Hello, babes!
Here is the next installment. There is a slight trigger warning for things Addy remembers Kodos telling her while she was his captive on Tarsus, but I don't think it's anything too bad. Still... the warning is there.
Lemme know what you think in a review! It would make my day!
Kisses,
MD
Disclaimer: I do not own Stark Trek or any part of the franchise. I gain nothing from writing this other than creative satisfaction.
"I just don't see why we need to listen to someone like her is all!" Addy leaned against the mouth of the cave, arms crossed over her chest. She wasn't bothering to watch this spectacle inside, she was trying to catch glimpses of sunlight glistening over the lake water through the trees. It was impossible to see the lake unless it was a sunny day, and even then, one could only get a peek if they looked hard enough, the cave was buried behind so many trees. But it was a more interesting sight than what was going on inside. It wasn't even a full day before all the blood and death was behind them, and already the oldest ones were starting trouble.
"I mean, yeah, she saved my life," the boy continued, "but that suddenly makes her the leader?" Addy sighed. Such typical male posturing. Just a scared little boy trying to make himself feel bigger than the situation around him. But if he wanted to die, then fine. She'd already done her part saving him the first time, she didn't have any obligations to him beyond that. The only person Addy really felt responsible for was four years old and sitting next to her on the ground, mute as anything. One less mouth to feed was supposed to worry her? Please.
"Then leave," Addy challenged him, finally turning away from the promise of cool water and finally clean skin (she hadn't had a chance to clean up since yesterday and was still covered in bits of other people), and looked over at her latest problem. He was a few inches taller than her, with golden brown skin tanned after working in the fields for weeks on end. His hair was somewhere between blonde and brown, though Addy suspected it was lighter than normal after all that sunlight, and his eyes were a green to match the dark leaves on the trees around them. He look like he'd never gone through a hard time in his life, and Addy instantly resented him for it.
"What?" he asked dumbly, his rant now suddenly de-railed.
"I said," Addy repeated herself, sounding bored, "leave. I mean, if you don't want to listen to me, no one here will force you. But don't try and convince everyone else here they should die with you just to save your stupid pride. Let them make their own choices." Golden Boy's face flushed in anger, and his jaw dropped. Everyone looked at her in shock, but she kept her posture relaxed. She wasn't going to play games and pretend to be a kind, sweet girl that would roll over and let someone else take over. She'd saved all of these children, and she would keep them alive as best she could, and if that mean knocking anyone off their pedestal to do it, she would. Frank was bigger and strong than her and her legal guardian, so he'd been virtually untouchable, but she'd lived through enough fights in Iowa to learn how to hold her own. If this guy though he'd lay one on her and win superiority and guide them all to starvation, he'd find out just how wrong her was from the flat of his back.
"E-excuse me?" Addy rolled her eyes. Had no one ever been so honest with Golden Boy here?
"Did I stutter?" she snapped. "If you have such a fucking death with, then get out of my cave, but don't think that means I'll let you kill everyone else with you."
"And what makes you the expert on survival? Why should I have to listen to a girlthat's younger than me?" Addy pushed away from the rock behind her and Kevin watched them both warily. She could see tear tracks on his face that hadn't been there yesterday morning, and it was reflected on nearly every other face in here. Even Golden Boy here. She put her hands on her hips.
"You don't have to do anything, I think I've already said that twice now. But if you have even one brain cell that's been spared from your quite alarming level of stupidity, then you'll realize I know my way around the forest, or else I wouldn't have known about this cave and how to keep it safe form other, bigger animals that would eat you for lunch. You think the people that killed your parents will spare your life because you're a child? You think you know how to keep everyone here fed and safe from that fucking tragedy we all saw yesterday? No, you don't, you're just a scared little boy that doesn't want to seem weak when everything else has been taken from you, so you're trying to get the one position of power you think is left. Well let me in on a little secret. Nothing is going to save you from being scared, not even taking charge of this group, but it will get everyone else in this cave killed, so back off. So go ahead and leave if taking orders from me offends your delicate sensibilities, and see how forgiving the people back in town are. Good luck getting back without me, by the way."
