”Shawn Dark!”
He launched straight toward her. Margo, bleeding and whimpering, rolled awkwardly on the floor. Someone tried to tackle him, but was too late. The soldier brought the maul down in a smashing blow. Margo barely rolled out from under it. An iron band around the end of the hammer sparked on concrete a hair’s breadth from her ear. He staggered past, off balance–and ran straight into the arms of station security. Four men put him in a headlock, finally immobilizing him.
Another disturbance in the crowd caught the periphery of her attention, then Kit bent over her. He was utterly, ashen.
”Margo! Margo, you’re hurt…”
She waved an unsteady hand toward the soldier. “He… came through the gate…”
Kit was examining her arm, her thigh. “Not deep, thank God,” he said with a heartfelt grin that actually wobbled.
He really cares ….
Margo hadn’t realized how much. Kit tore his own shirt for compresses and tied them down. The soldier, still struggling against restraint, snarled something at him. Kit glanced up, looking astonished, then spoke gently in some language Margo had never heard The man glowered, then slowly stopped struggling. Another few words from Kit and fear began to shine in his eyes. He whispered something to which Kit replied. Whatever Kit said, it terrified the soldier.
”Let him go,” Kit said quietly.
The men who’d grabbed him looked uncertain, then released him. The soldier stood uncertainly in the midst of the crowd, looking suddenly terrified and utterly alone.