Chapter 8
Like Your Mother
Valentina's POV
There was smoke coming in from somewhere. It was getting hard to breathe. Royce gave me his bandanna and I looked around.
"Hanzo!"
He came over and lifted me up. I pulled myself up through a hole in the ceiling.
"Careful!" he said.
I nodded and crawled through the little tunnel.
"You're in my house motherfucker!"
The bottom gave way and I landed on Noland. I crawled to the fire and did everything I could to put it out.
"Come here!"
Noland grabbed my ankle and dragged me back.
"VALENTINA!"
I growled and turned. I kicked him hard in the chest and threw him into a wall.
"Driscoll Bounty Hunter!" Stans said.
Noland backhanded me and I hit the wall. I turned back and saw him running away. I ran after him, ignoring Royce's calls for me to come back. I lost him and looked around.
"Mierda!"
I heard a loud blast and my eyes went wide. I was scared and I slowly backed up. I went back in the direction I came. There was no way for me to get through the bars.
"Hey there she is."
Royce turned and ran to me.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah."
"Can you get back up there?"
I stepped back and looked at the hole.
"I can try."
"Then do it."
I nodded and looked around. I ran at the wall and ran up so I could jump up and grab the edge of the hole. I pulled myself up with all my strength. I crawled back and fell again. Royce caught me and hugged me tightly.
"Don't you ever do that again young lady! Do you understand me!?"
I nodded.
"I didn't hear you."
"Yes I understand."
"Good. Now get down."
Hanzo pushed me to the ground and Royce shot at the ceiling. I looked up but nothing had changed.
"That didn't open up shit!"
"It wasn't meant to asshole. I'm calling in the cavalry."
My eyes went wide.
"Why the hell would you want that?" I asked.
He gave me a look and I shut my mouth. Stans was still kicking at the wall.
"That's not working!" I shouted.
He kicked again and it sounded louder than before. He scrambled back and Royce pulled me closer. Another bang and then another before the wall bent towards us. The smoke was let out and Royce slowly went forward. I grabbed his arm and he looked at me.
"Don't!"
"Let go Valentina."
I looked at him but then slowly let him go. He leaned against the wall and then slowly slid down. He had a flare gun in his hand and he slowly peered through the hole. He fired the flare and waited, but nothing happened. He looked at me and waved me over. The kicked the wall out and Royce went out first to look around.
"Valentina, you next."
I crawled out and took my bow out. One by one the others came out and we continued on. The only light we had was the light on Royce's gun. He stopped and looked at Hanzo.
"Keep her close. She runs off."
He nodded and I scowled. Royce stopped up ahead and then waved me forward.
"Your eyes are better than everyone else's. What do you see?"
I looked around the corner and surveyed the area. Nothing moved and I looked at Royce.
"You should let me go first. I can see in the dark."
"No!"
"I'm not a child!"
"You're my child!"
I stared into his eyes.
"You're my child and it's my job to keep you safe. Like it or not I'm all you've got and you'll listen to me. Understand?"
I'd never seen him so serious.
"Fine."
He nodded and then we kept going. There was a loud smash and I stopped and turned.
"They're here." I whispered.
We started running.
"Hey!"
Once more we stopped and looked back. Edwin was trapped on the other side.
"I lost you guys." Nikolai went back. "You gotta get me out of here man. Come on."
"Let's move." Royce said.
"What? No!" I said.
Hanzo grabbed me and we ran.
"I'm sorry Edwin!" I cried.
I had no choice but to run. We came to a rock wall with holes in it. Stans and the others were crawling into the lower ones.
"Up you go."
Royce picked me up and I crawled through one of the higher ones. I jumped down and we kept going. Edwin eventually joined us, but Nikolai was gone.
"Come on climb! Let's go honey."
I started to climb. When I felt the ground shake I went faster. I pulled myself out and then Royce came after me. Stans just managed to make it out before fire shot up from the hole.
"Nikolai…"
He'd given his life to save us. I closed my eyes and looked down.
"We killed it."
I looked at Stans.
"We fucking killed it! We fucking killed it! Whooo!"
I stood up and looked at Royce and Hanzo.
"Whose your daddy now motherfucker!?"
My eyes went wide and then Stans flew forward. The red lasers now pointed at…
"Papa!"
Hanzo and Edwin grabbed me. Royce looked at me.
"Get her home. Get my daughter home."
Hanzo nodded and I shook my head.
"No! No papa! No me dejas!" (No! No papa! Don't leave me!)
"I'm sorry."
He closed his eyes and turned back. Hanzo pulled me back and had me look away.
"Don't look."
They tried to take me away but I refused. I turned back and that was when Stans jumped and latched himself to the creature's back.
"Who you think you're messing with motherfucker!?"
My eyes went wide and he looked at us.
"What're you doing?! Go! Run!"
I smiled a little.
"Thank you!"
I was pulled in the other direction and we all ran as fast as we could. When Royce stopped we all did. I took a few steps forward. I heard the roar and I knew Stans was gone.
"We need to go."
I nodded and we kept running.
Hanzo stopped in the middle of the grassy field. I stopped and looked at him.
"Hanzo!"
He slowly looked at me.
"Go."
"No! You're coming with us!"
"No. I'm giving you time. Go now, protect your father and the doctor. Fight with honor."
He bowed and I slowly bowed back.
"Valentina!"
Edwin grabbed my arm and pulled me away. That was the last time I saw my friend. I heard metal clashing and I heard a shout but that was it.
"Hanzo…"
"There's nothing you could've done. He died to protect us." Royce said.
It didn't make it better, but I wouldn't let him die in vain.
Royce's POV
We kept running. Then Ediwn was hit with a bear trap. Valentina knelt down and pried it off him.
"One more inch and it would have hit my tibial artery. I guess this is my lucky day."
I slowly shook my head.
"It's not. That trap is meant to maim not kill. Valentina lets go."
"Now hold on, I can still walk."
He tried to get up, there was a crack and he fell back.
"He's dead. Let's go Valentina."
"You can't leave me here! I've got kids at home. Little kids!"
"You'll be begging us to carry you. We can rig him with explosives-"
I stopped when I saw the look in my daughter's eyes. Disgust, anger, and disbelief.
"Go. Mama taught me to never leave someone behind. And from what she told me…my father would never do this. Go or you'll miss your ride."
"Valentina Maria Driscoll you come with me right now!" I ordered.
She slowly shook her head.
"Unless you're going to help me with him, I'm not going with you."
"I'm your father and you're coming with me."
Tears filled her eyes.
"No Royce, I'm not." she whispered.
I stared at her and let my anger get the better of me.
"You're just like your mother! Foolish and always forgetting to look after herself."
I turned on my heel and left.