. Caine walked forward, Diana by his side. Drake and Rhian began forward, but stopped about halfway through. Rhian made a disgusted face at the face of a once comforting person to her right. His distinct, one friend syndrome, was still intact, and he was dressed as oddly eclectic, but strangely attractive way he always did. He tried to catch her eye. Rhian turned with Drake. "Oh, um, Captain Orc," She could hear him sneering, "Have your people- the ones who aren't injured- line up outside. We'll work our your… um, duties." He grinned. "Later."
He turned to walk out the door, Rhian quick to follow, after flashing a quick smile and wave.
When Orc had his people lined up, Drake snapped to give orders. Rhian had been informed earlier, so she was getting ready to go out. All of Orc's men were… well…. Boys. Teenage boys. And they all stared as she pulled off her maroon sweater, bearing the tight shirt she wore beneath. She tugged the skirt down, used to Drake and him not being affected at all.
She heard someone whistle at her, and whipped around, skirt pooled around her feet, baring the grey spandex beneath, before slipping on her lacrosse shorts, these ones a vibrant orange. . She found a bunch of boys staring at her. She pulled the gun from Drake's back pocket and clicked the safety on. Of course, these idiots wouldn't know the difference. She stepped forward and placed it against one of their heads.
"Do it again." She growled.
"Rhian!" She heard Drake snap. She just snarled in response. "Rhian!" He grabbed her wrist, twisting it behind her back and kicking her legs out. "Don't touch my stuff," He glared down at her.
"So that's how you handle her." The small boy from before, Howard, spoke again. "What's she like in the sack Drake?" This earned a round of laughter.
"Couldn't explain it to you considering you probably have no experience." Drake said. "Now, we get out and patrol. Keep in mind, Rhian is second only to me, and if I find her injured or something… you may end up dead. King's orders." He grinned. He released Rhian's arms. She stood, shaking out her arms. She turned away from the idiotic boys, walking out the door to begin her patrol in the center of the town. She heard Drake's last words. "I dare any of you to test her."
She couldn't use the cars as they were all over the place, but she found a bike and rode to the square. She walked right into the firehouse. "How is it here? Report in, firechief." She shouted up the rails.
Three boys dropped down. Sam Temple, son of the nurse at Coates. A small Hispanic boy with a big grin. And… she scowled. "Rhian?" He asked.
"I said fire chief, which you aren't." She snapped.
"Why are you with… that guy? What's wrong with him."
"Nothing worse than the average gunk you see at Coates. We're all a bit insane up there. But I came here for a status report."
"All's well and good." The Hispanic boy answered. Rhian nodded and turned away.
Suddenly a wailing voice shocked them all. They clambered to the noise. A girl was practically crawling on the ground, whispering for them to help her as three people advanced down the street. Rhian paid the girl no attention, glaring at Orc and two of his crew. She grabbed a metal stick, some sort of tool, and gripped it in her left hand.
Orc called out, "You want me to beat on you guys, I will!"
"What's going on here?" Sam asked. Rhian stepped back, leaning against the massive truck behind her. She observed the scene going on.
"You hit a girl man?" Edilio grimaced.
Rhian turned to the small girl groaning on the ground. She stepped forward, dragging her back and resting her against the wall. She grabbed a towel and held it to her head. "Hold this he-" She was cutoff at the sound of fighting. "For the love of God," she turned to see Sam and Eddie (Edilio) fighting with two other guys. Quinn was hanging back nervously, trying to stay out of the way.
She yelled out, "Stop it!" at the same time Drake's voice rang out, "Nobody move." Despite Drake's warning, Rhian stepped forward again, yanking Edilio back, shoving him to the wall.
Drake swaggered through the group of people. He grinned as Orc kept delivering kicks to Sam on the ground. Quinn and Edilio were moving to help, but Drake was already there. He grabbed Orc's hair and yanked him back, sending an elbow crashing into Orc's nose. "Which part of 'nobody move' did you not understand, Orc?" Rhian crossed her arms. Drake's eyes flickered to hers.
