Vanessa and I arrived back at my apartment in the late of night.
The first thing she did is treat my wound.
Luckily the bullet wasn't inside my arm, so all Vanessa had to do was clean the wound, apply anti-contamination cream then wrap it up in a first-aid bandage.
Afterwards I took two painkillers then crashed on the couch.
She sat next to me fully concerned over my damaged arm.
I gazed into her sleepy sea green eyes, softly saying.
"I know it looks bad, but It'll heal by tomorrow, and in any case we can't go to a hospital. Oh and if it's healed then we're leaving tomorrow ... get some rest."
Disbelief evident on her face, she asked.
"Madlax a wound like that won't heal in a day; it takes a few months for something this severe to heal. So why do you say It'll be healed by tomorrow?"
I shrugged my damaged arm the replied.
"Yeah you're right ... normal people take a long time to heal, but I'm different. Just get some sleep Vanessa."
Neither of us said another word.
I closed my eyes contented with today's resolve.
Enfant would certainly figure I killed Limelda, however I'd find them before they find me.
A soft arm brushed trough my hair.
I tilted my head, seeing Vanessa lying beside me, a mellow smile on her lips.
Carefully I brushed my cheek against hers.
Contented with her peaceful state, I drifted off to sleep.
Early morning came briefly.
It felt as if I shut my eyes at night then opened them to see the sun occupying the sky.
I looked around, seeing Vanessa nowhere in sight.
Next my attention switched to the gun wound on my left arm.
As I sat up, I didn't feel pain, so swiftly with my right hand I began undoing the bandages.
The sound of something boiling came from the kitchen. Vanessa must be trying to cook, I thought whilst removing the final blood red layer of bandage.
My fingers brushed against the surface of my other arm.
I noticed dry crimson on my skin, however the surface felt smooth, undamaged, there wasn't torn flesh beneath my finger tips.
All the injuries healed during the course of night.
This healing ability formed in me because I entered the realm of all three books twice.
I would be dead ten times over if it wasn't for this unnatural power.
The boiling sound from before grew louder, and I heard Vanessa cursing at the pot.
Finding no difficulty walking, I made my way to the kitchen.
Swaying the curtains back with each hand, I saw Vanessa facing the stove, draped in an apron, with a big spoon in her right hand, and her hair a total mess.
I tip toed behind her, and then without a word watched as she steered the contents of the pot inside boiling hot water.
My lips slightly parted as I whispered.
"Good morning Vanessa. What are you making?"
She jumped up from the sudden surprise, the giant spoon previously in her hand fell into the pot, causing numerous droplets of boiling water to sprinkle trough air then fall unto the stove.
Afterwards she regained her focus on the food, not noticing my healed arm.
Softly she replied while turning the stove off.
"This is my first attempt at making pasta Madlax, I don't know if its good but you will try it?" - "Yes I will taste your pasta... but I might not like it!"
I stated with a childish expression upon my face.
It was strange how Vanessa behaved this morning.
Yesterday she killed a woman to save my life, and now she's acting as if it never happened.
As I walked over to the living room table, took a seat then awaited my pasta, I thought, she might be in self-denial or maybe she just forgot ... I have to ask her about it, I don't have a choice.
Shortly Vanessa came round with a single bowl of pasta between her hands and a pack of ramen flavor inside.
She placed a chair next to me, took a seat then set the pasta bowl down between us.
I grabbed a fork, dove it in, rolled a mouth-load of pasta then stuffed it in.
The taste was exceptionally good with the pork ramen flavoring inserted.
A smile spread across my face after I swallowed the food.
Vanessa observed as I eagerly complemented.
"You're a better cook than I've thought ... this pasta is great."
I rolled on some pasta, next offered the food to her.
She gladly accepted my offer, licking off half the pasta, leaving me with the other half.
We ate awhile without saying another word.
By now I felt a strong force in the back of my head telling me to ask her about last night.
Her behavior seemed incoherent.
Whilst eating up a final bit of pasta, I gazed to my side, at Vanessa.
Seeing her eyes motion their attention to me, I suddenly asked.
"Last night ... Vanessa do you know what happened last night?"
First she gave me a look of suspicion, next a suggestive grin.
In a sultry voice she answered.
"Well we did make love most of the day."
The reply wasn't sufficient, but she added.
"And at night we slept together. Nothing happened last night Madlax, what are you talking about?"
My eyes widened.
She truly didn't remember shooting Limelda.
My hunch was confirmed when Vanessa noticed the stains of red on my left arm.
Instead of asking me why I removed the bandaged, she inquired.
"Why is there blood on your arm? Madlax did you get hurt?"
I felt partially disappointed and somewhat relieved.
It's good Vanessa forgot the traumatic truth, she lost the memory because of how traumatic it was, but her saving my life, at least to me was a good memory.
Feeling a bit dejected I lied about my injury.
"Don't worry about it, the blood is dry and there isn't a scratch on my body."
Vanessa clearly wanted to know more, so I told her a twisted up version of the truth.
"Last night when you were asleep I went out to confirm your data's authenticity... my boss SSS told be there was a trap set inside, so I destroyed the disk. An Enfant sniper caught me while I was leaving to head home, so I killed the sniper and acquired a small scratch in the process."
Somehow I knew telling her she killed someone would get us nowhere, there had to be a reason she forgot the event, so I took all the blame, I lied.
Vanessa stood up, slammed the chair under the table then began walking towards her computer on the counter.
She checked inside the disk hub, glanced back at me then pleaded.
"Madlax you didn't actually destroy the disk?"
I smiled with my eyes closed, yelling.
"Yes I did ... I threw it into the air then fired a single bullet, splash, it was gone."
Silence filled the room.
Tears appeared in the corners of her beautiful eyes.
Before long Vanessa was crying over the PC while begging.
"Now the data is gone! How the hell are we supposed to end the war with it gone?"
The data had nothing to do with an actual way of ending the civil war, it had zero importance to me.
Vanessa still believed she could have ended the war with information, I would shatter that belief.
I got up, soundlessly walked behind Vanessa, wrapped both arms around her, leaned my chest against her back then whilst laying my head down on her left shoulder I whispered.
"We'll end the war using my method ... which starts with you wiping off those tears, packing your bags then driving off with me to a nomadic village not far from here. There you'll learn the truth about the civil war. Cheer up Vanessa you have me, and you could say I'll die if I don't end the war, so I have to do it."
With my fingers I wiped the tears.
She didn't try breaking free of my embrace.
After a minute of feeling me surround her, Vanessa sheepishly asked.
"How is a nomadic village the answer to stopping the war?" - "It's not the answer, but we'll be 1/3 the way there when we get to the village. Oh and the ride might be ruff, so wear that bulletproof vest and I'll give you one of my guns ... for protection."
Vanessa ceased crying, but whined.
"I am not using a gun Madlax, so you can keep it, however the vest sounds like a good idea." - "That is fine with me, now go pack, we're leaving soon."
A calm before the storm