Page 19 of Secret Gifts
“That’s what you think I’m doing? You’re so… damn, you’re frustrating.”
That’s how they all react when busted.
Maybe I should just build a shrine that exactly matches her, and then everyone would leave me the fuck alone to go praise it.
“I can’t believe this is what you think,” he continues.
“Aria! We’re going now!” Hedin barks, and I roll my eyes at Jase while turning away.
“See you later,” I release with a jaded tone while blurring away from him and joining the others in the cars.
He stands there with a tensely clenched jaw as he watches us pull away. I should have known it from the first second I was with him. I’m so used to my mother’s fan club that I barely notice the warning signs anymore. I’ve got to step up my game because I almost made a huge mistake. One I’ve already made before.
The broken branches show a path too easily. We're not tracking anyone... we're being led. We have to be. There’s no way they broke this much shit without meaning too. It’s much too obvious.
Then I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I taste the uranium in the air. I know this is all wrong, and we’re all going to fucking die if this asshole leads us right into their trap.
“Mr. Hedin, Sir?” I prompt while running up to him.
“What now, Ms. Banner?” he growls.
“I can taste uranium, and these branches are broken in far too many places for this not to be a setup. We left the road over an hour ago. We should have lost their trail several times along the way. This has all been too easy.”
“They’re in a hurry, and they’re scared because we’re gaining on them. Just fall back in line and keep your mouth shut,” he snaps, and then he barges by me to continue on.
Not this time. This time I can’t text for help. I can’t call in my mother to be our savior.
I run back to join our new captain, and his eyes keep moving along with the broken limbs.
“Captain Hollis, Sir?”
“Yes?” he exasperates, and it’s clear he overheard my confrontation with Hedin.
“Sir, you know this is wrong. There’s no way they laid out this easy of a trail for us without something nasty waiting at the end.”
“Are you really going behind my back, you sniveling little girl?” Hedin barks as he appears in front of us.
“Yes I am. This is wrong. You’re too fucking arrogant to look around you and see what’s going on. This is a damn trap, and everyone here will die if we follow you.”
“I swear, the moment we get back, I’ll have you dishonorably discharged, you ungrateful little brat!”
“Stop it,” Captain Hollis growls. “Aria, I realize you’re probably a little apprehensive right now, given your last solo mission, but this is Hedin’s call. He was named the lead tracker for a reason. Just fall in line.” Then he turns back to Hedin. “Mr. Hedin, Aria Banner isn’t going to be dishonorably discharged, and I’ll be damned if I let you threaten anyone here with such a thing again. Now go back to silent and resume the front.”
Hedin growls as his eyes scold me, and then he rejoins the front line as we walk knowingly into the trap. There won’t be anything anyone can do for us. Do I run? Will it make me a coward if I’m the only one smart enough to see this as it really is? Could I-
My thoughts are interrupted as the familiar, gut wrenching sound of bullets whistling through the air rip through our men. I scream out when I see the bullets coming in from a new angle.
“Get down!” I yelp.
Everyone dives to the ground, and our captain curls up into the fetal position as he freezes in the field. I’ve seen this reaction before. Damn it. We need someone with some sense to lead us right now.
I rip my guns free from my holsters, and then I start firing into the hoards of unaligned surrounding us from every angle. I grab a grenade designed by my stepfather, and I launch it into the hurling masses.
I dive away as it explodes, and then I jump up to start running into the smoke while firing in the directions I hear coughs, screams of pain, or any other sound coming my way. There’s no chance of survival right now. There’s too many, and my eyes widen when I see a fresh fleet of them rushing toward us.
“Fuck,” I gush out, as I start racing back toward our men. “Get up and fight, damn it!” I yell to our captain, but he continues to lie down in the thick of the bush, whimpering and crying as the bullets pour in.
I jerk him under a rock to shield his exposed body, and I feel the bullets cutting through my skin as they attack me from behind. Our men fire rapidly into the masses, but we’re barely making a dent. I feel something for the first time, as a stirring brews in my stomach. I wish it was savage, but it’s not. It is my gift though. It’s coming out enough for me to feel its power.
