peppered with gray onto the corner of the screen. "Locals of the area are shocked that their neighbor would be the man many have searched for. Although the I.S.S.P. have taken over the investigation, the bounty hunter who was responsible for the capture has yet to make a statement. For those of you who are just joining us, moments ago the mercenary known only as 'Raven' was reprimanded in the building behind me."
Beside her Spike drew a quick breath, his eyes never leaving the screen, while Jet cursed under his breath. Faye only stared at the screen, whoever had been captured had now made things simpler for her. She was free to leave the Bebop at anytime, and continue with the life that she had created.
"Wait just a moment!" The reporter clasped her ear, straining to hear the words that were being fed to her. "It seems that the man responsible for Raven's..." The woman's words trailed off as she turned, dashing off screen to the left, the camera a moment later following suit, however, only catching the bottom of her purple skirt and black heels that clicked across the pavement.
"Please sir!" The disfigured man pointed to a young round reporter with a deep voice that overshadowed those around him. "Can you tell us what exactly brought you to the conclusion that Yuri Flac was the mercenary known as Raven?"
The man shifted uneasily then lifted his chin proudly. "I first became suspicious of the time's that I ever saw him, but it wasn't until this evening when I found him outside the Carroll Complex with the security blue prints that I realized who he really was."
All of the reporters broke into a frenzy reaching and flashing pictures, as they all fought to be the next to ask a question. This time the man pointed to the pepper haired woman in purple, who quickly brushed passed the others so as to have a better view. "Other than your own suspicions has there been any confirmation that Mr. Flac is indeed the Raven?"
The men and women around her silenced to hear the man's response. "I've followed all reports on your show to know just how many murders have been labeled his as well as how many has been suspected but unproven, without those alone he has killed over fifty people."
Something so familiar.
"I found this man with the blueprints to a building as well as later finding papers linking him to the most recent homicides." Straitening himself to add to his height, the man's voice dropped, full of frost and thunder that commanded all to obey.
This familiar man had saved her from so much, but condemned another man for her crimes.
"Ma'am this man admitted to the murder of over fifty people, and yet you ask me if he is really the Raven? I hope he burns in hell for all the pain he's caused." Ashen eyes glared down at the woman who visibly shrunk into the crowd. "No more questions." He stalked away the other reporters chasing after him despite his declaration, while the woman struggled to regain her composure.
In a place with less light, more smoke, and gambling he would have resembled . . .
"It seems that we cannot disagree with this." Her face rosed and her fingers wound themselves in her hair. "Harris Resident Yuri Flac has been confirmed as the mercenary killer 'Raven' by the deeds of one man known as Achilles Wenglow."
Achilles. She had worried about Spike finding a trail to her and asked around for information on herself. She had asked Achilles, did that mean that Yuri Flac was...
"Damn!" Spike groaned from the wall behind her. "There goes our hefty bounty and actual food."
From her right Jet shrugged, his feet finding their way beneath him and lifting him from the couch. "You don't like the food, then don't eat. It's one less mouth to feed."
Faye stretched her lips, the forced smile feeling more like a grimace as she continued the tease. "It was so much easier after you left."She listened for an answer, but felt the air move and the warmth of his breath against her ear as he spoke in a whisper. "You know I think they got it wrong." He laughed low in his throat, nodding towards the news that was no longer warranting attention. "The Raven's right here next to me, and I'm sure you killed those men with your 'sparkling' personality."
For a moment she sat there, listening to his breathing as he waited for her to snap at him with a short thought out claim, then some part of Faye that still remained broke into laughter. On the last pieces of herself and sanity, she laughed at the accusation, knowing all to well how near to the truth it was. Moments later, Spike laughed too and together they sat sharing in the hilarity of the accusation.The woman silenced her jade eyes returning to the screen that was replaying footage of the prisoner being removed from the complex. The weeks ahead were going to be interesting. Someone was going to be executed. Someone. Anyone to satisfy the people's hunger for a happy ending, but in real life there were no happy endings.
At least the bounty on her head would disappear.
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Author's Note: I do hope that it wasn't too much of a disappoint after the delay and I hope to have the second half of this chapter out soon being that I skipped ahead and wrote most since I was having severe issues with a part in here. I don't mean for this to be so dark, it just is how it's writing itself. As always critical feedback and comments are welcome. As everyone knows, I'm delighted at any feedback.