Chapter 15
She decided to try the door handle. It wasn’t locked. Maybe Ariel had to step out unexpectedly, so she’d left it unlocked for her. Ariel wasn’t allowed a cell phone yet, so that was possible.
Joline slowly pushed the door open. “Ariel?” she called out again, anxiety tensing her voice.
She gasped at what she saw. The small desk by the window was overturned.
All the drawers hung open, spilling their contents of journals, pencils, and loose sheets of paper onto the floor.
The mattress was thrown to the middle of the room.
The bed frame appeared broken, as if something heavy had landed on top of it.
Papers littered the floor, blanketing it in white.
Joline immediately pulled out her cell phone, dialing Agent Stone. “We’re getting ready for the raid. What do you need?” his gruff voice asked.
“Someone trashed Ariel’s room. We were supposed to meet for breakfast, but she isn’t here.” Joline felt the hot trickle of tears down her cheek. She tried to hold it in, but it was no use.
“How is that possible?” the agent barked. It was surprising, given they increased the security presence on campus. Before Joline could answer he said more softly, “I’ll alert Agent Talbot and security. Stay in the hallway where others can see you.” Before Joline could protest, he hung up.
Like hell she would wait outside. Joline felt the familiar prickling sensation on the skin of her arms as she let her quills come out.
The feeling was a cross between pins and needles and the tingling of goosebumps.
She put her phone back in her pocket and stepped from the entryway into the dorm room.
Without a sound, she tiptoed to the bathroom.
The door was open, blocking the view of the shower.
Unless someone was hiding in there, the small room was empty.
She stepped onto the tile, her sneakers squeaking from the moisture on the floor.
Ariel must have showered earlier. Steam still fogged the mirror over the sink.
Joline pushed open the plain white shower curtain. The shower was empty. She let her porcupine senses take over. Something was scurrying in the main room of the dorm. Its tiny feet were scratching along the floor.
Joline’s heart pounded in her chest. She left the bathroom, inching her way back toward the bed.
When she neared it, she noticed there was a lump protruding from the mattress, as if it was flipped on top of something or someone.
After lifting the mattress for a look, Joline’s breath hitched in her throat.
It was the FUC-issued prosthetic leg. The one Ariel was wearing last night.
She glanced around the room, letting her enhanced sense of smell and hearing scan the space.
A high-pitched squealing pierced her ears.
It sounded like it was coming from under the dresser.
The scraping of nails intensified. It too was coming from under the dresser.
Joline froze, not knowing what the best course of action was.
If she moved the dresser, she risked squishing whoever was beneath it.
It could be a henchman, but it could also be Ariel.
Joline was about to lie on the ground to line up her quills with the space under the dresser when a large rat limped out. No. It wasn’t a rat. It was a shrew. A shrew with only three legs.
Ariel.
Blood dripped from her furry jaws. Was she injured? Anger heated up Joline’s ears and buzzed in her chest. She was about to ask what happened when a familiar voice scolded her. “I thought you were told to wait outside?”
It was Agent Talbot. As she put her hands on her hips, her shadows swirled from the motion. She narrowed her blue eyes at Joline. The agent did not appear pleased. Neither did her shadows.
Joline felt her quills recede back into her skin. She was about to defend herself when a voice whispered behind her, “I think I killed him.”
She turned to see Ariel leaning against the wall. She crossed her arms around her torso and appeared to be shivering. Joline pulled a sheet out from under the bed and crossed the room, wrapping it around Ariel. “How can I help?” she asked, noting Ariel only had one leg to stand on.
Ariel wiped the blood off her lips and chin as a sob broke loose. A tear streaked down her cheek. “Can you reach my leg?” she asked, pointing her chin towards the prosthetic that was trapped under the mattress.
“Of course,” Joline said as she left Ariel propped against the wall.
As she tried to pull the leg out from under the overturned mattress, Agent Talbot finally asked, “Who’s dead?”
Ariel wiped her nose on the back of her hand, sniffling as she tried to regain her composure. While she wrapped the sheet tightly around her, it did little to stop her shivering. “The flying snake.”
“The what?” Agent Quackenbush asked, appearing at the doorway.