Golden Boy stood rooted where he stood for a moment, spluttering, before he let loose a cry of rage and charged. Addy had known what she'd been doing provoking him like that. It wasn't entirely out of sexist thinking that he's stood up and told her she wasn't good enough. She remembered the way she found him, hiding underneath an over-turned cart and the bleeding corpse of his father. Who knows how long he'd laid there, letting the irony substance flow over him in the hopes that he would go unnoticed and survive, and that wasn't something a person could get over in just one night. He was terrified, and was crying out for help, and Addy would give it to him. She would be the men that had massacred the town for him so that when he swung his arm, he wasn't really hitting her, but hitting the people who murdered his family. But she wouldn't let him have these kids. She would give him catharsis, not sheep to slaughter.
She could see the muscles tensing in his right arm and knew he was going to punch her with it, but she also knew that if she jumped with it when it struck her face, it wouldn't leave so much of a mark later. Seems like her time with Frank finally came in handy for something. When his fist made contact with her cheek, she was surprised by how small it was in comparison to her step-father's, and how much it didn't hurt, even without her skirting away from the brunt of the blow. She could see the pain and anger in his eyes and wiped at the sore spot on her jaw and leveled him with a heavy look.
"Feel better?" she asked sardonically. He snarled and swung wildly at her, and she allowed it to hit her in the gut, this one considerably more painful. She stumbled back, coughing as the air left her lungs, and Kevin watched her worriedly. He didn't have much to worry about. This fight would be over soon. A feeling of calm came with that thought, and Addy was able to stand up to her full height. He had lashed out, and she had let him, but now she was done. They were done.
When the punch came for her face, she was ready. Addy dropped low, avoiding the clenched fist, and sprang forward, tackling Golden Boy to the ground with an off. His head cracked against the hard stone loudly, and there were several gasps as his green eyes clouded over, dazed. Addy used the few precious moments of surprise to subdue him. She pressed a knee into the muscle of his thigh, close to his groin so he wouldn't get any funny ideas with his legs, and the other she pressed across his stomach and chest, effectively pinning his right arm and upper body. She grabbed the hand that had taken a swing at her, extending his arm and holding his wrist to her chest, keeping it bent to just the point before breaking. With her left hand, she lashed out and latched on to his throat. She wasn't squeezing so hard that breathing was impossible, but it would be uncomfortable for him.
Addy stayed like that while Golden Boy came around and assessed his situation. He thrashed, testing her strength and conviction, but a press against some very private places and more pressure on his wrist, and he fell against the floor, limp. The fight was over before it had barely started and the group of kids surrounding them murmured in awe and a hint of fear. Addy reveled in the feeling of victory, of being able to stand against someone bigger and stronger than her and win, the feeling of power. It felt heady and intoxicating, and like iron liquid on the tip of her tongue. It felt like shoving a knife clean through his eye socket until his blood and brains covered her hands so deeply that she would never wash away the stain, and he fell to the floor with a loud thump, and he didn't move but she hadn't meant to kill him and why wouldn't he just move –
Addy released her grip on the young man and leapt away from him like she'd been burned, scrambling to her feet as her stomach lurched. Fuck, she was going to be sick, in front of everyone, and she couldn't do that. Not if she was asking them to follow her, she couldn't do that.
Golden Boy breathed heavy as he rubbed the back of his head, watching her movements warily. She squared her shoulders and forced the bile back down her throat, hoping her skin didn't look so sallow and pale as she felt.
"I am sorry for your loss," she muttered to him, making him freeze and send her an icy glare, "but don't think for one second I will let your loss dictate the lives of everyone here. I'm in charge. You don't like it? Leave." And without so much as a backward glance, Addy turned and fled the safety and confinement of the cave. She was able to make it several yards into the trees before leaning against a solid trunk and emptying her stomach. She took the bitter taste in her mouth to strengthen her resolve, and by the end of her stomach's temperamental period, she no longer worried about her nerves wavering. She had killed a man, yes, and probably hadn't dealt with the repercussions as well as she should have, but there were people that needed her to be strong, and for that very reason, she would be. Her relatives on Tarsus were dead, and the only other family she had was on a planet far, far away. A forgotten memory in light of all the bloodshed and murder.
What else was there to live for but this small group of children?
Much to her discomfort (and relief), Adelaide had been unable to gather any information on the Karidian troupe after the last hour, and she hadn't been able to find Bones, either. Thankfully, one of the men Witwer had given her had followed her around, just like she'd asked, and even if she had to ignore him, his presence was still a small comfort. After her little episode on the fringe of the fair, she'd been worried she'd even lost her security detail, or worse, that she hadn't and they saw the whole thing. She had, in fact, lost him, but they'd found each other once again when Addy stopped for something sweet.
