I yawned, my jaw cracking as I sat in the back of the SUV. Bellamy and Texas sat up front, but Bellamy seemed to be the only one even half awake. I was pretty sure I could hear Texas snoring from his seat. The haze of the early morning dawn was a blur to my eyes as I stared, unblinking, out the window at the passing cars and buildings.

“No one ever told me we’d be getting up at the asscrack of dawn,” I commented.

Bellamy flicked a gaze up at the rearview mirror. “You must really be tired,” he said.

“Why do you say that?” I asked. I couldn’t dispute it. Right then, another yawn swept through me nearly breaking my face in half. It left me blinking furiously through clumped lashes and teary, tired eyes. I sniffed and turned to face him through the mirror as well.

He shrugged. “You never cuss.”

“I cuss sometimes,” I said. “It’s not like I think it’s a bad thing.”

“No, I guess not,” he replied.

Texas snorted and shifted in his seat and I shook my head, returning my gaze to the window. I had no clue where my “extra training” would be held, but Bellamy had shown up at my door that morning with a cup of coffee in hand and told me to dress comfortably. The coffee hadn’t done much, but at least I had heeded him. I was dressed down in a pair of slimming nylon running pants and a soft, dark green t-shirt. Both Bellamy and Texas were dressed in dark gray sweatpants and matching black t-shirts that simply read, Staff.

Soon enough we pulled up to what looked like a large soccer field. My eyes scrunched down in confusion, but I didn’t say anything as Bellamy parked in a gravel lot next to several other cars. I couldn’t even tell what we were doing based on the rest of the cars. There were beaten up pick-up trucks, but there were also a few expensive looking convertibles and classic impalas. I got out next to Texas’ door and realized he was still sleeping.

I shook my head and, with a sigh, gently opened his door. He started when his head slipped off of the window. “Are we there?” He asked around a yawn.

“Yea.” I looked around. “Wherever there is.”

Texas didn’t reply. Instead, he unclipped his seatbelt and rolled out of the SUV. I turned away and headed towards the back of the SUV where Bellamy waited. I could hear Texas stretching out the kinks in his muscles behind us. I checked my phone and it told me that it was just nearing 8 am.

“You won’t need that while you’re here,” Bellamy said, holding his hand out. “If you want, I’ll take it.”

“Uh, can I just put it in the car?” I asked.

Texas or Knix I wouldn’t mind holding my phone, but because I knew there were still texts from Grayson on there, I didn’t want Bellamy to get mad if he saw them. Not that he would go looking through my phone. Oh geez. I hoped he didn’t think that I thought that. But he only shrugged.

I slipped my phone into the pocket on the back of the front passenger seat and shut the door as Bellamy locked it with the key fob. Texas rushed by, his hand coming out and slapping my ass as he passed by. I whirled around and glowered at him. He laughed and ran straight around Bellamy. I walked at a slower pace, continuing my seething glare.

“Looks like he’s awake,” I grumbled as I stepped up next to Bellamy.

Bellamy laughed. “Looks like it.” He looked down at me. “Come on,” he said, “let’s get going.”

“Going?” I asked.

He turned me so that I faced the same direction that Texas had gone. “Start running,” he said.

I groaned but did as he told me to. I followed after Texas, and Bellamy kept pace with me. I didn’t know where we were running to, but eventually we found an actual running trail in the woods alongside the soccer field. The guys didn’t let up.

I didn’t know how long we had been at it when Texas finally slowed enough that we were all running alongside each other. Bellamy cut a glance over at Texas. “How much further do you think?” Bellamy asked.

Texas huffed. “Probably not much further. We’ve already bypassed the first stopping point. We should catch up to them soon.”

“Catch up to who?” I panted.

Sweat beaded on my temples and rolled down my face. I was glad I had managed to put my hair up in a ponytail before we left. I could feel the sticky strands on my nape plastered to my skin.

“You’ll see,” Bellamy said with a smirk.

I huffed but was too out of breath to really argue. I could have stopped and demanded they tell me where we were going and who we were catching up to, but I had a feeling that if I stopped, they wouldn’t stop with me. So, I kept going.