Her usual tamed ponytail was a fluffy mess.
She put her hand to her side as she fought to catch her breath.
She glanced to the other agent. “I was on the other side of campus when I got the call from Agent Stone. I came as fast as I could,” she explained.
Agent Talbot grabbed the handcuffs from her belt.
“Agent Stone warned me an amphiptere was spotted on campus. It’s a snake with wings.
Usually a mythical creature, but we’ve had our fair share of those lately.
” Joline figured with all the evil scientists that FUC was working on shutting down, they probably saw some strange things.
The black cat shifter turned back to Ariel and asked, “Where is he?”
“Under the dresser.”
The cat shifter narrowed her eyes as if she could see through the dresser.
She glanced at both Joline and Agent Quackenbush before nodding to the dresser.
After passing Ariel her leg, Joline helped the platypus shifter move the dresser.
Agent Talbot shifted her claws out, ready for anything.
A bright green snake with wings lounged underneath.
It looked like Ariel bit the snake just past its head.
“I should have brought a cage,” Agent Talbot muttered after clipping the cuffs back onto her belt.
“Is it alive?” Agent Quackenbush asked, trying to inspect the snake with her teal eyes from a safe distance.
The black cat shifter scooped up the snake with her hands, careful not to hurt its wings. “Ariel’s venom can paralyze only. It can no longer kill.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do,” Ariel said in a whisper as she finished putting the prosthetic leg on. “I was asleep when he came in.”
“What’s this?” Agent Quackenbush pulled a knife from the far wall. Joline was surprised she didn’t notice it when she first walked in. Although there was so much mess in the room, it was easy to miss. And Joline was more worried about Ariel’s whereabouts and safety.
A sheepish look crossed Ariel’s face. “I kept a knife under my pillow. Just in case.” Her green eyes held a haunted look, one that Joline had never seen in Ariel’s eyes before.
It was as if all her anger and need for vengeance vaporized, leaving fear behind.
Joline figured Ariel used her anger like a bulletproof vest, helping her to feel safe from any dangers.
Joline’s eyes flicked back to the knife embedded in the wall.
It must have been the throwing knife Ariel grabbed from the leg Grimm gave her before the agents confiscated the rest. Relief washed over Joline, knowing Ariel’s resourcefulness—and inability to completely stick to the rules—kept her safe.
She’d never question Ariel’s motives again.
“Aside from the taser we’re letting you keep in the other leg, you’re not allowed to have weapons.” Agent Talbot locked Ariel in her steely gaze. Clearly she was not as relieved as Joline.
Ariel bit her bottom lip. “I know. But I was scared after Grimm gave me that note.” Shock and guilt flooded Joline.
She had no idea Ariel felt that way. She always appeared so confident.
Joline felt pained that Ariel didn’t open up to her about her apprehension.
Even though they were getting close to each other, it was apparent Ariel still kept her guard up like a protective armor.
Joline noticed Ariel was still shivering.
She put an arm around her, pulling her close.
It would have to be enough to help her to feel safe again.
Joline vowed to protect Ariel at all costs.
“Surely you can’t be mad at her for this?
It’s not like she was out stabbing cadets.
This creeper came into her room.” Joline’s tone had venom in it.
She knew she shouldn’t question her superiors, yet she felt they were acting like Ariel was a criminal.
While misguided in the past, Joline could tell Ariel was trying her best to do better.
And who could fault her for wanting to feel safe when a crazy person sent her a note stating he had been watching her.
“We’re not mad at her. But she still has to follow the rules,” Agent Talbot started.
“After tonight,” Agent Quackenbush added with a gentle smile. “Once the threat of Grimm is put to rest, no more weapons.” Her ponytail swayed as she shook her head for emphasis.
Joline felt more at ease that the agents weren’t planning to punish Ariel for keeping the knife.
Ariel’s green eyes flitted around the room as if assessing for other threats.
Her body still shuddered under Joline’s fingers.
Joline rubbed Ariel’s back, trying her best to keep her calm.
“Do you want help getting dressed?” she asked.
Ariel seemed frozen, unsure of what to do. Finally, she nodded.