“No. I tried different things, I researched it, nothing. Then you guys went after the Commandos, and I got the call, barely had the time to open the window when Dave barged in. Got your blood all over the floor. I kinda lost it, honestly. Maybe that’s why it worked.” He rubbed his face, then pressed two fingers to his eyes. “It didn’t work at first. You flat-lined for a minute. Lost a lot of blood. Had to pull in both Marco and Dave.”
“Dave?” Pain asked, utterly confused now.
“Yes. He’s a universal donor. I never put him on the list, of course. And him bringing you here in a minute is the second reason you’re still alive. Guess he’s learned to use that power, after all.”
“In a minute? From across the city? No way.”
“It’s true,” Peter said with a nod. “He went right through the perimeter. Only registered on the drones’ radar, but Rooney covered it up, so no one knows it was him.”
Pain rubbed her neck, blinking a few times as she processed their words. “So that’s it? I’m all healed? Can I go eat now?”
Doc rolled his eyes. “An hour out of a coma, and all she thinks about is food. Typical.” He stood and headed to his desk. “You can eat here. We need to run some tests and keep an eye on you for a while.”
“Can I at least go to the briefing? I’m totally out of the loop here.”
“Right. Must be torture, having nothing to babble about.” He returned with a syringe in hand, a devilish look on his face. “Fine, you can go for an hour. If you get even a little lightheaded, return here right away. Oh, and if you tell anyone a word about all this, I’ll keep you here forever for experiments. Got it?”
She gave him a skeptical grimace and looked at Peter for support.
Peter blinked. “Well, not forever. We do need her in the field. Maybe a couple years?”
“Deal,” Doc said.
Pain threw up her hands. “All right. I won’t tell anyone.” She looked down at her interlaced fingers. “And thanks. For everything.”
Doc nodded and raised the syringe with a smile. “Let’s make some more holes in you, shall we?”
Chapter 36
Jane walked into the waiting room, carrying a tray from the canteen while Ryan held the door for her. Chad was still there with Marco—now wearing some proper clothes—and everything was quiet.
She’d left the moment Peter started yelling, unable to listen to it. Getting some food for Pain was a perfect excuse. She’d taken more time than necessary in the canteen, then stalled some more, adding something for herself. Now, she set the full tray on a table and went up to Chad.
“Why is it so quiet?” she whispered.
“Doc’s in there.”
“Oh. How long has it been?”
Chad shrugged. “About fifteen minutes.”
“What are they talking about for so long?”
He dropped his gaze. “No idea.”
A minute passed while she stared at the cooling food, tapping her foot. “Screw it.”
She waved Ryan forward, ignoring his surprised look as she picked up the tray. He knocked on the infirmary door, then pushed it open.
“Hey, I brought some…”
“Finally!” Pain interrupted her, reaching for the food. “Someone who isn’t here to make me suffer. Is that chicken I smell?”
Jane’s mouth quirked to the side. “Yep.” She put the tray on the nightstand, turning to look at Doc. “She can have chicken, right?”
“Please.” Doc waved her off. “Five bullets didn’t kill her, and you’re worried about some chicken.”
“Five?” she and Pain said simultaneously. Before Jane could stop herself, her eyes flicked to Pain’s head.
Pain raised her hand, and Jane cringed as her sister’s fingers slid from the top of her head to her right temple. “What’s this?” Pain froze, feeling at the stitches.
Jane stepped back, bumping into Chad and Marco who must have followed her inside. She looked at Peter for support, but he patted Doc’s shoulder and said, “Good luck with that.”
“Seriously, what’s this?” Pain asked again, watching him leave with Marco close on his heels.
Ryan and Chad stayed with Jane, but no one spoke as they all looked at Doc.
He pulled on a blank face. “There was a fifth bullet. You’re lucky it’s just a graze, though the bleeding was pretty ba—”
“Mirror,” Pain said through her teeth.
“It’s just a small scar, you won’t even—”
“Mirror!”
He went to his desk with a sigh. After some rummaging in the drawers, he handed Jane a small mirror. She held it out to Pain like she was handing food to a sharp-toothed monkey at a zoo.
Her sister snatched the mirror and peered at it in the dim light. “Oh, you didn’t…”
“What is it?” Tiffany asked, coming in.
“Our Sleeping Beauty here is having a tantrum,” Doc said cheerfully.
“A tantrum? You shaved my head!”
“Just the temple.”
“You promised me, no matter what happens, you’d never, ever touch my hair!”
“Should’ve shaved all of it.”
“I look like a freak! Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
This is why, Jane thought, looking away along with the others.
Doc came up to Pain, pointing the mirror back at her head. “Look at this gash! We had to stitch it up properly, or it would’ve scarred like a bitch. Just give it a few wee—”
He jumped away when Pain got to her feet.
“You’re too weak to be up,” Doc said, pointing a finger at her.
“Not too weak to kick your tatted ass,” she hissed.
Tiffany snorted and rolled her eyes. “It’s not tatted.”
Everyone stared at her, the room suddenly quiet. Doc opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the door opened.
Dave stood in the doorway, confused by the scene before him. “Hey,” he said, locking gazes with
