CHAPTER 3 – SIDEWAYS
"How you doing, sweetheart?" I asked Rachel with a sympathetic smile as I visited her. Dick was still there, providing her some comfort. "Hank is sorry. He can be a real asshole sometimes." I told her as she seemed easing up a bit.
I'm gonna give you two some space. Dick stood up, watching me as I jumped in surprise. His sudden voice in my head startled me. This was the first time that I've heard his thought after four years and it unsettled me.
Yet, I nodded slightly as he left.
"I know, you are scared and confused" I continued with a heavier topic as Rachel hugged her knees tight, feeling uncomfortable. "I was convinced I'm going crazy when I've heard all those voices in my head." I continued remembering as I've earned her undivided attention. "Then eventually I realized that they weren't random voices, they were images from the people around. With two scientist parents you could think it was safe to tell them. That they would help me whatever was going on…" I said, getting lost in my thoughts. It happened a very long time ago, but talking about it was still not easy.
I felt Rachel's soft hand on my shoulder for a moment.
"But they didn't" She noted horrified, reading me.
"I was fifteen when I managed to run away from them and stop the torturing experiments." I shook my head with a bitter smile. "I lived in the streets, hiding for three years. Basically doing mind tricks for some money, but soon I had to accept that people, especially men are more interested in something else." I summed up quickly. "No, I wasn't a whore" I stated it, reading Rachel as she sent me an apologetic look. "With this ability I could get away before anything serious happened, but still get the things I needed for survival" Most of the times, I added in myself as a shiver ran down on my spine in the terror of the haunting memories of one night.
"Then you met the others?" She asked curiously.
"Yeah. Hank took me in providing the home and safety I never really had." I sent her an encouraging smile. "I know it is hard, losing your parent, losing the ground under your feet, losing everything. It feels overwhelming and sometimes… almost all the time, you're sure you won't be able to get up again, but you have to know, you're not alone, Rach." I ensured her. "We are here for you. You can count on us" I squeezed her hand as she considered what I've said.
"Thank you, Firecracker" She then sent me a playful half-smirk, deciding to believe me. "You have to tell me how you got your name, by the way" She asked me enthusiastically as I chuckled. She must've heard Hank call me that.
"And I will, I promise, but not now. Dawn, Hank and I have something to take care of."
The last mission was due. Soon we had to take off.
"Ror, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dick opened the door slightly. My heartbeat quickened at the thought of being alone with him, but I showed nothing of it.
"I'll be right there. Take care of him, okay?" I asked Rachel as Dick left. "He needs all the help he can get." I explained standing up while taking a deep breath.
"You still love him" She said looking at me understandingly. I stopped, frozen.
"I don't know what you're talking about" I straightened my shoulders restlessly.
"I saw your memories too, remember?" She asked as I sighed.
"It's an ancient story"
"Not to him" Rach argued as I felt a flush of embarrassment creeping over my cheeks.
"I'm with Hank now. I love him" I said it a bit colder than I intended, but she hasn't seemed offended.
"I haven't said you don't" She noted, smiling calmly as I scoffed at her wit.
"Try to rest a bit" I avoided her further comments, leaving to find Dick.
He was waiting for me in the kitchen and he seemed pretty worked up.
"Rory, I really think you should reconsider." He started almost gabbling as I frowned.
"What exactly?" I get defensive instinctively.
"This mission." He added quickly. "I've checked the location, there are way too many guards. It feels off, okay?" He questioned, trying to convince me desperately. "We both know it's too dangerous."
I knew that he's just worried, but we had to do it. For one last time.
"You win some, you lose some." I noted shrugging my shoulders, wanting to pass him.
Please, Ror. He pleaded, softly grabbing my arm to keep me there. His touch sent the old, familiar shiver coursing through me.
Sorry, Dick. I disengaged myself. "But feel free to join us." I added heading to Hank, but then it hit me. "By the way, what did you mean you're not taking Rachel in?" I turned back abruptly as he ran his fingers through his hair. My eyes followed his movement as my mind brought me back the times I used to do that too. Stupid memories!
"Look, I know things are tight around here." He started hesitantly. "So I thought Alfred could give me some money, maybe help out a bit, help out Rachel at the same time. Two birds with one stone. Well, three, I guess." He told me his plan leaving me agape.
"Wait, you want to leave her here?"
"Just for a while, just until..." He murmured as I got impatient.
"Until when?"
"You don't understand, Rory. I'm no good at family. I can't..." He struggled as I scoffed.
"Save it, Dick, I understand perfectly. Always a way out…" I cut him off bitterly. "Just please, be frank with her. Because when the only person you trust the most abandon you abruptly, it really does fuck everything up." I enlightened him with tears choking up in the back of my throat. "Don't do that to Rach, she's just a kid and already been through enough hell." I added asking him genuinely as he pressed his lips together in frustration, but in the end he just nodded.
"Are you ready?" Hank asked me as we met in the living room. "What's wrong, Rory?" He walked up to me, stroking my shoulders lovingly.
"Nothing" I forced a smile not wanting to worry him. "It's just that you were right. People really don't change" I mumbled, burying my face in the crook of his neck.
"That's okay, babe. Soon we will be done and leave everything behind. This whole mess will be only a bad dream." He hugged me as I nuzzled his neck playfully.
"Happily ever after?"
"Whatever you just wish, my little Firecracker" He ensured me making me smile this time more honestly.
I stood on my tiptoe to press a small kiss on his lips then we were good to go.
