A/N
Well, it's Monday again - sorry for the late uploads. I actually work on Sundays, which makes final proofreading and posting a little bit difficult for me. Thankfully my work schedule is finally beginning to wind down, and I have some more time on my hands.
The next few chapters will be posted as normal - but Tigress may need another short hiatus soon. This is because I actually need to finish mapping out the next arc and eventual ending of this story. I don't like going into things without an organized plan - and I have plenty ideas that I want to toy around with before committing to anything.
Anyways...
Chapter 54…
First, there was the pain…
Constant, unceasing, unrelenting… and a thousand other descriptors that all meant the exact same thing.
Wounds that ached with a lingering pain; muscles which tensed and relaxed without any input or warning; a head that pounded with a steady rhythm…
Yes, the pain was at times indescribable. The drugs and medications did help somewhat - easing the pain and allowing Ashley the occasional good night's rest. But even with the medical intervention… life was hell at the moment…
Then there was the boredom… probably even worse than the pain…
When her bed was straightened out, Ashley had a rather fantastic view of the ceiling. She had long since given up on counting the wooden boards that made up the roof of the building. There were twelve in total that reached across the width of her room; and no matter how many times she counted and re-counted the number would never really change.
Ashley longed… ached for something different to look at. Perhaps a spider's web, which at least could be admired for its intricate construction.
'Fuck the web… even the spider would do…'
On the rare occasions that Ashley's bed was propped back up, she at least had something else to look at. There was nothing necessarily stopping the woman from lifting her head - other than the powerful wave of dizziness that always followed her frequent attempts.
The room around the dark haired woman was filled with many intricate machines. Some of them were hooked up to her arms, others were not. While the steady "beep" of the heart monitor had once been annoying, Ashley had become rather good at tuning out the noise.
Far to her left, an open window… blue skies above...
Freedom that she could not reach…
But worse than the pain, worse than the boredom… worse than the desperate longing to go free… was the powerful sense of deja vu…
Because she had been in this exact same position only a handful of weeks ago…
"How are we doing today?"
Ashley huffed and rolled the back of her head against her stiff pillow. A small spike of pain shot down the base of her neck, courtesy of the "fist-sized" lump on the back of her head - one of the many souvenirs she had brought along from her poorly planned rescue mission.
The dark haired woman did not know if the lump was actually fist-sized… she didn't have access to a mirror.
"I should take your silence as your answer then?"
"I'm fine, doctor…" Ashley grumbled. Her throat suddenly felt a little bit dry, she hadn't noticed until she began talking. "Mostly…"
"Oh… mostly?" The voice of the unseen doctor replied, a quiet mirth hanging off of his tone. "Is there anything I could do?"
"A cup of water, a pair of crutches…" Ashley licked her dry lips. "And a sponge bath…"
The dark haired woman heard a dry chuckle come from her physician.
"How about we start with getting you upright?"
Ashley scanned her side and spotted a figure in a white coat moving past her. There was a loud cranking noise, followed by the nauseating feeling of her body being forced upright. Slowly, more and more of the room came into view… including a familiar face…
"Better? Can you see me?" Doctor Fedorov asked. The man's face had grown even hairier than Ashley remembered - his greying beard becoming scraggly and tangled.
Ashley couldn't see the man perfectly well. The simple movement of her torso had sent black spots dancing across her vision.
"More or less?" Ashley blinked multiple times. She resisted the urge to shake her head, not wanting to make her unceasing headache any worse. Squinting, the woman narrowed in her vision on the face of the doctor; she took note of small cuts that still littered his cheeks and nose. "How's your face?"
"A little better." Fedorov answered, using one hand to gently rub his beard. "Only a few cuts - all shallow…"
"That's good…"
"Yes, indeed," the doctor placed some distance between himself and his patient. "You wanted a cup of water, yes?"
"I'd kill for one…" Ashley mumbled before frowning.
"Bad choice of words…" Fedorov smirked over his shoulder. Wordlessly, the man approached the sink in the room and turned the handle. Filling up a cup, the doctor delivered the liquid into the hand of his patient.
Ashley reached a hand upwards, watching as her scarred fingers curled around the cup. She could feel the cool temperature of the liquid through the glass, intensifying the dry feeling of her mouth.
"How is your grip?"