Around another bend in the running trail, the woods opened up to another field without soccer goals or much of anything other than flat land and a large group of people in exercise gear, just standing around. When the guys suddenly slowed, I followed suit. We came to a full stop not more than a couple of yards from the group and Bellamy took my hand, leading me around the center mass of people.

“Max!” Bellamy called out, waving to someone I couldn’t see. I tried to push up on my toes to see over the heads of the others, but it was no use. I scrunched up my nose and Bellamy noticed.

“Don’t worry, shorty,” he teased, “I’ll introduce you.”

A skinny, older gentleman dressed in running shorts and a gray Staff t-shirt – instead of a black one like Texas’ and Bellamy’s – made his way through the throng of people and called out for Bellamy in a jovial manner. He stopped right in front of us and shook Bellamy’s outstretched hand as Texas ambled up behind us.

“Good to see you boys again,” the man said.

“Good to see you too, Max,” Texas greeted.

Max’s eyes met mine. “And who might this pretty little lady be?”

“Max,” Bellamy began, “I’d like you to meet Harlow. She’s a new recruit.”

“Ah, is this the girl Alex was telling me about?” Max looked to the guys for confirmation.

“Yup.” Texas nodded. “The very one.”

“Ah, well then,” Max returned his gaze to me and held out his hand. “It’s lovely to make your acquaintance, Miss Harlow.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” I replied, shaking his hand with an awkward smile and a nod.

He smiled brightly and then returned his attention to the guys. “So, we’re starting with the next half of the run soon. We have water bottles and coolers ready just over there…” he gestured somewhere beyond the crowd of people. “Will you remain for the entire training session?”

Texas blanched. “Yea,” he sighed, “we’re staying.”

“Ho!” Max laughed. “What did you do to piss off your team lead?”

“They didn’t,” I said. “I did.”

Max looked back at me. I couldn’t tell if he was restraining more laughter or surprise. He simply smirked at me and then nodded to the boys. “That explains it entirely. You boys know what to do then. I’ll see you at the end.” Texas and Bellamy nodded politely, and Max turned and disappeared back in the crowd.

“Max is a part of Alex’s team,” Bellamy explained. “They’re all mostly retired – families and all that. Training, advising, and managing is about all they do now.”

“What about Alex?” I asked. I knew for a fact that that wasn’t all Alex did.

Texas quirked a smile. “The day that Alex actually retires is the day pigs fly,” he said. “Alex isn’t the idle type.”

“Max doesn’t seem the idle type either,” I pointed out.

Texas shrugged. I didn’t get an opportunity to ask further questions because the next thing I knew, Bellamy and Texas were urging me through the crowd, calling out hellos to people they recognized. We stopped by a water cooler and Bellamy bent down, pulling out three water bottles and handed one to both me and Texas before opening his own.

“We better hurry up and stretch,” Bellamy said. “They’re about to start again soon.”

“More running?” I groaned. “This is not lenient at all.”

Texas laughed and bumped me with his shoulder. “You should see it when he gets mad at one of us.”

I grimaced. I certainly didn’t care to see that.

We carried our water bottles as we ran. I liked running even less in a group. Too many people talking. I wished I had known beforehand what we were doing. The running wasn’t so bad, even though it had my legs cramping and feeling like jell-o. I wished I had my phone and some headphones. Music would have made the entire experience easier. I might have even run faster if I had some harder beats between my ears.

The next stop we made was in a new field. How many fields were there out here? I wondered. This time Max and a couple of other older members of the group gathered at the forefront of the crowd. Max stood on the stump of a tree and called out for everyone to lower their voices. I stood next to Texas and Bellamy as he began to make announcements.

“Welcome to our monthly training games,” Max called. “Thank you all for coming. Now, before we begin, I’ll go over a few rules. Even if you have been here before, please pay close attention as some of the rules may have changed.”

Texas bumped me, and I looked over. He leaned down close and whispered, “The rules never change, but Max always starts with that, so no one has a reason to not pay attention.”

“You’re not paying attention,” I said with a raised brow. He grinned at me before turning back to face the front.

“Rule one, if you are holding a weapon, do not point it at anyone. Whether or not the weapon is loaded or dangerous, if you are caught pointing it at another member, you will be reprimanded,” Max called.

“Weapon?” I blinked and looked to Texas. “What does he mean? What weapons?”

