Falling Hard Ch. 05

Mick sighed and shook his head. "Now you're the one who's not listening. Didn't I just say that you're a hero!"

She just looked at him, tugging her hair.

"I'm not supposed to say anything yet, " Mick glanced at the security camera on the wall and leaned down closer to her ear. "But, you can pretty much count on an Earth assignment, just like you always wanted."

He leaned back to look in her face, his own face beaming. "They think you're ready after the way you handled yourself Friday night, " he said. "You didn't hear it from me, though. Act surprised when they tell you."

He stood up then and brushed his knuckles lightly across her cheek. "Way to go, crazy girl," he said. " I saw the video footage they compiled." He grinned from ear to ear. "You were really kick-ass."

Virta put a hand to her forehead, trying to think. "Something just doesn't add up here, Mick," she said.

"I know that the General is going to debrief you about what happened; they're going to send you for some training and orientation --"

Virta nearly choked on her dry throat. "The General! Did you say the General?"

Mick smiled. "Yes, General Banner. It's such an honor, Virta. I've never met him, but he's one hell of a powerful angel. Let's just say I wouldn't want him for an enemy. He wants to reward you, Virta."

"Mick, he tried to kill me... Code-"

"I'm sure he tried to kill the bastard devil," Mick interrupted, "and would have, if he hadn't vanished into thin air. The cowardly demon had to save his own skin, I guess." Mick shrugged.

"No, that's not it." Virta was trying not to cry.

Mick frowned as he watched her. "Virta, I know you're just tired, and you've been through hell and back. You need to rest."

"Mick, whatever information you've been given, it just isn't right. Don't believe what they tell you, Mick."

He shook his head. "Your brain is still trying to process your near-death experience... you're in shock more or less. Has anyone been in to give you medical attention before now?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. At least, nobody cleaned me up 'til just now. There was a woman, Geneva."

"Well, they're coming in any minute to give you a shot of medicine. I heard someone talking about it the hall."

"A shot? No! I don't want any drugs. I don't want them to touch me!"

The cell door slid open and in floated a couple of angels, both dressed in white lab coats.

One of them was tall and thin, and wearing horn-rimmed glasses. He had a smile frozen to his face. He was holding a briefcase. It was the one she'd come to think of as Medic.

The other angel was very round and tall, with short blonde hair. He immediately began to restrain Virta while the other one pulled a syringe out of the briefcase. He filled it with something from a vial.

"No!" Virta screamed at the top of her lungs. "Leave me alone! Get your goddamn hands off me! Mick, help me; help me!" She thrashed so hard the chubby angel couldn't restrain her.

"Help me hold her!" he yelled at Mick, his face red as he tried to contain the panicked, bucking angel.

Mick ran over and grabbed Virta by the hands as the bigger angel sat on her legs. She slapped and clawed at Mick.

"Virta calm down! Nobody is wanting to hurt you. All they're going to give you is a sedative, just something to help you relax."

Mick turned to Medic. "Don't just stand there, help her!" he said.

"No, Mick, no, I don't want anything to relax! Mick, don't trust anyone here, Mick they tried to kill me, and make me kill you... and the whole fucking town... no, no, no, no.." she wailed over and over.

"Shh, everything is OK now, baby," he soothed her, wiping her sweaty hair away from her face. Then he turned back to Medic. "Please, help her, she's hysterical!"

"This will calm her down." The tall angel with the greasy comb-over said pleasantly, as he flicked air bubbles out of the syringe.

Virta began struggling so hard again that the two men could barely hold her.

The big angel pulled Mick's hands away from Virta. "Trade me places!" he bellowed as he clambered up Virta's body. His meaty legs straddled her chest. He pinned her arms at her sides so she couldn't move; his massive weight holding her to the cot. She gasped for air.

"Hey, is that necessary?" Mick said.

"Just sit on her legs; keep her from kicking us." The husky angel snarled back.

"I will not sit on her." Mick crossed his arms. "And you better get the fuck off her, now."

"Get out of my way," Medic said as he brushed past Mick to get to Virta's top half.

Virta was positively screaming now, her voice ringing out with everything left in her. A fat hand clamped over her mouth; her cries were muffled under the sweaty palm. She bit with all her strength.

The big angel swore and backhanded Virta across the face.

"Hey!" Mick called, lunging forward.

He grabbed the angel by the shoulders, attempting to pull him backwards off of Virta. "Get your damn hands off her!"

Mick was elbowed in the ribs. He fell forward with a grunt.

"Mick!" Virta cried.

"You will leave the room, NOW." Mick said to the bully, while pointing to the cell door.

The big angel turned back and suddenly stood up, towering over Mick. "You wanna go somewhere with this, little man?" he snarled.

"You've already lost your job. The camera up there shows you assaulting a hero," Mick snarled. "Don't make it any worse on yourself."

"Now you're threatening me?" The beefy angel began advancing on Mick, fists clenching and unclenching. "I don't give a fuck about any camera, I will pound you into the floor."

"No, you won't," Mick said, looking up into the eyes of the menacing hulk. "You will not touch her again, or you'll see if I'm just giving you idle threats."

Then, Medic plunged the needle into Virta's neck and her will to fight ceased. She could only look up in a stupor...

She heard the vague sounds of harsh words, the scuffle of feet, and then the door to her cell opened and closed. It was as quiet as a tomb.

Mick's face appeared over her suddenly. She saw his azure eyes; there was concern there. His gentle hand stroked her forehead.

"I'm so sorry, Virta," he said, his voice straining. "Are you OK?"

She swallowed, her mouth and lips dry, and croaked out the affirmative.

"I'm going to report that animal that attacked you," he said through clenched teeth. "Someone higher up owes me a favor, and I'm going to collect on it... he'll be gone by the end of the day."

"Mick," she said, "don't leave me. Don't let them..."

But her voice trailed off as she felt the effects of the sedative.

"Everything is going to be just fine, Virta." Mick stroked her hair. "Look, I've got to get back to the Department."

Mick turned to go. "I won't get to see you again until the end of your training."

"W-what's going to happen to me?"

He smiled reassuringly. "Really, Virta, everyone wants to honor you. Everything is going to be just fine."

He tossed another reassuring smile over his shoulder as the guard slid the door open for him. She watched him leave her room. The lights went off.

Silence and darkness. Suddenly, she detected the presence of someone else in the room with her.

The sedative was not as strong as the primal fear that energized her now. She crept to the wall, pressing back against it and straining her eyes to see anything. Fingers wrapped around her throat.

Virta cried out, but a large hand walloped her in the stomach. She heard the familiar voice, and her brain was shocked back into the present, torturous reality:

"You collaborated with the enemy," Medic was saying.

Virta gasped and struggled against the manacles pinning her to the wall. Pain was back, along with good old-fashioned Fear. She began to gasp as she pulled at the chains.

"U-Sec has photos of you kissing him," Medic continued. "We have your conversation recorded."

Virta moaned, her head lolling side to side.

He continued. "We have charges of treason against you, Virta. You deserve to be punished for your multitude of sins."

Virta sobbed as he held the wicked instrument of torture up for her inspection.