Page 51 of Powerless
"Sorry," I told him. "It's better when you're not bracing yourself for it. You can move now, but slowly. Wiggle your toes, fingers, ankles, wrists. Tell me if anything hurts."
Larkan did as I said, checking every major joint gently for any breaks. “Everything hurts but I think I'm okay." He flipped over onto his back, making eye contact with Noelle and I for the first time, and I think we were both taken by surprise.
Even while covered in sand and blood, road rash all over his skin and his shirt hanging off of him in tatters, he was cute. Like, really cute.
His rich brown hair was a few shades lighter than Reaper's, with eyes almost as crystal-blue as Gunner's. His nose was a little crooked in an endearing way and his smile was pained, but heartfelt.
And it shone straight at Noelle.
"You two just saved my life," he panted.
"That was all her," Noelle waved her hand in my direction, but a nervous smile played at her lips.
I dug through my pack to let them have a small moment, smiling to myself before producing a pill bottle.
"Here, take one of these for the pain. We'll have to clean you up when we get everyone inside the compound. Can you walk?"
"I think so."
"Here," Noelle held an arm out. "Hold onto me."
I swore I saw literal sparks fly when he touched her arm, using it for leverage to pull himself to his feet.
"You're gonna make me lose my man card," he joked, seemingly unable to keep his eyes away from Noelle.
"Your dick still works, doesn't it?" Noelle's mouth dropped open and she slapped a hand over it as if someone else made her say that. "Oh my God, that's so inappropriate! I don't even know you! I'm sorry, the president's my brother and I just—“
"It's all right," Larkan seemed far more amused than offended. "And yes, it does still work. Guess I'll hold onto that man card after all."
Redder than her hair color, Noelle hid her face behind her hands when one of the dirt bike riders waved at us from a nearby crash site.
"Hey! Has anyone seen Reaper?" he called.
"No, why? What did you find?" I rushed over, Noelle's blossoming romance now the farthest thing from my mind.
"Here's his bike," he motioned. "And it's all fucked up."
No. Please, no.
Fucked up was an understatement. The bike looked like a giant tried to fold it in half. Reaper’s personal items were strewn out all over the ground, including the gavel which marked his symbol as a leader.
I picked it up slowly, my fingers digging into the grooves of the wood.
"But his body isn't here?" I asked no one in particular.
"No. I think we got everybody except him. There are a bunch of un-ID'd bodies, though—“
"Find him," I demanded.
I didn't know who I was talking to. I wasn't even in a position to give anyone orders. But Reaper, dead or alive,hadto be found. My body felt like it was going to burst from the inside out without knowing. But if he was one of those mangled, twisted bodies buried under a pile of metal, would I be able to handlethatknowledge?
"Any sign of Hades?" I asked the dirt bike riders.
One of them pulled off his helmet and I recognized him as Bones, one of the men dating Heather, Reaper's ex.
"No sign of the pooch, either," he told me apologetically. "But if they're out there, we'll find both of them."
I nodded, at loss for any more words when a hand squeezed my shoulder from behind.
