Chapter Nineteen

H ours later, Menace sat in the waiting room outside the surgical unit on the medical installation Mercy . Naya had been much too fragile to move to the Valiant . Luckily the trauma surgeons on board were fresh from the front lines and highly skilled. He was glad her life was in their capable hands.

The papery-thin blue scrubs he'd been given by one of the medics felt alien against his skin. On the chair next to him sat his pile of weapons and a bright-orange biohazard bag holding his soiled uniform. They kept the place uncommonly cold. He blamed his trembling limbs on that.

The sound of heavy boots squeaking on the highly polished floor caught his attention. He glanced to his left and spotted Vicious and Hallie walking toward him. He didn't have the strength to stand. Vicious grabbed the weapons and biohazard bag from the seat and moved them one spot down before sitting. With a heavy sigh, he stretched out his legs and leaned back in his chair.

Hallie took the empty space on his other side. Always so kind and gentle, she grasped his hand in both of hers. She didn't ask any questions or try to start a conversation. She seemed to understand that he couldn't talk right now. What he needed was support.

The minutes ticked by as they sat in companionable silence. An hour or so after arriving, Vicious rose from his seat and disappeared down an adjacent corridor. He returned with a bottle of rehydrating sports drink and two energy bars. Vicious thrust them into his hands. "Eat this, Menace. You need your strength."

He didn't argue. Unwrapping the energy bar, he noticed the red stains on his cuticles and in his calluses. Naya's blood had marked his skin. No amount of scrubbing in the hospital bathroom had been able to wash it away.

Hallie must have noticed him staring at them. "I'll go ask one of the medics for some peroxide wipes."

She left him alone with Vicious. Menace bit the bar and drank some of the slightly tart drink. He hated the berry-flavored version but didn't let it stop him from devouring the snack. Vicious had been right to insist he eat something. Naya was going to need him to be strong for her.

"I'm sorry, Menace." Vicious broke the silence finally. "This shouldn't have happened. I should have done more to protect you and your wife."

Menace stuffed the empty wrappers into the drink bottle and screwed on the cap. "This wasn't your fault, Vicious."

"Wasn't it? I should have found a way to rein in Terror."

"After seeing Terror in action, I don't think that's possible. He may be beyond restraint."

Vicious wiped both hands down his face. "I don't know when it got so complicated."

Menace didn't either. He took aim at the garbage receptacle in the corner and shot the bottle toward it. It hit the rim and bounced into the can with a satisfying thunk .

Hallie rounded the corner with two familiar faces in tow. Venom and Cipher followed her to the seating area. She handed Menace the disposable wipes, started to sit but then counted the open seats. Realizing there weren't enough, she glanced at Vicious, who opened his arms and patted his lap. Vicious slid his arm around her waist when she perched on there. His lips brushed her temple. The sight of the couple sharing a tender moment gutted Menace.

Venom sat in the spot Hallie had once occupied. He hesitated before asking, "How is she?"

Menace shook his head. "I don't know."

Venom squeezed his arm. "The surgeons on this installation are amazing. She'll be fine, Menace."

He wished fine had a more concrete definition. The shots she'd taken had caused a great deal of damage. Not wanting to think about the awful possibilities, he changed the subject. "Did you get the guns?"

Venom's face showed surprise. "Menace, we don't have to talk about the mission. Let's just focus on Naya's recovery."

"She almost died trying to complete Terror's mission. I want to know if she succeeded."

"She did," Venom assured him. "We got the weapons cache and a huge amount of intel on the Splinter cell on Calyx. They've already grabbed three of them by instituting a planet-wide dragnet. One Splinter ship tried to flee the surface when they got wind of our raid on the factory. We snatched them up and took them in for questioning. Dankirk called in his friends from the free press to photograph the food stockpile and disseminate the information to the people of Calyx."

"She did a great deal of good today," Cipher said. "Her bravery saved a lot of innocent lives."

Menace supposed that was some small consolation. "Her mother?"

Venom shook his head. "Pierce tagged her in the arm and chest but she managed to escape. We'll find her. With those injuries, she can't have gone far."

"And her brother?"

"Dead," Venom said. "He got hit with friendly fire. Hazard swears he saw the mother pop him but who knows."

Menace wouldn't put it past the old broad. "She probably considered him a loose end."

"With that drug problem? He would have been easy to interrogate. A promise of Impulse and he'd sing like a bird," Venom replied.

"His body?" Menace hated to ask the gruesome question but it had to be done.

"We brought him back with us. He's in storage in the mortuary. I wasn't sure if Naya would want to bury him properly."

"She will." Menace couldn't imagine Naya doing anything less. No matter how badly her brother had treated her, he was still her family.

"I thought you would want this back." Cipher held out Naya's red notebook. "I've already given a decoded copy to the Shadow Force unit."

