Chapter 17! This takes a break from our dear President's problem, and looks at someone else's...
Raine: You're ruining someone else's life, too?
Nope...Watch!
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"Sybak, eh? Hmm," purred Karla, stroking her cheek with her index finger as she leaned her chin in her hand and elbow on the arm of her seat. "If only he were alone, this would be child's play. But he has six other people with him. Rather worried, wouldn't you say?" She chuckled, straightening.
"Indeed." David leaned against the wall next to her, cleaning a knife. Deryn's knife. Oh, yes, he missed her. He might not be the most...emotionally out-going of the crew, but Deryn really had been much like a sister to him. Between that, the tight friendship with Karla, and the hard feelings toward the Duke and his woman. There were many reasons he now worked with the brunette.
"Suggestions, David?"
"I thought you were in charge here." He cocked an eyebrow at her, looking up from the blade for a moment with a smirk just below the surface.
"I am. And as such, I'm ordering you to use that thick head of yours to help me," said Karla, haughtily. She stood, beginning to pace, and he watched her for a moment. This really did seem to trouble her.
"They can't all be together all of the time," he remarked. "Why don't you just watch him and wait until the--", he paused, spitting on the rag before continuing the compulsive cleaning, "opportune moment?"
When he looked up again in the silence that followed, Karla was grimacing at him. "...What?"
"That was disgusting."
He chuckled. "What would you have me do then, M'Lady?"
"Something...other than that." She shook her head, and he caught her mutter "Men!" under her breath as she did so. Amused, David shook his head and returned to the polishing.
"Come on, David, help me out!" she cried.
"I have. Just wait until he's alone."
"Even if Bryant had wanted to do this alone, his little friends wouldn't have it. They're all part of the Reunification Group. In fact, they are the Reunification Group, just missing the Lady Dukess."
"I didn't say wait for him to convince them to leave, I just said wait until a moment where he's alone and strike then." David cocked an eyebrow, looking over the blade at her.
"But my point is, are they likely to leave him alone? They know we're out here. And if they're smart, they'll figure out how she came down with that disease. They're constantly in the way." She gave a growl, plopping back down in her chair where she'd started.
He lowered both dagger and rag, placed them on a table, and walked toward her. "Just get everything all ready so it only takes a moment to take care of him. That way, you only need that one moment of his being alone, and then your goal is completed. Yes?"
"I suppose. But if they catch me, it's all over."
"They won't catch you." He sat on the arm of her chair. "Deryn was able to elude them for quite a while, even with the alerts out for her. Granted, in the end she was detained...But you have more experience in such matters than she. Am I right?"
"Perhaps." She still didn't look all that convinced, and he let out a sigh.
"Karla," he said, somewhat gruffly.
"What?"
"You've changed. This lack of confidence does not suit you You won't be caught, because I'll be there to assist you. Remember, you're not alone. We all have faith in you."
She turned her blue eyes on him skeptically, though there was a hint of grattitude in them. "You do manage to show your intelligence at times like these. Why don't you do it more often?"
"I was only trying to help." He made to stand, and turned away to get the knife again, when something happened. Something he hadn't really expected at all. He tensed a bit, feeling something press against his back, and wrap around his middle. David looked down at the arms that held him gently in their grasp.
Karla had her eyes closed, her cheek lightly resting against one of his shoulder blades. "You do. Thanks," she murmerred.
He loosened her hold enough to get himself turned around so he could face her. She looked up at him and continued. "I've known you for a long time, David. Even before my parents died. And afterward, you all but took Deryn and me in, even though you were scarcely older than me. Then...when I was called off three years ago, you stayed with Deryn. Why?"
"You've stated the reason already. We have known eachother for most of our lives. I have grown fond of you."
"Fond," she echoed.
He raised an eyebrow, brushing chestnut hair behind her left ear. "Yes. Fond. With Deryn's death, something changed. We were released, but it wasn't the same for me. And when you returned, things seemed a little brighter. I knew that you were safe, at least. Even though Deryn would never come back, I could protect you."
"David..." Karla blinked at him.
"I swore that I would, Karla. And I'll keep that promise to you. Which is why you won't be caught."
She smiled, and he saw the beginnings of tears glisten in the icy colored eyes watching him. "I missed you while I was gone, you know."
A smile didn't really completely surface, but it was almost there. "Flattering." Taking her chin, he lowered himself to kiss her. It was funny...
So many years, and they had just been friends. Teasing, arguing. And now, in the midst of a much bigger problem, they were starting to realize something. Funny, and ironic.
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Raine: You really are obsessed with romance. You've even given the villain a love-interest!
Yep. It makes things interesting, and sets up later stuff.
Raine: "Later"? -Nervous- What comes "later"?
You'll see. -Singsong-
