By amaryll28

  "The man who is thought to be connected to the shooting of a teenager has been apprehended by police. Magnus Reynolds, thirty-two, has been taken in for questioning today about the shooting of Leander Ross yesterday in South Acton. Police are confident that Reynolds will be able to aid them in finding who is responsible for injuring the sixteen-year-old..."

  Eliza buried her face in her hands, trying her utmost to ignore the pleasant yet serious voice of the newsreader. So they'd caught Reynolds. It didn't mean much – just that he'd have cause to pull the strings again. She looked up at the brightly coloured room – the hostel she was staying in was rather nice, considering its price, with wide mirrors making the room seem twice as large and comfy sofas lining the walls opposite the reception desk. There was even a large tube map on the wall, which would have been helpful just a couple of days ago.

  Ava rested her head in Eliza's lap in a comforting sort of way. See, he's not dead, she thought, her brown eyes soft and endearing. Tough, that boy-human. Eliza smiled, stroking Ava's overly furry head. You could go see him.

  "Yeah, I know, but I doubt he'd want to see us. 'Specially you, Ava." She ruffled Ava's fur, and the dog yawned at her, showing all her sharp teeth.

  You owe the boy-human. Ava's eyes were rather beady, and Eliza shivered – though Ava was only a dog, she often thought she could see more about her, further into her soul, than any person had since Damien... Than any person had for a long time. With a sigh she nodded, shifting Ava off her lap and getting to her feet. She had no idea where Lee was - London was his city, not hers, and she didn't have a clue where he would have gone...

  There was a group of girls sprawled on the sofas nearby, fiddling with their phones and laughing together. They were the kind of people Eliza tended to avoid – heck, she avoided everybody if she could – but they must have an internet connection (there were signs everywhere for free Wi-Fi) and that was good enough for her. She strode up to them, Ava at her heels, and she tapped one on the shoulder. A hush fell over the group as the girl turned, her gaze reproachful – okay, maybe she'd tapped her a little hard.

  "I don't have a phone or anything," Eliza said, ignoring the way the girl's expression changed as she caught sight of the scar that twisted her features. "And you do. Can you Google something for me?"

  A puzzled frown creased the girl's forehead, but she pulled Google up and looked back at Eliza. "Go on, shoot."

  "Where's the nearest hospital to Acton Town station? How do I get there?" The girl's fingers moved quickly as she typed. Her friends returned to their conversations, glancing oddly at Eliza.

  "Looks like it's Charing Cross," the girl said, scrolling down. "There're your directions." Eliza quickly read the short paragraph on the screen, making note of the tube stops. She gave her a grudging smile, reaching for Ava's collar.

  "Thanks so much. Sorry to bother you." She made her way out of the hostel – she had no bag to collect, as she had nothing but the clothes on her back and the purse in her pocket – and onto the street, Ava padding along beside her. It was only a ten-minute walk or so to the tube station, and soon she was aboard a train as it rattled at top speed below London's streets. Ava didn't like the hot, cramped environment, with commuters tripping over her as they piled into the carriage, each reading the Metro, and Eliza couldn't say she disagreed with her. Her thoughts drifted to Lee – did he often use the tube? – but she forced them away, instead reading the advertisements above the seats: there was one about hair conditioner or something, one about London South Bank university, one about Cornwall...

  They nearly missed their stop. Fortunately they didn't have to leave the station to change lines, so Eliza just forced her way through the tide of tourists and businesspeople to the correct platform, keeping a tight grip on Ava's collar. Ava whined as a train roared into the station, blowing her fur about, and when they had found a seat – dubiously damp – Eliza patted the fur back into place. The dog rested her head in her lap, looking up at her tiredly. Don't like trains.

  "I know," Eliza mumbled, getting an odd look from the lady sitting next to her – her suit was neatly pressed, her small leather handbag sitting in her lap, and she slipped a black earbud in her ear as she started playing something that looked suspiciously like Candy Crush on her phone. It was a long ride, and by the time Eliza stepped off the train she felt as though she had been shaken to her very core – the speed of those trains was terrifying, and every jolt threatened to knock people off their feet.

  At street level, it had started to rain, and Ava shook her fur out, spraying Eliza with more water. Sorry, she thought, her big doe eyes apologetic, but Eliza just sighed and picked up her pace. I know you're worried.

  "Well, of course I am," Eliza muttered as they turned onto Fulham Palace Road. "What if it's like with Damien? What if he's died?" The dog rolled her eyes, and she licked Eliza's hand.

  He's a tough boy-human, she thought. Made of strong stuff. He protected you.

  "Yeah. The idiot. I hope Jems gave him a piece of her mind," Eliza muttered, though there were tears welling up in her eyes. She blinked them away impatiently, forcing herself to think instead of the way her trainers rubbed with each step she took, the rough feel of Ava's leather collar in her hand, the smell emanating from the cafés on each side of the road...

  She turned onto the road where the hospital was, Ava in tow; the hospital was a tall building covered in windows and surrounded by trees, and Eliza bit her lip as they approached the entrance. "Stay here, Ava. Keep a look out for Reynolds or something. Y'know what he's like."

  On it, Ava thought, sitting next to the hospital's sign and wagging her tail, tongue hanging out. I'll bark. Eliza chuckled and patted her head before heading off towards the building with Accident and Emergency written above the door.

