Monica spun around, her eyes widening in alarm as she noticed the pistol grip firmly held in Derek's hand. "Derek, put it down," Monica whispered urgently, her voice trembling. She took a step back, trying to maintain a safe distance, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts about how to defuse the situation before it escalated into something far more dangerous.
"She is worthless and will get us killed." Derek turned his gun towards a female. "You're not going to get me killed downrange." Boom!
June 3, Summer 1545
Flora Marksmanship Academy
1500
Bertha's world spun into a nightmare as she hunched over, her hands instinctively clutching her neck. Warm blood gushed through her trembling fingers, the crimson tide flowing at a terrifying pace. Each heartbeat seemed to propel more of her life force onto the ground, staining it in a gruesome tableau. With a shuddering gasp, she collapsed, her body wracked with convulsions. The world around her blurred as pain and panic engulfed her senses.
"Everybody get down," Monica yelled. She pulled the pistol from her hip, praying there were still some bullets in the chamber.
Derek's gun slowly traced towards Luna who was a few feet away from him.
"No you don't," Monica yelled. Boom! Boom! Two bullets rang out freezing thebah
gun rendering it useless in the assailant's hands. But the second shot found its mark. It struck Derek's right foot, causing searing pain to shoot through his leg. He yelped and lost his balance, crashing to the ground in a sprawl of limbs and agony.
In the heat of the moment, Luna's instincts kicked in as she rushed to Bertha's side. Luna, looking over Bertha, flipped her over as quickly as she could. Her eyes made contact with Ian, who was removing his top and lifting up Bertha's neck.
"Place your hands here and hold tightly," Ian says, calm and keeping his eyes focused on the dark-skinned woman.
Luna nodded, the words being lost somewhere between her mind and mouth. She placed her hands around Bertha's neck holding the cloth garment as tight as possible.
"You son of a whore," Marcus yelled as he ran over and slammed his elbow in Derek's jaw.
"Detain him," Monica bellows, running over and looking at Derek, who was enraged at the oversized man's actions.
Cody, at a moment's notice, grabbed hold of Derek's other leg to keep him from kicking and trying to stand up.
"Maybe you should cut off his leg," Marcus yelled at Cody.
"Sounds like too easy of a punishment," Cody hisses, coming up at Derek and lifting his elbow up for another blow.
"That's enough, Marcus!" Monica walks up, her gun in her right hand, looking down at Derek whose eyes were stoic.
"You don't understand what I've seen," Derek states as his eyes stayed glued to the dark gray ceiling.
Abby turned around trying to ascertain the situation. She felt lost and confused as to what was happening at once. Where do I go! Her feet instinctively led her over to Bertha who was still shaking. Running up, she put her whole-body weight on the legs of the larger woman.
"Thank you," Ian says, looking down at Abby with a nervous smile.
"Coming," Rosemary yelled. She pulled out a first aid kid and ran up, almost shoving Ian and Luna out of the way. "I got it from here," she blurts.
Luna let go of the cloth around her neck as the squad member stood up. The blood on her hands was a dark red. "What the hell is going on?" she says, running towards Abby and putting her hands on her shoulder. "What the hell's going on?"
Abby looks over at her friend. Luna's eyes widened like she was seeing a ghost. "I don't know!"
Rosemary quickly took out some gauze and tried to press the pad to Bertha's neck. Her fingers were moving at a rapid rate trying to soak up all the blood that was going all over the floor. Her fingers shook and she took out a needle, trying to soothe the pain of the blasts. "Chaplain, get over here," Rosemary yelled as she looked over towards Rebecca reaching into her pocket.
Rebecca's eyes were glistening as she calmly walked over and put her hands over Bertha. "May the goddess receive her soul back into her bosom. May her children be blessed in these tumultuous times." Rebecca took the pendant, kissed it with her lips, and placed it on Bertha's forehead.
"There was nothing I could do," Rosemary states, leaning back and clenching her fists. "There was nothing I could fucking do.... Dammit!" Rosemary took her hand and smacked it against the floor, the blood splattering all over outfit and face.
"The moment I saw the bullet hit her throat knew she was going to die," Rebecca utters, placing her hand on the knees of the traumatized medic. "The flow of time stops for no one. The goddess knew this was coming. I know words mean nothing, but I pray you hear what I'm saying."
Rosemary lifted her eyes to meet her fellow officer. Her pink eyes filled with resolve. She placed her hand on Rebecca's trembling ones, trying to reach for calmness that was out of reach. "Thank you!"
"Everyone please, get back," Monica says sternly, still tracing her gun at Derek's head. "I really want to blow your brains out right now. But I can't!" Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed a group of individuals running in with rifles and shotguns. "Military police are here and they will decide what to do with you."
"We got it from here, ma'am," a man says, walking up with the squad of individuals, lifting up the large man and standing him against the wall.
Monica nodded, putting the gun back in her holster. "You're going to pay for what you did," she says to Derek, who was disappearing from her eyesight. Turning around, she saw her squad distraught, enraged, and confused. "Everyone take the afternoon off! I must go talk to Lt. Col. about all this. I will send word to you when the time is right."