Cut Scene #2
Neil came to slowly.
He shifted and bright pain flared in his hip. Where am I?
He opened his eyes and immediately began to cough at the thick dust.
“Who’s there? Who is that?”
Neil drew in air, trying to assess himself. He seemed to have very little debris on him. “Neil. You okay, Becky?”
Silence, and then…
“Don’t call me that.”
“What would you like me to call you?”
She sounded slightly panicked. “Becca. I’m Becca, now.”
“Are you hurt, Becca?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Where are the others?”
“…You’re the only one I’ve heard.”
The pause said she wished it was anyone else, and Neil winced. He sat up carefully, trying in vain to make his vision adjust. It didn’t seem like it had been very long, but it was hard to tell.
“How long has it been?”
“I’m not sure. A couple hours?”
“Are you trapped?”
“Yes. There’s something in front of the fireplace. I tried to crawl out, but I won’t fit.”
Neil’s fingers found the penlight around his neck and snapped it on. He quickly wished he hadn’t. Dead friends and gory sights met his eyes. Were they the only survivors?
He shined his light around and saw the enormous bracing beam that had kept the crumbling stone away from them, just letting shrapnel rain down. He also saw a place where he thought they might be able to dig out, but until daylight came, he couldn’t be sure.
“I’m coming over to you.”
“I see the light.”
Becky cackled restlessly at the unintentional pun, and Neil began climbing over debris and friends to find her. When the explosion had gone off, they’d shoved her into the fireplace and dove on top of each other at the entrance to it, hoping the support of the stone would keep them alive. It didn’t appear to have worked for all of them.
“Neil? That you?”
“Who is that? Is that Seth? Tell me that’s Seth!”
Neil began moving debris off of the cop. “It is… And he’s okay except for needing some stitches in his arm.”
Seth let Neil help him up, wobbling, and they stumbled together to where they could hear Becky quietly crying.
“Are you okay?” Seth asked in concern.
Becky sniffled miserably. “No. I’ve gotten all your men killed.”
Seth and Neil didn’t agree. This was Rick using her. It was their fault for falling for it.
“Hey, what’s all the noise? Can’t a fella be unconscious here?” Lee was groggy, leaving little doubt he was injured.
Seth peered down to find Lee’s blackened eyes glaring up from the rubble near his boot. “Get her out first.”
Becky’s sobs grew louder. “Leave me here! I’m cursed.”
Seth ignored the words, pulling debris away carefully, and not just to keep more of the ceiling from caving in on them. He’d taken a hell of a blow to the head, and his ears were still ringing unpleasantly.
Becky let Seth help her out of the fireplace and wrap his arms around her. “I’m sorry.”
Seth hugged her closer. “This was not your fault. And we’re going to kill him for sure now. He just guaranteed that Adrian will not stop until he’s dead.”
Neil concurred, kneeling by Lee in concern. “There will be justice for all, the next time we meet.”