Page 13

The first wave of nausea tapped Madison on the shoulder, causing her to blink, shrug, and wipe spittle from her lower lip, giving her warning of what was to come. The next wave heartlessly coldcocked her, and she promptly crumbled to the ground laying in a heap like a dirty dish rag. She clutched her stomach as the cramps alternatively squeezed violently and relaxed briefly, until the relaxing eventually lasted longer than the squeezing. This healing was necessary, as she was still green when it came to her power, so her body needed the down time to recuperate and grown even stronger. Madison wasn't sure how she knew this, she just did, and she willingly gave her consent. No pain, no gain, afterall.


Madison remained blissfully oblivious to her surroundings, which included Azrael pacing frantically and ranting about this latest happening. Lily shakily stood and watched Az as if she was in a trance or had just smoked some very powerful weed that rendered her useless. Samson, on the other hand, worked swiftly loading and securing the gas cans and filling the tank, completely focused on the task at hand, which was getting them all the hell outta there ASAP before the henchmen decided on a second look. He picked Madison up as if she weighed no more than a feather and placed her delicate frame on the cushion in the back of the van, taking the time to gently wipe her forehead. He then led Lily by the hand, helping her climb in and then motioning for her to stay put. Samson then sighed and went back for his agitated comrade.


"Come on, Man, we gotta get goin'. We're just sitting ducks out in the open like this. Now load up," Samson tugged at Azrael's sleeve.


"This makes no sense! What in the fuck is goin' on? Who's protecting who? I'm not understanding this! What is she, Man? What the fuck is she?" Az pulled away and continued pacing.


Samson grew tired of Az's antics and grabbed his friend by the shoulders, forcing Az to look him in the eye.


"Man, we ain't got time for this. Let's find somewhere safe to camp, and then we'll seek some answers. But I need you to focus right now and load up. Don't make me fly solo man," Samson pleaded.


Az saw something on his friends face, a frenetic peacefulness, a rushed calm, a chaotic order, and he snapped back into sobriety. They rushed to the van, kicking up dirt as they sped off in their quest to find a safe haven for the night. They could all use a little down time to process all they've been thru so far. The trio deserved answers, and Mad deserved the opportunity to provide them--without Az agitated and shouting down her throat. Samson knew his friend, and he knew his behavior was the result of fear. Az liked to get inside the head and heart of his opponent, and he just couldn't see inside Madison. Once Az knew what he was dealing with, Samson knew his focus would return.


Az glanced in the back seat to find Lily stoned and Mad sleeping, her breathing as rapid as a nervous dog, so furious he expected her heart to explode out of her chest even though she appeared to be resting comfortably. But they aren't dealing with an ordinary being here, and Az couldn't wait to find out just what in the hell she was.