“Shhh,” someone shushed from behind me. I turned around and caught a girl around my age with freckles and twin red braids scowling at me. I stared at her blandly for a moment before rolling my eyes and facing forward again. Perhaps Max had merely been using a figure of speech.

“Rule three!” Max said loudly.

“Wait,” I hissed. “Texas.” I tugged on his arm. “What was rule number two? I missed it.”

“Shhh,” the girl behind me hissed again. I whipped around and glared at her outright.

“If you have something to say, say it,” I snapped.

“Be quiet,” she snapped back.

“I’m asking a reasonable question,” I growled.

“Hey, calm down, Ginger,” an Amazonian girl with a high, blonde ponytail stepped up to her. “She’s new.”

“I don’t care,” Ginger said. “She shouldn’t be talking while Max is.”

“I was just–” Texas glanced back then and pulled me closer.

“Come on,” he said tightly. “Max is done. We’re moving on to the activities.”

“But that girl–”

“Leave it, Harlow.” I blinked up at him as he walked me through the crowd, further and further away from the snappy redhead. He so rarely called me by my actual name. I turned and looked behind me, but she and her friend were gone. I wondered if Texas knew them.

“We’re up at archery first,” Bellamy said.

That caught my attention. Surely, they didn’t mean archery as in bows and arrows, right?

Yes, they did, in fact, mean archery as in bows and arrows, I realized ten minutes later.

“I don’t know about this,” I said shakily as I nocked my arrow and held my wavering bow up, aiming at the paper targets nailed to the trees several yards away.

“It’s fine,” Bellamy assured me, stepping up at my back. I could feel his heat right through our clothes and it did not help my nerves. He reached around, his arms encircling me as he held my elbows steady. “Don’t think too hard,” he suggested. “Just breathe and keep your head straight. Pull it back to the corner of your mouth and…” I released, and the arrow went flying through the air. It arched up overhead for a brief second before it descended and hit the edge of the outer yellow circle on the target. I sighed in relief.

“At least I didn’t hit anyone,” I said with a laugh.

“I wouldn’t have let that happen,” Bellamy assured me.

“My turn!” Texas called, sailing in and snatching me around the waist. I dropped the bow and huffed out a breath as Texas carted me away. Bellamy laughed and waved. I waved back with a ridiculous grin.

Texas didn’t even pause as he hefted me up and over his shoulder and my grin dropped immediately. “Texas!” I hissed. “Put me down, people are staring.”

Texas chuckled, but ignored my request and kept walking. “If you want down so badly,” he challenged. “Then you can fight me.”

“What?” Texas dropped me, and I landed with a gasp onto a large blue mat. Who had set this all up? Archery. Sparring mats. What was next? An ice cream stand?

“You heard me,” Texas said. “We’re gonna fight – spar. I want to test what you’ve learned from Knix and Bell.”

I thought of the night before – punching the perv in the face. I felt good about it. Hell, I felt better than good about it. I was really seeing an improvement. Texas wasn’t the fighting kind though. He was probably just testing me – like he said. “Okay,” I acquiesced, slowly getting to my feet and moving to stand directly across from him.

“That was easy.” Texas raised a brow at me.

I shrugged. “I’m feeling confident.”

Texas raised his fists and I did the same. “Then let’s do this.” he smiled.

I watched his hands as we circled. There were several other mats spaced a couple of yards apart and out of the corner of my eye, I saw that there were several other partners sparring. I stayed focused on Texas’ upper body, his shoulders, the muscles in his arms. Watching and waiting for when he would make his move. That’s what Bellamy had told me – rule number one of fighting was defense. The best offense was a good defense – or something like that. It sounded like a cheesy line from a football movie to me.

Texas smirked at me, and I felt a rush of air by my feet before his foot connected with my ankle, sweeping my feet out from under me. My hands went back as I attempted to break my fall. I landed on my butt and stared up at Texas as he grinned down at me. I hadn’t even seen him tense, no tell, no nothing.

“How are you feeling now?” he asked, his voice amused.

“Less confident,” I admitted, and my cheeks reddened as I stood.

“Don’t worry,” he winked. “I’ll show you how to do that to Bell.”

“I’m not so sure Bellamy would fall for it like I did.” I paused for a moment before adding, “Literally.”