"He's too stupid to comprehend anything." Rhian replied. Orc yelled, coming up like a linebacker and charging at Rhian. She twirled to the side, slamming her fist into his back. She went to raise the metal bar, but Mallet had pulled her back as Drake stepped forward. He stuck his hand out to Rhian, "Give me that." She handed him over the stick. He nailed Orc in the ribs, the kidneys, and the side of the head. Orc collapsed.
"Now, how about you tell me what's going on here Mr. Fire Chief?" Drake asked, handing the bat back to Rhian. She took it and watched the scene from behind Drake.
"I think Orc hit her?"
"Yeah, so?"
"So I wasn't going to let him do it again."
"It didn't look to me like you were getting ready to rescue anyone." Drake grinned.
"Looked to me like you were about to get your head knocked off your shoulders." Rhian chimed in. Drake pinched her side once. Quiet. She huffed, tracing letters on his back. Make me.
Someone from the crowd shouted out, "Bette wasn't doing anything wrong!"
"Shut up!" Drake snapped. He pointed at Chaz. "You. Explain what this is about."
"That girl was doing something." He pointed at Bette. "She was using the power." Rhian saw how Sam perked at this, seeming interested.
"Why," Drake said sweetly, "Whatever can you possibly mean, Chaz?"
"Nothing!"
Someone else from the crowd spoke out, "She was doing a magic trick. She wasn't hurting anyone."
"I told her to stop." Orc rumbled. Rhian glared at him as he lumbered to his feet.
"Orc is deputy sheriff," you had to be stupid to miss his sarcasm, "So when he tells someone to stop doing something wrong, they have to stop. If this girl refused to obey, hey, I guess she got what she deserved."
"You don't have the right to beat on people."
"Someone has to keep people in check." Rhian stood on her toes, peeking up behind Drake's shoulder.
"It isn't you!" Quinn shouted. "You're always hiding behind him."
Drake tilted his head. "She's not hiding you idiot. I'm standing here to block her from you, not because she needs protection, but because you all do."
"Hush." Rhian hissed. "Back on to the point!" She said sternly. "Chaz, give the fire station the new rules. If you all have any questions, you can take it up with me later, or with Caine."
She stormed out. Drake was quick to follow her. "Hey!" Quinn grabbed her arm. He shouldn't have done that. She turned, her fist aimed for his head. She landed one solid punch before Drake had her arms locked behind her, her feet kicking at his legs, but Drake was steady.
"Don't touch me! I'll fucking rip your head off!" She shrieked, trying to shake Drake off. "Get off Drake!" She shook, kicking her leg back, trying to land a solid kick. Drake sighed, flipping her up bridal style, locking his arms, one around her arms and torso, the other around her legs. "Drake Merwin, get off of me!" She jerked. "I will kill all of you!"
Drake began to walk away. "I told you I was here for your protection. I suggest you don't provoke her again."
"Put me down." Rhian breathed heavily.
"No." Drake said.
"Put me down Drake." But Rhian was yawning halfway through her sentence. Drake just shook his head. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck, turning into his side. Drake just shook his head. Rhian breathed deep. Drake, for all his twisted ways, had a comforting smell of firewood and fall nights. And Drake, for all his twisted ways, liked the feeling of another person against his side, one he knew had his back.
"Isn't that sweet." Diana smirked as Drake set Rhian in her bed. "The sadist developed feelings for someone." She prowled forward. "It's not cute, however, that this someone, is my best friend." She jabbed a finger into his chest.
Rhian's eyes were opened, Drake could see her anger rising, but Diana was facing away from her. "You think you can control her?" Diana shouted.
Drake locked eyes with Rhian over Diana's shoulder. "At least I didn't give Caine permission to alter my best friend's memories."