At the end of an hour, Addy sighed and pulled out her communicator, sending off a quick message to her two other companions that it was time to regroup where they'd first beamed down and return to the ship. She squeezed the little bag she'd bought for the Midnight plushie tight against her body as her and her security officer silently walked away from the brilliant lights and laughter and out to the black of night. They got to the spot first, and it took a while for Bones and his detail to find them, during which Addy entertained herself by finding pictures in the sky and marveling at how different the constellations were on this planet than back in Iowa. But soon enough, her other two men were back, reporting much the same bleak outcome that Addy herself had. And, much to her dismay and annoyance, Bones was studiously avoiding her gaze. When he spoke, his voice was clipped, and he spoke to the ground.
Feeling the beginning of a migraine, Addy flipped open her communicator.
"Kirk to Enterprise," she said, and she didn't have to wait long for a response from her First Officer.
"Yes, Captain?" Did he sound irritated? Vulcan didn't get irritated the emotion was 'illogical,' but Spock totally sounded irritated. Damn, she was just fucking everything up, wasn't she?
"Four to beam up. Time for us to come home."
"Aye, Captain." Almost before Addy could form the next thought, the familiar push and pull from and to all directions along with the glowing yellow light around her told her she was being beamed back to her ship. And then, suddenly, she was back on her ship. Blinking in surprise, she closed her communicator and stuffed it back in her pocket. Spock was waiting for them by the transporter techs, his hands clasped neatly behind his back, his face empty and indifferent.
"Well, you don't waste any time, do you, Spock?" Addy teased. Spock arched one eyebrow neatly.
"Wasting time is illogical, Captain." Addy nodded, biting back a grin and stepped off the pad, breathing a deep sigh of relief when she was fully on her ship again. She shed the last remnants of panic, desperately wanting to brush the taste of bile out of her mouth and sleep in the comfort of her room. But she knew it was not to be for a long while yet, as she needed to regroup with her away team and first officer and figure out the next plan of attack.
"Agreed. So follow me." Addy brushed past Spock, not needing to look behind her to see if the others were following. She could heart their footsteps, and directed them her ready room. They all settled around the table in silence, but Addy chose to sit on the edge and play with the chair closest to her with her feet, pushing it away, catching it on the arm rests, pulling it back, spinning it and pushing it away again.
"So," she said evenly, feeling four pairs of eyes on her, "what have we learned?"
"Not much," gruffed Bones sullenly. Addy bit her lip, frowning. "S'far as I know, none of us heard much of anything about Kodos while we were down there. Goddamn fair is so large, and we had a three hour go at it." The two other men that had gone planetside made murmurs of agreement. Addy sighed, giving the chair a harsh shove as it crashed into the wall, making three of the five occupants jump. Spock, of course, hadn't flinched. Addy turned around on the table and crossed her legs, picking dirt off her Converse.
"Well, we're going at this all wrong, then. We could spend days searching this fair only to find out Kodos has up and left. We need a better strategy."
"Well what do you suggest?" he retorted. Addy looked up from her black shoes and gave him a warning look before going back to her menial task.
"I don't have any suggestions, genius, which is why I'm asking for your input. If we can't think up something, then I'll regroup with everyone else and see if they can bring something to the table." They lulled into an uneasy silence as they wracked their brains for something to hunt down their criminal target successfully. Addy already had a plan, but it was something everything in her vehemently abhorred, and she didn't think she could propose it without outing her contact to Kodos. But no matter how much she tried to scrub the thought from her mind, the word bait floated across her mind mockingly.
She had always been his favorite.
Addy shuddered and looked up when she realized that someone had spoken.
"What? Sorry, I didn't hear that." Spock pursed his lips minutely, and she deduced that he had been the one to speak and was annoyed she'd missed it. She sent him an apologetic smile, but he repeated himself unfazed.
"I said that I believe it would be best to find more information on our target so as to deem the most successful plan of action. As it stands, we have acquired very little history on Kodos and are at a statistical disadvantage in attempting to capture and imprison him." Oh she had plenty of history for this man. She knew exactly what could draw him out and whet his appetite enough to cloud his judgment. But it made her skin clammy and her stomach drop with something she was too scared to name.
