Page 46 of Angel Condemned

Jody

Every hair on my body straightened from the noise behind me. A slur of clicks flowed out of the Roulex who marched toward me. I couldn’t move.

If I faced whoever it was, they’d know I was a human. I grabbed the curved metal instrument from my waistband and slowly turned.

A female Roulex mix stiffened when she saw me. Her greenish-blue scales were faint, almost looking more like tattooed on than real ones.

“Where’s Orljk?”

“Just let me go, okay? I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Not if I didn’t have to.

Her skin flushed dark green. “Y-You killed him?”

The elevator doors swished open and two Roulex guards stepped out, flanking my father.

“Dad?” I rushed forward, but the Roulex woman blocked my path.

“I’m here to escort the human,” she said. “Hand him over to me.”

“We're supposed to take him.”

She huffed an impatient sigh. “And your English is horrible.”

“We have our order,” the other one said.

Why was this Roulex half-breed helping me? I was trembling all over. My hand sweating as I held the weapon tighter.

“The medic specifically requested I take him in. Are you questioning her judgment?”

“No, but—”

“Look, I don’t have time for this.” She bristled. “Take it up with your supervisor, but we need him now.”

The two stood at attention while she snatched my arm and hauled me along with her.

“Didn’t know you and Orljk made up.” The first guard dipped his head.

“Yeah, well there’s a lot you don’t know.” She pushed my dad into the elevator, then yanked me inside with her and jabbed the button.

I didn’t dare move until the elevator closed. Then I lifted my head and smiled as tears streamed down my face. My whole body trembled.

“Jody?” my dad asked, confused.

I pulled him into a hug. “I thought I’d never see you again. We have to get you out of here.”

The Roulex turned to me. “Give me Orljk’s hand.”

“Why are you helping us?” I asked, not fully trusting this Roulex.

“Orljk was…how you say…hole ass.”

I chuckled, keeping ahold of my dad. “Asshole.”

“I’m glad he’s dead. And not all of the Roulex agree with the experiments and wars.”

“Thank you.” I squeezed her forearm. My heart hammered in my chest at the risk she was taking for us.

She nodded.

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