Author's Note:
I am so sorry for this very very late update.
I have been suffering from some serious writer's block and have rewritten this chapter a million times in an attempt to get the characterization correct.
I still don't know whether this chapter is going to work.
All I can say is that if you don't like it – critic is always welcome.
xxx
The Cambodian teenager nodded her head in reply; her whole face stated that she trusted Ms Parker with her whole life. Without any hesitation Ms Parker wrapped her arm underneath the girl's one shoulder so that they could provide mutual support to each other and turning her head to where Angelo was still sitting she said gently, "Come on my hero. Time to go home."
xxx
Chapter 15In silence, without looking back once, they exited the room and walked down what appeared to be a long, well-lighted corridor with a cement floor and wooden walls.
They were nearing the end of the corridor and could see the beginning of a small flight of stairs when Angelo suddenly froze on the spot, nearly causing Ms Parker and the Asian girl to stumble over their own feet.
"What is it?" Ms Parker murmured, her tone of voice a cross between concern and a bit of annoyance.
"People coming," Angelo replied in an equal soft tone, his face scrunched up as he gazed in a direction somewhere at the top of the stairs.
His widened eyes was more than enough to tell her that he could sense that somebody was close, but that he had no idea as to who it could be.
"Shit," she whispered, "Is there going to be no end to this madness." Swallowing once she darted her eyes to the spot that Angelo was staring at before turning her head slightly around to stare at the room that they had just came from. For just a moment she considered returning to her former jail to retrieve the hunting knife in order to have at least some sort of a weapon, but she realized the futility of it when a very faint noise was heard somewhere very close and slightly above them. Frowning she stood very still for a moment and indicated to the others to do the same. After barely a few seconds she heard the noise again and at that moment she realized it was the sound of a person, or maybe more than one, that was walking across a wooden floor somewhere above them.
"Quick," she said, when the noise sounded up again for the third time, this time from somewhere just above the stairs. Increasing her hold on the Asian girl and making sure that Angelo understood her intention she started moving to a shadowy spot next to the steps. She had no idea what she would do once their visitors finally showed their faces, especially given her currently poor physical condition, but she could only hope, maybe even assume, that anything would be better than the madman she had left behind.
They had barely reached their intended destination when a very faint shot, barely audible due to a silencer being used, suddenly tore through the air, causing both Ms Parker, Angelo and the girl to jump out of shock in response. Ms Parker immediately crouched down and with her arms forced the other two to move behind her. She knew in the long run it might not mean much, but at least that way she would be the first one to face whatever danger the future might bring.
From somewhere in the dark above them Ms Parker could hear the unmistakable screeching of a door – or maybe a trapdoor – being forced opened, followed by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.
Holding her breath, hearing the others automatically doing the same too, she could hear at first one person, then another, gradually approaching them. All of a sudden, without any warning, Angelo jumped up from behind her. "Angelo wait!" she hissed between her teeth, but he simple ignored and rushed around her to meet the arrivals.
For a moment she was torn between protecting Angelo from a possible danger or to remain where she was and hoping that the newcomers would not notice the girl and herself sitting there in the shadows. To her surprise and irritation she could hear the voices from her inner sense starting to whisper at the back of her mind, but she decided to ignore them.
It was just as she made a decision that their yet unknown visitors would eventually noticed them anyway and that she would be better off facing the future head-on that a soft, very familiar, voice vibrated through the air, "Angelo?"
She shook her head, at first sure that her mind was playing tricks on her and that there was no possible way that the person that had just spoken could be who she thought it was.
"What are you doing here?" the person spoke up once again.
"Daughter hurt. Friend help," Angelo replied. It was followed by the sound of footsteps running down the steps this time.
Feeling dazed at the very idea that he could actually be there, she stood slowly and only turned around slightly to indicate to the teenager behind her to do the same.
And then…
They were standing face to face.
Although she had not even think about it consciously she was at all times aware of the fact that she must look anything but her normal self. But from the way his eyes widened and the fact that he stood speechless for a while she suddenly realized that just maybe her appearance was a bit worse that she thought, because it was obviously that he was shocked at what his eyes was observing.
She wanted to tell him that she was fine, for a second she even considered rushing into his arms and hugging him out of sheer gladness for seeing him there, instead the only think that she managed to say was, "What are you gawking at wonderboy? I might look the worse for wear, but -"
"Are you…okay?" he interrupted her softly, ignoring her pretense at bravado altogether, but from the way he said the words she could sense that there was so much more that he wanted to say to her.
