Masked (15 page)

How had everything gone to shit so quickly? The front door banged open just as she thought that. Seamus and Lake walked in, their faces just as shocked as the rest of them.

“What the hell happened?” Charlotte demanded.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Pete said, his jaw clenched in anger. She knew he was just as angry as she was.

“I wouldn’t mind knowing the same,” Seamus said, throwing his mask down on the coffee table.

“I thought your sister was a dancer,” Lake said, running a hand through her massive curls, “not bloody karate kid.”

“She almost broke my damn nose,” Seamus complained.

“No one gives a rat’s ass about your nose, Seamus!” Charlotte snapped.

“Seriously, mate,” Pete said. “What the hell went on out there?”

Seamus threw his hands up in the air. “I have no idea! We went to get her, and then she went all crazy kung-fu on me trying to get away.”

“Why didn’t you tell her who you were?” Charlotte said, seething.

“I did! She wouldn’t come with us.”

“Well this makes no sense,” Phoenix said, flopping down in a chair. “Are you sure your sister hasn’t crossed over to the dark side?”

“Of course not,” Charlotte scoffed.

“That’s not Bridgette,” Trent supported. “She’s one of the kindest souls I know.”

Phoenix snickered.

“Guess you wouldn’t know much about souls since you don’t have one, huh Princess?” Trent said. Phoenix narrowed her eyes at him.

“Not now you two,” Pete said. “We need to find Bridgette
now.
I’m sure we can all guess who it was who took her.”

Charlotte sat down, burying her face in her hands. Why would her father take Bridgette back? He was the whole reason she was in the New World camp to begin with. None of this made sense. Was he going to use her as a hostage to get Charlotte back? The thought made her blood run cold, because she knew without a doubt she’d do it. She’d return to him in a heartbeat if it meant Bridge would be safe.

She felt Pete sit next to her, his familiar smell invading her senses. His warm hand wrapped around the back of her neck in a supportive hold.

“There’s no way we can go after the van,” Trent said. “The New World soldiers were already scattering to go after them. We can’t get mixed up in all that if we want to stay hidden.”

“Well at least one good thing came from all this,” Sam said as she stood leaning against the wall.

Charlotte looked up. “And what would that be?”

Sam shrugged. “At least now they’ll for sure think the explosion was your father’s doing. No one is going to think twice about it.”

Tyler grunted. “She has a point.”

“Good job on the explosives, Pixie,” Phoenix said.

The small girl smiled in thanks. Charlotte didn’t think she’d heard the girl speak once since they arrived.

“Yeah, not bad, squirt,” Garrett said, patting her on the head like a child. Pixie only rolled her eyes. Charlotte would have punched him in the gut for that.

“Why would she be running back to that building?” Pete said, leaning back to rest his head on the back of the couch.

“Because of Roman,” Charlotte said, knowing in her heart she was right. She’d seen it in her sister’s eyes when they looked at each other. She didn’t know how or why, but she knew Bridgette was going back to make sure he was okay. Even Charlotte’s heart had jumped when she’d seen him enter the building. Despite what had happened between them recently, Charlotte still cared for him. It was clear her sister felt the same. She wasn’t sure what to make of that, but the part of her that had grown to know and care for Roman over the past five years understood.

“I’ll kill that wanker,” Seamus said.

Charlotte looked at Pete’s closest friend and saw the genuine hate there. Since Roman had ordered Seamus to be beaten, he hadn’t been the same carefree, fun person he once was. She hoped whatever bitterness was inside him would soon dissipate so he could go back to the way he used to be. Still, she understood his hatred for Roman. She didn’t like it, but she understood it.

“No one is killing anyone until we find Bridgette and get her back to safety,” Pete said.

“And how do you propose we do that?” Phoenix asked.

Well isn’t that the million dollar question
, Charlotte thought.

Her mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton balls. She could hear the engine of whatever vehicle she’d been thrown into. The floor beneath her was still moving, her body jarred every time they drove over a bump in the road. They were still driving. How long had she been out? And where was she being taken to? There weren’t many options, considering everything was monitored by New World soldiers. Was it possible they were out of the city already?

They hit another bump causing the back of her head to smack against the floor. She groaned from the impact.

“She’s coming around,” one of the men said.

“That’s not possible. I put enough drugs in that dart to put her out for hours,” someone answered.

Bridgette opened her eyes then closed them immediately against the nausea that rolled through her stomach and up her throat. Please don’t be sick, she begged. She hated vomiting.

“I’m telling you, she’s awake. I just saw her open her eyes.”

“Shit,” another voice said. “It must be the treatments. Her body is probably working it out of her system faster than a normal person would.”

Treatments? What the heck were these guys talking about? She opened her mouth to say something, but only got out a moan when sickness washed over her again. She wasn’t going to be able to stop herself from throwing up soon.

“Give her another shot,” one of them ordered. “It will last till we get to the General.”

She could hear someone moving around in the back with her. The opening and closing of a case, the click of something that she guessed was them readying another dart in the shooter. She wanted to beg them not to, but her mind was still having trouble focusing. Why was her father doing this? It didn’t make sense. And what were these treatments?

“Shit!”

Breaks squealed loudly and her body was thrown forward until she hit something hard and metal. The van swerved sharply to the left, sending her across the floor again into another metal surface.

“What the hell is going on?” the man in the back yelled.

“We’ve got trouble.”

The loud bang of shots being fired came from beyond the van. Pings echoed in the vehicle as the bullets hit. Suddenly there was a loud popping sound, and the van went out of control, veering left and right violently.

“Damn it! They shot the back tire.”