Menace grasped the small book and ran his finger over the red leather. Protecting her privacy seemed a moot point now. "What was in it?"

"Not what Terror expected," Cipher answered honestly. "It was her record of favors owed and debts repaid. She kept inventories of her acquaintances. Just initials," he explained, "but tied to their occupations. I think it was her way of knowing who could help the people who came to her with various needs. The back section was filled with contact information for various shops and warehouses in Connor's Run and The City."

Regret gripped him. "I should have let you decipher it the night it came into my possession."

"Hey," Cipher said gently, "you couldn't have possibly known what was going to happen. You did the right thing respecting your wife's right to privacy."

"A lot of good it did her," Menace grumbled. His gaze swept the lobby and settled on a surgeon coming toward them. His heart stuttered and he leapt to his feet. Hands clammy, he fisted them at his sides—and waited.

The doctor nodded at the crowd. He stopped in front of Menace and smiled. "She came through the repairs beautifully."

All around him, there were sighs of relief. Vicious clapped him hard on the back.

The surgeon gestured in the direction he'd come. "If you'd like to come with me, Menace, I can let you see her. We'll move her out of recovery into a private room in a few hours."

Menace glanced at his friends. Vicious sent him an encouraging smile. "Go. We'll be here if you need us."

In lockstep with the doctor, Menace walked to the double doors leading to the surgical unit. Once they were inside and away from his friends, the surgeon began to give him more facts.

"It was touch-and-go in the beginning. We were able to gain control of the bleeding and repair all of her injuries. She responded well to treatment in the operating room. We're holding back on administering accelerated healing drugs. I worry that the shock to her fragile and very small system might be too much at this point. We hope to begin a slow, steady infusion in the next two or three days."

"Whatever you think is best," Menace croaked, his voice thick with worry. He glanced around the recovery ward. The rooms were large and filled with beeping, hissing machines. Medics sat at computer consoles outside each room and monitored their patients' vital signs.

The surgeon stopped outside a room. He gripped Menace's shoulder. "You should know that one of her ovaries was damaged beyond repair. We were forced to remove it and the attached fallopian tube. Her uterine artery suffered a nick, but we're extremely confident in its repair. She will be able to have children, possibly requiring the help of some medical intervention, but not for some time."

Numbness spread through his chest. His stomach lurched painfully. How was he going to tell Naya? Even though she hadn't wanted to start a family immediately, she'd made it clear she wanted children. The thought of her losing out on that dream because of this clusterfuck sickened him.

"I've recommended that she be fitted for a contraceptive device before she's discharged. If she chooses to stay," the surgeon amended. "I understand that her status is still in question?"

Menace's jaw hardened. "Yes."

The surgeon didn't ask him to elaborate on the situation. Instead he left Menace alone. Reluctant to see Naya's battered body, he entered the hospital room with some hesitancy. She looked so small and pale in the big bed. Tubes and wires snaked out of her limbs and mouth. A ventilator breathed for her while they kept her in a medical coma to heal.

He made his way to the chair next to her bed. Desperate to feel the life coursing through her, he reached for her hand and softly stroked her skin. His fingertips drifted to the underside of her wrist. He felt her reassuring pulse. For the first time since rescuing her, he believed she would live.

Touching his forehead to the bed, Menace let his tense muscles relax. He tried not to let any of the troubling what-ifs invade his mind. Right now he could only focus on sending her the most positive healing thoughts. He prayed that she could feel his love wrapping around and cradling her broken body.

The medics and doctors who came in and out of the room did their best not to disturb him. They adjusted her medications and refilled her IV fluids. When she'd proven stable enough to move to a private room, the switch was made quickly and efficiently. His confidence in the medical team on the Mercy grew exponentially.

Half an hour after settling her into a private room, Menace heard a knock on the door. Hallie poked her head inside. "May I come in, Menace?"

He nodded. "Please."

She stood at the end of Naya's bed and stared at her friend. He read the sadness on her face. "Gosh, this brings back memories."

Menace chuckled softly. "Except you were the one in the bed that time."

"Yeah." She came closer and rubbed his upper back. "Look, she's going to be sedated for a day or two. She's stable and doing well. Why don't you go back to the Valiant ? You can take a shower, get a hot meal and pack a bag. Take a nap if you want. I'm happy to stay here with her until you return."

If anyone else had made the offer, he would have turned it down. Knowing that Naya shared such a strong bond with Hallie made it easier to accept. "Thank you, Hallie."

Menace kissed Naya's forehead and smoothed some of her hair out of the way. He lowered his mouth to her ear. "I love you."

Out in the hallway, Menace found Venom, Raze and Vicious waiting for him. Vicious gestured to the closed door. "Raze has agreed to stay here in case Hallie needs something or you need to be reached."