Texas laughed and held out his hand. When I rose to take it, I smirked and fell back. He stumbled and before I knew it, I had a lap full of Texas. Big brown eyes blinked at me before he grinned wickedly. “Oh, you’re gonna play it like that, are you?” he asked.

I squeaked, rolling over and shoving his arm up. I pinned it down and sat on his chest. “Remember, you said this was just training – we’re just training!”

My pin was weak at best – or it must have been, because Texas wasted no time flipping me onto my back and slamming me against the mat. He hovered over me, snapping my wrists together and forcing them down over the top of my head before I could even blink.

“My confidence is definitely shrinking,” I panted. “It’s shriveling up, practically bone dry right now.”

He laughed. “You leave yourself wide open.” Texas pressed down a little firmer before lifting up. “Come on, try again.”

I grumbled even as he let me stand and get back into position. “You’re just gonna throw me or something,” I said, then quieter. “You take some sick joy in throwing me around.”

Texas kicked at my ankles, but I was ready this time. I jumped back, just out of his reach and put my hands up. Texas advanced and I turned, so that we were circling each other without falling off the mat. “You’re running away,” he said, chuckling.

“You call it running, I call it intelligent retreat,” I snarked just before I stumbled over my own two feet. Inwardly cursing myself, I twisted and rolled, but Texas was already on top of me. I lifted my knees, but his chest pressed down into them, effectively pinning them between us. I squirmed and wriggled, but only managed to look like a flapping half-starfish.

I narrowed my gaze on Texas’ smiling face. “You suck.”

He released yet another annoying – but also kind of adorable – low chuckle before backing off. “Here,” he said, holding out his hand to help me up once more. “Let’s go watch someone else. I’m sure you can learn just as much by watching as doing.”

I let Texas lead me down the rows of sparring mats. We paused for a brief moment to watch each partner combo. Finally, we ended up at the very end where Max was sparring with a woman that might have been in her early thirties. Her short cropped, springy hair was pinned back with a tight headband. It showcased her bird-like features, the fine bones of her face, and the pointed tip of her nose. Despite that, I realized she was still quite beautiful with eyes that sparkled. She moved with a lithe grace that I envied as she evaded Max’s foot and leg as he attempted to execute the same move that Texas had taken me down with.

She lifted her foot and spun away from him, ending up on the edge of the mat with both hands raised at the ready when Max finally managed to correct himself and turn around. “Nice move,” he said.

“I think you’re getting slower in your old age,” she teased lightly.

It was obvious, though, by both of their mannerisms that they had known each other for a long time. They moved into a circle, stepping clockwise before the woman froze and stepped counterclockwise, Max following her movements.

“Do you see how she steps?” Texas whispered into my hair. I nodded. “She’s baiting him.”

“What does that mean?” I whisper-asked.

“When she changed movements, so did he. Watch, she’ll do it again. She’ll keep doing it and he’ll start waiting for it – Max is playing right now. He also knows that we’re here watching so that you can learn. He’s seen her do this before and he knows he can overcome and avoid it, but he’ll fall for it just to help the lesson.”

“Lesson?” I blinked and looked around, realizing that they had drawn out a crowd of about twenty people, including Texas and me.

I turned my attention back to the match at hand and watched as the woman did exactly as Texas had predicted, as did Max. She moved, twisted, reversed, he moved and copied her movements. Soon enough she changed faster than he anticipated and was on him, spinning around his body until her arms came up and her forearms locked around his throat. I watched, wide-eyed as she kneed the back of his legs and he went down. She followed, keeping her forearms where they were – brushing his windpipe.

“Do you concede?” the woman asked.

With a laugh, Max nodded. “Well done, Raven,” he said, standing and shaking her hand. She grinned, revealing straight white teeth and a dazzling smile.

“Anytime you need a refresher, I’m happy to help,” she told him. The crowd clapped lightly, and Texas and I joined in.

“Come on,” Texas said. “Let’s hit up another area.”

“There’s more?” I groaned. I was already covered in sweat and exhausted. I had downed another two full water bottles and the sun was rising higher and higher. I kind of wished that I had stopped for a moment and grabbed a granola bar or something before we left the house. My stomach cramped with how hungry I was. Texas heard its low grumble.

