Lisa Ch. 08a: Evil

And that was the last thing Jessica clearly remembered happening.

She popped up, aimed at the bearded man's head and fired. And she barely had time to feel relief when her shot hit its target. She turned and fired at the man nearest Riley. She wanted them dead. All of them dead. With a growl she tossed the spent rifle aside and ran toward the gunmen.

Jim heard the shot and squeezed his eyes shut, but moments later realized that he was still alive. Then he heard Josh gasp "Jessica!"

Jim opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he saw. Jessica running toward them in her bikini, gun belt around her waist. She had a six shooter in each hand and she was firing at the men around them, and they were falling.

"No!" he heard Angus yell and Jim noticed a gunman near him raising his gun at Jessica. Jim threw himself forward, hitting the gunman and forcing his gun to fire wide. But Jim fell to the ground, and struggled to turn over so he could see Jessica. She was still firing. He looked around. Josh was struggling to get to his feet, Scott was trying to roll to his knees. Angus and Riley writhed on the ground trying to roll over and get up too. When he looked back at Jessica, he realized that she no longer had her six shooters and had miraculously pulled a rifle from behind her.

She fired and for a moment it looked like all the gunmen were down but then to Jim's horror a couple popped up. Christ ... she'd been shooting at their torsos, like they'd taught her. But these guys must have been wearing bullet proof vests.

Jessica seemed to realize it too because she slid to a stop, dropped to a knee and fired at one man's head, brain and blood flying out the back of his head when she hit her mark.

She tossed her rifle, pulled a shotgun from nowhere and fired but the man she was firing at fired at the same time and Jim screamed "No!" when Jessica's right shoulder bucked and she flew back.

Jim heard the other men yell "Jessica!"

Angus couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was surreal. He felt terror grip him, he was sure Jessica was dead but then she sat up, pointed the shot gun at the man who'd shot her. She pulled the trigger but there was nothing but a click. She pulled it over and over. Then she seemed to realize that the gunman's gun was empty too. She slid her eyes over to the gun that lay near Daryl. She made a move toward it but the man whose gun was empty moved to block her.

"Well, well, looky here." He said, tossing his empty gun and looking at the other two men that were still left standing with him. "Looks like we'll get our fun afterall." He wiped his hand over his mouth and stepped forward. Jessica looked around at the three men surrounding her. Her left arm hung by her side, blood from her shoulder soaking her shirt, but Scott was relieved to see that she was still able to use her arm. She held her hands up and near her body in the fighting stance the men had taught her.

"Run Jess, run!" Scott yelled. And to his horror she did, she ran right at the man. The man hadn't expected it and looked completely surprised when Jessica drop kicked him. When he got up she spun around and kicked his head, punched him in the nose, and landed a fist to his Adams apple. He clutched his neck and dropped to his knees.

The other two men who were watching laughed, dropped their guns and moved toward Jessica.

"Got beatin' up by a girl Troy?" one of the men demanded.

"For God sakes Jessica, run!" Riley yelled through clenched jaws.

"Jessica!" Josh yelled when she advanced on Troy kicked him in his nuts, and connected a right hook to his nose.

"Behind you!" Angus yelled when the third man came up behind her. Jessica threw her elbow back catching the man in the sternum. Stomping on his toe she threw herself forward just as his arms were about to close around her. She scrambled toward Daryl's gun. Jim turned himself and nudged the gun toward Jessica.

"Thank you!" Jessica whispered, grabbing the gun, turning and firing right in the man's forehead. He dropped and Jessica screamed, but she didn't have long to register what she'd done. Still holding his throat, the first man lunged at her. Jessica grabbed the barrel of the rifle, swung the gun like a baseball bat and smashed it against his head. And he dropped.

"That's it bitch." The third man said and Jessica turned to see him advancing on her, a huge knife in his hands which he tossed back and forth as he moved forward. "I don't give a shit if I fuck you when you're alive or dead. I'm going to slice up that fucking whore face of yours ..." and he swung the knife out at her. Jessica moved back, just a moment too slow and the knife sliced her chest. Jessica cried out with pain.

"God no ..." Scott moaned, "Jessica run ..."

But Jessica opted for a roundhouse kick hitting the man's hand that held the knife. It didn't knock it out of his hand but it was enough impact for him to step back. Riley wiggled and twisted and dragged himself toward the man.