"And you and Venom?"

"We're coming with you to settle a score." Vicious' tense features said it all. "We've had the sparring room cleared. Terror is waiting for you. Pierce and Torment will stand with him. Terror agrees the old way is the only way."

Though brutal and violent, the Harcos way of settling feuds worked. Bloodlust exploded within Menace. By the time he was finished with him, Terror would need a bed onboard the Mercy .

***

With a long, slow inhale, Naya surfaced from the heavy weight of sleep. She gazed at the strange silver ceiling for a few seconds before finally remembering where she was. She'd been in and out all day, never able to stay awake for longer than a minute or two before being dragged back down into the warm embrace of sleep.

Her brain worked overtime to piece together all the clues. She'd been shot—by her mother. That memory was crystal clear. She remembered the full-on assault and the firefight. Menace came to her rescue—with Terror of all people! The wonderful sensation of Menace's fingertips gliding over her face and his deep, husky voice confessing his love for her spilled over Naya like sunshine.

He loves me. He came for me.

Warmed by that thought, she glanced around the room. She was in a hospital of some kind. A dull ache throbbed through her entire body, but there wasn't any real pain. The machines beeping and swooshing all around her probably had something to do with that.

Her gaze fell to her bedside where she discovered Menace in a cramped chair. He had his long legs stretched in front of him but held her hand. Head tilted back at a terrible angle, he snored. The sound brought a smile to her face, but the sight of his right arm and hand in a heavy cast made her frown. She noticed the bruises on his face and neck.

Movement near the doorway drew her gaze. Terror stepped out of the shadows. Her heart monitor beeped wildly as she laid eyes on her tormentor.

"Relax," he said gently. "I'm not here to finish you off."

"Like I believe that," she snapped back, her voice gravelly and throat sore. Now that he was fully illuminated, Naya saw the awful bruising on his face. His nose was broken and taped. One of his hands was in a brace. He leaned all his weight on his right foot because the left was in a cast. She spotted the crutches leaning against the wall.

She looked at Menace and then back at Terror. "Did he beat you up?"

"There was no other way to restore my honor and pay for what I did to you. I'm sorry by the way. For almost killing you," he added lightly.

She pursed her lips. "Apology not accepted, Terror."

He chuckled. "I didn't think you'd be an easy sell." More seriously, he said, "You'll be happy to know I'm leaving the Valiant . I think it's best for everyone involved if I find a new home base for my operations."

Good fucking riddance. She gestured to her broken body. "You'll understand if don't make it to your going-away party."

He smiled, the subtle curve to his mouth softening his harsh face the smallest bit.

"No offense taken."

Still irritated with him, she asked, "Did you get what you needed?"

"I did. Your actions saved the lives of countless citizens of Calyx and members of the Harcos forces. It won't be forgotten." He glanced at Menace. "I didn't give him any choice when it came to you. He thought he was helping you by giving me permission to interrogate you. He believed that if he showed cooperation I would remember our friendship and not unleash hell on you."

"I figured as much." Naya narrowed her eyes at him. "After the way you twisted my arm, I could only imagine what you'd done to him."

"That's my job," he answered simply. "Menace loves you, Naya. In my line of work, I see how very rare it is for two people to share what you have. After all you've been through together, you'd be a fool to let him go now."

Her eyebrows shot up at Terror's relationship advice. Maybe it was the meds making her hallucinate, but she actually thought it was sound advice.

"Besides," Terror said with an evil grin, "think of the ammunition you'll have to use against him the next time the two of you have a domestic dispute. You'll win every fight from now until the end of time."

Naya groaned. "Really, Terror?"

He laughed. "What? Is it too soon for the ammunition joke?"

"You are such an asshole."

"I know." He grabbed a small red envelope from the rolling tray near the door. Hobbling, he brought it to her. "I thought you two would want this as soon as it came through the office."

She grasped the envelope. "What is it?"

"Open it when I'm gone and when he's awake. I'm sure he'll want to experience the good news with you. Oh and you should be receiving your settlement offer in the next few days."

"Settlement offer?"

"We did almost kill you after wrongfully accusing you of terrorism," he pointed out. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's a rather large sum." He considered her for a moment. "Maybe you could use the money to fund that little import-and-export business you had in mind."

Naya gawked at the Shadow Force operative. "How the hell—"

"It's my business to know everything that happens on the Valiant ." Then, with a smirk, he added, "Plus, Hallie has the biggest mouth when it comes to bragging on her friends."

She made a mental note to thump Hallie the next time she saw her.

Limping, Terror made his way to the door and grabbed his crutches. He waved his hand in front of the frame. Pausing in front of the open door, he looked back at her. "You know, if you decide to leave Menace, we could use a woman like you on our team. Your skills are quite impressive."

