Chapter 3

Anna's POV:

I shake my head as I look around. My memory is blurry as I take a step back, and notice the man in the corner watching in confusion.

“Who are you?” I address the man.

“I…I don’t understand… you should still be under my control.” He mumbles, taking a step back.

Starshooter grabs him, “What are you mumbling about?!”

He struggles in her grip, “No matter, you are too late anyway.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growl.

“Stronggirl is dead and you’re the one who killed her.” He smirked up at me. My heart stops.

“She’s not dead yet but she needs medical attention ASAP.” Warfalcon says from where he kneels, checking her pulse.

I turn around quickly, running to her side. Blood is pooled all over the ground and her chest is smashed in. Tears sting my eyes as I look at my boots that are blood stained. My memories clear and I remember the look in her eyes as she sees me standing over her.

"Swift lightening, find some rope and bedsheets. Starshooter tie him down and then find some sturdy tree limbs. We have to make a stretcher.” Warfalcon ordered. “Syfy use your energy shields to protect her heart and lungs.”

They run off to do as he ordered, quickly creating a stretcher as I try to clear my head.

“Ok, Syfy make sure to keep that shield steady. Fiesta help me put her on the stretcher.” I nod jolting out of my thoughts as I slip into position by her head, her cheeks were so pale, and help him carefully move her onto the stretcher.

“Ok we need to move now! There’s a town ten minutes away. Terrence, call ahead and let them know we are coming.”

Warfalcon got on one end of the stretcher as I get on the other.

We walk quickly, not slowing down as we jog at a steady pace. Ten minutes later, we arrive at the hospital.

“Stronggirl?” the nurse asks, continuing as we nod. “We’ve got everything ready for you.”

Two male nurses brings a bed out and place her on it. “We’ll take her from here.”

I sit down to catch my breath as I watch them wheel my mentor away.

“Warfalcon… what am I going to do? She’s on that bed because of me. Why didn’t I listen to her?” I sniff as tears roll down my cheeks

Warfalcon rubs my back. “It’s not all your fault you know. None of us listened to her and I’m sure you’re not the only one who hurt her.”

“Maybe not but I broke her ribs.”

“That wasn’t you though, it was the man controlling you.”

I shrug my shoulders in defeat as he sighs.

He turns to the rest of the team, “I don’t know how long we’ll be so you guys go find a hotel and rest. We’ll keep you informed.”

I wait impatiently as I grow more and more anxious, checking the clock often as we wait for news. The doctor finally appears.

“She’s resting now. Her ribs and sternum were completely shattered so we created a lightweight artificial ribcage of Myron, the lightest and strongest metal known. Now it all depends on whether her body accepts it or not.”

“Can I see her?” I ask.

“Yes, follow me.”

We follow him back to her room. My breath hitches as I see my mentor hooked up to countless machines.

“She’ll be ok, I’m sure of that.” Warfalcon whispers in my ear.

I nod as I sit down beside the bed and take Stronggirl’s hand in my own.

“Stronggirl, you have to wake up… please.” I beg.

For a week I never leave her side as I sleep and eat by her bedside. Warfalcon took the team back with instructions for us to follow as soon as we are able.

I wake up as I feel her hand move beside me.

“Stronggirl, how do you feel?” I ask as I see her open her eyes, relieved that she is finally awake.

“Like I was hit by a truck.” Stronggirl manages to croak out, coughing hard.

I bring over a glass of water, helping her take a sip.

“What happened?” Stronggirl asks as I sit back down.

I explain how we had woken up and found her on the floor. Telling her how we got her to the hospital and what the doctor had done. As I tell her about Warfalcon taking everyone home, she nods

“Probably for the best.” She gives me a knowing look. “What’s wrong?”

“If it wasn’t for me then you wouldn’t be in this mess.” I admit to her as I look at my hands, too ashamed to look at her face. She probably hates me. There's no way she will ever love me now.

“Hey now! It’s not your fault, it’s that man’s fault.” Stronggirl tells me as she reaches out and catches a stray tear, my breath catching in my throat as her hand brushes my cheek.

“But I didn’t listen to you.” I sniff, unable to accept her comforting.

Stronggirl shrugs, and I see her wincing at the burst of pain the action caused. “Nobody listened to me, besides I knew what I was doing.”

I shrug back at her, seeing Stronggirl roll her eyes at me out of the corner of my eye. We are interrupted as the doctor walks in.

“Good you’re awake.” He smiles as he walks over and checks her vitals. “alright, you should be good to go once you can walk to that door and back without pain.”

Stronggirl nods, winking at me and making me blush, “I’ll be up and moving before you know it.”