"Scorpio," she said softly, her mouth suddenly going dry.
"It's Scorpion, actually, sweetheart," the big man said, still circling around her with the four other bikers. "Don't worry, though. After today you won't have any problems remembering my name."
"W – Why?" Elle asked despite Hot Wheels hissed advice to keep her mouth shut.
"Boys, why don't we show the pretty lady why they won't ever forget us, huh?" At his words the other bikers whooped excitedly, three of them breaking off and that's when Elle noticed that they all had baseball bats and metal rods with them.
She watched in horror, helpless as the Nomads set about destroying everything that was within their reach, smashing equipment, plants, and the machines without prejudice. Nothing was safe from them as they tore the farm apart, right in front of their eyes. It wasn't until one of the men went rushing into the greenhouse that Carla reacted.
Elle watched wide eyed as Carla ran after him, yelling at him to stop, begging with him but there was no reasoning with the men and the others quickly joined in, breaking the fragile glass of the building's walls. Elle's heart broke for her friend as tears started to run in a steady stream down Carla's cheeks as she watched all of her dreams and hard work were destroyed and she couldn't do anything but stand there and watch it happen.
Elle was so distracted that she didn't even hear the approaching footsteps until a large shadow fell over her. With a gasp she spun around, twisting her ankle on the uneven ground but she didn't move her gaze from the big man who was suddenly standing far too close to her.
"Wh – what do you think you're doing?" she demanded, hating the fear and weakness in her voice. She couldn't see Hot Wheels or Carla now even though she could still hear the telltale sounds of destruction coming from behind her.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Scorpion asked, stepping even closer. She tried to back up, the twinge in her ankle stopping her.
"What did I say?" Delay him. Keep him talking. Hopefully Honey would notice the noise and come running. She prayed, just this once, that he would be there to save her because she had a sinking feeling in her stomach that she wouldn't be able to talk herself out of this one.
"What you said about me believing in myself. That I was important." There was something in his dark eyes that said this meant something to him, even though for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. But she still nodded her head.
"Of course," she said quickly, desperately searching for a way to escape. He kept walking towards her, backing her up closer to the empty office. "I always say what I mean. And I think that everyone is important."
"No! No," he shouted, obviously fighting to moderate his tone but his outburst still had a new wave of fear rushing dizzily through her, "You said I was important. Me. Not anyone else." He tilted his head to one side, "Did you mean it?"
Elle stared at him, wondering what she could possibly say to get herself out of this mess. He was a foot and half taller than her and as wide as the tool shed that was currently being dismantled and smashed to pieces. Finally, she took a deep breath, nodding, shaking too much to form words. She jerked back as he reached out a hand, sliding it across her cheek.
"I meant what I said, too." Scorpion leaned close, inhaling a lock of her hair, "You are pretty."
"Th – Thanks," Elle forced out after he stared at her, waiting for some sort of answer. He took another step forward and she cried out, more in terror than in pain, as her back ran into the outer wall of the office. That was it. There was nowhere else to go. No other way to escape him.
He leaned forward then, grabbing her arms and jerking her off of her feet as he slammed her so hard against the wall that all the air rushed painfully out of her lungs and she knew she'd have bruises across her upper arms, and her ribs where it had dug in.
"I also told you something else, earlier. You should have listened to me," Scorpion shook his head sadly, as if he was disappointed in her, "I told you that there would be consequences."
Elle closed her eyes tight against whatever was coming. She'd rather not know. It seemed easier to face somehow. But one moment Scorpion was there, holding her in the air in a bruising grip, and the next he was gone and she was dropping like a dead weight back down to earth. She landed with a jarring force, pain shooting up her ankle. Her eyes flew open in shock and widened ever more as they saw him.
Honey let his fist fly, landing squarely on Scorpion's jaw, he swooped in like some avenging angel and Elle couldn't help but marvel for a moment. Her wish had come true. Just past Honey she could see Joel and Tucker dealing with the rest of the bikers, with the help of Hot Wheels, and even Carla who was chasing after one with a baseball bat.
Elle would have laughed in relief but for the fight that was playing out just feet in front of her. Honey had gotten in the blow because of the element of surprise but the other man was far larger, and far stronger and Elle felt a moment of panic as one of Scorpion's punches hit caught Honey in the side, causing him to double over in pain.
Without even thinking about it, Elle leapt forward, grabbing Scorpion's ankles as Honey let another one fly and once again, surprise made the bigger man topple backwards. A moment later Joel and Tucker were surrounding him, the rest of his crew members already chased off with their tails between their legs.
"Tell your boss," Joel said as he dabbed at the blood that was oozing from his split lip, "That if he tries something like that again, we're not just going to let you leave peacefully. Consider this your only warning." Joel tossed the blood-covered bandana at the man who stalked towards his bike with a baleful glare. A moment later a strange, empty silence settle over the farm especially after the noise and destruction of just a few moments before.
The trembling came then. A bone deep cold that sank all the way to her core that even the bright shining sun couldn't warm her. Elle was shaking so hard her teeth were chattering as she stared blankly at the remnants of the farm they had worked so hard to build up and keep running.
The next moment, Honey was there. He wrapped his arms around her but she was so numb that she could barely feel it at first, and then it was like a wildfire rushing through her and she clung to him, trembling in his embrace. For the first time since earlier, since the first time Scorpion had darkened their doorstep that morning, she finally felt safe. She finally felt secure. Like she was exactly where she was supposed to me.
"Take me home, Honey," Elle whispered painfully as Honey rubbed comforting circles over and over on her back, "Please, let's just go home."
Chapter 22
Elle couldn't remember leaving the farm. She couldn't remember the drive home. She couldn't even remember how she'd gotten to be there, sitting on her couch, wrapped up in her pink and green terrycloth robe with a cup of steaming hot tea clutched in her hands. She had a feeling it had something to do with Honey, who was sitting on the couch next to her, but her memories were so fuzzy that she couldn't be sure.
A lethargy had fallen over her like a blanket that was just too heavy for her to shake and it took an inordinate amount of effort just to raise the tea cup up to her lips and take a small sip of the hot liquid.
She did remember the fight, though, earlier at the farm. That she remembered in crystal clear, agonizing detail. Elle shook off the thought, unable or just unwilling to dwell on it anymore, at least not at the moment. She looked over at Honey, whose gaze was focused on the T.V. There was another black and white movie playing. He must have found it in her collection and put it on. For her. To comfort her.
Suddenly, Elle knew exactly what she wanted. What she needed. She needed him. Honey. The one person in the world who had every made her feel safe, made her feel like she wasn't so alone. Made her feel like someone cared.
Slowly, methodically, she set down the still full tea cup, the effort to drink it too much, especially when she had something else entirely on her mind. Elle turned towards him and he looked over questioningly.
"Elle, do you need something? Can I get you anything? More tea?" he asked, and it was as if he was talking too fast, or her mind was moving too slow. Maybe it was both. She didn't care.
"No, no tea," she whispered, reaching out and holding his hand in both of hers.
"Did you want a hot bath? I could get one going for you – " Honey cut off abruptly as she leaned forward placing one, delicate finger across his lips, staring up into his dark, endless eyes so that he could see the intent in hers. The desire.
"I don't want tea, Honey. I don't want a bath." She looked up at him. She might have been smiling. She wasn't sure. It seemed so hard to make her body do what she wanted it to do. "I want you to kiss me."