Chapter 6: Dimitria- Hunted vs. Hunter

6

Dimitria

Hunted vs. Hunter

“Run Babe,” Sam was shouting as she was ushering us to run for our lives. “RUN!” Behind her were the gaggling screams of the Draugar as they were rushing towards us, slowly closing the gap between us. Thought of trying to turn around real quick and throw some magic, but something in me told me not to. Something told me to keep running. To get to somewhere safe.

Somewhere…that wasn’t here.

I don’t know why or how I managed to do it, yet, I always found myself either running from someone or something, or on the run trying to escape some part of my past that I always tried to conceal from those who didn’t know, and those who hadn’t earn the respect and trust to be told of such unspeakable things that had happened when I was younger.

Not everyone knew.

Not everyone saw the scars or bruises.

Not everyone saw my suffering. My pain. My tears.

My Loss.

I craned my neck just in time to see a Draugar bringing down its bone skewed blade directly on me as Kait and the others screamed in horror, thinking that it would connect and end my life; just like so many other things form my past had tried to do.

As I felt the wind from the blade nearing me, I used my magic to open a portal wide enough for me to jump through it headfirst, and not thinking about where I would end up. Not like that matter any.

Anywhere was better than there.

I wanted to go back. Really.

I wanted to go back and help save Brittany; I felt partly responsible for what happened. I should have seen that coming. I should have reacted better—faster.

I was better than that—better than this.

Running away me feel like a coward, and I was anything but. I was trained and bred as a warrior. A fighter.

I knew I had Erin, and fucking hated leaving her in the hands of that psycho. No, that wasn’t even the correct word to use—fuck it. Olivia was a fucking monster. And what made it worse? I was once again at my wits end running from something—from someone who desperately needed me the most.

Olivia. Zombies. Hell, even this new Joshua person, it all didn’t matter, it all yielded the same thing. I was running as If I was the one being hunted.

Which technically…that wasn’t a lie. Since I was.

As I tumbled through the portal that resembled an ocean all around me, I drifted towards a memory of my past, but this wasn’t as painful as the others, but still it had it bared it marks on me and made remember why I was here.

I had met her for the first time, and it was completely by accident too. I was living in London with the rest of my housemates, at the time of the incident; and at the time, I didn’t know who or what I had gotten myself into.

I was with Kait, and we were just enjoying a day out to ourselves on the side of Waterloo, on a beautiful autumn day, where the leaves had just started to turn colors to their golden yellows and vibrant reds. We had just come off the tube together looking for a place to eat when we crossed through the Bernie Spain Garden, enjoying the weather when my eye caught something out of the ordinary. And I couldn’t pull away from what it was either.

Before she could even get a word out, I started making a run towards the thing, or person that had attracted me. I followed my instincts to the source, only to come to find out that someone had been left by the rippling waves of the incoming tide from the Thames River.

Pushing myself to the limit that my body could carry me, I managed to turn my body into a slide where I slid along the rocks and managed to get a hand on this mystery person. Without hesitating, I dragged her body up from the edge of the water, and turned her over, seeing how badly she was covered in dirt and everything else.

“Kait!” I screamed for her. “I need your help!”

She came to my side in an instant and saw the same thing I saw. She looked hurt, as well as unconscious. But what got the best of us, is what happened to her? And how did she end up here?

“Blimey mate!” She gasped in horror and shock. “She looks god awful.”

I wanted to see what happened to her privately; without prying eyes around us. But the park felt too invasive. She was covered in blood in certain spots, and her uniform that she was wearing also looked scuffed as well, covered in the same stuff.

“I wanna help her Katie,” I told Kait, calling by her nickname. “Can we?”

“We’ll have to be careful, and explain this to Sammi,” she replied. “But otherwise, I don’t see an issue with trying to help her.”

Wordlessly, she used her magic and opened a portal, and then helped me carry the poor woman through to where we could bring her over safely to allow her to recover in both safety and peace.

What didn’t see coming was what came next……

Once we broke the threshold from the portal to our flat, and we all were inside, Kait took her to a sectional that we had while I raced around the house pulling our blinds shut and making sure that no one else had followed us back.

Kait had helped me by preparing a glass of water and leaving some food. Once she was done, she sat down at one of the loveseats that we had, pondering how this poor woman could end up in the state that she was in.

