Page 135 of Tactically Acquired

“So? Aren’t we all a little out there?”

His eyes slid to where Fox ran out of the room. “Audrey, you really don’t understand what you’re getting into.”

“Oh, come on. What’s the worst that could happen?”

He winced, shaking his head at me. “Fuck, it’s like you just cursed us all. You can’t say shit like that.”

I had to laugh at that. The man was so superstitious. It was ridiculous. “They’re just words. They don’t mean anything and they can’t hurt you. I promise.”

“You’ve never been in the field,” he insisted.

“Look, I hear your concern, but seriously, what is the worst that could happen?” I drew out each word, making sure to enunciate so he would know I wasn’t joking.

He backed away, his eyes sad and lonely. “It’s your funeral. Just remember, I warned you.”

“Oh, ha ha.”

“It’s been nice knowing you. I really think we could have had something special.”

“Slider, you’re being so dramatic.”

Then he turned to Spencer. “You’d better say your goodbyes now. There most likely won’t be time later.”

Spencer got to his feet and he actually looked worried for me. “How serious is this?”

“Let me put it this way—if a knife doesn’t get her, she’ll find a cliff and jump off it to get away from him. There won’t be any warning. She’ll just take a running leap and that’ll be the end.”

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my things to get changed. “Men are so dramatic.”

Two hours later, I was standing under the tree with the breeze cooling my skin. I took a deep breath and focused on the target. Not that I really had a clear picture of it, but I was using a technique Fox taught me. Something about seeing the target and being the target. But he also told me to be the knife, so I was a little confused about which one I was supposed to be.

“Alright, now visualize. Place yourself against the tree. Imagine you’re the bark. You’re pinned there with no way to move. Ahh!”

I quirked an eyebrow at him. “What was that?”

“What?”

“The little screaming thing you did.”

“Oh, I was being the bark. You know, pinned to a tree. Nowhere to move. Ahh!”

I was beginning to see what Slider was talking about, but I would never admit that out loud.

“So, anyway, you’re that little branch dangling in front of the bark.”

“Wait, I thought I was the bark?”

“You’re both.”

“How can I be both? One moves and one is pinned to the tree.”

“Maybe your body is pinned to the tree, but your arms are swaying in front of you, flopping all around like the leaves on the branch.”

“Whatever,” I muttered.

“So, anyway, you’re the bark and the branch. You’re standing still, waiting for the target to hit you.”

“If I was a branch, wouldn’t I just let the wind move me out of the way?”

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