CHAPTER 3: HER STRENGTH

-I thought he was kiddin'. Pity he wasn't. –

Tripp chuckled, then patted Hermione's shoulder. She was sheeting, but did well in hiding it from everyone around her save for the Texan himself.

-Have you seen Ballistics, recently? It's a mess!-, she kept complaining quietly, putting her sunglasses on. Frank admired the well practiced move, briefly studying how well the shades hid her blazing eyes before answering.

-Can't say I have. I haven't been there in ages. –, he acknowledged her statement. –It's strange, though. Calleigh was a well organized person. She worshipped her lab. -, he added as an afterthought. Hermione snorted softly.

-Eric Delko made sure I knew that, thanks. -, she replied curtly. Frank raised a brow, opening the passenger door of his car for the woman. She nodded her thanks, but didn't enter yet. She crossed her arms over the door, obviously waiting for an answer.

-I'm sure it's not you. Delko just has an hard time accepting that someone'll have to replace Calleigh. He liked her. -, Frank explained, crossing his arms over his ample chest.

-Hey, I'm not here to replace anyone. They called me, not the other way round. -, she bit back. The man couldn't see her eyes clearly, but nevertheless he was sure they had grown darker and dangerous. Good thing those shades prevented her from glaring at him.

-I wonder what they're talking about. -, Ryan mumbled while watching the exchange between Tripp and the redheaded woman. Behind him, Eric snorted.

-She's complaining, I tell you. -, the Cuban replied with distaste. Speed smacked him in the back of his head.

-You haven't been very nice to her. -, he reproached him. Massaging the offended part, Eric said what he'd let the Caine girl understand as well.

-She ain't Calleigh. -, he sentenced seriously. Speed exhaled loudly, shaking his head.

-Cal resigned. Move on. -, he advised his friend. He should have know the Cuban was more stubborn than that.

-And whose fault is that? That bitch's brother's!-, Eric bit back, firmly refusing to see reason.

-Exactly. Her brother's. She's innocent. -, Ryan pointed out, just to unnerve the Cuban.

-She's not! She's Italian… the Caines must be with the Mafia. -, Eric accused his female colleague's family. This made Speed slightly angry.

-Eric, you're being illogical. Get real and go to work. -, he admonished his friend, stepping away from the window to resume his own work, Ryan close behind. Eric stood still until he saw Tripp's car speed away, then moved as well.

-It's plain stupid, I tell you. Armored trucks on a bridge? It's like an invitation for criminals!-, the driver addressed Hermione, who sat with her arms crossed over her chest next to the man. She nodded her head, her expression blank under the shades.

-Yes, John, it is. -, she replied somberly. The driver cast a quick glance in her direction, pleased with her answer.

-Glad someone still uses their brain…-, he muttered to himself. Then, aloud he asked: -What did you do to get assigned here?-

-You mean apart from the fact that I'm a woman?-, Hermione bit back, arching a perfect eyebrow. John smirked, delighted by the girl's dry sense of humor.

-Yeah, apart from that. Did you step on somebody's toes?-, he wondered.

-I'm new in town. -, Hermione tossed as an explanation. John nodded, satisfied with that.

They kept driving along the bridge, perfectly silent. Suddenly, tough, the rumble of a motorbike shattered the quietness in the passenger compartment. A dark Harley had come side by side with the truck. John snorted.

-It figures we have to deliver the drug when there's a show in town. Damn those bikes…-, John complained, but Hermione barely registered his words. Worried, she lowered the window and cautiously pocked her head out. Another biker was fast approaching, his gloved hand reaching for something inside his leather jacket; everything about him screamed bad news. Reacting fast, and mainly on pure instinct, Hermione drew out her gun and fired.

The thunder caused by her weapon almost concealed the muffled cries of her companion and a second blow, this time not from Hermione's gun. She spun around as fast as she could, weapon ready. As soon as John's lifeless body slid over the seat, she fired again. John's killer disappeared from sight.

-Dammit…-, Hermione cursed. The driver's body was too heavy to be removed; she reached for the steering-wheel, desperately trying to control the vehicle. As she steered to avoid hitting the guard rail to her right, the truck swayed noticeably, as if it had bumped on an obstacle. That wasn't the case, though; the young woman knew they had hit a tire, if not more. There was no way she'd be able to control the vehicle now.

Where the hell were those supposed to follow them? She had no time to mused over it; she extricated her slim body from the seat belt and gripped the roof. Pushing with her feet and pulling with her arms, she came to sit on the lower part of the window; she looked around to try and determine what the situation was.

Bullets were flying, but not from all the police cars behind her. The reason was easy to tell: the bikers were all mixed, good people and bad people in a single swarm. Shit, they had planned it well.

Hermione took in all that while meticulously singling out those who meant harm. She took care of those nearer to her, but bullets from behind the front lines kept coming her way, their hiss a bit closer to her ears as time went by.

It was the dangerous swaying of the truck, though, that convinced her to abandon the vehicle. She hoisted herself up on the roof, where she was an easier target. A bullet flew just below her left ear with a loud hiss. She replied with a few rounds of her own, but soon her ammunitions ended.

There was no other way out. As soon as the truck neared the guard rail, she jumped.

-Watch that!-, Ryan cried from the bank.

They saw Hermione propel her fall with a shove to the roof of the truck. When she reached mid air, she joined her arms and crunched, positioning her body as if she were diving.

Stetler noticed her movements were slow, deliberated, calculated even. She knew what she was doing, she was no prey of terror. Her wiggly body in an aerodynamic position, it took but a few seconds for her to scratch the water's surface.

Starting from his stupor, Stetler quickly began barking orders. –Rescue! Quick! Somebody call an ambulance!-

Despite his efforts, though, Hermione found herself swimming to the opposite bank, which was considerably closer to her. She had to rely on her own strength, just like always.

***CONTINUES***

Sorry for the long wait, I seriously went on holiday!

I'm still unsure who to pair H with, but I think she'll have a fling with Frank… nothing serious, they'll just be friends with benefits… then who, Stetler, Eric, Speed, or Ryan?

Let me know what you think!