----------
They stopped at the Hummer, and Nell retrieved her backpack. She was more relieved than she could say that it was still there, as it contained all of her worldly possessions. Derek leaned against the vehicle as she fished out her tools and worked on removing her handcuffs and foot shackles by picking the locks. She didn't have much experience with the locks of police-grade handcuffs, so it was good practice.
"You done yet?" Derek asked.
"Just because I understand mechanisms doesn't mean I have the manual dexterity to work with them," she growled, more to herself than to her guardian.
"What did they want with you, Fixer?" Nell noticed he hadn't called her by her name since he'd rescued her. He also remained mostly cloaked in black shadows. He must've thought that he was being watched.
She didn't know, so she didn't answer.
"They touch you?"
"No," she said quietly. "Not really."
He moved sharply. "The Hell does that mean?"
"It means I don't want to talk about it, Afterdark."
He slammed his fist into the side of the Hummer, and the whole thing shook, making Nell unable to continue picking the lock. Her pick fell out of her hand, and she had to scramble to get it back.
They stopped at the Hummer, and Nell retrieved her backpack. She was more relieved than she could say that it was still there, as it contained all of her worldly possessions. Derek leaned against the vehicle as she fished out her tools and worked on removing her handcuffs and foot shackles by picking the locks. She didn't have much experience with the locks of police-grade handcuffs, so it was good practice.
"You done yet?" Derek asked.
"Just because I understand mechanisms doesn't mean I have the manual dexterity to work with them," she growled, more to herself than to her guardian.
"What did they want with you, Fixer?" Nell noticed he hadn't called her by her name since he'd rescued her. He also remained mostly cloaked in black shadows. He must've thought that he was being watched.
She didn't know, so she didn't answer.
"They touch you?"
"No," she said quietly. "Not really."
He moved sharply. "The Hell does that mean?"
"It means I don't want to talk about it, Afterdark."
He slammed his fist into the side of the Hummer, and the whole thing shook, making Nell unable to continue picking the lock. Her pick fell out of her hand, and she had to scramble to get it back.