  She'd forgotten how much hospitals smelt – of alcohol rub and the strange leathery plastic used to cover the waiting room chairs. She avoided the receptionist and searched the echoic white hallways for a floor-guide; she finally found one, and she headed off in the direction she figured Lee would be. Her wandering took her through a courtyard with strange pebble patterns on the ground, the fresh air a relief, but she didn't stop to look. The smell of the corridors took her right back to her own stint in hospital a few years ago, after...after Damien's accident.

  She'd made her way onto a ward – she had no idea which – and was about to ask one of the nurses if they knew where she might find Lee, when she overheard a rather loud conversation from a room just up ahead.

  "Yes, Mum, I know I should have stayed at home, but I can't babysit Lee all day. He's not a little kid. He needs to learn independence at some point. And I have no idea where Barnes was – you'll need to ask him that." Eliza hurried over and peeked in. The speaker was a young woman with blonde hair much like Lee's, except a lot longer, a phone at her ear as she stood at the foot of the bed. "Do you want to talk to him?" She glanced over at the bed's occupant – Lee. "Are you all right to talk to her?"
He nodded – his hair was messy on the pillow, and his eyes were only half open, but he smiled and reached for the phone. "Hey, Mum," he said, his voice croaky. Eliza closed her eyes, moving away from the door. "Yeah, I'm okay. Are you coming home soon?" He was okay. He'd been shot twice and was okay. Yet Damien wasn't.

  She walked quickly down the corridor without a glance back, past nurses and doctors and patients and their families. All the hallways looked the same – white and sterile, smelling of disinfectant. She found her way back to the little courtyard and sat down on a bench, breathing in the refreshing air, though now she realised it smelt a little of car exhaust, and she buried her head in her hands. It wasn't fair. Not on Damien, but not on Lee, either. Had she been subconsciously wishing he would be as broken as Damien? Guilt made her chest tighten, and she bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes. He was okay. She should be happy.

  A loud bark echoed, and she looked up, quickly wiping her tears away. Another sounded, and she jumped to her feet, hurrying back into the building. She couldn't hear the barks indoors, but as she got closer and closer to the entrance she could hear Ava's thoughts on the edge of her mind. Eliza! Eliza! It's the man-human, Reynolds, he's here! She hurried through Accident and Emergency, finally finding the outside again, and she caught sight of Reynolds' rather short figure standing over Ava, one strong hand on her collar. She stopped dead in her tracks about ten metres away.

  "Ah, Miss Whittle!" he called, and he dragged a yelping Ava over to her. "I thought you might come and see your friend. Such a shame he got in the way, wasn't it?"

  Eliza stared at him, and she started backing away. "You did it," she spat, Ava's thoughts screaming in her head. Run! Go! "What are you doing here? You were arrested."

  Reynolds shrugged, and he started dragging Ava in the opposite direction. Eliza paused for a moment before running after him, trying to wrestle his fingers off Ava's collar. It was only when they were off hospital grounds and shielded from sight of the doors that he whipped around to face her, a black gun with yellow stripes in his hand. He fired – two darts embedded themselves in her arm as she tried to turn away,

  All her muscles contracted at once, her pain escaping her in a shrill shriek as she collapsed onto the pavement. Her cheek hit the concrete with a thud that resounded through her skull, and then she was being dragged along, little stones digging into her. She tried to fight, tried to struggle, but her limbs wouldn't move. Ava was howling and yelping like anything, trying to reach her. Eliza!

  "El...Eliza?" she heard a familiar voice call rather tentatively. "Are you...Eliza?" There were hurried footsteps, and Eliza caught a glimpse of Jems – wait, Jems? "I'll call the police, I swear, you leave her alone!"

  "You needn't get involved," Reynolds said, but Jems was talking again.

  "I need police! This madman has just...my friend looks like she's been tasered and - get away from me!" Eliza felt Ava lick her face, and she was able to move her fingers again, though it was difficult. She forced herself to her feet – she was only metres away from an open white van, and Jems was backing away from Reynolds, who had his Taser aimed at her. Her phone was glued to her ear. "He's pointing it at me! I'm at Charing Cross Hospital. Leave me alone."

  "Come off the phone and I won't have to shoot," Reynolds said, a threatening undertone working its way into his voice. "Come off -" His hand went to his ear, and Eliza spotted an earpiece. "What? Oh, are you – shit. Thanks for the heads up." He stuck the Taser into his belt, and Eliza ran to Jems' side as he strode to the driver's side of the white van. Ava growled. Without a word he jumped in and drove off, and Jems read the number plate on the van aloud to whoever was on the other end of the line.

  "He's gone," she said, and after another moment she shut the call off. "What are you doing here?"

  Eliza scowled, trying to calm Ava by petting her. "I felt bad for what happened to Lee. I came to see him." Jems sighed.

  "Of course," she said, running a hand through her hair. "Well, come on. We should tell Cass what just went on, at least. Have you met her?" Eliza shook her head. "Well, you should. You can explain why Lee got shot."

  "I'd really rather –" Eliza broke off as Jems took her arm and led her off towards the entrance to Accident and Emergency, Ava at their heels.