"No spills this time, it won't be like yesterday…" Ashley chuckled. She raised the cool glass to her lips and took a long sip - dispelling the sandy dryness that clung to her tongue. From the angle her arm was at, Ashley quietly observed the thick wrappings around the limb.
That trend carried onto the rest of her body… Ashley struck the appearance of a-
"Mummy!" Fedorov cried, his face morphing into a look of almost childlike glee.
Startled, Ashley jerked her hand, a splash of water escaping the rim of the cup and staining the hem of her gown.
"What?"
"A mummy! That is what you look like!" Fedorov grinned. "The word has been on the tip of my tongue for the past week! You look like a mummy!"
Ashley couldn't help but think that his accent made the word "mummy" sound strange.
"Mummy…?" Ashley muttered while in thought. "That's an old reference, I think… ancient…"
"Back to the Ancient Egyptians, yes," Fedorov nodded. "Wrapping the body was part of their funeral rites…"
"Is… this supposed to make me feel better?"
Fedorov sniffed in amusement. "Merely a topic of conversation…"
"Well…" Ashley relaxed her arm, allowing her water cup to rest on her leg. "How about we move on to a different topic?"
"Such as?"
"The town," Ashley gently shifted in her covers. "How are things?"
"You asked me that yesterday…"
"I can't stand, doctor…" Ashley gently shrugged her bandaged shoulders. "My worldview is a bit limited at the present moment…"
"True," Fedorov leaned against the bed. "Much of the rubble has been cleared away… although many of the families are still sharing their homes."
"And…?"
"The dead have been buried…" Doctor Fedorov frowned. "Teams are still searching the rubble for more…"
"How many?"
"Are you sure that you want to know?"
"How many?" Ashley pressed further, her dark eyes focusing entirely on the doctor.
Fedorov breathed, sucking in a loud breath through his nostrils.
"As of now… two dozen…"
Ashley felt herself deflate, her fingers slackening against her cup of water. Two dozen people… the current count, at least. She wasn't responsible for their deaths… nor did she properly know any of them… but it still felt like a punch in the gut…
"That many?" Ashley muttered, raising the glass to her lips and taking a sip. "Fuck…"
"There is nothing that could have been done-"
"I know, doctor," Ashley lowered the glass again. "What about the bandits? Their bodies, I mean…"
"We cremated them…" Fedorov frowned. "Nobody felt like digging graves for them - and fire is a better way to prevent disease…"
A tense silence fell over the two individuals. Ashley couldn't help but think that the doctor looked a lot older than she had remembered. Despite their friendship she knew little about the man. Just how long had he been a doctor? How long had he lived in the town?
"How's Anatoly?" Ashley asked, curious about her boss.
"Better, many of his wounds were shallow…" Fedorov shrugged. "The bullet in his shoulder was more complicated…"
"I thought that it went clean through."
"Almost clear through…" Doctor Fedorov shook his head. "It chipped his collarbone - a minor fracture."
"I'm sure that he'll be fine… he's a lot tougher than he looks…" Ashley took another sip of water. "They were torturing him that night. I don't think he said a word to them… or even screamed…"
"A fine mixture of defiance and stubbornness," Fedorov cracked a smile. "Now that I think about it… those words describe you as well…"
"Very funny..." Ashley leaned back into her sheets. "And speaking of... what about me?"
"You?"
"Well?" Ashley gestured to her bandage wrapped body.
"As of now… I am still concerned about infection," Fedorov frowned. "Those antibiotics I am having you take-"
"Make me feel like shit-"
"Yes, an unfortunate side effect," Fedorov cracked a smile. "As for your wounds… a few more days and you should be on your feet. You are very resilient, Ashley… but I worry about the strain your body has been placed under…"
"I'm worrying about the bill waiting for me at the end of this…" Ashley cracked a smile. "I was getting closer to paying the old one off…"
"Oh, I would not worry about that," Fedorov waved his hand dismissively.
"No?"
"The Militia has been kind enough to provide us with drugs…" Fedorov smiled, but the look soon vanished off of his face. "I… have not spoken to them… about-"
"My former allegiances?" Ashley shifted, her mouth morphing into a frown. "Pretty sure the cat's out of the bag on that one…"
"Out of respect, I have stayed silent. I do not know who else might know…"
"Only a few… but loose lips and all that…"
Fedorov pursed his lips. Taking notice of Ashley's now empty cup of water, he gently accepted the container from the woman - cradling the glass in his weathered hands.
