Page 23 of Witches Be Damned

Knoxe’s arm muscles flexed from crossing them over his massive chest. “Glad we got it all sorted.”

We didn’t bring up the issue of Astra healing me or somehow giving Knoxe superpowers and enhancing my own. Enough was asked of the team, and we didn’t need to strain it further.

Relieved, I lowered my tense shoulders. I needed to get to a boxing bag and release some nerves.

Right on cue, the doors to the medical bay swung open, and the warden strutted in with two guards accompanying him.

Red spread across Vancor’s face and neck in the typical fashion of rising blood pressure that my team encouraged. “Would someone care to inform me why you returned to the prison with vampire prisoners and not the targets of your assignment?”

Loco took the brunt of his ire. “We went to save my daughter, sir. If you want to punish someone, punish me. Leave them out of it.”

Nice try. We were a team and took the punishment as a unit. “We all went to save her,” I corrected.

The full weight of the warden’s stare bared down on me. “And where is Miss Nomical? She did not register with security upon your return.”

“Taken by vampires in the raid.” I kept my voice level with the best of liars.

“I see.” The warden tugged his tie to alleviate his agitation. “Your failure to follow directions cost us injuries and delays in retrieving the prisoner objectives.”

I didn’t give a fuck about the missing prisoners. Eduardo and Devon could die for all I cared. It wasn’t like they didn’t deserve it.

“You got five vampire prisoners out of it,” Serena reminded. “And we killed Styx and closed his contract. The largestzikercontract.” She emphasized the word for gantii criminal.

“That may be so, but in this institution, we follow the rules.” Ironic hypocrisy from the warden. “And for breaking them, you’ll each lose fifty points from your tally.”

Fifty? Another fucking year in here. He did this on purpose. We were never getting out. Leaving in a casket.

I prayed the Guardians concluded their investigation into the mass prisoner breakout soon and restored Vartros to his role because this guy was a pain in the ass we didn’t need.

Knoxe grunted his acceptance. Loco swirled his pen with defiance. Serena nodded her acknowledgment. Pascal played notes on his fingers. I shrugged. No skin off my nose when I was up for extra time anyway.

“I want you all back out tomorrow if you’re fit,” Vancor ordered.

Serena recited, “Yes, sir,” for all of us.

Vancor’s eyes turned to lasers as they swung to me. “What happened to your exoskeleton, Mr. Helms?”

The question I’d been dreading.

CHAPTER 8 - TOR

The team’s freedom relied on me pulling off this lie. Supergal’s secret wouldn’t come out and jeopardize her or the team’s future. Knoxe and I were not ending up in the purgatory of medical examinations.

“Damaged in a scuffle, sir.” I played down the extent of damage so well that I impressed myself. But the question was, did the warden buy it?

“I’ll get Mr. Mathieson down here immediately to evaluate the technology and repair any damage.” By all accounts, he bought it.

Serena perked up at the mention of her son paying a visit.

“Thank you, sir,” I replied, praying Cole didn’t report us to the warden. “I appreciate that. In the meantime, I want to be of service and go back out with the team to apprehend the prisoners on our brief.”

Make up for dragging the team into this whole mess.

Vancor seemed satisfied with my response. “Mr. Helms, I want you assessed by the doctors immediately for any damage to your back.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The doctors would know my spine was healed if they did any scans. I’d never convict Supergal to a fate of four walls, silence, and insanity. Look what it did to her father. Tor Helms didn’t tear apart families, he supported, nourished, and protected them.

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