"If you stop fighting it won't hurt as much, pet."
"Was today's punishment too draining for you? I'm so sorry, love, but you know how angry I can get. Now come here, daddy's been waiting all day."
"You know you like it, Adelaide, why are you crying?"
"That's right, you stupid bitch. Take it like the slut you are. Fuck!"
Addy blinked, realizing Spock was still staring at her. His brown eyes were searching her face for something, and she felt her face heat as she broke his gaze and looked back down at her shoes. She was proud that when she spoke her voice was (mostly) steady.
"Right. I'll talk to the higher ups and see what I can gather and get back to you. Computer, what's the time at Starfleet HQ on Earth?" The computer beeped, acknowledging the request and seconds later, a cool female voice responded.
"Terran time, Starfleet headquarters, San Francisco – 0256." Addy bit her lip thoughtfully before spinning around and jumping off the table.
"Well, no use waking them up. I'll call in a couple hours and we can go from there," she suggested, suppressing a yawn. How could she be this tired? She'd slept so long last night, and her shift wasn't even over yet. She still had a couple hours left.
"I'm going to stay in my room and work on the mountain of paperwork I've been avoiding while I wait for a more… appropriate time. You have the comm, Mr. Spock. Call me if you need anything." Addy waited for a nod of confirmation before she left the room, her brow furrowed in thought. Bones had a look on his face that meant he wanted to speak to her, but he lost his nerve before she'd passed through the doors, sighing and turning to the security men next to him instead. Addy clutched the bag with his gift inside tightly, pretending she hadn't noticed. She heard her Vulcan first officer exit the ready room after her, but she kept walking in silence, waiting to see if he had anything to say or if it was just a matter of convenience that he traveled with her.
"Captain," he finally hedged, and yep, she knew he wanted to speak to her about something, "may I make a personal query?" Addy slowed her pace and tensed. This was dangerous water. Spock was giving her the option to say no and leave it at that, and she could guess what he was about to bring up, which wasn't something she wanted to talk about with him for a laundry list of reasons. But on the other hand… it really wasn't fair of her to keep the reins of this mission when she was barely keeping herself from flying in every direction. She would never forgive herself if her incompetence at keeping her wild emotions in check got someone on her ship endangered, but she would hate herself even more if she didn't even try to confront her biggest demon. With some resignation, Addy stopped walking and turned to look up at the tall man next to her.
Black hair, pointed ears, skin with a green tint, deep chocolate eyes, and taller than most human men she'd ever met. Deliciously logical and dangerously intelligent. Perceptive, honest, frustrating, sexier than sin, and the voice of reason to her gut instincts. She trusted him with her life, and more importantly, she trusted him with her ship… but did she trust him with her past?
Upon confirmation of her connections to Kodos, Spock would undoubtedly remove her from command and take this whole thing away from her. Addy didn't see what she could say to him to convince him otherwise. She passed her eyes over his patient and blank face once more before continuing on toward her room.
"Normally, Spock, I would say go for it, but I really do have to get to that stack of paperwork, and I have a headache I would like to nurse in the privacy of my room. Maybe after this mission is over?"
"I would not ask unless I believed the need for an answer was crucial." Addy rolled her eyes at him and turned down her hallway.
"Yeah, and I said no, not right now. So kindly wait until I tell you otherwise, Commander." Addy was quite satisfied that she didn't sound snappish or upset. In fact, she sounded quite the opposite, the picture of calm and professional. She could it was throwing the gears in Spock's analytic mind into high gear, trying to discern what about this mission was so different that she was actually acting like a Captain and playing it safe. And she knew he would figure it out on his own at some point, but she was resolute that she wouldn't do anything to help him out on that venture. No sir, he would have to do that little puzzle all on his own, and hopefully it gave her enough time to incapacitate Kodos and bring him back to Earth for his trial before he brought up the issue.
"Very well, Captain," Spock said grudgingly (she could tell by how his voice sounded rougher and more forced, but it wasn't obvious to someone who didn't know him very well). With a nod to each other, they parted ways, and Addy let out a small breath of relief that he'd let the issue lie. She didn't fully relax, however, until she was inside her room and had locked the door with an override code.