"Again Jess!" he yelled as he maneuvered himself directly behind the man. Jessica kicked him again and he stumbled over Riley. Without a seconds pause Jessica threw herself on him, grabbed the hand that clutched the knife with both her hands and bashed it against the ground. The knife fell away the second time she hit the ground, but he raised his free arm and punched Jessica in the back of the head. Jessica swooned for a moment, reached for the knife, and ducking another punch, raised her arms in the air, knife clenched between her hands and thrust the knife down as hard as she could into his throat. Jessica scrambled off the man and fell on her butt on the ground. The man clutched his throat, blood gargling out, a strange sound escaping him, he lunged toward her, but then fell face down on the ground.

"Crap!" She yelled as the man she'd hit with the rifle started to moan and move on the ground. She pushed to her feet and ran past Riley and the two bodies lying near him to one of the rifles on the ground. She cracked it open, look inside, shut it and moved to stand over the moaning man. Pointing the gun at his head she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.

Jessica stood with her eyes clenched for a minute, letting the rifle drop.

Opening her eyes she looked at the shattered skull of the man at her feet, turned and vomited.

"Jess ..." Josh said, stunned.

Jessica straightened, looked around and when none of the gunmen seemed to be moving she dropped to her knees next to Riley. He turned on his stomach and Jessica pulled on the rope binding his hands and feet.

"The knife ..." she panted, "I need the knife." She pushed up.

"Where are you going?" Riley demanded, looking up he saw Jessica kneel over the man she'd stabbed.

"Oh yuck." She said as she pulled the knife out of his throat. Returning to Riley she sawed the rope until it snapped. As he sat up and pulled the rope off his ankles and wrists Jessica went to Jim, Josh, Angus and Scott cutting all of their ropes.

When she moved to stand-up Scott grabbed her arm and pulled her down against him.

Jessica pressed her face into his chest, and then lifted her head to kiss his lips.

"Are you okay?' she asked.

"Am I okay?" he asked with a laugh, "I guess I am now. Are you okay?"

"Fine ... now." Jessica said.

"Oh fuck!" Angus swore when cars pulled into the driveway. He struggled to get up. "Run Jessica!" he growled.

"It's Sean and Corey." Jessica said.

"Sean?" Angus asked.

"Holy shit." Corey said, moving toward them, holding a rifle in his hands. Sean, Leah, a few men Jessica had met at the jam session and Beth emerged from the cars.

"I guess you guys managed okay on your own." Sean said walking around and looking at the dead bodies.

"Not us." Riley said, struggling to his feet. "Jess saved us."

"Jess?" Corey repeated.

"Yup." Josh said moving to where Scott stood with an arm draped around Jessica.

The men limped toward Jessica. Angus moved up and pressed his forehead against hers ... the others closed in forming a group hug.

"I thought we were fucking toast." Angus said. "God I thought we were dead."

"We were dead. As good as ..." Riley said.

"And then you ... you crazy, insane, stupid girl ... I couldn't believe my eyes." Jim muttered.

"In a fucking bikini?" Scott said, using the nook of his elbow to pull her head to his lips. "A fucking bikini ..."

"And we told you to run when there was trouble." Angus grumbled.

"You were supposed to run!" Josh said, awe and disbelief playing across his face.

"But as usual you didn't listen to us." Riley added. "And I've never been more glad that you didn't." he added just as Jessica thought her heart couldn't pound any harder. She felt cold, weak and dizzy and the thought that the men were going to be mad at her was just something she didn't want to deal with right then.

Jessica blinked. It wasn't until Riley's face split into a huge smile and he grasped her head in his hands, pulled her forward and kissed her that she realized that he wasn't really angry.

Jessica looked around at the men and relief flooded over her as she saw them all smiling at her. They were bloodied and bruised, but their expressions were unmistakable ... they were happy.

"I've never been so fucking proud of you." Scott said kissing her cheek.

Angus grabbed her head, and stared into her eyes.

"You kicked their fucking asses. You did it." He growled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jessica said, blinking her eyes a few times, she started feeling dizzy.

"You're one bad ass chick Jess." Josh said clutching her hand. "You can have your privileges back. All of them, and then some. Unfucking believable."

"Really?" Jessica asked.

"Really." Jim said.

"Great, thanks ..." Jessica said and collapsed against Scott.

"Jess!" Angus yelled.

"Her shoulder!" Riley said reaching for her blood covered shoulder. "She was shot in the shoulder."

"Ow ..." Jessica mumbled when Riley felt her shoulder.

