Chapter Ten

Vivian buckled up before he got in, not wanting to irritate him further. She wasn’t sure why her injury set him off so badly, but she wasn’t about to poke the bear further. Aiden got into the car, looking her over before he turned and checked on Alex and Doctor Jones before he let out a long sigh and started the ignition. The jeep roared to life, and she grabbed onto the handle of the door as he aggressively started driving out of the village. Her lips were zipped as he took the hairpin curves down the mountain entirely too fast for her comfort, but he seemed singularly focused and she didn’t dare distract him.

It was only when they’d come out of the mountain range and the roads started leveling out that she let go of the door, her knuckles white from the tension. The trip out only took half an hour, and she was sure his speeding cut the trip in half at minimum. The others would be far, far behind him unless the military personnel had an equal disregard for their lives. With the women in those cars…it seemed unlikely.

Seeing her relax into the seat, he remarked somewhat acerbically, “So now you’re afraid.”

Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Vivian replied, “There’s no point being scared in situations you can’t change. It’s counter-productive to coming out in one piece. That doesn’t mean I enjoy risking my life in entirely unnecessary situations.”

“You need to get your head checked out.” He was being stubborn, and she couldn’t help but rub her temples.

He was just worried, and she needed to be patient. “As I said, the wound is weeks old. Another hour or two won’t make a difference in my treatment at this point. Falling off of a cliff will, so I’d appreciate it if you could slow down so that we get there in one piece.”

“There aren’t any more cliffs.” Doctor Jones pointed out unhelpfully as they drove through the barely paved and still bumpy roads of the countryside.

She sent a glare back at him and then corrected, “Fine, a car crash then. Do you think being bounced around like this is helpful for my condition?” Apparently that finally got through and changed his mind a bit, because there was an immediate deceleration as he started more carefully avoiding the potholes. Even Doctor Jones seemed to quiet down. Deciding to press her luck, she went on, “Besides, even when we get there I want to take a shower before anything else.”

“Absolutely not.” Doctor Jones immediately cut in. “You can’t get that wound wet.”

Rolling her eyes, she informed him, “I can and I will. It needs to be clean. I need to be clean. I’m not letting you whack off my hair in unpleasant ways just to get to it or stop the risk of infection. Besides, right now you can barely tell what’s dirt or bruises. I’m dirty because I didn’t have a choice, and it protected me. But I will fight you to get an actual shower if I have to.” Seeing Jones about to say something else, she finished, “And yes, I’ll be careful of my wound, but I’m going to do it one way or another. You can try to knock me out if you disagree.”

She gave Aiden a very clear glare with that warning, because he’d given her a glance as if considering it. However, he seemed to take in her general dishevelment, including the blood stains on her clothing, and decided against it. His fingers gripped the wheel so tightly it was a miracle he wasn’t bending it, but he eventually let out a short, “Fine.”

Giving him her brightest smile, she clapped her hands. “Excellent. And while I do that, I need you to get me a pad of unlined paper and pencil.”

“What do you need that for at the hospital?” The doctor seemed curious, but she could already see the wheels turning in Aiden’s mind.

Turning to look out at the lonely wilderness, she could see the lights of the city approaching as she answered softly. “I imagine there are a lot of open missing person cases at the police station. While the living can be reconnected with their loved ones, the family of the dead deserve to know their fate. The perpetrators must be prosecuted, and that’ll be easier with detailed accounts that can be checked with the villages. I can’t change the past, but…well. People were loose-lipped around me.”

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“How many people can you identify?” Aiden had already seen her sketches, so he seemed to accept her explanation more easily. Jones was still processing in the back.

Mentally reviewing Vee’s memories, she thought about it, then said, “I can give a decent amount of information about everyone who died in Clear Mist Village in the last six years. For the others… they didn’t let them out of the car in our village very often. The best I can do for them is just a picture and the village they might’ve been headed to.”

He nodded as he drove, clearly thinking it over. “Those will still be helpful. We can ask the other villagers about them if we have a picture. How many did you see?”

She had to think about it. Maybe she had a premonition that it would be helpful, but Vee always positioned herself to try and see into the vans. She hadn’t always been successful, but she’d done her very best and no one noticed because she kept a foolish smile plastered on her face.

“At least a hundred and fifty, including the seventy or so from my village.” Vivian finally estimated. She got clear views of maybe a third of the ones headed elsewhere.

Jones made a noise of disbelief as Aiden frowned and asked, “They killed that many in six years?”

Shaking her head, she replied, “Not exactly. Fifty-one in the pit since I arrived, though I’m sure there were plenty before that. But then there are the ones who were rescued and the children who were mistreated. I might as well do the sheets for the living while I’m at it so the police don’t have to keep asking me for my statement.” She would be including her own picture with the Vances as well.

Doctor Jones finally couldn’t hold his curiosity in as he asked, “You think you can accurately draw over a hundred and fifty faces from up to six years ago?”

Sighing, she looked back at the doctor and explained patiently, “No.” He seemed to have an I told you so look on his face until she continued, “I can accurately draw anyone I’ve ever seen, but I only managed to get a good look at that many who were trafficked. I have a photographic memory. If I wanted to, I could probably draw all of the soldiers in Clear Mist tonight, despite their face paint.” It would be harder, sure, but she could fairly accurately determine their facial contours at least.

“Please don’t.” Aiden said quietly.

Shrugging, she replied, “I wasn’t planning on it. Just saying that I could if I wanted.”

Seeing Doctor Jones open his mouth in the mirror, Aiden interrupted, “Don’t even think of asking her to prove it.”

The man rolled his eyes and said, “I was just going to say that if that’s true, it’s the kind of skill that would make you a good doctor.”

Wrinkling her nose, she shook her head. “No thanks.”

Doctor Jones looked like she’d just hit him with a personal attack. “Why not?”

She chose to stare out the window as they passed the edge of the city, the roads smoothing out. Looking at the bright lights and the people moving quickly from place to place, she finally responded, “I’ve already seen the darkest parts of the world. I don’t want to face death and blood every day anymore.”

“But you could help so many people!” The doctor was getting passionate, wanting to convince her to change her mind for reasons she didn’t understand.

Tilting her head as she looked at him in the mirror, disdaining to turn her head to address him, she asked, “And? Do you think that’s the only way to help people? Or do you think I should devote my life to situations I hate? You really think that would make me a good doctor?” That seemed to throw him for a loop, and he turned pensive. Her lips tilted in an ironic smirk as she continued, “Do us all a favor and don’t try to impose your opinions on me. I’ve had enough of people telling me what to do. I’m fully capable of making my own decisions.”

“You’re still young.” Doctor Jones still wasn’t giving up completely, and she let out a scratchy laugh.

“Maybe physically, but I’ve got an old soul. Everyone who survived that hellhole does.” Vivian added that last bit because she could see Aiden giving her side-eye.

Whatever he was guessing, she didn’t know, because the car stopped in front of a bright white building. “We’re here.”

Looking up at the large letters that read ‘Williams Private Hospital,’ she merely raised a brow before unbuckling her seat belt.

No wonder he wasn’t worried about the cost. It seemed like she’d grouped up with a tycoon.