Addy set her gift bag down on her dresser and walked into the bathroom for a quick shower. She really did have paperwork to go through, that hadn't been a lie, but maybe she'd overstated the dire amount she had to tackle. Beside, paperwork was so painfully dull, she could afford to put it off a little bit longer. So that's what she did while she turned on her sonic shower and dressed in her gold dress with black tights. And she told her the heavy feeling in her body was just form stress, and all she needed to do was lie down and relax for a few minutes before she could get up and keep herself from being a liar by getting through at least one form out of the several she'd left collecting dust. But as soon as her body touched her mattress, sleep over came her, and she passed out before her head hit the pillow. And, unfortunately, this time, Adelaide dreamt.
Addy hadn't been counting on the changing of the seasons. It had been two weeks since she'd assumed command over the twenty children in the cave, and there hadn't been another complaint from any of the older kids. Golden Boy's name turned out to be Justin, and it only took him a few days to warm up to her as much as the younger kids. Addy was baffled at how… devoted, they all seemed to her, but it didn't bother her so much as befuddle. It wasn't a nuisance, so she didn't do anything to dissuade them from their reverence. On the contrary, it made her job easier if everyone loved her, but it put the pressure on her all the more. With love came standards and expectations and all these other pesky things that reminded her why she was always so alone back on Earth.
They'd been better on food than Addy had assumed they'd be at this point, stretching out the day she needed to raid another home in town for food by a couple days. But she hadn't accounted for seasons, and that, ultimately, was her first mistake.
The chill came out of nowhere. Unlike Earth where you could feel the gradual temperature change and shake out your winter clothes and huddle under blankets toasty and comfortable, it happened in a matter of days on Tarsus. Addy hadn't even noticed until it was pointed out to her that she could see her own breath and the cave was cool, but it wasn't cold, and now it was cold everywhere. The group had nothing to keep them warm save for the clothes on their backs and their own body heat. The nights were brutal now, making all the children pile as far back in the cave as they could, holding on to whoever was closest until all twenty were in a giant heap to conserve heat. The sudden shift in temperature was hard on everyone, which was enough to stress Addy out, but then it got worse.
Some of the kids got sick.
She'd been a couple days agonizing over what to do and mostly avoiding the inevitable conclusion of what she knew she had to do, because she had a nice mask and neat little box for all her memories of that day, but that didn't mean she wanted to go back into town if possible. But when the youngest child started coughing like the others, Addy had resigned herself to her fate. That night, she'd pulled Justin and a couple of the older boys to the side and explained what she was doing and said help would be nice, but they weren't forced to come with her. Most of them turned her down, their shame plain on their face, but Justin accepted instantly despite his fear, along with a girl named Auriel.
So that was where she found herself the next day. She'd left the children with very strict instructions to ration the food and stay put and the small group of three had slipped away before their anxiety could change their minds. And here she was, crouched on the edge of the forest line, shivering, and trying to be as silent as possible. Every step Justin and Auriel had made in the forest had made her cringe. Was every other human being so damn loud?
In hushed tones she told them they were to wait here for her and the supplies she would smuggle back to them, and if they thought for one second she was captured, take everything back to the cave. At first, they'd protested, but it took one long to silence their objections. Addy's hand gripped the hilt of the kitchen knife she had grimly. She hadn't realized she'd kept the thing until this morning when she'd found it lying on the stone where her and Kevin had slept that first night, and her first instinct had been to toss it on the bottom of the lake, but it was a weapon, and she wasn't so stubborn to admit that she didn't need it. There were stains on it since she hadn't washed it right away that she studiously chose to ignore.
"Alright," she whispered softly, her bright blue eyes peering out at the town suspiciously, "it looks like there's a gap. Justin, you said your house is where?"
"Up two houses and one over." Addy nodded. Justin's family had been on the wealthier side of life, and he'd informed her on the walk toward town that their house was outfitted with a portable heating system and more than enough blankets and clothes for everyone in the cave. It was her first, and hopefully only, stop. She tore her eyes away from the dirt road and the dark pools of blood that hadn't been cleaned away yet and bore her eyes on her two companions harshly.
"I wasn't kidding when I said ditch me if you feel I'm compromised. No one is more important than the group and getting this stuff back to our sick ones, am I clear?" They both nodded gravely, and convinced they took her words to heart, Addy took a deep breath and slipped her shoes off. She waited for the lone guard to round a corner before she took off running to the cover of the nearest house. She had a flashback of doing this for the house she'd first killed somebody in, but shook it from her head. She had to focus.
