Stay
He looked at the woman laid out on the floor before him, rearranged her cover she was so still. it was only by sheer necessity for a porter he was allowed to stay by her side sheilding her still form from passers by this was not how he'd envisioned spending his evening. He thought after losing three men from taking a glancing blow.
He would meet up with his wife, maybe go for a walk. Ignore the war and enjoy all the pleasures their disrupted married life could afford on this short turn around. Instead his body and mind had been through more stress and trauma in the past 12 hours than he ever envisioned in a lifetime of woe.
It had taken him three hours to navigate harbour avoiding mines. Mines always made his heart nervy especially with so many people depending on him. he'd managed to bring most of his men to land. A wave of releif flooded through him as his feet touched the earth it was short lived as land seemed no more safe to him than sea. He'd arrived to a city smokey and alight.
The nerves were better now there was only himself to worry about. No, not anymore the reality of his recent marriage jolted him. There was Evey. As smoke clogged his lungs he prayed she wasn't out in this. Her phone kept ringing out.
Her little Sentry box wasn't far from there. With a siren screaming and firey hell threatening to rain down upon them He tore accros the city wending through alleyways and hopping a fence to find her little box empty. little brown flecks on the floor and desk. The rota on the wall confirming his fears, it was her day.
Evey!
His heart felt as though it was being wrenched out through his mouth as he followed a trail through the door his feet taking over running through the street untill the trail vanished into a puddle of water, frustrated the wall took a painfull blow as all his usual calmness evaporated in the face of his utter helplessness. The wall pummeled until his hands bleed. His outburst attracted the attention of a nearby policeman who approached him cautiously baton raised and hand on his gun:
"Stop! What are you doing Here?"
Dan Raised his hands above his head showing his bloddied palms to the officer an an attempt to show he wasnt armed. he wasn't sure his palms had a comforting effect on the other man.
"What happened here officer? where's the watcher?" The policeman eyed the uniform Dan Wore, he didnt understand them all yet but the stripes made him less suspicious.
"You dont know?"
" I'm Captain Daniel Parkhurst of The Good Hope, just docked, i'm lookin for my wife." He struggled to speak markedly with authority. "She was on duty tonight" The policeman's eyes softened;
"Your ID" It took him what seemed like an eternity to find his card. Kicking it across.
"Sorry Captain Parhurst, its been a terrible night every force within a 15 mile radius has been drafted. Arsonists on foot and firebombs from the sky . too many injured to count."
Dan.got impatient.
"I know it sounds terrible but I don't care about that. I want to know where my wife is. Once I know I'll report in for duty. Watcher Evelyn Parkhurst?" He pulled the passport photio he kept in his pocket for luck . Part of a failled shoot where she couldnt stop smiling. he avoided holding it more than necessary as he realised his blood left a red mark across her blonde hair.
The officer stared intently at the photograph as Dan watched for signs of recognition, there were none.
"Don't know her, I've only been on this patch an hour.
Bomb watcher caught the arsonists brought them in."
Dan's agitation thawed as a pride in Evey replaced it. Trust her to catch them.
He heard Static. as the policeman tried his radio phone.
"What was her name again? i'm putting a call through"
Collar number 4752 request bomb watcher at warehouse crimescene. Was the name?" Dan vollunteered:
"Evelyn Parkhurst?"
A few seconds later.
"Yes."
"I've got her husband here. Just come off the Good Hope." Silence again. "I'm on my way."
This worried Dan again, more than before, In an emergency like this and he was being met by rank.
What have you got yourself into Evey?"Desperate for distraction.
"Give me something to do Officer." Pity on the young man's face. "Check the cordon round that way is still up, don't let anyone through."
As he went the sinking feeling gathered momentum. Crime scene? God help him if anyone had hurt her.
A small crowd gathered at the cordon, with a city going up in flames there were still people who found time to gawk.
"Any comment on what happened here?"
"No comment ." Bloody journalists. His distaste for them had come from his men regularly being mobbed as they came off ship, parasites of misery.
"Are the reports true that a woman was murdered here?" he felt the colour drain from his face and his usual gentleness disappeared. With a howl like a wounded beast he dragged the unfortunate reporter accross the cordon. Slamming them into the nearest wall. it was enough to make the gawkers scatter.
"What did you say?"
The fear in the other man's eyes forced him to regain command of himself. as his hands faltered.
"Go." the unfortunate man ran as quickly as his legs could take him. Just as a haggared smoke blackened Seargeant took command of the situation.
"Nothing to see here, a statement will be released to the press once this chaos is under control, either report to your local warden or go home I will not repeat myself.
mr Parkhurst, please step this way, sorry Captain. "
He was taken to Evey's hut and sat down .
"I have little time as you can see so i will be frank give you the facts such as they are. no interuptions. Your wife has been shot by arsonists. Last report she's alive at a hospital a short way outside the city. She brought them in tied up with a bow. All this would have been worse without her. the next ambulance that passes will be going there. City hospitals are full. and God knows what waits for us when the fire stops. Ive got you a chit for a lift be useful and dont puch anyone's lights out. Your behaviour before is going to be hard to explain. but I'll manage something"
Dan did as he was told
He felt small crouched beside her on the floor.
"Stay."