Chapter 13: Race to Save a Queen
The sound of the gun shot propelled Bash even faster. "Shit!" His phone rang, "What the Fuck?"
It was a conference call. "We're securing the operatives. Seems like some were hiding in the parking lot. One just drove up to the back of the school with a van. What are your orders?"
"Jackson."
He heard the sound of Jackson's rifle in the background. "Understood," he said. It went off a second later. "Target neutralized."
"We're advancing to your position from the outside."
"I don't have fucking time to wait for that!" Bash yelled. He had a bad feeling. Fuck, fuck, fuck. If only Schmidt had activated the security system before...
Suddenly an alarm blared. Bash watched as he heard all the doors lock and shut. A second later, he was plunged into darkness.
Pressing a button on the side of his glasses, Bash dropped into a crouch and scanned for heat signatures. He heard panicked yelling in the distance.
He eventually came upon a large group of heat signatures. Bash counted six in all. Two, he was certain, were Schmidt and Mary. But which two?
Pressing another button on his glasses, Bash read the read outs. Out of the six, only four had guns. Coming up on their positions, Bash scanned the body closest to him. "Schmidt?" he said low to the body lying on the ground.
"Boss," Schmidt wheezed.
"Which one has Mary?"
"She's unconscious on his shoulder."
"Understood," Bash nodded. Reaching for his tranquilizer gun, Bash aimed it at the body next to them.
"You're not armed, so who the hell are you?"
"I'm a student!" A British lilt filled his ears, "I was in the bathroom, I heard it all go on and, is the girl going to be okay? Fucking Shit. Fucking Shit, I -"
"You activated the alarm, kid?" Bash asked impatiently.
"Y-yes."
"Stay down, and stay in cover. Until the police show up. Do you understand?"
Without waiting for a reply, Bash set to work. They may had had Mary, but Bash had one thing they didn't.
Bash could see.
He stayed close to the wall, approaching the first guy in front, to the right. When he was an arm's lengths away, Bash raised his gun, shooting a tranquilizer dart into the guy's chin. The guy sputtered, then crumpled instantly.
Bash flanked to the left wall, coming up behind the second guy. Wrapping an arm around the guy's neck, Bash held him in place as he shot the guy into the side of his neck. Quietly, Bash slid the guy to the ground and continued to his real target.
His blood was boiling, blue eyes flashing murderously, as he stopped directly in front of the guy holding Mary. The guy was a fish out of water, shaking and whimpering, gun out and cocked at every small sound. He didn't even know Bash was staring right at him. It was almost too easy.
He raised the tranquilizer gun. Was there a reason he wasn't killing the guy?
Oh yeah.
He shot the guy twice in the chest, for good measure. He went down the quickest, and Mary followed suit, falling untop of the body of the gunman. Quickly shoving the tranquilizer gun back where he hid it, he ran to Mary and gathered her in his arms.
Feeling her alive and breathing, however, did nothing to stop the boiling rage inside him.
He yelled out, all electronics disabled when in the lock down. "Jackson!"
"Boss?"
"Get us the hell out of here!"
"Hold on."
Bash heard a click and a second later the door leading to the back of the school opened. Jackson, followed by four other men, stepped across the threshold.
"What the fuck?" Jackson said with a frown.
"That's what I want to know."
"Well whatever. Are these guys dead?"
"Not yet, take them before the cops show up. As for the guys you killed outside, we'll let the cops take the credit, for the media. Schmidt is injured. Let's get him to a hospital immediately."
"Understood. And as for the kid there?" Bash turned. The British kid with the unruly brown hair watched stiffly as Bash's orders were executed.
"Debrief him and send him on his way."
"Got it."
Picking up Mary in his arms, Bash stepped outside and made his way to Jackson's car.
Mary gave a small groan, feeling someone's arms holding her. She instantly began to squirm, not knowing it was Bash that had her. "Put me down this instant! You will pay for this!" She barked, one hand moving to smack at whoever held her.
She squirmed more, before finally managing to open her eyes and see that she was outside, and that the man who carried her wasn't an English operative.
