The next day, the doctor had good news for the sisters.
"If you promise not to do anything strenuous, I'll discharge you." He said, looking at her charts, while the nurse fetched the forms to fill in.
"Oh, I'll keep an eye on her. She won't even watch TV without my ok." Alex smiled and threatened.
Charlie sighed and looked out the window as the doctor filled out the forms; the next few days would be very boring. Deep in her soul, she was longing for some excitement, fun, danger, even though she had just been rescued. Maybe it was time for a change, time to not be so safe, take chances. To stop waiting, and start doing. Maybe she should drop a hint to Tala where she was, that ought to be fun, she thought. She looked at the doctor, and saw how he was explaining to Alex about her medication. She wouldn't take it. She felt good. The time in Russia was good for her, despite the trauma they thought she had been through. In actual fact, she had discovered life. She supposed they had taught her how to live. She couldn't wait to get out. Maybe she would take Black Dranzer for a spin.
"Come on." Alex said to her.
She looked at her suddenly and saw that Alex had already packed her things into a bag.
"Time to go home." She said to her, lifting the blanket off of her.
Charlie swung her legs out and slowly put her feet on the ground. It felt so good, the cold feeling of the floor under her toes. Alex wanted to help her but Charlie stopped her.
"I can do it." She said, lifting herself out of bed and standing, although unsteadily, on her own two feet.
She had seen what people her age were doing in Russia, how much Kai and Tala and the others had to go through in their lives, she could stand on her own and walk out of here. A nurse brought her a wheelchair but she turned it away.
"What happened to you?" Alex asked her as she watched Charlie pull on a pair of pants and a shirt. She walked over to the long serving table and took Black Dranzer in her hand and squeezed it.
"Now you be good, okay Black Dranzer." She said to her, dropping her into her pocket.
"I guess I was inspired to be stronger, thanks to Kai… and a few other people." She said, to Alex.
She put on a pair of shoes that her sister had bought for her. They left the room, and Alex ordered that all the flowers and presents be brought to Charlie's hotel suite, and got into the elevator. As the doors closed, Alex turned to Charlie.
"This is the part where I tell you that there was an article in the newspaper this morning, about you being released." She said, looking at her.
Charlie squeezed Black Dranzer in her hand, hidden in her pocket.
"Let me guess, there is a throng of reporters outside. Typical, they know before me that I can go home." She said, looking blankly at the elevator doors.
"I'll handle it, don't worry." Alex said, looking at the red lights lighting up the numbers as they went down.
"No, I can handle it." Charlie said as the elevator pinged and the doors slowly opened. They were right, just outside the hospital doors were hundreds of people. Most with cameras, but there were normal people there to. Charlie smiled and put on her PR face. She walked slowly towards the doors that were opened automatically as she approached. Instantly, the camera flashes went off, screaming of questions and whistles of joy filled the atmosphere around the sister's. Alex shielded Charlie from most of the flashes but then Charlie grabbed a policemen's megaphone. She held it her mouth and spoke.
"Thank you all for coming." She said.
The crowd grew silent and waited for her next words.
"I appreciate all the well wishes and I'm glad to say, I'll be just fine. Thank you all for your prayers that, I'm sure, helped us get rescued. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get home." She smiled and gave the megaphone back.
The crowd made a path for her and as she walked past, as little girl held out a bunch of flowers for her. She took them and hugged the little girl. She made her way to the limo and some random onlooker opened her door. She looked at him and the blood rushed to her feet. She felt heavy as she looked at Tala's face in front of her. He smiled at her and they stood staring at each other for a while.
"Charlie, you ok?" Alex asked her.
She looked at the red haired man holding the door open.
"Do we know you?" Alex asked Tala.
Her fighting memory was short and she didn't recognize him at all.
"Not you, just your sister. We know each other, very well." He said, smiling at her. Charlie felt the cold tingles on her spine again. She clenched her fist around Black Dranzer and she could feel the sharp edges cutting into her hand as she did. Tala held out his hand and looked at her dramatically.
"Give it to me." He said.
She knew what he meant, he wanted Black Dranzer. Biovault wanted her back.
"No." she said.
He smiled and stepped towards her. The police rushed to her side but she stopped them.
"I can handle him." She said to them.
She looked back at Tala.
"She's mine now. I won't abandon my bitbeast." She said, looking him in the eyes. Alex stepped back and reached into her pocket for Bellona. Tala took his hand off from the car door and touched her hand and the crowd gasped. He was touching their princess and she was allowing it. Did this mean her and Kai had broken up, they thought. Was this her new boyfriend? He leaned forward and whispered into her ear.
"Only Kai can use her. She won't work for you." He smiled and gently ran his lips over her earlobe. She felt the little pleasure tingles running down her spine again.
"Then why do you want her?" she whispered back.
He pulled away and saw that Alex had her blade in her launcher.
"Step back." She warned him.
He smiled at her.
"Black Dranzer will work for me, as long as Alex is here to teach me. Now Tala, turn around, and walk away, or you will be spending a very long time in chains." She warned him.
He smiled and turned away, he started walking away.
"You promise?" he said.
She blushed and turned her face away from the crowd, from Alex, from him and the cameras. He disappeared into the crowd. The Police Chief asked if they must follow him and capture him.
"No, as long as Alex is here, I'll be safe. He won't be able to beat her." She said, slipping into the limo.
Alex slipped in and ordered the driver to get them home. He drove fast and smoothly to the Le Marquis Hotel where they each owned a penthouse suite.
Alex bundled Charlie into the elevator and quickly got her into her suite. She locked the door behind her and looked at Charlie, who had sat down on her white couch.
"Who the hell was that?" Alex asked her.
"His name is Tala. He was one of the guys who held me captive." She said, without flinching.
"He was flirting with you. Did you and he, I mean, seriously." Alex asked, pouring them a glass of water each.
"Yeah." Charlie said, taking it from her.
Alex looked at her, puzzled as to what drove her to that.
"I can't explain it, I find him very sexy." She said, sipping her water.
"He wanted Black Dranzer. Do you still have her?" Alex asked her.
She took her hand out of her pocket and opened her fist. Her blood was clinging all over Black Dranzer's razor sharp cutting edges.
"Charlie, you cut yourself." Alex said, running off to find a plaster.
Charlie got up and walked to her bay windows that opened up onto her patio. She walked out into the cool breeze and looked out over the park. She saw a flash of red again. Standing under a tree in the park, Tala was watching her. She held her hand up to show him her bloody hand. She brought it up to her mouth and licked off the blood. He smiled up at her and walked away. Now he knew where she lived. She wasn't scared though. Not anymore. Alex came in from the study room and stepped out next to her.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Alex said, handing her the plaster.
"Thanks." Charlie said, stuffing the plaster into her pocket.
She looked at Black Dranzer. She needed to learn to blade and control her. She could protect herself then. Tala wasn't going to stop until she was his again.
"Alex, I want you to call the Minister of Homeland Defense and ask if he can spare some more body guards." She said to her sister.
"Yeah, good idea." She said, walking into the sitting room.
"Hey, I want to take you somewhere now, are you ok to go?" Alex asked her as she dialed the number.
"Yeah, where?" she said, looking for Tala between the green leaves.
"The Louvre'." She replied.
"Why?" she asked, turning around and coming back into the room, closing the doors behind her.
"You'll see." She smiled back.