I stayed behind a little to check the perimeters just to be cautious. I could say a lot about Dick, but he was always right about these things. Something was really off. I could sense at least fifteen different vibes.
I stealth closer to check them. It was quite a gathering. Heavy armored guards. It couldn't be a simple delivery. But then what?
"Nice dress" Someone told me pressing his palm on my mouth to prevent me from shouting. He was strong, almost inhumanly strong. "Do they call you Kitty?" He whispered into my ear implying my all-black tight outfit as I struggled hard to breathe again.
"Not twice" I finally managed to break free, biting his finger.
"Uh, Kitty has claws, I like it. It almost a shame that we have to kill you." He mocked me as five other men appeared behind him.
Shit! I cursed under my breath. I was good at fighting even in outnumbered situations, but this was a bit too much for me too.
I looked around analyzing the situation as they circled around me like hungry sharks around a bleeding prey. One of them started to charge me as I prepared for the attack, but he fell down like a sack of potato. He got a hit in his head with a throwing star which formed… an R!
Dick! He came!
I took advantage of the mess as I kicked another man in the throat. I didn't have to wait too long until Dick joined me, taking out one more guy.
I glanced at him, smirking as he returned the gesture. We fought side by side again, just like in the old days. Together we disarmed all of the thugs quite easily.
"Thank you" I told him genuinely after we finished.
"You're welcome" He beckoned me. "Now let's find the others" He suggested as I accepted it, heading deeper in.
Hank and Dawn was surrendered already with at least ten men around them and I noticed that crazy torturer too who was getting close to Hank with a hedge shear again. Seriously, this guy! What's wrong with him? At least some inferiority complex mixing with a small penis…
Dick hasn't waited for me. When I glimpsed around he was already busy. He approached the psycho man quickly and quietly then he stabbed the shear right into his pelvis. I would say it was rather stylish…
Dick moved around efficiently, killing every gun trader. His movements mesmerized me just as much as it shocked me. He was a cold-blooded machine which's only task was to eliminate the threats.
By the time I got myself together, he was done. With all of them.
"Holy shit!" Hank cursed looking at the mass destruction.
I walked to them bewildered as I bent down to grab one of Dick's throwing stars.
I gave it back to him not really knowing what to say, although I saw a hint of fear glimmering in his eyes. Was he afraid of what we might think now?
"Let's go" Dawn urged us as I hurried to Hank, breaking the eye-contact with Dick.
"Are you injured?" I asked him, trying to support him walking.
"Just a scratch, don't worry" He ensured me only leaning on me as much as he had to, as he glanced at Dick. Men and their pride…
"Rach, honey, where are you?" I asked looking around as she was nowhere to be found when we reached our flat.
"Where is she?" Dick questioned worriedly. "She hasn't ran away, has she?"
I closed my eyes concentrating. I was able to find people by their vibes of mind if I've met them before and knew what to search for.
"Rooftop" I told him after a second. It was easy to locate her. Her thoughts were roaring…
Dick was already moving to the stairs as I decided to follow him. This could get ugly.
"You were gonna leave me here." She started. "You said you weren't but you lied. You must lie a lot. You're good at it." She noted bitterly as my heart twitched. I knew exactly what she's been going through.
"What's she talking about?" Hank appeared behind me. Rachel turned to him with tears in her eyes as she handed him a letter.
Oh, fuck!
"Seriously, Dick, a letter?" I murmured under my breath as Hank looked at me suspiciously.
"Hank, don't read that. I..." Dick wanted to stop him, but it was futile.
"It's got my name on it." He said opening the envelope. I shook my head also fighting with the tears. I knew what's in that. "What the fuck? You were gonna leave her here?" Hank frowned getting angrier. "You were gonna pay us?"
"It's not that simple."
"I know you guys can watch out for her. Seems pretty simple to me." He quoted taking a threatening step towards Dick. "You were gonna buy us?"
"Hank, slow down." I intervened before anything could happen. "Maybe it's for the better." I suggested. I knew that Rachel wanted to stay with Dick at the first place, but he obviously wasn't ready for getting attached to someone. Maybe he never will be.
"Wait, did you know about this?" Hank now turned to me. "Are you for real, Rory? You saw what he did." He explained getting more and more pissed off, as I saw Dick approaching Rachel.
Poor girl, that's exactly what I wanted to spare her from.
"Should I clean up all Dick's leftover?" He asked bluntly in a mocking, bitter tone.
I slapped him hard on the face before I could even think about it. Dick's leftover? That's what he was thinking of me?
Yet we couldn't continue the matter since the rooftop's door opened and four people walked in. They seemed like a family. The creepiest kind of family I've ever seen.
"Well, hello there" The mom greeted us.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hank asked aggressively as the father charged him, pushing him so hard on the chest that he fell back a few hundreds of meters.
Shit! Rachel! I turned back to Dick but he already covered her for protection from the kids who now were on us.
I got the boy. He was a good five year younger than me, and I dealt with a lot of people, fighters in my life, but he was nothing like them.
I ducked from one of his punches and I could dodge most of his hits but I was wearing out fast. I had to do something!
Finally I managed to trick him, delivering a kick on his shin. One of my strongest, I even heard a crack as the bone fractured. Yet nothing.
He just smiled at me like an idiot.
"That's the best you can do?"
It was impossible. He should've been rolling on the ground in pain, but at least should've been immobilized.
I wanted to answer him, but then I felt a blunt hit on my nape and everything turned black.