He laughed. “Don’t worry, lunch is in another hour.”

“An hour?!” That just wasn’t fair. I didn’t know if I could last the next five minutes, much less an hour. Texas rolled his eyes and dragged me off behind him towards a protected section of the field. We stopped in front of a large net structure that separated the larger area we were standing in from several yards of flat land and large stacks of hay bales.

“What–”

“Here we go.” Texas turned and produced what looked like a bullet proof vest. He slipped it around me and did up the side straps. I realized it wasn’t a bullet proof vest, but a vest with some sort of softer padding on the inside. He stared at my bare arms for a moment before turning around and snatching something from the ground. I leaned to the side and noticed that there was a large pile of supplies similar to what he was putting on me. He slipped a light black jacket over my arms and zipped it up.

“Okay,” he said. “It’s not gonna do much by way of protection, but it’ll shield you for the most part. If you hit the underbrush you’re gonna want it.”

“Underbrush?” I repeated, confused. Texas merely turned around and found a vest for himself and started doing up the straps. He bent and picked up a large, black rifle. I stared in shock. “Oh my god.”

Texas glanced at me as he slipped the band attached to the gun over his shoulder.

“Okay,” he said. I continued to stare at the gun. “Have you ever done airsoft before?”

I blinked at him. Then, it hit me. Airsoft – guns. Airsoft guns! It wasn’t real. I sighed in relief and almost choked. Had he noticed that I thought it was real? I peeked up at him and realized he was still waiting on an answer. “Oh – uh...n-no. I haven’t.”

He nodded. “Okay, you’re getting a spring-powered gun then.” He reached back and produced a gun that looked similar to his except that it was marked on the end with a piece of blue painter’s tape. “It works from air pressure,” he explained. “What you’re going to do is go in there with me–” He nodded his head towards the other side of the netting, “–and if you see someone in anything other than black, you’re gonna point and shoot at them.” He demonstrated, holding the gun up and pointing towards one of the small trees alongside the field. He pulled the trigger and I jumped when a pellet launched out of the gun with a burst of air.

“Doesn’t it hurt, if I hit someone?” I asked. “What about Max’s rules?”

“Max meant more the archery thing, or knife throwing or–”

“There’s knife throwing here?” I interrupted.

Texas sighed. “Do you want to know how to shoot this thing, so we can go in there? The sooner you get this down, the sooner we can go in there and kick some butt, and the sooner we can come back and get lunch.”

“Give me the gun,” I said, snatching it from him. “Point and pull the trigger, right?” I took a step closer to him, holding it up like he had, with one end jammed into my shoulder and the other pointed towards the same tree.

“There’s going to be a–” I pressed the trigger and the gun jumped in my arms, smacking me in the shoulder. I grunted and rotated my shoulder.

“Ouch.”

“I was trying to tell you that there might be a bit of a kickback,” Texas finished with a shake of his head.

“It didn’t kick you back,” I pointed out. “It’s the same gun. Maybe it’s defective.”

“It’s kickback not – it’s not defective.” Texas huffed a breath. “It’s your first time, you’ll get the hang of it. Just don’t point it at anyone’s face or groin. Aim for the chest area, it’s the biggest target.” Texas stopped and looked up, his eyes moving over the tree line in the distance. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Wait!” I called as he started off for an area of the netting that was cut out and flapped in the breeze. “You didn’t tell me if it’ll hurt! I’ve never done this before!”

We reached the cut-out area and Texas slipped in, holding it open for me. I slid in behind him and he ducked down, tying the strings that held the netting in place. “To the woods,” he said, lowering his voice. “Look out up top. There might be people in the branches.”

“What?” Texas didn’t reply because he had already taken off, jogging at a clipped pace towards the tree line. I slid my gun strap over my head and held it in two hands, taking off after him. I found my gaze straying upward, looking for the people he had mentioned that might be up there. I didn’t see anything. Texas held up one fist and waited for me to slow to his side.

“How good is your eyesight?” he asked.

“Uhhh….”

He shook his head. “How good is your patience then?” he asked.

I raised a brow at him. “I live with you and the guys, don’t I?” At that he cracked a grin.