"Sorry babe." Riley said. "I can't believe you fought with a bullet in your shoulder. Didn't it hurt like a son of a bitch?"

"Just a little ..." Jessica said quietly. "I feel dizzy ..."

"She got slashed on her chest too." Jim said.

Riley lifted her shirt. "It looks superficial." He said.

"I can't see properly ..." Jessica whispered and fainted.

"Jessica ... Jessica!" Jim elbowed his way past Angus and Riley and tapped her cheek.

"She's lost a lot of blood." Riley said. "Get her inside." He said bending to pick her up.

"I got her." Corey said handing his gun to Sean.

"I got her." Riley said.

"You've been shot too." Corey observed, pointing at the blood pouring out of Riley's right leg.

"We've all been shot." Riley said, "But I'm okay."

"Give her to me." Corey said grabbing her out of Riley's arms when he lost his balance and almost fell over. "None of you should be carrying her." He added when the other men began to protest. "When Jessica called me I called Paul. He's sending his doctor ... I figure he should be here any time now. The doc and I can patch you guys up, and Sean and the others will bury the bodies."

"Shit." Josh said looking around at the dead men that littered the yard. "I can't believe Jessica did this ...."

"Christ ... what happens when it gets out that we killed Daryl and his ... clan? This has to be pretty much what's left of his clan." Scott asked.

"No one can know." Corey said. "That's why we're going to bury the bodies and all anyone will know is that they disappeared into thin air ..."

Riley nodded.

Just then an SUV pulled into the driveway.

A man got out with a black bag in hand. Following him were Abe and Rick ... Paul' bodyguards, guns in hand.

"What the fuck?" Abe asked looking around at the carnage.

The man with the bag surveyed the bodies then zeroed in on Corey with Jessica in his arms. He strode toward her with purpose. Abe and Rick following him. The men shuffled to close ranks around Corey and Jessica halting the men.

"They attacked us." Riley said. Now there was no way to keep it quiet. His heart pounding from the fear of having to fight Abe and Rick in his condition, making him feel light headed. It terrified him to think that after all of this they would fail to protect Jessica from their own allies.

"So I hear." Abe said.

"We're burying the bodies."

Abe looked around at Sean and the others. Swung his gaze back at Riley and nodded.

"We won't stop you." Abe said. "In fact, we'll even help but our primary purpose for being here is her." Abe nodded at Jessica.

"What do you mean?" Angus growled.

"Excuse me gentlemen." The man with the black bag said and his strong Scottish accent surprised them. "I have one purpose to being here and that is to help that lass there. From the look of her, if you don't let me through, you will be burying one more body."

Angus blinked and then stepped aside. "She's been shot in her shoulder. Christ, hurry please!" he said when he saw how pale Jessica looked.

The man strode past him. He placed a hand on her neck.

"I've gotta get some plasma into her." The doctor said. "Take her in the house." He said to Corey. Looking around at the men quickly he said, "when I'm done with her I'll look you lads over ... if you can make it into the house." And then he followed Corey. And Abe and Rick followed him.

"Shovels are in the barn." Scott said to Sean.

Angus glanced around at the bodies again, and froze. He hadn't registered that Beth was there. And she stood now staring after Jessica and she looked worried. He looked away. That was a complication he didn't need. When he'd called Corey that morning as he'd told Jessica he would, he hadn't expected Beth to be so bold as to show up at his house. He didn't know how to feel about her and he didn't have time to think about it now so he limped toward the house with the other men hoping she'd keep her distance.

In the house the doctor and Paul's bodyguards were buzzing around Jessica, whom they'd laid onto the coffee table. They moved in what looked like orchestrated perfection. They looked professional, and serious. Their somber expressions froze the men in their places. There was little doubt that the situation was serious. So serious that none of the men took issue when one of the bodyguards, Abe, Jessica had called him, cut Jessica's bikini top with a pair of surgical scissors.

"Pulse is faint." The other bodyguard told the doctor, who had just finished sticking a tube into her arm, taping it, and hanging a bag with clear liquid in it from a portable stand he'd quickly snapped into place.

The men let out a collective gasp of relief when Jessica whispered, "Doc?"

"Lass." The doctor replied. "Can't keep out of trouble can you?"

"Sorry ..." Jessica murmured and closed her eyes.

"I don't feel a pulse." Rick said.

"Lass, lass ..." the doctor repeated, tapping her cheek progressively harder.