Naya glanced at Menace, who snored even louder now. Love blossomed in her chest. "I'm flattered, but no thanks. I'm staying right here."

With a final nod, Terror left the hospital room. She ran her finger along the edge of the envelope. Out in the hall, something noisy and metal hit the floor. The ensuing clatter ripped Menace from his dead sleep. He jumped to his feet and turned his body so that he shielded her on the bed.

She smiled at the sight of him protecting her and caressed his arm. Menace jerked as her touch registered. Spinning around, he gazed down at her in surprise and wonder.

"Naya?"

"Hey." She didn't know what else to say.

"Hey, sweetheart." His grin quickly morphed to a tight line of concern. "Should I get a medic? Are you in pain?"

"I'm good." She rubbed his fingers. "I'm a little groggy, but I feel okay."

He eased onto the bed and caressed her cheek. "I'm so glad you're finally awake.

It's been six days since I brought you here."

Her eyes widened with shock. "Six?"

"Yes. They kept you in a medically induced coma for three days and then weaned you off the sedative and on to some accelerated healing drugs. From what I understand, it takes a lot out of your smaller bodies. Exhaustion is a side effect."

She glanced down at the hospital gown covering her stomach. "Is it bad? The scarring, I mean."

He didn't lie to her. "It's not pretty, but they tell me it will heal nicely. You've seen my scars. Yours will look the same in time."

"I guess that's not so bad." Better than the alternative, she thought grimly.

"Naya, some of your injuries required certain repairs that might upset you."

Gruesome images flashed through her mind. Weakly she ordered, "Just tell me."

Menace held her hand. "They had to take one of your ovaries. Your uterine artery was damaged."

The shock of it left her dizzy. After avoiding pregnancy for most of her adult life, the thought of never experiencing one cut deeply. "Can I—will I be able to have babies?"

"Yes," he answered quickly. "They assured me that in time there's no reason you can't have children. They'll monitor you more during pregnancy but you'll be perfectly fine."

Relieved, she took some slow breaths to still her racing heart. "Next time, you might want to lead off with the good news, Menace."

"There had better not be a next time, Naya." He brushed his fingertips along her forehead and down her jawline. "You scared the hell out of me. I thought—" He stopped himself and gulped. "I know I screwed up, Naya. I know you probably hate me and you'll never trust me again, but I still love you. I'll always love you. Even though I don't deserve you."

"Hush," she whispered. Emotions warred within her. She traced the hard lines of his face and gazed into his light-green eyes. "You're a big, stupid sky warrior and, yes, you broke my heart and my trust. I'm not saying it's going to be easy to start over but, Menace, you're the only man in the universe who can help me piece it all back together."

Menace exhaled roughly, the sound very near a sob. Eyes glistening, he blinked rapidly and pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this right."

Eyes closed, she savored his heat and scent. "You could start by telling me you love me and giving me a kiss."

Pulling back, he peered down at her with such adoration. He claimed her lips in a tender kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." She remembered the envelope and found it next to her hip. She lifted it up for Menace to see. "Terror brought this."

His gaze turned murderous. "That bastard was here?"

"I guess beating the crap out of one another wasn't enough to settle up?"

"Not even close," Menace growled. "Why? Have you forgiven him?"

"No, but I'm not going to waste energy being angry at him." She rubbed her thumb across his mouth. "You shouldn't either."

He didn't say anything. Tapping the envelope, he said, "You better open it."

Her gaze fell to his cast. "How long are you in that thing?"

"Three weeks if the bone-knitting injections work."

Amazed by the kind of medicine and technology the Harcos possessed, Naya opened the red envelope. Official-looking papers were tucked inside. She pulled them out and showed them to Menace. His expression instantly brightened. "They rescinded our forced divorce and reinstated our bond."

"That was fast."

Menace's happiness deflated. "You don't have to sign the contract again. I don't expect… Not after…"

She rolled her eyes. "What happened to the rough, possessive sky warrior who chased me down in the forest and tossed me over his shoulder? Aren't you supposed to just tell me that I'm signing the contract again?"

"I'm sorely tempted to give it a try." Chuckling, Menace reached into his pocket and retrieved the blue collar he'd chosen for her. Somber and with such emotion lacing his voice, he said, "I don't expect you to start wearing it anytime soon but when you're ready, you let me know."

"Well, isn't this quite a change? You're actually asking me what I want this goround?" She laughed softly. "The last time you had a bonding contract in hand, you had me gagged and cuffed and already wearing your collar."

He flashed her that sexy grin she loved so much. "Sweetheart, you'll be out of here in no time. Believe me. That can be easily arranged."

The promise of good times to come made her smile. She grasped the front of his shirt and dragged him down for another kiss. Smiling, she ghosted her mouth across his. "Baby, I'm counting on it."

The End