“Okay, then,” he said. “You see those bushes over there?” I turned and nodded when I saw the area he was pointing to. “Go crawl in them and face this trail,” he said motioning to the dirt path we were standing on. “If someone runs past wearing anything but black, shoot ‘em.”

I glanced over my shoulders at the bushes, but when I turned back I noticed he was heading away. “Wait, where are you going?” I whisper-yelled. For some reason, I felt like it would be better not to raise my voice while we were both holding guns in an airsoft battlefield.

He turned around and winked my way. “I’m gonna go flush ‘em out, Princess.” With that, he disappeared around a tree and I turned and headed for the bushes. Getting down on my knees, I army crawled under the thin branches. I jerked my gun behind me and then set it up, digging my elbows into the dry dirt under the brush – and waited.

I don’t know how long I waited. It felt like lunch could have come and gone and that the sun would be setting any moment but, in truth, it was probably closer to twenty or so minutes before an older guy in a deep green vest and shirt ran by. He was there and gone so quickly, I hadn’t even managed to get my finger around the trigger in time. I sighed and scooted closer to the gun, pressing the pad of my finger next to the trigger. Not quite on it, but no more than a split second away from pressing it.

A few minutes later, I heard the telltale shuffles of feet slapping the ground rapidly as someone came my way. I kept my eyes peeled and lifted the end of my rifle, aiming to where I suspected the chest area would be. Someone in dark blue came out of the same area Texas had disappeared and I pulled the trigger just as their feet stepped several feet in front of the bushes I was hunkered down in.

“Ow! Fuck! Damn it!” The guy was young, closer to my age than the man who had run by before. “I’m out!” he called out. I didn’t know who he was calling out to, and I certainly knew there would be more people out there. I kept quiet and remained in place as the man in blue moved at a much slower pace now, keeping his hands raised and his gun above his head. I assumed that was the surrender pose, the one that let others know you’d been shot and were out and no longer playing. I would have to remember that because it was inevitable that I would get out of this bush eventually and since this was my first time in an airsoft field, I expected my reign to be rather short lived.

After a while, the silence started to get to me. No one else came through and all I could hear was the distant sounds of birds and my own breathing. I tried not to think about all of the bugs that were likely crawling through the dirt alongside me, but it was hard. A branch snapped close by and if I hadn’t already been lying as still as I could manage, I would have frozen. My ears strained, seeking out which direction the noise had come from. When nothing happened, I decided to move.

I struggled backwards, army crawling in reverse until I was free from the bushes. In the silence of the forest, I moved as quietly as possible, though there was no helping the occasional crunch of leaves under my tennis shoes. I tried to keep on the dirt or grass as much as possible because it absorbed most of the noise I made. I kept the gun pointed down, but at the ready. My heart raced. A cough sounded in the distance and I froze for a split second before I took off running.

Footfalls sounded behind me and I realized that I was being followed, tracked. My heart pounded faster. I saw a tree with a few low branches up ahead. I took a chance and shoved my gun down, letting it hang on me by its strap as I reached up and used old muscles that hadn’t been exercised since I was still practicing gymnastics. I hefted myself up onto the lowest one. I had to leap a bit just to reach it.

My hands closed over the branch. I clenched my stomach muscles and with my biceps aching, I lifted myself up and over the branch. It creaked under my weight and I heard the footfalls coming closer. I moved as fast as possible, reaching for the next branch and then the next and the next, until I was halfway up an incredibly tall oak tree. The footfalls slowed before coming to a complete stop.

A dark head appeared just under the tree. It was a girl in a deep red t-shirt. She turned her head from side to side before moving slowly around the tree. I held my breath as she moved, wondering if I could reach for my gun and manage to get off a shot before she heard me. I kept one arm above my head, hand glued to the branch there as I slowly released with my other hand and leaned down for my gun. It smacked into the tree and the sound ricocheted.

Both of us froze. Then the girl quickly circled the tree again, gun up and aiming around. Her feet made more noise as she moved, and I took that chance to grab my gun and get it centered against my shoulder. I had to clutch it with both hands and my feet wobbled on the branch, I moved closer to the trunk of the tree for stability, aiming downward. I tried to keep steady as I marked my gun at her back. She turned in another circle and I put my finger over the trigger. Sweat beaded on my neck and slid down into my shirt. It was hot and muggy, even under shade. The bark of the tree scratched at me, distracting me. It was hard, but I took small, short breaths – like the ones I used to take when I was a kid alone in my room at night, afraid of the monsters in the dark. I hadn’t wanted them to hear me and know I was there. Just like now.