Her eyes widened when she saw it was Bash, "Oh Bash! I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you!" She exclaimed, instantly feeling bad for smacking him.
He raised his eyes to hers, a dark look on his features, his jaw working. "Nevermind that," he said quietly.
He opened Jackson's car door and laid her in the back seat, before taking a seat himself in the front passenger. He opened up the glove box and took out Jackson's first aid kit, turning in his seat.
"Can you come closer, Your Grace?" he asked, voice low.
Mary moved towards him, fear written upon her face as she looked at him. "They wanted me. ." She said, her voice barely a whisper as she realized how much pain she was in.
"I feel dizzy Bash. ." She said, wincing slightly as she laid her head upon the passenger seat, her eyes falling closed slightly. He was very angry, she could see it in his eyes.
Just as her eyes closed, she snapped them open and leaned away from him. She quickly opened the door of the Altima, leaning out of it as the naseau overcame her.
She felt the burning sensation creeping up her throat, and the retching sound escaping her lips as she puked onto the asphalt of the parking lot. Her head was throbbing, and she felt absolutely dreadful. When she was finished puking, she kept her head out of the car, trying to take small breaths.
"Oh god. .Bash I don't. ." Her words were cut short as the burning sensation creeped up once more and she puked yet again.
He watched her wordlessly. After a moment, he climbed over into the passenger seat. Slipping his head phones off he called Jackson and put the phone on speaker. "She's not doing too well. I'm taking her to the hospital."
"Spare key is underneath the seat. What did they do to her?"
"My guess is that one of them knocked her over the head. Her eyebrow is split open. She has a concussion."
"Hell."
"Yeah."
Bash found the key and stuck it into the ignition. Then, he turned and faced Mary again, grabbing the alcohol swabs small band aids. Tearing a swab open, he cleaned the wound about her left eye. "Sorry, I know it stings," he said quietly to her.
His eyes roamed her face as he applied an ointment and dressed the wound. Her eye was swollen a bit, from where the man assaulted her, the lump bruising quickly on her fair skin. He looked in her eyes and his narrowed.
"Hey. Stay with me. Keep yourself awake. Can you hear me? Your Grace? I'm taking you to the hospital."
Mary leaned back in the seat, closing the back door as she looked at him. "Sebastian. .I'm still with you." She said softly, wincing slightly as she placed a hand to her head.
She was tired, dizzy, and could barely keep her eyes open, but she was still there.
Despite it all, despite how scared she was, she still held a fraction of a smile on her face. Even though she had been held at gunpoint, knocked unconscious by the gunmen, and attempted to be kidnapped by English operatives. She still smiled, because Bash had done what he always said he would, protect her, be there.
"I'm sorry if your cover has been blown. ."
Slowly she closed her eyes, resting her head against the back seat.
"That's not my worry here," Bash said. "Mary," he turned back in his seat and started the engine adjusting his mirrors as he looked at her from his rearview mirror. "You need to stay alert. Keep yourself awake, Mary. I need you to do this for me."
Mary gave a small groan, blinking her eyes open a bit. "I'm tired Bash...and my head hurts." She said softly, looking into the rearview mirror as she tried to focus on him. It was hard, and she was trying her best to stay alert. "Don't leave me..." She whispered, as she continued to blink her eyes in an attempt to keep them open.
"I'm not going anywhere," Bash promised, as he reversed the car and turned up the spiraling roundabout. "Hey, Jackson," I need an emergency unit already mobilized at the hospital by the time I get there. She's not sticking with me."
"I'm already on it. One of the boys already issued a 157."
"Those guys I tranquilized?"
"Connor is sending the Escalade; the school cameras are still down so extraction will be easy. When the police show up we'll initiate special clearance. Everything is going to be golden here."
"Make sure they stay asleep until I get there. I don't want them singing until I have a chance to change the tune."
"Understood."
