Seventeen

The pain radiated through her battered skull. Who the fuck said there aren't nerves in your brain? Hers were screaming at her. Every beat of her heart sent a wave of pressure so strong the darkness threatened to take her again. She couldn't move, not that she really believed she was capable right now. Her eyes opened slowly, groggily. They rolled around in their sockets until they found the light and focused.

"Something's wrong, again." She thought to herself.

She sat tied to a chair from the kitchen, her towel apparently had flown off and it sat wadded on her naked lap.

"So nice of you to join us, Private Greene." A man's voice thundered at her throbbing head.

She opened her mouth, "Car… Carlos. Wh… where is he?"

She nearly screamed when he grabbed her chin, jerking her face up to his.

"You're in no position to worry about anyone else. Now, I'm curious to know what you two love birds are doing out here. Felt like running AWOL together?" he pressed her.

She jerked back in her chair, "ew. The fucks wrong with you? Tell you what, you can tell me where he is before I kill you or I'll make it slow."

As she expected, this drew a laugh from the guys standing around her.

Again, she sighed loudly, being sure they heard it. "I'll assume that either they didn't brief you about me, or you didn't read a file."

"We read it, pyro." One guy sneered at her. "But you don't have an explosive on the premises."

"Nick." The memory made her wince.

"Well, if I'm not able to kill you then why not tell me? It would put my aching heart at ease." She mocked them, blinking sad eyes at the group.

The first man kicked her bare foot, "never mind that, what are you two doing here? Who are you really working for?"

"Ugh." She said irritated, "you don't want to piss me off. Tell me and I'll tell you. Isn't that fair?"

The third guy, in the back crept up, "taking him back to base."

Number two shoved him back, "shut the fuck up! She's not asking questions!"

"Ah," she breathed, "see? Now I know. So, I'll tell you what I know."

Amber looked around the room at each of the four unlucky boys sent for her.

I'm working… for no one. They tried to kill me, and Sergeant Ramirez saved my life. That's all. We stopped here to let wounds heal and I've started learning."

"Learning what?" One asked.

"Oh, patience, and anger are useful." She muttered barely audible. "And fire is sometimes a friend."

Finally, the smoldering ties on her wrists broke. The towel flew to the floor as she stood.

She leaped at number two; with a gag her right fist crushed his throat. She spun left and took number One off his feet straightening to block third's punch with her left arm. As soon as they touched, she rolled their arms down together and stepped in. she grabbed his shoulder and straightened her arm. His shoulder crunched and went limp as the young soldier screamed. Number one was back on his feet ready for her; she squared off with her fists up. She had showered. She was supposed to be done for the night; her favorite show was on TV. He would pay for that and for Carlos.

"Don't get mad. Don't burn the house." Was all she could think.

He faked a left jab, she flinched. His kick caught her square in the ribs, and he followed with a full right-straight to her face. Her swollen head exploded. She was on the ground screaming so fast that her attacker paused, but only for a second. She felt his boot plow into her back, and she arched through the pain. That was enough weakness from her. She was taking it outside.

When he reeled back for another boot assault she rolled back to her feet and spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor to her right. The two squared off again but she took a step to the left. Then another step. He charged around to block her from the door, and she jumped him. She drove her palm into his chin and shoved him headfirst through the door. The wood snapped and twisted off its hinges. The boy rolled backwards onto his feet and she kneed him in the gut.

When he looked up at her from kneeling on the porch he screamed. Her eyes were swirling reds and blues again. They were cauldrons of liquid rage that flared and flowed through her irises. She set her feet, locked her jaw into a scream, and poured an inferno through the center of the boy's chest. When she walked away towards the cabin, she didn't even stop to close his eyes.

"come and get some, bitches." She called to the three boys still inside.

Number two ran from the house with a carving knife in his hand. He slashed and stabbed at her as she leaned and shifted her body away from the blade. She sighed a deep breath and raised her hands, ready for the next assault. The fool was amateur, at best. He stabbed straight for her heart, so she slid left grabbing his wrist, twisting down and breaking the elbow with her left palm his scream rang though the trees. The third and fourth guys joined the fight, now, as she spun Two around, grabbed his chin and twisted his neck into a crack.