"Just peachy Jarod. What are you doing here?" She did not mean to sound abrupt and sarcastic, but the words slept out of her mouth before she could help herself. At the back of her mind she realized that her words sounded absurd, even a bit stupid, given what had happened to her and the current situation, but old habits died hard.
"Ms Parker," a figure suddenly moved from out of the shadows behind Jarod.
"Ethan?" For a moment she was certain that her eyes were laying to her as to the identity of the person standing next to Jarod, especially since she has not seen him for such a long time. It was only when he rushed forward and pulled her into a fierce embrace that she realized that it was indeed her younger brother.
She had always prided herself for being strong in any given situation and especially for not being a typical woman that would cry at the slightest provocation, but the feeling of Ethan's protective arms around her and the sudden awareness that she was actually finally saved from a madman's clutches caused an involuntary tear to escape from the corner of her eye and to silently run down her cheek.
When his hands moved slightly upwards and accidentally touched the injuries she had obtained on her back she was unable to prevent herself from wincing and crying out softly.
Immediately he let go off her.
"I-I…I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" he stumbled over his words slightly. His worried eyes roamed over her face and he could not help but swallow upon noticing the bruises on her face and around her neck.
"No…I…" She had no idea how to reply, instead she just said in a husky tone, "Nothing I can't handle."
Before anybody else could respond to her statement she turned her back on her Ethan and pulled the Asian girl from behind her.
Forcing a mask of indifference over her face she addressed Jarod, "This girl needs medical attention do-"
"What happened?" Jarod interrupted her for the uttermost time. Walking over to the teenager he gently reached out for her arm. The teenager whimpered, pulled back and tried to hide behind Ms Parker, she was clearly not about to trust another man after what had happened to her recently.
"It's okay," Ms Parker soothingly said to her in Cambodian and pushed her gentle towards Jarod again. "He…he's a friend, you can trust him," she added after a few seconds of hesitation.
Examining the teenager's arm Jarod asked the same question from before, "What happened to her?"
He was just about finished with the examination when he realized that no answer had been forthcoming.
After whispering to the girl in broken Cambodian that she was save now and that he would make sure that nobody would get the change to hurt her again he turned his attention to Ms Parker.
"What had happened here Ms Parker?" he asked again.
Reluctant and suddenly unable to find the courage to answer his question she could only shook her head and avert her eyes from him.
Nodding his head in understanding Jarod turned to Ethan and started issuing instructions, "Brother, please take Angelo and the girl to the car. Ms Parker and I will follow you shortly. There is a small Catholic hospital not far from here where we would be able to get the necessary medical attention for this girl, but there's some…uh…stuff that first need my attention, before we can go. The girl doesn't appear to be in any imminent danger, but just make sure to keep her warm while you are waiting for us."
"I will do so," Ethan stated and without any hesitation took Angelo and the teenager up the stairs and before long their retreating footsteps faded away.
Crossing the distance between them Jarod rested a hand on her shoulder. This sudden and atypical behavior coming from him forced her to look up again.
"Where's Lyle?" he inquired after a few seconds of having allowed her to compose herself.
Pointing a finger over her shoulder, towards the corridor, she whispered, "Back there."
"Did you kill…is he dead?" Jarod asked carefully.
Uttering a snort she stated, "Does it matter?"
"Mer-" he started off softly, but scowling she shook his hand off her shoulder and snarled, "Don't you dare! Don't you dare say my name!"
Feeling the beginning of anger burning inside him Jarod snapped, "Fine! Whatever suits you, your highness. I don't think I will ever understand you. It is obvious that you are in a lot of pain, both emotional and physical, and god knows what Lyle has done to you, but still you try to act like you don't need any help whatsoever. If that's the way you want it, so be it. Just be careful that one of these days you don't find yourself all alone and without a single friend in the world."
Moving passed her he started walking down the corridor, gun drawn. Not once did he bother to look back or say anything more to her. After a few seconds he disappeared into her former jail, but almost immediately came out again.
"He's…gone?" he half-said, half-asked, with confusion spreading across his face.
"What do you mean he's gone?" Rushing towards the room it did not take long for her to see that it was indeed empty. No Lyle and even the bloodied remains of the clothes she had used for his bandage and to wipe the blood from her hands were gone. The only remains in the room were her chain, the water bottle she had been using for a while – and a lot of blood that was decorating the floor of the place.
Turning her attention to Jarod she whispered, "I don't understand. I left him here just a few minutes ago. How…how could he have managed to escape without any of us noticing?"