"Mary, open your eyes!" He demanded as he glanced at her in the rearview. Switching gears, he sped up as he hurried down the innerbelt and to the hospital. The hospital was at least an hour's drive away from the school. Bash was going to make it in a third of the time. His eyes were hard as he concentrated on the road in front of him, Mary in the back seat, and the events that played in his mind. "Those fucking bastards," he said through gritted teeth. "Jackson, run a scan on the dead ones before the cops arrive. I want everything. Get me the car, their weapons, even their first ancestors. When you've aquired enough data from your retinal and object scans, send the info home over to Connor and Reily. I want to get something by the night's end, so have the guys you got with you on scene start immediately. We're covering everything" - he paused as he started snapping to jolt Mary awake - "because this is some really deep shit, not like I have to tell you. And get me a direct line with the Prime Minister as soon as you can, I don't care how you do it."
"I got it, Boss." Silence settled on the line and in the car, only broken by Bash's interactions with Mary and the sound of the engine as he drove. After a moment, Jackson said, "I know what you're thinking, but you prevented it. The outcome could have been worse."
"I should have killed them all."
"Yeah, but, that would have left us up shit creek without a paddle."
"There were signs, and I ignored them. I should have followed my gut. I let my guard down."
"Did you?"
"There was something odd about that fucking teacher, I knew it, but then he wasn't where I thought he would have been. I thought maybe I read into it too much."
"You never let your guard down. You maintained your position and you did your job."
"I didn't do my job. She's injured."
"And you prevented her abduction and her death. We have no idea whose operatives they are and why they wanted Mary. We would have had a hell of a time if you hadn't have been there."
"No, that wasn't me. It was some kid. If that kid hadn't have activated the alarm system. She would have been gone. I would have lost her."
"But you didn't."
"That doesn't matter. It shouldn't have been such a close call. I failed today."
"Sebastian, your job -"
"I'm not talking about my fucking job, Jackson," Bash felt his voice falter at the words.
"Kid, this wasn't your fault. You didn't let anybody down."
"Run the numbers and say that again. Calculate it, and say that bullshit again, and there will be nothing else for me to say," Bash snapped.
"Look, Kid-"
Bash was silent a moment. Then, "I gave my fucking word, Jackson."
"One incident, and now you think you're not the man for the job?"
Bash silently shook his head, "I never said that."
It was November, when Francis left for college.
Bash had driven him to the airport. Their father suggested Francis take a private jet, but the young dauphin dismissed the idea. He was going to study Law as well as Business and he was going to find ways to improve France's relationship with rival powers. He was trying to do it in his own right and with his own power, so as of that point, he refused any royal hand outs.
Bash respected that. But he still insisted on making the drive. (The airport from the castle was two hours away.)
"You know, you didn't have to do this. I could have taken a taxi."
"You know it will take almost an hour just for a taxi to drive up to the front step? You should be thanking me. You're being way too melodramatic."
Francis scoffed from the passenger seat, running a hand through his unkept blonde hair. "Melodramatic? Me?"
"That's right."
"Really, Bash? Now that's new."
"I am Francis Valois, the Next King, and Father I refuse to take a personal jet to London. No, I would rather spend nearly three hours plus the plan ride and waiting fee for my en route than all you to pamper me, as I am ready to - how do they say it? Don my briches."
"Is that supposed to be me you're immitating?"
"That was you, yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"The pitch was a bit too high, don't you think?"
"On the contrary, your melodramatics sound that way."
"My melodramatics? Really?"
"Just like a woman. Stubborn."
Francis chuckled, "You would know well first hand, the dramas of women, wouldn't you?"
"That's right. You're lucky you just have one woman to contend with."
"Whose fault is it that things are so difficult?" Francis said airly, smirking, blue eyes twinkling.
"Women. They never make things simple on me."
"Right; I'm melodramatic."
Bash laughed, "That's right. You."
Francis shook his head. "It appears so then."
After a comfortable silence, Bash said, "France is going to be lost without their dauphin."
"On the contrary, they still have the other."
"I'm not the one going to be King."
"That's right, you turned down the position and saddled me with the job."
Bash gave a wry grin, "Sorry about that. I didn't think you'd mind being a part of the family business."
"I don't particularly mind it."
"Besides, I'll be by your side through it all."
"Ah, that's right. You will be Head of my security. I'm royally fucked then. Literally. A coup 'de ta."