I re-centered my finger over the trigger and pulled back. The gun jammed against my shoulder again and I winced as a loud cry sounded below. The girl stumbled, the gun falling from her hands as she turned and clutched her shoulder. She whirled around in a circle, eyes squinting, looking. I didn’t dare move. For some reason, I still didn’t want her to know where I was despite the fact that she was out of the game. Her face was a mask of irritation, but she begrudgingly put her gun up and called out a frustrated, “I’m out!” before stalking off.

I waited several minutes before I slowly descended the tree. My abs ached, and my legs were sore by the time I made it down, but I was proud. I took off again, heading back for the same area Texas had told me to stay in. Hopefully he hadn’t gone back and found me missing and freaked out. When I arrived, other than a few telltale marks of where I had lain before, nothing was changed. I crawled back under the bushes and set the gun back up. I was fiddling with end of it, trying to pull it further under the bushes and keep it from showing through the leaves when two sets of footfalls sounded behind me.

I screamed as a pair of hands reached under the bushes behind me and grabbed my ankles, yanking me out from under the leaves. I twisted over on my back as the pulling halted and looked up into Bellamy and Texas’ smiling faces.

“Jesus!” I snapped. “You damn near gave me a freaking heart attack!” I stood up and slapped at both of their arms before adjusting my clothes that had ridden up as they had dragged me across the ground.

“Lunch is ready,” Bellamy said with a shrug.

I whipped my gun off and shoved it in Texas’ arms before taking off. I heard both of them laughing as I ran. It was the first time they had seen me willingly exercising that day.

* * *

Lunch was simple burgers and hot dogs grilled and handed out to anyone with a plate. Texas and Bellamy met back up with me and Texas took my vest and jacket to return to wherever it was supposed to go. When he returned we ate together and they informed me that the training day was pretty much over. We were expected to remain behind – specifically I was, because I was under penalty – to help clean up. I didn’t mind that. The food had been free, and it had been a fun day, albeit an exhausting one.

Even as I helped with trash pickup, I noticed that there were plenty of activities I hadn’t even gotten to try – there had been tree rock climbing. My eyes widened at that. I hadn’t even known that was a thing. But there were giant plastic rocks screwed into some of the larger trees with ropes dangling from somewhere far up above. Though I was curious enough to picture myself doing it next time – if there was a next time – I couldn’t see where the ropes went and that scared me. How high up did they go?

“Shorty!” My head jerked up as I was shocked out of my musings. Bellamy raced across the field, and I narrowed my eyes at him as he came to a stop in front of me.

“That is not my new nickname,” I said.

He grinned ruefully. “Come on,” he said, grabbing my hand and tugging me away from where I had been tying up trash bags. “You’re done for the day. They have someone coming out to pick up the rest. Let’s go home and take a shower.”

“A shower…” I said with a happy sigh, picking up the pace. “I could go for a shower right now.”

Bellamy chuckled his agreement. We hit the trail again and I realized it was another run back to the car. I groaned and begged my legs not to collapse. I promised myself a nice long soak in my own personal tub just as soon as we got home. They just had to make it to the SUV. Luckily, they did. Wavering just before we hit the parking lot, Texas pulled up and I hopped in the back while Bellamy got into the front.

“What’s up?” Bellamy asked. I looked up, noting Texas’ serious face as I grabbed my phone out of the backseat pocket where I had left it and set it on my lap.

Texas flicked a glance back at me through the rearview mirror before answering. “Knix called. Alex is at the house. He wants to see Harlow.”

“Am I in trouble?” I asked hesitantly. “I did the penalty thing.” Being in trouble with the guys was different than being in trouble with Alex, for sure. I hoped I wasn’t.

“Don’t worry,” Bellamy said, looking over his shoulder at me. “He probably wants to ask you some questions about what happened last night.” With that, I knew he wasn’t talking about the drinking. Drinking kind of came second place to the girl. I leaned back and clutched the phone in my hands. If I closed my eyes, I remembered her face and it made my chest ache and anger boil once more.

