Page 43 of Charmed Forces

“Rent-a-cop,” snorted the officer to his colleague. The younger officer didn’t laugh, but instead focused on me.

“This is important. Did anyone go in there?” Solomon jabbed a finger at Detective Wayne’s room.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to move along.”

“Lexi?” The younger officer stepped closer. “I thought it was you. It’s me, Jem. Jem Redmond. Hey, Art, this is Jord Graves’ sister.”

Sneery turned his gaze to me. “Oh, yeah?”

“Detective Graves has been helping me study for my sergeant exams,” said Redmond. “What’s the problem?”

“Did anyone go inside this room?” I asked, hoping my urgency would speed this along. Now that I focused on Jem Redmond, he seemed familiar. I was sure I’d said hi to him on several occasions at the police station.

“Just the orderly to change the blankets,” said Redmond. “Why?”

“We don’t think that was an orderly,” said Solomon, barely restraining his urge to shove Sneery out of the way and burst into the room. “You need to get inside and remove that person.”

Sneery squared up. “Just who do you think they are?”

“An assassin,” I said. Behind me I heard a shocked gasp.

“Is that true?” asked Suki. “Open the door!”

“Oh,please,” said Sneery. “Anassassin?Here? Really?”

“Let’s just check,” said Redmond, reaching for the door handle. He turned it and pushed the door open. I darted through, but Sneery blocked Solomon on my heels and Redmond was trying to make his way around the pair.

For a moment, I thought we’d made a very stupid mistake. Detective Wayne lay peacefully on the bed, tubes running into his arms. Next to him, a machine beeped rhythmically. A folded blanket was on the bed but the orderly wasn’t tending to the bedding. Instead she held a syringe, and was poised to inject the contents of it into the IV bag hanging on the wall.

“Hey!” I shouted and she swung around. She leapt towards me, the syringe raised high, and I stumbled back, afraid she would jab me with it. Instead, she shoved me hard, and that, combined with my retreat, sent me slamming into Sneery who in turn, rammed into Solomon. The pair went down with angry shouts. I dropped to the floor at the foot of the bed as the door slammed shut. The woman kicked a doorstop under the door and lurched at me again. I rolled and scrambled away before she could stab me with the syringe.

“Hey!” shouted Solomon, his fists pounding the other side of the door.

“Open the door!” yelled Sneery.

My drop and roll positioned me between the woman and the IV bag. She was the only obstacle blocking the door. This put us in an unfortunate position because she wanted to be where I was and there was no way I’d move. Yet she stood between the door and my only means of rescue.

“Get out of my way,” she snarled.

“Um... no?” I said, my pitch rising like I was asking a question.

“Yes,” she said. “Move. Now!”

“Still no.”

“Ugh.” She glanced around the room and as I followed her gaze, she jumped onto the bed, her legs straddling either side of Pete Wayne’s prone body as she reached for the IV. Before she could wrap her hands around the bag, I grabbed the food tray from the wheeled table under the corridor window and slammed it into the backs of her knees as hard as I could. This time, the syringe slipped out of her hand and skidded under the bed. She leapt from the bed and body-slammed me into the corner, sending the wheeled cart flying before retreating to the opposite wall, with only the bed between us.

“Oof!” I grunted as I sucked stale air into my lungs. With my back now to the glass window, I side-stepped and kicked the doorstop until I felt it move. Keeping my eye on her, I reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open. Immediately the officers surged forwards, reaching for their weapons. The woman lunged for the wheeled cart and grabbed it with both hands. Then she launched the cart forwards, barreling it into them and forcing them back. As she passed me, she jump-kicked. Her foot landed squarely on my stomach. I staggered back, hit the wall and slithered before doubling over and collapsing on the floor.

“Stop her!” yelled someone

“Pete!” shouted Suki.

“Lexi!”

“Ooof,” I groaned, clambering to my feet and staggering out of the room.

The woman was running, pursued by Redmond and Solomon.

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