It was easy enough to slip through houses and sneak past people that weren't really looking for her, and sooner than she'd hoped, she'd found Justin's house. The white one with the bright yellow door, he'd said, and sure enough there it was. She typed in the code he'd given, and the door unlocked, swinging open silently on oiled hinges. Addy rushed inside and closed the door behind her, turning the bolt once more and leaning against the wood, panting. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage. She'd thought for sure she'd get caught.
Ah well, she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
On bare feet, Addy cautiously made her way through the house, looking in every room to make sure no one was also occupying the shelter with her. The knife felt heavy in her hands, but it was necessary evil, and if someone was here that would stop her, she wouldn't hesitate to use it once more. A thorough search of every room proved that it wasn't needed this time, and with no small amount of relief, Addy slipped it through a belt loop to free up her hands. She quickly found Justin's room and rummaged his closet for the big duffel bag he'd talked about. She threw every sweater, jacket, coat, hat, scarf, and blanket she could manage inside the bag and brought it down to the door. Justin had two smaller backpacks that she filled with more clothes, medicine, and some can foods that she couldn't resist. In the larger master, Addy found another duffel that had belonged to his parents, and went on a search for the heater he'd talked about. She found it down on the living room between the couch and a loveseat.
A small metal frame with buttons on one side. Addy looked at it doubtfully and pressed the power button, and instantly a wave of warmth rolled over her. She looked at it, fascinated, because the metal remained cool to the touch, but the square was definitely projecting heat up and away from it. This was perfect! Excited, she rushed back upstairs to the duffel bag and nestled it securely between two more blankets, and stuffed the rest of the space with more clothes and food. Looking at her four bags by the dour, Addy frowned. She had no idea how she was going to get all of this back to her charges without getting caught first. She supposed she'd have to take one bag at a time and be extra vigilant.
Addy unlocked and opened the door a crack, watching the street for signs of activity. There was a couple, walking down the row of houses holding hands and smiling, and it made her sick. Did these people have no one to grieve over? Did they not find the whole situation just as repulsive as she did? Did they even care that an unquantifiable price had been paid for their lives? Snarling in anger, Addy quieted her sudden bloodlust by reminding herself that she had twenty of children that would all die if she let her presence and purpose be known. She waited until they were out sight before grabbing the duffel bag with the metal heater and strolling out of the house, shutting the door behind her. She kept her head held high, looking like she was walking with a purpose (which she was). And all the while she weaved her way through the houses, she kept an eye over her shoulder, hoping no one followed her. It wasn't until she reached the fringe that she stopped and hid, taking a deep breath for courage before wrapping her hands around the bag and running toward the trees as fast as she could.
She thought she'd made it without being seen when voices shouted behind her just as she passed through the trees. Addy cursed, and quickly found Justin and Auriel. She shoved the bag at them, ignoring their looks of worry over her shoulder.
"Take that back to the cave, now." Auriel frowned.
"What about you, Addy?"
"Forget about me!" she snapped. "I'll make sure no one follows you. That has the heater and some blankets, and you're wasting time! No one is more important than our group!" Auriel looked like she had more to say, but Justin nodded, his face grim with understanding, and took her hand before turning around and taking off into the trees running. Addy breathed a sigh of relief and slipped behind a tree, drawing her knife from her hip. She could hear the loud, bumbling steps of the adults that had followed her. Apparently all humans really were that loud. She trembled.
Much to her surprise, when she held that knife in her hands, it didn't feel so heavy anymore, and she didn't feel frightened or nervous. She only felt calm and resolved, her blood boiling cold with the life of her aunt and uncle, lying dead and discarded on the living room despite all the kindness and love they'd held for her. Such giving people, and they were thrown away like garbage because of a fucking program. No… she wasn't frightened at all.
She was trembling with excitement.
The first man never saw her coming. He'd cracked a twig to her right, and Addy had jabbed the knife deep into his thigh, making his cry and fall to the floor. She'd yanked the sharp metal from his leg, hot blood coating her hands once more, and she'd slit his throat so deep she could see bone. The two other men yelled in outrage, firing their phasers at her, but they were blue, and only set to stun. It wouldn't kill her, but it would hurt and knock her out. But that was the difference between her and this group of men. She was attacking with the intention to kill.