"What's happening?" Jim demanded.

"Initiate CPR." The doctor commanded and began compressing her chest. Rick dropped and began breathing into her mouth. "You!" the doctor turned his head to Josh who stood closest to him. "Apply pressure to the bullet wound. Now!" He yelled. Josh moved by Jessica's head and dropped to his knees, ignoring the pain shooting from the bullet wounds in his thighs.

"Come on Jess." He begged, pressing his hand on the hole where blood oozed. Tears ran down his face and he made no attempt to hide them.

"We're losing her." The doctor said, "Plasma's not enough. She needs a transfusion. What's her blood type?" he asked. Josh looked up at him, terror in his eyes. Shaking his head he looked around at the other men.

"I don't know ..." he mumbled.

"Blood type? Anyone?" The doctor demanded, never once missing a compression.

The men shook their heads. "Jim?" Riley asked in desperation.

"I never had reason to ask. Scott? You were researching her ..."

Scott shook his head, unable to take his eyes off Jessica's lifeless form. He couldn't speak.

"Fucking hell." The doctor exclaimed. "Fine, I need a universal donor." He said to Abe. "Anyone with blood type O. Get me some blood now!"

Abe stood and looked at the men. They all shook their heads. None had type O. Abe headed for the door.

"Come on lass, come on." The doctor murmured and continued his compressions.

"One of you come here." He said over his shoulder. Riley moved closer. "Take over for me. Do exactly what I'm doing."

"What?" Riley asked in a strangled voice.

"She's dead right now. You have to keep the blood flowing in her while I get the defibrillator. Hurry up man, or she's going to have brain damage!"

"Oh God!" Riley said, dropping to his knees, almost passing out from the pain.

"Let me." Scott said.

Riley shook his head, both to clear it and indicate no. And he began to imitate the doctor's compressions on Jessica's chest. "Jessica, please ... please." He kept repeating, tears clouded his vision but even so he could see that she was as white as a ghost.

"Move back." The doctor ordered. Scott had to grab Riley by his shoulders and move him back.

"Clear ..." The doctor said and placed the paddles on Jessica's chest, there was a short beep and Jessica's body convulsed.

"No pulse." Rick said.

"No!" Jim said as he sank to his knees. He watched the doctor prep the paddles again. Inching forward he took Jessica's cold, clammy hand in his and kissed it. Squeezed it, patted it. "Please Jess ... come back, fight. Fight like you always do, please!"

The other men were murmuring encouragement also as Jessica's body convulsed and then Rick placed his fingers on her neck.

"Thank God!" Jim exclaimed when Rick said "It's weak, but there's a pulse."

"Where's my Goddamn blood?" The doctor looked around the room. The men did too and for the first time noticed Leah sitting on a kitchen chair, Abe draining blood from her into a bag.

"Only two O type donors." Abe reported, indicating Leah on the chair and Corey standing next to her.

"No time for that." The doctor said, "Bring her here." He said indicating the other side of Jessica, "We'll have to hook her up directly to Jessica. They'll need food." He said turning his gaze to Angus who hadn't moved from his frozen stance since entering the house. "Hey!" he yelled, "snap out of it. You have to keep the donors fed or we'll run out of blood."

Angus nodded slowly, blinking he brought his hands to his eyes, wiped away the tears.

"These two." The doctor pointed at Leah, who was now sitting next to Jessica, watching the blood flow from her arm into Jessica's, and Corey, who was seated next to Leah. Both looked sweaty and dirty. They'd obviously been busy burying the bodies. "Get them anything with carbs, sugar, and liquids."

"I'll help." Scott said and limped behind Angus into the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked Angus when he found him leaning on the counter. Angus whipped his head back and forth a few times, like he was trying to shake something off his head.

"I feel light headed." Angus said. "I think I was holding my breath that whole time." He said indicating the living room with his head.

"You're pale." Scott said. "Probably lost too much blood. You and me both, I feel weird too. Let's get back out there and sit down before we fall down."

Angus nodded and handed a loaf of bread to Scott.

"Best we can do. But help yourselves to whatevers in the kitchen." Scott said quietly to the doctor when he looked up from Josh's leg. He was busy tightening gauze around Josh's thigh.

"Sit down." The doctor said, "I'll get to you in a minute."

Scott and Angus limped to the sofa, handing the bread to Rick.

Scott barely registered the gasp that came from the doorway, or Jessica's name cried out but Angus' furious bellow got his attention.