Ashen Rayne (Shadowlands Book 1) (2 page)

“What did you find when you left the office?” Murphy asked.

There were three men in the bay and two between the door and me. I didn’t recognize any of them. I politely let them know we were closed, and they attacked me. I tried to fight them off, but one of them hit me with something and I fell unconscious. I woke up in the mechanic’s pit, partially undressed.

“Wait,” Higgins said. “Partially undressed?”

Smoak nodded and looked away.

Yes, sir. My lower half.

“Jesus Christ! Smoak, why didn’t you say something? Murphy, was a kit run on her?”

Murphy checked his notes and shook his head.

“No, it doesn’t look like it. There was no indication of….”

“Bullshit,” Higgins growled. “She’s a child and the female victim of a vicious beating. A kit is protocol!”

Murphy’s face darkened. “There was no indication of sexual assault, and with Miss MacKenna’s history of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and always coming out on top, I didn’t think it was necessary.”

Higgins stood and leaned across the bed.

“You, Detective, are an idiot. I’ve known this girl since she was practically a baby. She’s saved my daughter’s life half a dozen times. Hell, I consider her my second child. You neglected possible evidence because she has one blotch in her file. This is all on record, and I will make sure your captain hears how you've neglected your duty!”

“That is your right, Attorney Higgins. I acted in accordance with my instincts and my conscience is clear. Can we finish the interview, now?” Murphy asked.

Higgins looked as if he wanted to say something more, but Smoak stopped him with one hand.

Please, Mr. Higgins, let’s just get this over with.

Higgins sat back down. He didn’t look happy, but he agreed. “Continue. But this isn’t over, Detective.”

Smoak waited for both men to calm down before she continued.
When I woke up, I could still hear the men. It sounded like they were taking money out of the safe. I pulled myself together, took a half-inch drive off the tool rack and climbed back out of the pit. When I got into the bay, the men were leaving. I chased them out and confronted them in the lot. I remember two of them going down and then nothing but pain. I woke up here.

“Why did you pursue the men if they were leaving?” Murphy asked.

Smoak turned her purple eyes on Murphy.
If you woke up bloody, beaten and violated, wouldn’t you?

“So you wanted revenge?” Murphy asked.

Smoak’s eyes narrowed.
No. I wanted them stopped. They were fleeing with stolen money, and if they’d done this to me, they would do it to another girl. Maybe another girl the same night. They needed to be stopped. So I tried to stop them.

“I see,” Murphy said. “So you were defending a hypothetical ‘next victim’.”

“I think she’s said enough, Detective,” Higgins said. “Florida case-law is clear. She was acting in defense of herself and the business that employs her. The so-called victims were found on the property, just outside the door. This is a clear self-defense case. If you don’t see it that way, charge her. Charge her or go away and leave her alone. She’s been through enough.”

Murphy glared at Higgins for a beat, and then reached for his recorder.

“Thank you, Miss MacKenna. I agree with your attorney. This was self-defense, and I don’t see any reason to charge you with a criminal act. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

Murphy gathered the rest of his things and stood, nodding once at the attorney before heading toward the door. Higgins watched the detective leave, his face red with anger. Once the door had closed behind the younger man, the attorney turned back to Smoak.

“Why didn’t you tell me, munchkin? Why didn’t you tell your parents?” he asked.

Tears rolled down Smoak’s cheeks, mingling with the blood around the pins in her jaw.

I couldn’t. I couldn’t tell you. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t say it more than once. Please don’t be angry.

Higgins took her hand and held it gently, his other hand wiping her tears away as if she were his own daughter. “I’m not angry at you, kiddo. But I’m going to make sure that idiot never works anything but parking meters if it’s the last thing I do.”

Five weeks later, Smoak stood in front of the mirror, brushing out her long blonde hair, her purple eyes staring at her reflection from deep black pits. The scars on her jaw stood out, red and angry, but she’d been assured they would fade over time. The bruises on her ribs, stomach and thighs had already gone; the ones on her psyche would take a lot longer.

She sighed, stuffed the brush in her duffle and dressed in the clothes Ashley had brought for her—a pair of jeans, a “Sharks Varsity Cheerleader” tee and her purple Converse sneakers. She then began tossing items from the closet into her bag. It didn’t take long. The last two items in the closet were her torn clothes from the attack, cut to ribbons by the emergency team. She ran her finger over the bloodstains and tried not to remember how they’d gotten there.

“You going to use those to wash your bike? Cause that piece of junk could use a little extra color,” Ashley said from behind her.

Smoak turned her head and smiled. “Smartass. I’m not keeping the clothes.” She tossed the ragged clothes into the garbage can and lifted her bag.

“Good. Blood is not a pretty color. You ready to bail?” Ashley asked.

“Yeah, let’s get me out of here before my head explodes. I’m so done with hospital food.”

“Cool. Dad brought your bike around, so you don’t have to ride bitch on mine. He thought you’d appreciate that.”

Smoak laughed. “Yeah, riding on the back of your illegal piece of crap isn’t high on my list of fun things to do.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Because your Triumph dog is so freaking sexy. Girls are just drooling over the rust spots.”

“Rust is dead sexy.”

“Yeah. So’s your mom’s underwear. Can we go? I’ve been visiting you for weeks, this place sucks.”

Smoak grinned and led the way out of the room. The hallway beyond was typical of a small hospital. White and green tiled floors, white-tiled walls and the cloying smell of sickness and death hidden beneath a veneer of bleach and ammonia.

