05-21-2014, 10:30 AM
There was precious little she could do. It was the most infuriating kind of discipline to accept the impotence gracefully, but at least in that regard her wavering consciousness helped.
Natalie sunk against the wall. Smaller target, was the logic of her thinking, but the energy just flowed right out of her the moment she consented to hitting the ground, and she doubted she was going to be able to stand again this time. That realisation pinched her brows, but it was too late to reconsider now. Her boots had skidded a little in the dust, but her knees were by her chest; if she needed to scramble to her feet, she would just have to do it - or she was going to die here, in this little patch of Africa. Because of a bumped head and a little bit of tiredness, no less. Although given the obscene amount of money she presumed to have passed through her mother's hands and into Legion Premiere coffers, perhaps it would be a fitting tribute to her Northbrook legacy before she faced oblivion. Money can't buy you everything.
The support at her back helped ease the spin of the world around her; the less she moved, the more the dizziness receded back to the outer edges of her vision. She found herself staring at the back of the injured legionnaire, who'd launched himself out in front of her almost in the same moment she'd begun sliding down the wall. His leg warped at a sickening angle, and she had an abysmal view of the gaping flesh beneath the bloodied rip in his trousers.
The makeshift tourniquet had deadened the fresh flow of blood, but it'd only be so long before the tissue in his thigh would damage beneath the constriction. He needed to see surgery. In a city that lacked a hospital. Accountability burrowed into her usual apathy for such things; he was a soldier injured in the line of duty, and she didn't feel any guilt. Legion Premiere would take care of their own, she didn't doubt that, but somehow she would be ensuring he did not lose that leg.
Beside the legionnaire Ekene stood petrified, his limbs spiked like he was ready to bolt, his eyes glued to the man despite the confusing buzz of bullets. His fear of him eclipsed his fear of the Temne soldiers; he didn't appear to register the shots reverberating this side of the wall, else shock froze out the understanding that he was in danger where he stood. Or perhaps he simply expected the danger from the wrong quarter: the way he stared, it was like he anticipated the legionnaire turning his gun. Natalie had been told to stay still, but she would not be using a child as a meat shield. No matter what he'd done today.
Stars danced cold bursts across her vision as she braced and shifted enough to yank Ekene back, but she didn’t expect the way he collapsed into her. Debris crunched under her shins at his weight, the surprised wince jolting white pain in her head. She didn’t have much in the way of comfort to offer, but she relented to cocooning him in her arms. At least for a moment. He was bony, every muscle chorded tight. The metallic scent of blood, old and new, filled her nose, and she could feel his heart jackhammering in his chest. He didn't relax, not an iota. Trying to ease the dizziness, she rested her chin on his head.
"I can still hear you."
Wryness bit her tone; she appreciated she probably looked like shit, but she was not entirely incapacitated. Probably the legionnaire was right to be concerned, though. She wondered what their contract stipulated.
A legionnaire with a gold grin helped haul her up, still tangled with the child. She'd been so tuned out, she'd barely noticed the arrival of the cars shunting their way through the thinned crowds, and even now her focus was tunneled to immediate action, filtering out details like strewn and ruined bodies. Once back on her feet, she was fairly sure she could walk unaided despite a little wavering, though the legionnaire shadowed her every step until she was in the car anyway. Between that and Ekene's clinging, it was an entirely claustrophobic few paces. "Go help your friend."
Ekene had shuffled to the far edge of the seat already, tucked his legs up tight, injured hand cradled in the space between his belly and thighs. Natalie's limbs sunk into premature relief, but she pulled a slim-line half-sized Wallet from her pocket before she allowed stillness to settle her swimming vision. "Where do you presume to take me?"
That question directed to the driver, though she didn't risk dizziness by trying to peer and look at him. Her eyes ached to close, but even now she refused to submit.
Though still flashing power, the Wallet's screen had smashed into a rippling kaleidoscope. It still responded to touch, if a little sluggishly, and it took seconds to open a line to St. James. When the dial tone returned dead, she abandoned the device on the seat next to her and finally squeezed her eyes shut.