The better question was—what happened to her for her to end up like that in the first place?

“I’m not leaving you here all alone,” Kait said as she was getting her keys. “I need to get a few things for us and all that. And I figured you might want some alone time with her…if she wakes.”

“Sorry for ruining our day date.” I replied timidly. “I somehow always manage to do this.”

Again, she shook her head disagreement. “It’s not you. This is our life babe.” She pointed out. “This sort of stuff…it attracts us. It comes for us, whether we want it, or even trying to find it or not. I learned that a long time ago. “

“You think it could be….” I struggled with my words, trying to find the right one. “Do you think it could be…them?”

“That…” she breathed out. “I can’t say for certain. I highly doubt it though. As far as I can recall, they haven’t “chased” after me, or you in quite some time. So, it would be very unlikely, though…” her voice trailed off.

“Anything with them, and their kind of influence is possible.” She walked towards the door, opened it a little bit and then stopped. “We don’t know if she’s dangerous or if she on some sort of mission.”

I had to remember that. She was a stranger to us. If she wanted to, when she woke, she could kill us. I had to react with caution until I knew more.

“I’ll be back as quick as I can.” She brought my attention back. “Until then, stay focused and aware. Don’t misplace your guard cuz you’re here now.” And like that, she exited through the door, closed it behind her and left me with this mysterious person.

Once I knew she was gone, I went back to the mystery girl we had saved and tried to see if there was anything I could find on her.

I found her backpack by the edge of our sectional, and opened it, trying to get a better understanding of who she was, and with what I was dealing.

Before I got too far into my digging, I ran back into our bedroom, and went looking for our safe where we kept our weapons safe and under key.

Steadily, I pushed the buttons on the safe that was bolted to the wall, and then turned the knob until I heard the tumbler click open.

I took the gun from its place and quickly stashed It behind my back, underneath my shirt and went back to the expansive living room, where I stopped dead in my tracks.

And watched carefully from the bedroom.

She had awoken and was sitting up slowly eating the food we had left her. Like me, she was also cautious. She caught my eye and just stared me down—hoping that I would make the first move.

“If you’re thinking that I’m going to hurt you, or something,” She started, and I heard a faint accent from her. “You’re wrong.” Now her beautiful brown eyes were trying to bore into mine, trying to see how I would react. “I heard you rummaging through my stuff earlier, and just now when you went for something. Your gun?”

“Yeah,” I replied apprehensively, and slight perplexed how she knew. Was I really that loud in my anxiety prone moments that my noise had awoken her. “It’s mainly for protection. I only use it when I feel like the situation I am in, has become threatening and my normal means cannot end the threat.”

“Do you consider me a threat? She pushed my façade I had been building. “Is that why you went to get it?"

Considering how I found her, now, she didn’t seem like a threat, however as I knew from the experience-looks could be deceiving.

“At the moment, no,” I told her softly. “When I found you out there, you were covered in dirt and blood. I was trying to protect you from further harm and people.”

She smiled. “I appreciate it.” She replied. “Come,” she put her hand down on the seat was sitting on and invited me over. “Come sit with me.”

Again, I was acting apprehensive. Why was she acting so…level-headed and open about this? Why wasn’t she taking her safety more seriously and trying to react defensively? Was she raised, or trained a way that allowed her to be so open like this?

“I can assure you; I won’t bite.” She smiled sweetly. “I just wanna talk and say my thanks.”

I closed the distance between us and joined her on the couch, only opposite of her. Just to be safe.

“Do you remember what happened to you, before I found you down by the river, in the park?” I asked her, without trying to press the issue. If it was one thing, I learned from Kait and all her years of being a survivor, it was to tread lightly on questions.

She shook her head. “No.” she looked away as she replied. “I don’t. To be honest, I don’t remember much from after crashing by the river.” She paused, and I watched her nervously trying to weigh the balance.

I thought of my next question carefully. “What do you remember?”

She was silent for a moment, and before she did answer, I thought I had pushed the boundary.

“To be completely honest, not a lot.” She replied. “I….” she faltered, as if she were scared to say what she wanted. “I remember that I was running, and that I was on the run….” When she paused, I took a chance and got closer to her. “People… they were people who were chasing after me…trying to….” I could see tears coming out, and I could tell that it was painful.

