Kukri raised a hand to strike me but Sly appeared.  He bowed shortly to Kukri then delicately took me from him.  His hands were warm and kind as he led me to a seat.

“We need to take a look at your wounds,” Sly sighed sympathetically.  “Kukri always gets carried away and you look very pale.

Using a clean damp cloth, Sly wiped the blood away from my neck and shoulder. Wincing, I felt the sting as the cloth rubbed against my wounds.  Tisking, Sly appeared annoyed.

“These both need to be stitched up,” he sighed, applying pressure to the bullet wound. “Neither are lethal, but stitches will help stop the bleeding faster.  Kukri is always so reckless.  Arkon won’t be happy.”

“Why would Arkon care?” I asked, my mind foggy.

Sly raised an eyebrow at me that suggested I was an idiot.  I blinked at him but said nothing.  What was he talking about? Studying Sly’s face I realized that he and Arkon had the same nose.  Odd.  Reaching into a medical kit that had somehow materialized by Sly, he pulled out a needle and thread. 

“I don’t have any anesthesia,” Sly apologized, stringing the needle.

“Will it hurt less than being shot?” I said, attempting at humor.

“Probably, but I hate needles, so for me, it would be worse.”

“You are afraid of needles? Why?”

“Yes, and I don’t know.  They just freak me out.”

A prick made me yelp in surprise.  Pain told me that Sly had begun stitching the knife wound. Slowly and methodically, Sly stitched the wound.  It only took about five stitches, but the process felt like it took forever.  Tying the thread, Sly clipped the thread and began preparing for the next set of stitches.  Yet when he pierced the flesh around the bullet wound, I felt pressure but no pain.

“Sly…” I began.

“Yes?” he replied automatically, his concentration on my stitches.

“I don’t feel anything.  I mean I feel the pressure of the needle but I don’t feel any pain.”

“Not surprising.  The bullets in the guns are tranquilizer bullets.”

“Tranquilizer bullets?  All of them?”

“Yes, all the guns.”

“So no one died today?”

“We aren’t animals, Eri.  We just wanted to make a dramatic statement. Enough people will die when the war really starts.  We don’t need to start now.”

“So the boy?  My teachers?”

“They are recovering in the nurse’s office. They will be talked to after they have woken.”

“Won’t the military teachers report you all?”

“We have methods to counter their natural instincts.  Do not worry about us.”

“I’m not worried about you all.”

“You are a little bit.”

Patting me on the head, Sly smiled broadly.  Frowning, I didn’t know what to say. With the stitches done, Sly washed the blood from my body.  Shivering, I began felt weak and cold.  Touching my forehead, Sly sighed again.

“Your body is exhausted.  You need some sugar and sleep to help replenish your blood and energy.  Wait here one moment.”

Walking away, Sly disappeared from my view.  Closing my eyes, I rested in the chair. My mind wandered as I rested.  I dreamed of my life prior to the Reformers.  It wasn’t that long ago and yet it felt like an eternity. In my dream I made alterations.  At home, waiting for me, was my mother, dad, Peter, and Seth.  They all waved and smiled, waiting for me.  Tears pricked my eyes.  I was about Peter’s age when Seth was killed.  My parents had him in high school.  After Seth, they decided to wait until my dad finished medical school before having me, which meant Seth was twelve years older than me.  Memories of Seth are vague, but I do remember his laugh and smile.  Both were big and vibrant.  He hugged like he loved every part of you.  Everyone loved Seth.  He had been in his sophomore year of college, studying political science.  On the way home for my birthday, Seth pulled over to help a stranded car and was killed for his kindness.  The person responsible was never caught.

In all honesty, my family never recovered.  About six months after the funeral, my mother became pregnant with Peter. Part of me blamed Seth’s death for my relationship with my mother.  It was always so strained.  Yet maybe some mothers and daughters are that way.

Cool hands cupped my cheeks. Eyes flying open, I saw winter blue eyes, dazzlingly bright.  Arkon. Faintly I smiled at him.  Smiling back, he placed his forehead against mine.  Steady, smooth breathing raised and lowered his chest, which filled my vision.  For some reason, it calmed me.

“You need to rest,” he said after a few minutes.

“But I am supposed to be in class,” I responded dumbly.

“You going to go in a bra and bloody pants?” he grinned crookedly at me.

Looking down, I remembered I still sat in just a bra.  Suddenly self-conscious, I crossed my arms across my chest.  Laughing softly, Arkon scooped me up in his arms like a princess.  Despite his slender frame, Arkon possessed incredible strength.  My weight didn’t even seem to strain him a little.  Tenderly, Arkon carried me out of the cafeteria, past a group of jeering men.  Leaning against Arkon, I closed my eyes, enjoying the scents and the closeness.

Arkon took me to the nurse’s office in the middle school section of my school.  He told me the other victims were in the high school nurse’s office.  Therefore, there were a lot of guards and people.  Arkon wanted me to have more privacy. Setting me on a cot, Arkon drew a chair next to me.

“Lie down,” he instructed me.

Obediently, I did.  Drawing a warm blanket over me, Arkon tucked me in.

“Sleep.  I’ll wake you before your next period.”

“Will you stay with me?”

“Of course.”

Snuggling deeper under the blankets, I closed my eyes and slept.  Dreamless sleep held me until I heard a soft voice sometime later.  Arkon was arguing with someone.  Yet I could only hear his voice.

“It was unnecessary,” his voice whispered, barely audible in my sleep.

A pause.

“Of course it had a large impact but…”

Another pause.

“Today?  She isn’t in very good condition right now.”

Pause.

“Of course, but…I’m just saying the original plan would have been just as effective…Yes, we have a lot more than expected.”

Pause.

“I really don’t think…”

A sharp pause.

“I’m not arguing with your word.  I’m just asking you to…”

A tense pause.  Even in my half-sleep, I felt the tension.

“Fine.  As you command.”

Silence.