I squeal – just a tiny bit – with excitement when I wake up in the morning, pressing my hands to Jackson’s chest and sitting up, looking over at Rafe and Jesse’s bed through the still-open curtain.“Is it time?” I ask, gleeful. “Can we go? Did the weapons come? Did they deliver my paintball rifle?”
“I know, it’s gross,” Jesse says, slumping next to me with his arms crossed, doing his best to live up to his worthless and profligate reputation.I grin, nudging him with my elbow. “You’re probably good at it too.”“Yes,” he says, turning bored eyes my way, “but unlike the rest of you, I choose not
“It’s so beautiful,” I gasp, on my knees in front of the newly-opened case that holds my paintball sniper rifle, which is matte black and obviously brand spanking new. The helicopters have just pulled away and we’re in a secluded, thick patch of trees that’s growing on a plateau halfway down the cli
“With guns?” I ask, glancing up at him.“Or other weapons,” he says with a shrug. “Paint-coated dulled knives, the like. The point is – you get paint on you, you’re dead. We’re watched from above,” he says, pointing up towards the sky, “with cameras. If you die you’ll get a notification to clear the
Jackson just stares at me, shocked and unblinking – and for a split second I realize how rare it actually is for people to look him in the eye and defy him.But his surprise is not long lived, replaced immediately by anger.“Ariel, you will fall in line –““No way!” I throw back, baring my teeth at
Jackson glares hard into my eyes, I think hating me a little bit right now for not being easy and simple and falling in line with his plans to be overprotective.“You know I’m right, Jackson. That we have a better chance of winning with you down there instead of up here.”He sighs sharply through hi
I don’t have any words in response, completely overwhelmed as I am at the incredible compliment Jackson just gave me, at the impossible way that he sees me and how incredibly much he loves me. So I just stare at Jackson, and open my side of our bond completely, letting him feel all the love and prid
“We don’t know which is which,” Rafe says into my ear, “though obviously knowing which one belongs to Wright is going to be useful. Both teams are going to be sending out runners – scouts – trying to get the lay of the land. Wright will probably use Luca for that. So, if you see Luca coming from the