Bash chuckled, "Never. I'm more suited for this business. I'm better at this job than I am at being a prince."
"That doesn't mean you aren't one."
"I wasn't implying anything of the sort. I'm just saying that I like things this way, you know?"
Francis smiled. "Yeah. I think I get it. I haven't felt that way about being King yet." Francis paused. "But the job description did get me Mary."
"See, Little Brother? That's how you got to look at it."
"She was very accepting when I rejected her offer to come with me to London. Do you think she's upset with me?"
"She's a woman, isn't she?" Bash smirked, "She's probably been cursing your name for the last week."
"Right, I've no doubt," Francis said affectionately, smile wry. "Will she miss me?"
"Of course. I myself am going to be crying every night without you, and for legal and sexual purposes, I don't sleep with you. The Queen of Scotland's lingerie is lying all over your bedroom floor. She'll definitely be missing you. More than me, in fact."
Francis raised his head, a twisted, amused expression on his features. "You're such an ass," he laughed, shaking his head.
Sighing, Francis said, "I want you to protect her while I'm gone, Bash. Not Connor. Not Jackson. I want you to keep her safe for me."
Bash was silent as he took an exit and merged onto another highway.
He said, "They are more than capable for the job. Especially Jackson."
"She's the woman I love. The woman that is going to be my wife. You're my brother. I can trust no other with her safety."
"Because we're brothers?" Bash smirked, a brow quirked in amusement.
Francis' smile was soft. "Yes." He stared at Bash intently. "You'll keep my woman safe from harm, won't you?"
Bash scrunched up his face, "You don't have to ask me twice. I am my brother's keeper, right? She'll be safe. You have my word on that. Just make sure you hurry your ass back here."
"Mary!" Bash called out as he checked her condition. "I've got three more exits. Can you hear my voice? Baby, stay with me."
He turned on his blinker as he got into the right lane, maneuvering his way through cars as he increased his speed. He wasn't worried about the speed limit, he was an excellent driver (something he learned whilst being a rascal in high school), and smoothly made his way across the highway as he headed for his destination. His ETA at that point was fifteen minutes.
"Jackson?" He said.
"Emergency Care Unit is ready and will meet you when you pull up at the ICU."
It was like a dream, she could hear him, hear the concern evident in his tone as he called out her name and begged for her to stay with him. But she couldn't bring herself to open her eyes, they were shut heavy with exhaustion and pain.
Did he call her baby? Or was that a trick of her imagination playing with her mind? Mary wanted so desperately to open her eyes, but it wasn't working. She wasn't working properly it seemed, and the flashbacks were in full swing in her mind.
Slowly her body slid to the side, resting against the door itself as she remained in a now unconscious state.
Bash, Sebastian...I'm right here, can you hear me?
Those were the words playing, no screaming within her mind as she tried to wake herself from this unconscious slumber. But to no avail, she couldn't open her eyes, despite how hard she thought she was trying.
Fear crippled her in this state, the feeling of the gun barrel pressing into her back, the whack over her head before she fell unconscious. He must be so worried about her, how could she tell him she was alright? She couldn't, she couldn't tell the one person that was begging for her to stay with him that she was right there.
Sebastian...is your voice drifting away?
Or am I?
She couldn't bring herself to give up, a small barely audible groan escaped her lips, indicating she was still alive for the most part. The concussion however was taking its toll, was there subderral hematoma beneath where the pistol had connected with her skull?
Would she die? No Bash would ensure she made it out of this alive, he wouldn't leave her, he promised her.
How desperately Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots wanted to open her eyes, to reach out and grasp onto his hand and hold tightly to it for dear life, but she couldn't and try as she might nothing seemed to work. She wanted to scream, but the power of her voice was drowned away in a state of unconscious being, just like her body.
Don't leave me...Bash...please don't leave me...
If only he could hear what she was saying, but the words weren't even escaping her lips. She didn't want to worry him more, but this wasn't helping anyone.
Bash heard Mary's small groan, and his jaw tensed even more as he saw her slump against the door. Looking through the rear view he saw her eyes fluttering beneath her eyelids.