She rolled away from a shot, her maneuver bringing her closer to one of her attackers, and she tackled him much the same as she had Justin during their fight. But this time, instead of moving to subdue, she stabbed him through the heart, twisting the sharp blade, and the man died with a cry of anguish, and a splutter of blood. Before the light had even left his eyes, Addy pulled out her knife and dashed behind a tree moment before a blue ball of light whizzed past her and hit a try with a great explosion of light. There was blood on her face and dripping into her mouth, and with a feral smile, Addy licked it away. She could smell the fear rolling off this last one, and she purred in delight as she could feel the trap closing around her prey. He was shouting obscenities at her and calling out for his fallen companions, and she could hear him slowly retreating for the town. She couldn't have any of that. She didn't want him warning others.
Dashing from tree to tree, she made her way closer, and she could feel the moment the man lost his nerve and ran. With a vicious snarl, she took off after him, dropping the knife in her haste.
'Don't let him make it past the trees!'
She didn't.
She jumped at him from the side, knocking him to the forest floor , and the pair rolled away from the safety of the wooden houses and people. Addy sprang to her feet, kicking his phaser out of reach. He blinked, dazed and glared at her hatefully. Addy felt her lips pull up in something she couldn't call a smile or a grimace or a growl, but a little bit of everything, and she could see fear flicker deep in his eyes. Good. He should know just how dangerous of a creature they'd created before he died.
Without batting an eyelash, and sprang at him, putting her knee to his chest, and pressing all her weight on him. The air rushed out of him with a wheeze, and she seized her chance, placing a hand on the crown of his head and chin and forcefully twisting until she felt and hear a the snap of his neck. His body went instantly limp, and his eyes dimmed, and Addy stood there, panting for a couple minutes, staring at the corpse below her before she rolled off him and onto her back, staring up at the trees. Before she knew what was happening, she was laughing and crying and clutching her stomach against the pain, she was laughing so hard.
When she'd settled, Addy pushed herself up with a groan and used the dead man's shirt as best she could to wipe the blood off her face and hands. She grabbed his phaser, changing the setting to kill and tucking it into the waist of her pants, pulling her shirt down over the chrome weapon.
Retrieving the other three bags went surprisingly well. Better than she'd expected. She quickly stuff the other two phasers into the bags and hung her knife through a belt loop once more before setting off for her group.
It took her an extra hour to get to the cave with the added weight, and she was sweating by the time she saw the opening. She knew it was dangerous to be sweating with this chill. They couldn't afford to waste medicine on her when there were twenty others that deserved it more than her. She thought over her latest fight with some sense of grisly gratification and felt something dark and wild in her writhe in pleasure at the utter abandon and power. She flushed with shame not for taking their lives (no, she had stopped feeling for those monsters as people a long while ago), but that she had taken such pleasure in the act of taking their lives.
She was more fucked up than she thought.
Addy's step felt heavy, and she couldn't help but think shamefully that she was tainted. She didn't deserve to have the affection of these children anymore. She was dirty, evil, just as bad as the people they'd hidden from. She was a monster, just the same as them, she'd just hidden it under a mask of compassion and an inflated sense of her own importance. But a monster she was, and a monster she would stay.
She accepted this last thought with a serenity she didn't know she had as she rounded the last corner to cries of joy and children running out to greet her. She scolded them sternly for their noise and not checking to make sure she wasn't followed or showing someone where they were under duress, and they all ducked their heads, properly chastised, before escorting her into the cave to attend to the sick. And all the while, she came to a gloomy conclusion that oddly comforted her.
She was a monster sure enough, but it made her the best kind of weapon against the rest of Tarsus. She was a monster, but she would harness to make sure none of her children had to ever be a monster like she did. And she would take the life of the man that had tainted all their hearts a little black that day. She would spill his blood over her hands, and wiggle in pleasure as she danced on his empty chest cavity when she ripped out his heart. At that thought, Addy accepted and welcomed the dark wild thing inside of her, and she didn't smile, she didn't grimace, she didn't growl… but it was somewhere in between.
She felt it fit her face better than anything she'd expressed before in her life.
Ah, poor Addy. Slipping further away from humanity and enveloping herself more and more in darkness. How did I do? There's an easy way to let me know! (I'll give you a hint. It's a review.)
Peace.