Wanted: Dead or Alive
Chapter One (A Week Earlier)
Thanks for the reviews! And thank you for the advice/ constructive criticism Chianna and Poet2002. There is a reason I didn't describe some things last chapter (i.e. the witness, the other car, the people in the other car) manly because I'm going to describe them in future chapters. And yes I am going to do a flashback to lead up to the prologue. And the SUV landed right side up… probably should've wrote that… oops!
Enough blabbing. On with the story! (Oh and sorry for another short, crappy chapter, and more OOCness!)
It was hot. It was an extremely hot summer day. The AC in the SUV had been broken for days. Even with the windows down, it was still like an oven in the SUV. They had been traveling for hours from New Mexico to Arkansas.
"I don't know why she couldn't just take a plane." Mary grumbled.
Marshall chuckled.
Both marshals were sweating like crazy from the high humidity. Even with out the jackets they couldn't cool down. Their clothes were sticking uncomfortably to them. They were ecstatic when they arrived at Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital. Quickly they entered the cool building, sliding their jackets back on. The AC was instant relief from the heat. Two police officers greeted them by the check in desk.
"You two must be the marshals." the shorter of the men said. His black hair was stuck to his forehead.
Mary and Marshall flashed their badges. The officer's green eyes scanned the badges before nodding.
"I'm Officer Vern and my partner Ramirez." The shorter one said as he led them through the maze of halls.
Nurses and doctors calmly walked by, casually chatting. A few patients sat on their beds watching TV and talking to their visitors. The mixture of rhythmic beeping and tired voices filled their ears.
"Mary Shannon and Marshall Mann." Mary introduced, nearly knocking over a janitor mopping the floor.
They took the elevator up to the third floor. They walked down another hallway and came to room 342. A woman officer with knotty red hair was stationed outside the room. She did not protest when Mary and Marshall entered. Vern was about to come in when Marshall stopped him.
"We can take it from here."
Vern nodded and stood outside with the other officers. Marshall tried to close the door as quietly as he could. The door knob slipped out of his hand closing with a bang. Mary whipped around and glared at him. Marshall, wide eyed, shrugged.
The nineteen year old girl sleeping in a chair next to the bed just shifted. He hand held the pale hand of the nine year old girl in the bed. Both had blond hair, the teenager's a little darker and longer. The little girl's chest slowly rose and fell. White bandages were wrapped around her head and arms. The many machines she was hooked up to were what were keeping her alive. There was still some blood on the teenager's jeans and green blouse.
It was only when Mary started to walk towards the bed that the teen's eyes fluttered open. Forest green eyes stared blankly at the marshals.
"Who are you?" she asked as she stretched her stiff limbs. "The marshals?"
"Are we that obvious?" Marshall asked.
"Well they're only letting in three types of people: Doctors, nurses, and law enforcement. You're not one of the first two which leaves law enforcement." the teen explained.
"Amber Lily, I'm Mary Shannon and he's Marshall Mann."
" Please," she smiled. "Just call me Amber. Lily is my middle name. Only my parents called me Amber Lily."
"It's an interesting name."
"Amber was mom's best friend growing up. Lily was dad's sister who died when she was four." she paused for a moment. "What's going to happen to Hazel?"
Amber's focus went back to the little girl.
"I don't think it's a smart idea to move her." Mary sighed seeing the girl's fragile state.
"The doctor said that too. I let her down. I always let her down. If only I got there a few minutes sooner…"
"You can't blame yourself for what happened. There was nothing --"
"Yes there was. I could've taken her with me when I moved out last year. Mom would've moved and he wouldn't have found us! There's a good chance Hazel isn't going to come out of her coma. Even if she does… she'll be paralyzed from the waist down."
Amber's hands were now clenched into fists.
"Do you have a change of clothes?" Marshall asked quickly changing the subject.
She shook her head. "Not with me. I've been here since… I figured since I have to pack my bags anyway, I'll just change at my apartment. When do we leave?"
"Right now. I'm sorry."
Amber nodded. She stood up and squeezed Hazel's hand one last time. "Hang in there kiddo. I can't lose you. You're all I have left."
Tears started to well up in her eyes. Before Mary or Marshall could say anything, Amber rushed out of the room.
Alright, that's it. I was going to make it longer but I thought it would be a good place to stop here. You'll find out more about why she's in the program and what happened in later chapters.