“I’m being hunted down by people.” She cried.

“Are they people you know?” Kait asked, which totally spooked me, since I didn’t even hear come back. “Because if they are, this could complicate matters.”

“Sadly, they are.” She replied. “They’re from my Military.” She paused again and went to smooth her hair out. “Sorry, I never told you, my name.” She turned to face us. “My name is Claire.”

“Likewise,” I replied. “I’m Dimitria. This is my partner, Kaitlyn.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Kait said kindly. “I’ve been listening for a while now—"

“No joke,” I snorted, cutting her off, but laughing with Kait about it.

“You said you were being hunted.” Kait went back to the issue at hand.

“I am yes,” Claire replied. “High ranking officers are hunting me down for information that I know.”

“What sort?” I asked her. “Is it something that you can talk about?”

“I will, even revealing this might get me killed.”

“If we can protect you anyway, we can,” Kait reassured her.

Claire explained that even if we could, these people would still hunt her down. From what we both learned, she had stolen sensitive information from her home country’s Military base, and then when they found out, she heated up on their radar like a ghost heat signature.

She had managed to run away with the information on her and used her magic, that made a portal for her to escape, however it didn’t close in time and several members of her military managed to sneak their way through and follow her to London where they continued to chase her until they caught up to her and started attacking and violating her.

She told us, that she was forced to be silenced because if she spoke up, there were things that could damage her career. She said that her military would make her life hell for speaking out, and they would never stop hunting her.

“Here I’ll show you what I’m talking about.” Claire said as she went for backpack and opened it and gently pulled out a vanilla folder and passed it to me. “This.” She spoke as I took the folder from her. “They also are trying to frame me for accusations of sexual misconduct.”

Kait blinked when she heard that. “Excuse me, what the fuck?” She let out a disgusted groan. “Are they fucking serious? Is there any proof?”

“They claim that they have a lot of evidence against me and can get me discharged, along with jail time for not only the sexual misconduct, but also for committing treason.”

Kait let out a disapproving whistle when she heard that one.

“I can’t fucking believe that.” She was in total disbelief. “No. it can’t be right.” Then they locked eyes. What did you find and steal from them, that is basically mission critical sensitive?”

Kait gently yanked the folder from me and looked it over herself as she tried to really understand the situation. Like her, I didn’t want to believe it.

Not only was she being hunted down; but Claire was also being branded a traitor to her own country. Even if she could, there would never be a way for her to fully escape her home country unless she made a deal that would satisfy both sides.

But just what was so sensitive and secretive that Claire went to great lengths to steal it?

After a few moments, Kait handed her back the folder and sighed.

“A lot of that I couldn’t understand;” she started explaining. “But of what I could understand, it seems like they have a way to find people who use can use magic. Or they think they who are magic users. It’s almost like…” she stopped and looked at me.

“They’re trying to bring back the Salem Witch Trials during the colonial times in the States babe. And that’s not good.”

“A lot of people suffered, didn’t they?” I asked her.

“A lot of people died as well. There were trials, hangings. A group of girls as innocent as they claimed they were, they claimed they were possessed by the devil and then laid the blame on some of the local women as well.”

“Well shit,” Claire said aloud. “that’s really fucked up. How many died?”

“30.” Kait said with ice. “And they were hung to death.”

Claire gulped down a twinge of fear. “And the military of Germany thinks that there are more witches afoot now as well. Fuck…what did I get myself into?”

“Also, from the other thing I could gather from the notes was, they’re not just limited to just the supernatural energy in the States.”

“They’re not?” I gasped. “Then what else are they chasing?”

“They’re also convinced that, there are witches across Europe that they want, or they want to eliminate. Some…right in their own backyard.”

Then Kait looked at Claire again. “You said that you made a portal from magic and used it to escape?”

Claire nodded in agreement. “I did. I had no other means of escaping otherwise. Why you ask?”

“That already makes you a target.” Kait reasoned with her. “The fact that you can alone use magic makes you look like a threat. Which is why I bet that’s the reason behind the charge of treason."

“Because I can use magic?” Claire asked her.

And Kait only nodded in agreement.

“Fuck…” Claire hissed. “What have I done? What did I do?”

“Claire honey,” Kait tried to calm her down. “You’re innocent. You can’t help being someone who has magical blood in you. It’s who you are.”