Natalie sunk against the wall. Smaller target, was the logic of her thinking, but the energy just flowed right out of her the moment she consented to hitting the ground, and she doubted she was going to be able to stand again this time. That realisation pinched her brows, but it was too late to reconsider now. Her boots had skidded a little in the dust, but her knees were by her chest; if she needed to scramble to her feet, she would just have to do it - or she was going to die here, in this little patch of Africa. Because of a bumped head and a little bit of tiredness, no less. Although given the obscene amount of money she presumed to have passed through her mother's hands and into Legion Premiere coffers, perhaps it would be a fitting tribute to her Northbrook legacy before she faced oblivion. Money can't buy you everything.
The support at her back helped ease the spin of the world around her; the less she moved, the more the dizziness receded back to the outer edges of her vision. She found herself staring at the back of the injured legionnaire, who'd launched himself out in front of her almost in the same moment she'd begun sliding down the wall. His leg warped at a sickening angle, and she had an abysmal view of the gaping flesh beneath the bloodied rip in his trousers.
The makeshift tourniquet had deadened the fresh flow of blood, but it'd only be so long before the tissue in his thigh would damage beneath the constriction. He needed to see surgery. In a city that lacked a hospital. Accountability burrowed into her usual apathy for such things; he was a soldier injured in the line of duty, and she didn't feel any guilt. Legion Premiere would take care of their own, she didn't doubt that, but somehow she would be ensuring he did not lose that leg.
Beside the legionnaire Ekene stood petrified, his limbs spiked like he was ready to bolt, his eyes glued to the man despite the confusing buzz of bullets. His fear of him eclipsed his fear of the Temne soldiers; he didn't appear to register the shots reverberating this side of the wall, else shock froze out the understanding that he was in danger where he stood. Or perhaps he simply expected the danger from the wrong quarter: the way he stared, it was like he anticipated the legionnaire turning his gun. Natalie had been told to stay still, but she would not be using a child as a meat shield. No matter what he'd done today.
Stars danced cold bursts across her vision as she braced and shifted enough to yank Ekene back, but she didn’t expect the way he collapsed into her. Debris crunched under her shins at his weight, the surprised wince jolting white pain in her head. She didn’t have much in the way of comfort to offer, but she relented to cocooning him in her arms. At least for a moment. He was bony, every muscle chorded tight. The metallic scent of blood, old and new, filled her nose, and she could feel his heart jackhammering in his chest. He didn't relax, not an iota. Trying to ease the dizziness, she rested her chin on his head.
"I can still hear you."
Wryness bit her tone; she appreciated she probably looked like shit, but she was not entirely incapacitated. Probably the legionnaire was right to be concerned, though. She wondered what their contract stipulated.
A legionnaire with a gold grin helped haul her up, still tangled with the child. She'd been so tuned out, she'd barely noticed the arrival of the cars shunting their way through the thinned crowds, and even now her focus was tunneled to immediate action, filtering out details like strewn and ruined bodies. Once back on her feet, she was fairly sure she could walk unaided despite a little wavering, though the legionnaire shadowed her every step until she was in the car anyway. Between that and Ekene's clinging, it was an entirely claustrophobic few paces. "Go help your friend."
Ekene had shuffled to the far edge of the seat already, tucked his legs up tight, injured hand cradled in the space between his belly and thighs. Natalie's limbs sunk into premature relief, but she pulled a slim-line half-sized Wallet from her pocket before she allowed stillness to settle her swimming vision. "Where do you presume to take me?"
That question directed to the driver, though she didn't risk dizziness by trying to peer and look at him. Her eyes ached to close, but even now she refused to submit.
Though still flashing power, the Wallet's screen had smashed into a rippling kaleidoscope. It still responded to touch, if a little sluggishly, and it took seconds to open a line to St. James. When the dial tone returned dead, she abandoned the device on the seat next to her and finally squeezed her eyes shut.