"The town is filled with soldiers… it does not make me feel much safer."
"It's the Militia," Ashley shrugged. "If anyone's nervous, it should be me-"
There was a series of knocks on the door. The sharp sounds had very little in the way of rhythm, instead alternating between high and low impacts.
"Speaking of the Militia…" Fedorov sighed and stood up. "A moment, please…"
"Doctor?"
The aged man did not respond, instead lazily waving over his shoulder in gesture. He pressed himself up to the door of the room, wrapping a hand around the handle to pull the panel open.
Ashley could not hear what the doctor was saying to the man behind the door - nor could she read his lips. But whatever the doctor was saying… he was looking more heated by the second…
Finally, the doctor managed to win the unheard argument. He closed the door gently, turning his head over his shoulder to give Ashley a tired look.
"I'm sorry…"
"What for?" Ashley cocked her head. "And what was that about?"
"Nothing of importance…"
"It looked important…"
Fedorov frowned and bit his lower lip. "A man from the Militia has stopped by every day since your rescue… he is quite insistent about speaking to you; and he is growing impatient-"
"Send him in…"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Send him in…" Ashley shrugged.
"Are you sure?" Fedorov looked and sounded incredulous. "But you-"
"Are going to have to deal with it sooner or later…" Ashley frowned. "Besides… I'm bored…"
Fedorov frowned again. "If you are sure-"
"I am."
Wordlessly, the doctor spun back around to face the door. He pulled the panel open to reveal the hallways and stuck his head through the gap - speaking to someone unseen.
"I-" The doctor looked over his shoulder to peer at Ashley, although it was clear that he wasn't speaking to her. "Will wait outside. Ten minutes is all you have, she still needs her rest…"
"And she deserves it, doc!" A new voice called out from the hallway. It was male, boisterous… and sounded instantly unlikeable…
Doctor Fedorov slipped out of the room, his white coat fluttering behind him. Standing in his spot in the doorway, occupying the spot he once had, was a new man that Ashley had never seen before.
At first glance… Ashley would not think that he was a member of the Militia. He wore no uniform, rather a lime green jumpsuit that was scuffed with stains and overuse. The man was tall and broad shouldered, the light dusting of grey in his hair indicating to Ashley that he was probably middle aged.
The unfamiliar man raised a finger and pointed it in Ashley's direction.
Was… he teetering…?
"Titan lady…" The man drawled, his stubble-covered lips parting.
"Uh?" Ashley blinked. "Do I know you?"
"Uh, well… not really…" The man raised his arms in a defeated motion. Turning around, he gently shut the door to Ashley's room. "Technically, this is my first time actually talking with you face-to-face…"
"Oh?"
"I was on the radio...and one of the guys who helped pull you offa' that roof," the man slowly approached Ashley's bed, his black boots gently tapping against the wooden floor. "One helluva display - riding a rocket blast like that…"
Ashley felt her lower jaw clench. There was something that felt off about the man… and she wasn't sure what…
"Thank you, I improvised," Ashley responded. She continued before the man had a chance to speak. "Maybe we could restart this?"
"Huh?"
"How about you tell me your name… because I have no clue who you are…"
The man blinked, his blue eyes rheumy. He was still teetering in place a little bit, and Ashley could smell the faint scent of something alcoholic in the air.
"Oh… the names' Taube - Robert Taube…" The now identified man shot a hand to offer Ashley a shake. Ashley took the offered limb in her bandaged hand, gently squeezing and returning the gesture. "Mostly everyone calls me 'Barker' though…"
"Barker it is…"
"And you?"
"Ashley," the dark haired woman muttered, her own name felt a little strange on her lips. "Ashley Ishikara."
"Ish-e-car-a…" Barker slowly mouthed Ashley's name, splitting it into its phonetic components. "Interesting name…"
"Thanks?"
"Don't tell me, let me guess…" The man gently rubbed his stubble covered chin. "Uhm…"
"What are you talking about?" Ashley narrowed her dark eyes. "I-"
"Raijin Nine!" Barker spat, his eyes widening.
"What? Where?"