“If my family found out, I would lose everything. I would end up on the streets.”

This caused a wrench in what we needed to conduct, and we needed an out for it. I explained that we needed her to return to her base, and any position she had to report to just to keep them in check. And if it was at all possible, keep a low profile.

We didn’t need her going missing before we had a chance to get her away from who was hunting her down.

We also needed her to get more information beyond what she had if she could manage it. If she couldn’t then, all we cared about was her safety.

“Where can we meet up?” She asked me as I took her hand and held it, looking out the window. Rain had fallen during the time she was out, and it was very calming. “Is this place safe, or is there another place I can meet with you?”

That was a good question. Was this place safe for her? Or would we have to meet her elsewhere?

“Before you hesitate your answer Dimitria,” Kait spoke up, blowing out a cloud of smoke from her tobacco pipe. “Yes, this place is safe. If we must change it at last moment, I will let you know.” Another drag from her and puff. “Gotta phone darling?”

Claire went to her pack and dug for her phone and when she found it, passed it to Kait who quickly entered her number, along with mine.

“I usually say call us in the case of emergencies, but this beyond that so, if you think you can’t escape from your area or are trapped, call us. We’ll help you.”

She agreed to that, and then quickly surprised me with a kiss, and then smiled. “I’m also…gay. I love women, and well somehow I fell for you.”

I kissed her back. “Stay focused. That’s what I’m asking. Just stay focused. You’ll get through this.”

We both walked to the door, and I went to open it, when she decided to use her magic to make a porta and go through it.

“Be careful.” I warned her as I grabbed her arm. “You need to just stick to the plan and lay low.”

“I put you at risk by telling you.” She said timidly, as if she was gonna cry.

“We live by the edge, every day. This aint nothing new for me.” I reassured her. “Just keep a positive outlook.”

However, as soon as she stepped through the portal that day to carry out her job, which would be the last time I would see her….

For a while.

As I stepped through the portal, I was lucky enough to find a wall upon the crash and use that to steady myself—minus the dust I gotten on me as I was travelling—and once I had gained my bearings, I focused on what was around me. Hoping that I could notice something useful.

“Keep an eye out!” Someone was shouting. “They have to be around here somewhere; at least one of them.”

This was absolute madness! Madness!

The news hadn’t been joking when they announced an entire strike team was hunting all of us down simply for had happened with Tucson. Hugging the wall as best as I could and peeked my head over with trying to get caught in the process.

I saw that they had a Tank prowling the streets, along with a Hum-V.

I saw at least a dozen of them, possibly more scattered around the heart of Downtown Phoenix. I could see the pathway to the convention center before me, along with the sports arena in front of me. One of the city’s finer moments.

Just as I was going to make my move, something suddenly grabbed my mouth from behind and tightly clamped down on it, forcing me to struggle to try and get free, when I looked down and saw a pair of long skinny legs wrap around mine and a knife was poking at my back.

“Move again, and the blade goes in your back,” the voice threatened.

Before the voice had a chance to get another word out, I used my body weight and spun on my heel, causing them to fall away from me, and before they could strike again, I had whipped out my gun and held it under their chin.

“Didn’t you ever hear…” I started with a taunt. “Never bring a knife to a gun fight."

“D baby,” the voice hissed. “Stop! It’s me.”

I hesitated for a moment, and then blinked. No, it couldn’t be her.

“Claire?!” I hissed back. “What….” I was perplexed. “What are you doing here?”

She stared me down. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“Following a trail, that seems to spawn an endless path of destruction.” I started to explain. “Draugar almost killed us.”

Her eyes went wide. “Did you say Draugrs?”

I nodded in agreement. “I would start to explain but…” She blitzed me with a kiss and held me closely to her as we passionately locked lips.

“You don’t need to explain.” Her breath was hot against my skin as she made a nip at the side of my neck. “I know; I saw the news, and well…I knew I had to do something.”

When I pulled away from her, I really looked her over. It had been a while since we last rendezvous in person; and even then, we kept up our relationship by texts, and when she could manage it, crash occasionally in London, or wherever I was staying.

She hadn’t grown by much, but she had filled out in other areas, especially around her chest. She traded in her brunette hair for now a lavender-pinkish hair color. Her brown eyes froze me in place as she wrapped herself around me again, and once again clamped her hand over my mouth.

