Free Twisted by Francine Pascal

move her rigid jaw muscles. “Nuhhh.”
    No. Don’t do that.
    â€œDo you want me to stay with you?”
    What Gaia wanted was for this disembodied Voice to go away and leave her alone so that she could recover.
    It was the most irritating thing—the real price of stressing her body in ways that no human being was built to take. For a few seconds, at most a few minutes, Gaia could push herself way past the limits of normal human strength and endurance, but when that time limit was up, Gaia’s body went on strike. Her muscles stopped talking to her brain, and her body stopped moving. It would pass soon enough, but until it did, Gaia was absolutely helpless.
    It was a feeling she didn’t cherish.
    â€œLook,” said the voice. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I don’t think you’re dying.”
    Great diagnosis, Doc.
    â€œSo I’m going to sit here with you and make sure you’re okay.” Gaia felt a warm body next to her arm. It didn’t feel all bad, but she didn’t want it there. “If you’re not, I guess I better call an ambulance.”
    â€œGooo way,” Gaia managed to whisper. Gradually her muscles were waking up again, but she was still embarrassingly weak. She could probably get up; she just didn’t want to try it in front of this girl.
    Just how long had she chased the man in the black coat? Had they run two miles? Three miles? More than that? Every second of the run had been at a dead sprint. Add in a badly bruised knee and a shoulder that just might be dislocated, and Gaia felt like crap. Tired, abused crap.
    Finally Gaia pushed her scraped hands onto the pavement and stood up shakily. She’d only been out for seconds, but it felt like an eternity to her.
    â€œI think you really are going to live,” said the girl.
    Gaia licked her lips. “You sound surprised,” she said in a harsh voice.
    The girl shrugged. “Well, I’ve seen a lot of things, but I’ve never seen anybody kick ass one second and go into a coma the next. What are you on, anyway?”
    Gaia started to laugh at the absurdity of the question, but it turned into a cough. A harsh, racking cough.
    â€œYou sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” the girl asked, reaching for Gaia’s arm. “St. Vincent’s is right down the street.”
    â€œNo.” Gaia shook her head. “I’ll be all right. Really.”
    â€œWhatever you say,” the girl said, eyeing her with disbelief.
    Gaia turned her head and had to fight down a fresh wave of dizziness. “Where is he?”
    â€œThe guy who was after my purse?”
    Gaia nodded.
    â€œDon’t know,” said the girl. “He ran off. The way you hit him, I’d be surprised if he’s not on his way to the nearest emergency room with a half-dozen cracked ribs.”
    All the systems in Gaia’s body were coming back into action like a computer being booted up after a long sleep. Unfortunately, her nerves were waking up along with her muscles. There was pain everywhere.
    Gaia thought she heard something behind her and turned quickly. Nothing was there, but the head rush that overtook her was so overpowering, she momentarily stumbled. The red-haired girl reached out for her.
    â€œI’ve got . . . oof!” The slim girl stood in close and held Gaia with both arms. “Damn, girl. You’re solid.”
    Solid. That was a nice way to say she weighed as much as a water buffalo.
    â€œI’ll be okay,” she said. “Just go on. Let me sit here a little longer, and I’ll be fine.”
    â€œNope. If you’re not going to let me take you to the hospital, you at least have to let me buy you a cup of coffee,” the girl said. “Not that you need to add caffeine to whatever weird substance you’ve got running through your veins.”
    Gaia closed her eyes. “I don’t think—”
    The girl