...Shit. She probably couldn't even open her eyes. If that was the case, then she was losing control of her motor functions. And if that was the case, then they were in deep, deep shit. He was nine minutes away, but traffic on the exit ramps wasn't included in that ETA.
"Fuck!" He slammed on the wheel as he was forced to slow down.
"Calm down, Kid."
"Jackson, you don't know what she looks like right now. Or how bad it is, or this fucking traffic -"
"I've heard you going way over the speed limit over the last twenty three minutes, and I just heard you beat up my car. You need to stay calm. You're getting way in over your head. That will compromise your ETA over anything."
Bash grit his teeth. "You're right, but she's -"
"The Queen of Scotland, your brother's girl, and the woman you're becoming emotionally attached to. I know," Jackson said firmly. "But you are the Head of Royal Security for the King of France. You're going to make it in the right amount of time. She's going to be alright. She'll need to rely on you, though, Bash. So you need to keep your head cool."
Listening to Jackson's words, and willing desperately for the cars in front of him to hurry up and fucking move, Bash looked to Mary again.
"Mary, I need you to do something. Anything. Open your eyes, move your hand, make a sound. I need to know you're still with me. We are minutes away. I follow this curve and get into the turn lane, make a left at the stop light, and after the second light it's on the right hand side. We can't have you going to sleep on me. We don't know how bad your concussion is. You might not wake up if you fall asleep. I, for one, do not want you camatose for an indefinite period, Mary. If you can hear me, I need you to try as hard as you can. I know it hurts. But I need you to deal with it. Mary. Can you hear me?"
Finally, the altima had room to move. Bash got into the left lane at the median, waiting for the green light.
Mary heard his words, heard him yelling and hitting the car. She tried to do anything, but found it so terribly hard to get anything to work properly.
Sebastian...I'm trying, oh god I'm trying!
She screamed in her head, and very slowly she let out another small groan as she felt her body shifting against the door more. She couldn't do anything more than she was, and right now she was trying her hardest.
She willed herself to speak, to do anything it could.
Finally it felt as if she found her voice, if even for a brief moment of time.
"S-Sebastian..."
But that was all she could muster, her eyes wouldn't open and she couldn't show him that she was still there, not aside from the one name she just managed to utter off her lips. She wanted to wake up, open her eyes and show him that she was still there.
Oh Sebastian, I'm here...I'm trying, I'm trying so hard...
Her body was feeling more like a distant dream to her, like she wouldn't be able to awaken from this. Would she even wake up?
He was in so much anguish over this, over what happened to her. But right now none of this was his fault, none of it, and she knew that, but did he? She was pretty sure that he didn't know it wasn't his fault, hadn't she heard him say that?
She groaned again, trying to find more words to say to him, anything that would show him she was hanging on for as long as she could. Her head was throbbing, and she was starting to feel like she was not really there within her body anymore.
"I...love you..." She whispered hoarsely, trying to speak a bit more but finding it impossible to do so.
Did she say that outloud? Or was it another small dream thought she had? She had hoped that it was real, that she had said it, because if those were her last words, she wanted him to know, and she hoped that he had heard them.
I hope you heard that...
The final thought before everything started swimming in blackness, her chest rising and falling very slowly.
Bash listened to her carefully, eyes determined as the light changed and he drove to the hospital. Punching on the gas he made his way through the throng of cars, past the second light and onto hospital property. As he raced down the stretch that would lead to the ICU, Bash told Mary sweet nothings and promised she was going to be alright.
The doctors were, as Jackson had said, already waiting as many nurses paramedics had waited for them to arrive. A stretcher on stand by, Bash needed only to come to a speedy stop as he unlocked the car doors and had doctors and paramedics swarming the vehicle a second later.
Mary was lifted on to the stretcher and rushed into the hospital, and Bash followed. His cell phone in his pocket, Jackson dutifully on speaker in his pocket, Sebastian Poiters-Valois, First Born Prince of France and Head of Royal Security for the King of France, and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, checked into the ICU of The Hospital of Saint Francis.