Smoak frowned at the smell and continued toward the elevator near the nurse’s station at the end of the corridor. She waved at the redheaded nurse on duty and turned toward the mirrored doors. They slid open at her approach, and a middle-aged man in a dark suit stepped out. He looked the two girls up and down and smiled at Smoak.

“Miss Kamryn MacKenna, I presume?”

“Who’s asking?” Smoak asked.

“Brigadier General John Chandler. I have your ASVAP and advanced placement exam results. I would really like to discuss them with you.”

“Which means what?” Ashley asked.

“It means, Miss Higgins, that I’m here to offer your girlfriend a very special opportunity.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, jerk,” Ashley replied, blushing.

“What kind of opportunity?” Smoak asked, waving Ashley into silence.

“A test program for women. If you pass basic training, you will be assigned to a special unit. If you would care to go someplace more private, I can explain further.”

Smoak exchanged glances with Ashley, who frowned, but nodded her agreement.

“Why me?” Smoak asked.

“Miss MacKenna, I’d really rather discuss that behind closed doors. Miss Higgins can come, if you like. Suffice to say, I’m impressed with your results. You scored very highly on the secondary exam.”

“Fine,” Smoak said. “Let’s go.”

AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION,

SOME MONTHS LATER…

The camp basin was muddy and cold in the late winter storm. It smelled of freshly turned earth, blood, and fear mixed with a hint of gunpowder. Icy rain pelted down on two figures in the gloom. One was standing with his boot on the neck of the other, who was face down in the mud. Lightning flashed, illuminating the pair in their wet and muddy fatigues and briefly showing the faces of the circle of women around them. Though they stood at near-perfect attention, the recruits looked terrified.

“Why are you here?”

Smoak struggled beneath the boot on her neck and choked out, “To be a soldier, Sergeant!”

The sergeant pushed Smoak back into the mud, using as much of his weight as possible without breaking the girl’s neck.

“You’re not a soldier, maggot! You’re a science experiment, a lab rat to see if you have what it takes. You don’t, recruit. You, and all the other lab rats, are just a publicity stunt. Thank God it will be over soon. Now, why are you here?”

Smoak struggled and again squeaked out, “To… be a soldier, sir!”

“You just don’t learn, do you, boot? Ladies, why are you here?” the sergeant barked at the circle of women.

“To be lab rats, drill instructor!” the women chorused.

“See, MacKenna? They get it. They know what they are and why they’re here. Now, one more time, why are you here?” the instructor snarled.

Smoak pushed herself out of the filth and spat out a mouthful of muddy water. “To kick your ass, you son of a bitch!”

With strength born from fury, she pulled the boot from her neck and climbed to her knees, punching the instructor in the crotch as she rose. Her second attack caught him in the knee and sent him staggering away in pain and astonishment.

“What did you say to me, bitch? You just struck a superior officer. I’ll see you court- martialed for this. After I beat you into the ground like the rat you are,” the instructor said, favoring his knee.

“Bring it, Sarge,” Smoak said. “You’re not behind me this time.”

The sergeant growled and charged. His powerful roundhouse blow aimed at her head. The training she’d been receiving kicked in, and she blocked the blow, using the sergeant’s momentum to push him past her. Her own elbow strike hit home, causing the bigger man to stagger. A side kick to the spine sent the sergeant tumbling to the mud. Smoak kicked him in the ribs once for good measure, and then put her boot on his neck.

“You seem to be on the ground, Sergeant. How did that happen?” she asked conversationally.

“Get off me, maggot!” the instructor said.

“Bite me, Sergeant. I’m screwed anyway, so I may as well enjoy this,” Smoak replied.

“That will be quite enough, Private MacKenna!” a voice roared from the darkness.

The other recruits spread to allow Brigadier General Chandler to pass.

“I said enough,” he repeated, glaring at Smoak.

Smoak straightened and turned to face the general. “Aye, sir.”

“Sergeant, drag yourself out of that mud puddle and report to the MPs lurking behind me. Your behavior has earned you a short trip down the walk of shame with a court-martial to boot,” the General barked. “You’re a disgrace.”

The sergeant straightened as best he could and wiped mud off his uniform. “But, sir, that recruit attacked me!”

“Stow it, Sergeant. I saw the whole thing,” the general said. “You’re lucky this young lady didn’t kill you. Or hadn’t you noticed, she achieved a perfect score in hand to hand and has the highest combat scores we’ve seen in decades? She can kick your muscle-bound ass with one hand tied behind her back. Now get yourself back to barracks and pack your kit. You’re done.”

Smoak watched as the drill sergeant sagged under the general’s gaze and marched off toward the distant barracks. She then turned her eyes back toward the general.

“You acquitted yourself well, girl,” he said. “You’re brave and stubborn as a mule. The other recruits caved under that man, but you held on.”

“Thank you, sir,” Smoak replied. “I’m sorry. I’m guessing my behavior has earned me a walk as well.”

The general shook his head. “No, not yet, MacKenna. You were provoked into self-defense, though I do see a pattern with you. We should nickname you ‘Wrong Time.’ I’m taking you out of training. Effective immediately.”

Smoak’s shoulders fell, and she felt tears pricking behind her eyes, but she stepped forward anyway. What did she have to lose? “Sir? I thought you said…”