"Where you're from…" Barker squinted and shook his head. "Not from Raijin Nine… judging by how you reacted…"
"I didn't even know that there was a planet by that name…"
"Well, it's actually a moon…" Barker began but trailed off. His blue eyes focused on Ashley for a moment, shining with an almost unreadable light. "You don't actually care, do you?"
"Not in the least."
"Alright, moving on then…" Barker waved his hand dismissively. The man reached into the pocket of his jumpsuit and removed a silvery coloured flask. He unscrewed the top of the container and wiggled it in Ashley's direction. "Want some?"
"No… thank you," Ashley frowned. "I'm on a hundred different medications right now… so…"
In truth, Ashley absolutely did want some. But the last thing she needed was a bad reaction… or the good doctor breathing down her neck...
"Another time maybe," Barker took a long sip from the flask before tucking it back into his pocket. "Anyways, I'm here because I wanted to thank you."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah!" Barker's eyebrows lifted. "I mean- Thanks to you me and my guys only had to deal with the clean up. After you took out those launchers the rest of those lowlifes just surrendered…"
"That's good…"
"Uh-huh… thanks to you, me and my Angel City Elites are getting an easy paycheck!"
"That's good for you…" Ashley fought off the scowl forming on her lips. "It's good to know that I was of service…"
Barker cleared his throat, one hand tapping against his thigh.
The feeling of deja vu was beginning to return…
"Speaking of service…" Barker frowned and briefly looked down at his boots. The man leaned on the end of the bed and supported himself with his hands. "Be honest with me… you were a pilot, weren't you?"
Ashley said nothing, biting down gently on the tip of her tongue.
"So that's a yes…" Barker slowly nodded. "I mean, no regular civilian would be able to use a 'kit like that… much less use a gun while doin' so…"
Ashley once again said nothing.
"I doubt that you were Militia…" Barker bit his lower lip as he straightened his back. "Because if you were then you'd be speaking to me right now… which leads me to believe that-"
"I was IMC?" Ashley scoffed. "You're talking bullshit and you know it."
"Not just IMC…" Barker interrupted Ashley, his gaze unreadable. "No, more than that…"
"What do you want from me?" Ashley spat. "The last thing I need right now are some half-assed accusations from a drunk-"
"Y'see, I did some poking around the last few days… I spoke to a few of the townsfolk-" Barker rambled over Ashley's objections. "Well… I didn't speak with them per say, they all speak this garbly soudin' language. I had someone translate-"
"I don't care."
"Right, anyways…" Barker waved his hand before pointing a finger at Ashley. "You're a newcomer to this area…"
Ashley bit his tongue again.
"And maybe you haven't heard… but a few weeks ago there was a big attack on a nearby base," Barker muttered. "It ended in a Militia victory, sorta… but you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?"
"Stop insinuating…" Ashley spat. "If you're going to accuse me of something, then do so."
"I'm not accusing you of anything… it all just seems to fit together," Barker shook his head. "But back to what I was saying… the IMC doesn't train their own pilots, they just use contractors…"
Barker's eyes seemed to glaze over. "And they only contract from a specific group-"
"Stop insinuating," Ashley spat once again. "Make your point."
"I don't think that you're just former IMC…" Barker mumbled. "I think that you were in the Apex predators…"
"Never heard of them…"
"Oh, how convenient," Barker narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Tell me… were you-"
"I-"
"That is it, Mister Taube," Doctor Fedorov spoke loudly as he entered Ashley's room. The aged man tapped an imaginary watch on his wrist. "Ten minutes, that is all."
"Oh come on, doc…" Barker raised his arms. "Five more minutes?"
Fedorov looked past Barker and stared into Ashley's eyes. The dark haired woman gently shook her head…
"I am afraid not… my patient needs her rest…" Fedorov gestured to the room's open door. "I must ask you to please leave at once."
Barker looked like a disappointed child. Before he moved to leave he spared a glance back at Ashley.
"We can continue this another time…"
"Please, let's not."
Chuckling in amusement, the jumpsuit-clad man left the room without another word; he gave Fedorov a rather polite nod as he left. The doctor checked to make sure that Barker was gone before gently shutting the door.
"Is everything alright?" Fedorov asked, his whiskery mouth forming a pronounced frown.
"Maybe…" Ashley's eyes were still locked on the closed door. She gently curled her hands into fists to keep her fingers from tapping against her sheets. "It's a little too soon to tell…"