When we pulled up to the house, Bellamy and Texas got out first. I sat there for a moment longer before unbuckling my seatbelt and sliding out onto the driveway. Texas had left the SUV parked behind Alex’s white Subaru. We ascended the stairs and Bellamy held the door open for Texas and me.

Alex and Knix were alone in the living room. Alex was dressed in jeans and a light blue button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. I hesitated in the doorway as Bellamy and Texas brushed past and welcomed him.

“Hey, Alex,” Texas said.

“Good to see you,” Bellamy greeted.

Alex smiled, but it was small, not at all like his usual wide grin.

“Harlow,” he said, directing his attention to me, “do you mind if we talk in your room?” I looked to Knix, but he didn’t say anything. I didn’t know what else to say, so I nodded. Alex stood and followed me.

* * *

My bedroom felt tiny with Alex in it. He sat at the desk and I sat on my bed, but we were barely a few feet away from each other. We might as well have been sitting side by side. I stared at the light purple comforter that someone had changed out for me since I had been gone. I suspected it was Knix. He seemed to like doing laundry when he was thinking – or really any sort of chore. It baffled me.

"Knix told me about what happened last night," Alex began. I had rarely ever heard him so stern and serious. I raised my eyes from my comforter and looked at him head on. "Do you know the girl's name?" he asked. I shook my head and he sighed. Silence reigned.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I met his gaze and sat straighter. "What's going to happen now?" I asked.

He shook his head. "A team will be sent in just to check things out," he replied. "It's a very serious accusation. None of the girls have been willing to let Marv interview them. The families are worried."

"And the police?" I was shaky as I asked because, truthfully, a part of me didn't want the police to be called. I wanted to go. I wanted to be the one to find whoever hurt that girl from the club. It's not like I would be super badass and take him down in handcuffs or anything. We weren't cops. I wasn't a cop. I just wanted to kick him in the balls...while wearing heels...a couple hundred times.

Alex sighed. "Like I said, Harlow, it's a very serious accusation–"

"Do you believe me?" I asked suddenly. "Do you believe her?"

Alex stared at me. "I have to look at this objectively, Harlow. A person's first instinct is to believe the victim. So, yes, in theory, I believe you and her, but I also know that my judgment is clouded. I trust you, kiddo, of course I believe you. I know what kind of young woman you are – trustworthy, hardworking, reliable."

"I want to go," I said.

Alex looked at me like he was sizing me up for something, not looking at all surprised. "Why?" he asked.

I blinked. I don't know what I had been expecting, but I wasn't so sure it had been that. I broke his gaze and looked down, thinking. "I want to go because of her."

It hurt to picture her face again and made the anger return full force, but I did so anyway. The girl had been withered in my mind, on the edge of a long platform that drifted into nothingness. I could see it in her eyes and it scared me. I finally realized why. Her eyes had reminded me of my mom's...back before...when things were bad and when she was different. When the medicine hadn't been working as well and I hadn't been around to help as much.

"Okay," Alex said.

I jerked my eyes up to meet his. "Okay?" I asked.

He nodded. "Okay," he repeated. "I already told Knix that I thought this team would be the best to deal with it. Black teams always have the most diversity. He told me you demanded to be included and I wanted to know why. I think I see why."

There was no way I had said my thoughts aloud...right?

Alex smiled at me as he stood and placed a wide palm on my shoulder. "Knix will handle everything. Just follow your team lead and trust in your teammates. Let them lead and teach you. Lean on them for support." His hand slipped away as he headed for the door, but a moment later, Alex paused – his hand on the knob. "When you return," he said, looking back at me, "I want you to think about what your next step is."

"What do you mean?" My hands gripped the comforter, squeezing, unsure.

His smile faded. "Everyone has their niche, Harlow. I want you to think about finding yours. If you want to go to school, let us know. We can help."

"O-okay," I said shakily.

He opened the door. "And Harlow?" Alex twisted to look at me over his shoulder. "Don't kill the boys, yea?"

I laughed as he shut the door behind him. I was still laughing when I let myself fall back against the warm fluffy pillows. Me kill them? I thought. Fat chance.