“Shh…” she whispered to me. “Don’t say anything. I think they’re listening. Or if not listening, watching their patrols closely.

I Shook loose of her hold and leaned into her, also watching the soldiers patrol the area.

We’re we not going to escape this area alive? Or were we gonna must make a break for it as they rained down a parade of bullets on me? On us?

As we were watching carefully, my stomach made a sound that should have caused her to react with apprehension, yet all she did was laugh.

“Sounds like you haven’t been fed yet?” she joked. “When was the last time you ate?”

I honestly didn’t remember when the last time I had, nevertheless, she was right.

I did need to eat, and this was a perfect time to split a meal with her and try to catch up before things would cause us to get split up again.

“Come on,” she whispered to me, as she pointed to a place where we could sit down and eat. “Let’s go. I can get the food for you.”

Following her lead, we silently ran towards a building and hid against the wall, and while we did, we again peeked over the corner.

Why didn’t the patrols seem interested in what was going on around them?

Were they not really keeping an eye out?

Were they hoping that whoever they were looking for was just going to drop dead in front of them, making their job easier?

While it was in our favor, using the cover of the low rising dawn, we raced towards a grocery store that currently had its doors locked, but that mattered little to either me or Claire.

In fact, Claire didn’t care too since she lined herself up against the glassing of the window, where we saw our reflections, and I watched as she lit her palms up, turning a wonderful lavender color, and then she struck the glass, causing a mini explosion to occur inward.

Glass went everywhere as the window shattered however, what was even better was that the team patrolling the area didn’t even notice the area.

“Come on,” she whispered as she lowered her head and climbed through. “We’re almost to food.”

I followed her through the hollowed-out glass entrance she made when she blew a hole through it with her magic. Given the timing of the morning I knew that there would be either a small amount of people here, or it would be a complete ghost town and we could ransack the store ourselves.

The silence around us was eerie yet peaceful at the same time. Like I couldn’t tell if I enjoyed it, or really despised it.

Claire reached over a cold shelf and pulled out a sandwich that looked like it could feed a party of six people and just kept on walking as if nothing happened until….

“Hey!” A security guard shouted at us. “Miss stop!”

We were walking towards a seating section next to a local coffee stand that was inside the shop and the guard was chasing us down, when Claire turned and had her palm lit up ready to strike.

“I said stop!” The guard shouted again. “You need to pay for—” But that’s all the guard managed to get out.

Claire had killed to protect us. Protect me.

“Claire!” I hissed. “You…” I was bewildered. “You…You just killed in the open. That could have exposed us.”

“We’re already on the map anyway.” She shrugged. “Doesn’t make a difference to me. I’m protect all of us.”

She was right; we were. If the incident in Tucson wasn’t bad coupled with the unwanted media exposure that came with it, then this would only make us light up like a Christmas tree.

Like I had told the girls back at the Mansion. I only kill to protect us. And to survive.

Just like Claire did for me.

“It was reflective and instinctual to me love.” She clarified. “It was self-defense.”

“I know that.” I told her as I reached for her hand and held it. “Yet,” I turned her and looked into her eyes. “You look guilty for even doing it.”

“Ugh,” she groaned, and started to storm off to a section towards the back, taking my hand and dragging me with her. “I…I just…”

“Claire...” I said, starting to worry.

We sat opposite of each other in the booth as she worked, or tried to but the more I watched her, the more frustrated she got until it got to the point where I had to take the box from her so she wouldn’t destroy it.

“I haven’t killed someone in cold blood in years.” She spoke solemnly as I handed her a piece of the sandwich. She took a bite, but she didn’t take pleasure in it. “It feels horrible. I feel like the one hunting now. But…am I hunting out of revenge for those who wronged me? Or am I hunting because I must protect myself and everyone else, including you?”

“What do you feel most in your heart on that?” I asked her as I tore a piece of the sandwich off and chewed on it. “Since what I saw there….” I paused, trying to find the comforting words. “Was a lover protecting the one she loves the most.”

“He’s dead D!” she screamed, and then broke down and cried. “DEAD! I FUCKING KILLED HIM IN COLD BLOOD!”

She perked her head up when she heard the popping sounds from the two drink I stole, as I handed her one.

