Breaking Protocol, page 19
“Where the hell did you find that character?” Alex asked.
“Who, Minnie? She’s fabulous, isn’t she? Met her when I was in college,” Kara waved at the air, “But I think we have more important topics to cover, don’t you?”
Alex nodded yes ever so slightly.
“Okay. Well – yes, you did lock me in the panic room. And yes, I did stay in there and watch everything that was happening. I watched you hide in the cabinet, I watched you stab that first man and lay him on the floor of the bedroom. Then I saw the creep playing with himself in the second room. Where the hell did the senator find that asshole?” Kara looked off in the distance, thinking about it for a moment, then shook her head and continued.
“I saw everything that happened downstairs and then I saw you run out of the house, trying to get out of range to use the cell phone. However, when I saw the senator and that other asshole pull you back into the house and toss your seemingly lifeless body onto the floor of the kitchen…I nearly died.” Tears sprang into Kara’s eyes and she squeezed Alex’s hand.
Alex squeezed back and pulled Kara’s hand up to her lips, kissed her hand and said, “I’m here now.”
A few tears fell from Kara’s watery eyes and she let out a burst of air that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a guffaw.
Damn she’s so beautiful, inside and out.
“I watched you on the screen for what seemed like an eternity. I didn’t even notice that the senator, excuse me – Dick Dick, and his number one goon were outside the panic room door. I just stared, Alex. I thought you were dead!” Kara sobbed loudly, wiping the tears from her face.
Minnie opened the door with a fiery mischief in her eyes, but Kara held up her hand, causing Minnie to pull back and shut the door again.
Kara continued, “So when you finally moved, I did a happy dance because I knew you were alive. I thought it strange you didn’t leave. I didn’t realize that you found the cell phone signal disrupter thingy. Then when you laid back down in all that blood, I thought you passed out again or something. I realized that the men were coming back down the stairs to go wake you up. I listened to the conversation that you and Johnson had and I knew I couldn’t stay in that room.” Kara stared into Alex’s good eye and said, “I knew he wasn’t going to let us live and I didn’t know we had any cavalry coming to our aide.”
“So, you left the room?!” Alex shifted uncomfortably in her hospital bed.
“Yes,” Kara said haltingly, “I left the room. I left the room right after you killed Vincent or whatever. I hid in the cabinet I had seen you crawl into. I heard you and Dick come into the bedroom, then I waited until I was one hundred percent certain that neither of you could hear me crawl out of the cabinet into the hall. That was when he was shouting at me to open the door.”
“When I heard a shot ring out, my heart skipped a beat – I thought he had killed you. Of course, then I heard a litany of swears come out of your mouth.” Kara smiled and caressed Alex’s hand. “I figured you were going to press the door’s trigger, and when it slid open to show that I wasn’t inside the room…” Kara trailed off. “I just knew he wouldn’t need you anymore. I’d thought I’d lost you so many times that night, I couldn’t handle actually losing you. So I crept along the hallway to surprise him from behind,” Kara explained. She continued more quietly, “But then I saw him shoot you…twice. It was like I had no control over my own body – I fired every single bulled in that gun. I fired them all into his back.” Kara wept again and covered her face.
“I thought you were dead. The look on your face…” Kara said in between sobs, “It was horrific. Utter shock maybe? From finding the room empty?” Kara asked, knowing that Alex didn’t really know the answer. She continued, “I guess he shot you once in the vest and once in the shoulder. You slid down the wall and passed out. Probably from blood loss. Your hand, your face, your shoulder,” Kara sniffled, touching Alex’s face. “But I got him. I got him for you.” Kara laid her head in Alex’s lap and continued to cry softly.
“Hey, hey… I’m not dead. I’m right here, thanks to you. I saw your press conference, I might’ve done some heroic stuff, but you are my hero. You saved me. If he had gotten off another shot, I’m certain I’d be dead.” Alex lifted Kara’s chin – forcing her to make eye contact. “You are my hero. You saved me…. In more ways than one, got that?”
“Yeah, I got it. I got to see Bret at the police station. He gave me a special message from my wounded hero,” Kara said shyly. Taking great care not to bump anything that shouldn’t be bumped, Alex scooted over the best she could, allowing Kara enough room to climb into her hospital bed.
Alex asked, “So what’s a hero gotta do to get kissed around here?”
Kara raised herself up on her elbow and looked down at Alex, “You don’t look so good, you sure you can handle it?”
“Baby, I’m gonna have to handle it for the rest of my life, better get started right now,” Alex said smiling slightly so as to not re-crack her lip.
Kara stared deeply into Alex’s good eye and smiled the knowing smile of a woman in love. She bent down to gently kiss Alex’s beaten face, and Alex squeezed her hard with her right arm, causing her to hoot loudly with laughter. She uncurled her arm and said, “So my private nurse – thanks for that by the way, she’s crazy and funny as hell – she thinks I gotta rest to heal… and now that you’re here and safe… I think I can sleep without waking up in a sweaty panic. How about taking a nap with me?”
Kara replied, “Baby, I’m gonna do it for the rest of my life, so I better get started right now,” and winked at Alex.
Kara carefully snuggled closer to Alex and for a few minutes they both talked about their future together, joking about how it would be filled with far fewer hospital beds, gunshots, and car chases.
Ten minutes later, Minnie entered the hospital room to find the two women snuggled together, sleeping soundly.
T T Banks, Breaking Protocol