“What are we going to do?”

They were scared, Bridgette thought. Why did that thought make her feel slightly better? She curled into a ball just as the van came to a stop. Her nausea was overwhelming, but if she just stayed in this position she might be able to get control over it.

“Get your guns!”

More shots from outside rang out and Bridgette curled in on herself tighter.

“What are we going to do?”

“We’re sitting ducks in here, man!”

“Relax,” the third guy ordered, obviously the one in charge. “They just want the girl.”

“We can’t go back there without her,” one of them argued. “The General will have our asses if we do.”

“It’s either deal with his shit when we get back, or deal with the NWO soldiers now. Let me just make this very clear for you, we won’t be going anywhere if we stay here and wait for them to come get us. Understand? If we give them the girl, it might give us a chance to get away.”

“On three tires?” one of them asked.

“It’s worth a shot.”

“Fuck,” the one in the back with her said, slamming, what she supposed, was his hand on the side of the van. “He’s right. We need to get out of here. If we keep her, they’ll never stop chasing us.”

Before she knew what was happening, the door to the van was pulled open, the fresh air from outside hitting her face like a welcomed caress. Bridgette breathed it in deeply, her stomach already starting to settle.

“We’ll get you eventually,” the guy whispered in her ear. Then he shoved her from behind and the next thing she knew she was falling. Her body slammed onto the hard ground. The side of her arm scraped against the rocks and pebbles there. Thankfully she managed to keep her head from slamming into the concrete as well. The van door slammed shut behind her, and tires squealed loudly from close by before she heard them take off. Multiple vehicles stopped not far from her. She could hear someone yelling for one car to follow the van, while the rest of them took care of her.

The crunching of boots came next as they approached where she lay.

“X? You okay?” a familiar voice called out a second before she felt their touch.

Bridgette opened her eyes slowly, blinking back against the light, until her vision cleared. Xavier crouched beside her, concern etched on his face. “I’m fine,” she croaked.

He flinched. “You don’t sound find. Did they hurt you?”

She tried to shake her head, but it only made her feel worse. “Just shot me with some sort of dart to knock me out.”

“Did they say why they took you?”

“No,” she answered.

He pressed his mouth into a firm line. “Let’s get you back to headquarters.”

He went to pull her up, but she held out a finger telling him to wait. “Just give me a second. I don’t think I can handle another car ride right now.”

He nodded, falling back until he was sitting beside her now.

“Roman?” she asked, the question most urgent in her mind.

His expression didn’t look promising. “I don’t know,” he said. “They were still inside when we went after you.”

The ride back to headquarters was torture. Not because she felt sick, that had passed. No, it was the not knowing. Had they made it out? Was Roman gone? Her head was pounding, her body ached from being banged around all over the van and ground, and all she was worried about was him.

Xavier’s phone started ringing between them. The other soldier sat in the back, letting Bridgette ride up front. She looked down at it then up at Xavier.

“Are you going to answer that?” she asked.

“Do you want to?”

“I’d rather you answer,” she replied honestly. “I feel like crap.” And she was too chicken to pick up the receiver and hear that the man who filled her head almost every minute of the day was gone.

“Xavier,” he said, picking up the unit. “Yes, sir. She’s right beside me.” He looked over at her then back to the road. “Okay, sir. She’s not feeling too well, but I think that’s just from whatever they knocked her out with.” The other side spoke. “They went after it. I’m just waiting to hear something back.” Silence again. “No, she said they didn’t say anything.” More silence. “Yes, sir. We should be there in five.” Pause. “Yes, sir. I’m glad to hear you all made it out okay.”

Bridgette sat up straighter, staring at him with wide eyes. Xavier glanced at her, giving her an imperceptible nod, confirming her silent question. It was Roman! He was alive! She collapsed back against the seat and stared out the window. The heavy weight on her chest lifted, but only slightly. Yes, he was alive, but now she had to come to terms with how his possible death had affected her, and what that could all mean.

Did she have serious feelings for the New World second in command? Considering her reaction, she was starting to think that was a big fat yes. Looks like she had made a complicated situation even more so. Now what was she supposed to do?

Xavier hung up the phone, the rest of his conversation a complete blur to her as she’d mulled over her issues.

“He’s okay?” she asked immediately.

“Yes, they’re all back at headquarters getting looked at by the doctors. The others were in the basement like we’d hoped. The fire never breached the security doors.”

“Thank God,” she said. Xavier nodded. She needed to get back to HQ fast so she could see him with her own eyes. Then maybe she could go back to her room and make sense of what was going on with her. There was no way she could act on any feelings for Roman. It would never work. But she could at least make sure he wasn’t seriously hurt before she went off and got herself back under control. Now that he was safe, and she knew Charlotte was safe, there was no reason for her to stay at headquarters.

She focused her eyes on her reflection, the black mask of Weapon X hiding everything but her bright blue eyes. She didn’t have to wear a mask anymore. All of this was over now. So why wasn’t she happier about it? Because you’ll have to leave him, her inner voice whispered. That couldn’t stop her, she decided. She would head back, check on Roman, and then take a shower before figuring out how she was going to get out and back into contact with Charlotte.

As far as she was concerned, this journey of hers had ended.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

As soon as headquarters came into view, her seatbelt was off and she was practically out of the vehicle before Xavier could even bring it to a stop. Bridgette passed by the soldiers standing guard, asking one where she could find Roman. Then she headed up to his room where he was reported to be. She just needed to make sure he was okay, but with every step her palms grew sweatier, and a nervous feeling in her stomach seemed to be spreading up into her chest.