CHAPTER 17: DISASTER

                Nicole immediately pushed herself up onto one elbow, still lying on her side.  I didn’t run.  I was too tired, and really, what would be the point?

                “Who…? Who are you?  How did you get in here?” She asked me.

                I started to tell her, but her other hand came from behind her and reached for me.  I braced myself as her palm swooped from behind me and gently nudged me enough to fall into her hand.  It was incredibly warm.  She slowly carried me towards her face.  Moment of truth. 

                “I’m sorry,” she said.  “I can’t hear you.”

                “It’s okay,” I managed, trying to maintain my balance in her hand.

                “Who are you, and how did you get in here?  Did you escape one of the rooms?” Her voice was stern, but it was forced.

                “Well, sort of,” I said.  “But let me just get one thing clear.  I wasn’t part of your ‘draw.’  Besides you and Leila, nobody even knows I’m here.  So… relax a second.”

                “Okay,” Nicole seemed relieved.  “Are… are you from the collective, downstairs?”

                 I shook my head.

                “Leila hired me.  To help her, and Kyle, and you…” I watched understanding dawn slowly onto her face.  I told her I was there during the snatch, that I stowed away in Jayne’s purse, and that I witnessed the draw, too.  She regarded me with amazement.  I told her I saw Kyle’s demise, and about my short adventure with Leila.  And then I explained the current situation.

                “She went back?” Nicole couldn’t believe it.  “Why should I believe you?  How do I know you didn’t just leave her there and concoct this story to get me to help you?”

                “Because she told me everything.  About the plan to expose this place.  And about your text message that made her panic.  I know you want to get out of here, too.  She doesn’t want to kill anymore.  And I’m guessing you don’t either.”  I couldn’t help but glance at the dead man on the bed below me.  She noticed, and her eyes narrowed.

                “Don’t you dare judge me,” she warned.  Let’s not piss off the giant woman, shall we?  “You don’t know what it’s like.  Angel checks our rooms.  You saw what happened to Leila when they found she’d been hiding her brother.  This man here, his name was Michael.  I explained everything to him.  That the only chance we have to end this is to keep my cover with Angel.  In the end, he understood.  He didn’t want to die, but he understood.  I held a finger over his face and watched him run out of air and die.  Now I have to break his body and show Angel that I am a killer, just like her and Jayne.  And I’ve been crying all morning.  I always do.  So don’t you dare judge me.”

                “I’m not,” I said holding my hands up, trying to keep her calm.  “Look, we’re not going to have much time.  When Angel wakes up, she’s going to decide Leila’s fate.  Leila says she can convince Angel that it should be Jayne that executes her, because of the whole ‘I stole your kill’ thing.  I’ve seen what Jayne likes to do with her kills; she restores them part of the way, and she’s going to need the amulet to do that.  That’s when you need to make your move and save her.  And me.  And yourself.”

                “I… can’t,” Nicole shut her eyes. 

                “Leila will be dead,” I said.

                “For all intents and purposes, she is already,” Nicole said, eyes still shut.  “I’m sorry.  I can’t let Angel think I’ve betrayed her.  I have to bring you to her.”

                “You want out.  If you think you’ll have a better opportunity than this, then all I ask is that you kill me now, and spare me a night with either Jayne or Angel,” I was bluffing, but she was buying it… I think.  Her eyes opened and studied me again, considering my words.  “Can you use the amulet on Jayne?  Or Angel?”  I asked.

                “Not Angel.  She’s immune to it.  It part of the ‘power’ she has,” Nicole said.

                “Well, Nicole.  You have a choice to make.  You can save yourself and condemn both Leila and me to death, or you can choose to stop killing.  You may not want to be judged, but you still have to choose,” I said, folding my arms.

                That was the best I had.  My goal was to get an audience with her.  Though it hadn’t happened the way I’d planned it, I was here now.  This was my bread and butter, to convince people about the best course of action to get what I need.  And this would be my golden moment of triumph.  Nicole closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them.

                “I’m sorry.  I’m taking you to Angel.  She’ll decide your fate,” she said.

                Fuck.

                Her hand closed firmly around so that only my head was exposed.  The heat from her hand was intense, and I could feel her pulse racing.  She was on her feet now, all glorious six feet of her.  She held me up to her face again, her expression was truly apologetic.

                “I really am sorry,” she said, moving towards the door.

                It was time to throw a Hail Mary pass.

                “I saw the blue flash,” I said quickly.  I saw how Leila reacted to this when I’d mentioned it in the vents.  Nicole’s reaction wasn’t much different; she stopped dead in her tracks.  Her gripped tightened around me.

                “What?” She said.

                “When Angel had her man in her clutches.  I was in the room, I saw the whole thing.  She made him say all this ‘I want to die’ stuff… then she… put him… inside her.  There was a blue flash.  It came from her not the amulet.  I saw it.”

                “You saw it.  You actually saw the light?” She asked.

                “I said it was blue, didn’t I?  Yeah, I saw it.”

                She staggered back a step, and her grip loosened, just a little.  She walked to her dresser and set me down again.  I welcomed the cool air again.  Looking up at her, I dusted myself off. 

                “I knew you would come around,” I said, not sure what had just happened.  “So what now?  I saw the light, but nothing happened to me, I just assumed that-“

                I saw it coming, but I was too stunned to move.  Nicole opened her right hand and held it above me.  Nothing clever came to mind.  I simply watched her.  She hesitated, just for a moment.  Then the hand came flying towards me with the force of a meteor.  My life flashed before my eyes, and then impact blasted away my entire universe.

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                I should have been dead.  But judging by the headache, I was not.  Slowly, very slowly, I opened my eyes.  A large face hovered above me, only a blur.  I blinked a couple times.  Slowly, very slowly, like a Polaroid picture, the face came into focus.  She waited until she saw the recognition register on my face.

                “I was wondering when you were going to wake up,” Angel said.