Lyra had noticed several men emerge from the building after she had taken one of the men out that were attacking Jackie. She pulled Jax into a dense area of trees and brush, propping him up against a large trunk. His breathing had become rapid and she was worried he might be about to wake up. She tucked a sheathed knife into his hand just in case something happened to her and he wasn’t found.  She then moved quickly and hid in a nearby location. It didn’t take long before two men entered their hidden location. Lyra silently crouched while she watched the men and hoped she had hidden Jax well enough. The men walked closer and Lyra held her breath hoping they would continue walking past his location. The brush moved slightly and what sounded like a moan drew the attention of the armed men. The taller of the men motioned for the other to check. The other man appeared to be scanning the area with his gun held visible. The other man appeared to have lowered his gun and was fighting with the thick brush while holding a small flashlight. Lyra quickly raised her gun and fired. The tall man somehow dodged the shot and dove behind a nearby tree. “Shit,” she muttered as she quickly changed her location while still keeping an eye on where Jax was hidden. She had lost sight of the other man but hoped he had run away when he heard gunfire. Lyra watched, waiting for the men to move, but it was a small twig breaking that alerted her of their presence. She spun around and came face to face with the shorter of the two men. He started to raise his gun but she kicked him back, his gun went flying in the other direction. Lyra landed on one knee as he quickly tried to get up but she delivered a swift elbow strike to his face knocking him unconscious.  Lyra heard movement near her and she stood up and took off running towards Jax. She was a couple of feet away from Jax when she felt a sharp hit to her side. She dropped to the ground, she had been hit by a bullet but luckily she was wearing a bulletproof vest. It still hurt like a mother fucker and she was going to have a hell of a bruise.  The impact had knocked the breath out of her and she was trying to stand when she realized the man was now standing beside her, his gun pointed directly at her. 

“Drop your gun,” he said. 

Lyra held her side and said, “fuck you.”

The man laughed and said, “I will make sure to hit that pretty face of yours this time.”

Lyra hissed and threw her gun to the side. 

“Now lay on your stomach with your hands behind your head,” the man said.

Lyra did as the man said but kept her head turned so she could see him. The man started to walk backwards towards Jax. He leaned into the brush while having his gun out from his side. Lyra leaped to her feet and was behind him in seconds. She placed her hands around the gun and twisted, forcing him to release it.  He pulled his arm away from Lyra and regained his tall composure. Before Lyra had time to aim the gun the man kicked the gun out of her hands.  Lyra turned her body and faced her opponent. Lyra had placed herself between Jax and the man. The man gave her a grin as he tried to strike her. She dodged his hit and grabbed his arm and used a frontal kick. He pulled out of her grasp and heaved a little from the impact of her leg.  She quickly moved back between Jax and the man. Sweat dripped from the man’s brow and he breathed heavily. At least he understood she wouldn’t be an easy opponent, she thought. He again tried to attack Lyra, this time with a bear hug. She slid back towards Jax, just barely stopping herself from colliding with him. Lyra blocked him from closing the space in between by placing her hands at his hip bones. He pushed against her and her elbows pressed against her  abdomen. Even though she was small in stature she was able to hold her on against the large person in front of her. She arched her back and launched her knee into his groin repeatedly. The man loosened his grip and Lyra pushed him back forcefully. The man stumbled back and Lyra delivered a final roundhouse kick to his liver. The man fell to the ground coughing blood and exhausted. 

Lyra heard movement behind her and she defensively spun around ready to attack. Jax was standing, one hand on the tree as if was giving him support. The other hand was holding the still sheathed knife that Lyra had left.  Lyra stared at Jax not knowing what to say. Jax stumbled forward and yelled, “behind you!”. Lyra turned around just in time to catch the fist of the man behind her. With her free hand she punched him under the chin. The man fell to the ground motionless. Lyra turned around to face Jax again but he was already gone. 

“Shit,” she said under her breath. She looked back at the man, he probably wasn’t going to get back up for a while. She quickly located her gun and ran to the edge of the trees and stared out towards the hospital. Jax was running back towards the hospital. “What the hell is he thinking?” she growled.

She took off running with her gun ready in a low position towards Jax. He ran surprisingly fast and when she finally caught up with him he was already to the building. She grabbed him and pulled him into the shadows. She pushed him against the wall ,her hand loosely over his mouth as she whispered angrily, “what the hell are you thinking, why would you try to go back in? Everyone is risking their lives to save you!”

Jax’s eyes were huge. He pushed her hand away and said, “I don’t even know who you are.”

He covered his face and shook his head and said, “I don’t understand what is going on.”

Lyra gently pulled his hands away and said, “I am a friend of Fuchsia’s. She contacted my boyfriend Jackie and asked us to help rescue you. Bren and Jackie are trying to get to Fuchsia and Sina. I am supposed to keep you out here and safe.”

Jax swallowed hard before saying, “one of the doctors tried to help me. He is injured and being kept in the basement. I can’t just leave him.”

Lyra sighed and looked at Jax and said, “things are chaotic inside, it would be impossible to get to the basement from there. Let me see if we can find an outside entrance. There is a small chance that all the guards are on the first floor. There is a chance we can get to him.”

Just as Lyra finished talking, gunfire erupted above them and a shower of glass pieces fell from a window. They heard a commotion and the flash of metallic hands glinted in the moonlight as a man dangled out the window.