“Thanks,” she managed a weak smile. “I guess this will help calm me down.” She debated for a moment while she stared out the window. “I guess I should tell you why I am really here.”

“That’s on you.” I told her softly. “You don’t have to. I already part of it.”

She shook her head no. “No…” she sighed. “Actually…. that’s a lie.”

She started explaining that she was following a trail from another part the state that led her through the city, where she had just missed us by minutes, and when she couldn’t find me or us, she went under a cover and joined a military here locally, in hopes that they would be able to speed up her efforts, but when she heard about the attack that we were being crucified for, she chose to rouge and turn on the team that she was working—they just didn’t know that yet.

Which meant she was two for two on the treason run.

She had told me that she was forced into a situation where she had to kill to protect us, and what everyone was looking for. The elusive Valkyries.

Which brought back her memories of being hunted for being a witch all across Europe. A hunt she told me, she almost didn’t survive.

She went on explaining that her hunt that she was drawn into all those years back, somehow felt connected to the hunt that was happening now, and to her that was a scary reality for her, since she didn’t want to lose anyone in this family that had embraced and taken her in.

She couldn’t put her finger on it, but to her, everything felt…too convenient for it to be even happening.

“And now,” she paused as she exhaled from her story. “it feels like since I’m entwined with you and the fam, I’m also being hunted just like you.”

“It certainly feels that way.” I said empathizing with her. “Everything that we’ve ran into so far…” I paused, remembering Adrian get killed in cold blood by Julian. “Is not natural. From the wave of attacks. From Julian’s battle lust for Kaitlyn. From my brawl with Sam’s mother.”

Her eyes went wide from that. “Sam and her mother had a brawl? Good lord.”

“Yeah….” I drew out the words. “It was not a fun time. Kait almost didn’t make it, Sam also threw a fuss about getting healed afterwards. But from all that, I felt like….”

“Like what,” she took my chin in her hand and held it. “Like you were being evaluated? Or that she was playing around with her food, like a natural predator does when they hunt?”

“Both.” I said quietly. “If I hadn’t used my magic along with Kait’s knife, I don’t think I would have made it out, nor would have Kait.”

Just then the radio on her shoulder beeped to life. “Claire!” the voice said loudly. “Claire come in, are you there, over?”

Quickly, I watched as she snatched it from her shoulder and pressed the button to reply. “I’m here you idiot.” She snapped. I didn’t take the time to notice, until now that was, that she had been dressed in her military uniform. Or rather the military uniform she was acting in. “What do you want?”

“Do you have her?” The voice came across again. “I repeat, do you have the asset.”

Once again, she growled. “Frist off, she’s not a fucking asset. She’s a fucking human being. And secondly, why does it matter if I have her? We were told we needed the entire set. Now as far as I am concerned, it’s not a set when you only have one piece of it.”

“Just answer the question solider, damnit.” The voice demanded. “Do you have the girl? Yes, or no?”

She looked at me like she was betraying me. “Make this interesting.” I smiled.

“No, I don’t have her.” She lied to the voice on the other end. “But I know she’s close and will only let me come to her. If any of you buffoons come near her, you’ll spook her, and she’ll keep running.”

“Do you have a plan to capture her?” The voice asked.

She growled. “I do actually, but I won’t tell you. Now,” she hissed once more. “Don’t radio me unless you actually need something. When I have the girl, I will call it in. Not before.”

“We’ll you had better hurry!” The voice demanded. “The boss man isn’t gonna wait for you forever. Either get the girl or get off the team. The choice is yours!”

And like that, we both were left with some eerie silence. “What are you going to do?” I asked her after a few moments; trying to think of a way to break the ice.

“I have to take you in.” she hinted at her shoulder with her eyes. “Otherwise, they might get suspicious.”

So, was she working with them, or playing them along and really our ally?

“Just know, I would never intentionally cross you.” Claire steadily. “Like…I thought…”

“Don’t say it.” I shook my head in disagreement. I’ve been down that road; I know that feeling and choice.” I looked her over and saw at her right side that she had a something packed away. “What’s that tied to your side? Restraints?”

“Zipties actually.” She corrected me. “I don’t wanna just put them on you. It wouldn’t feel fair.”

I smiled. “Then let’s make it interesting.” I got up from the booth and took her hand which yanked her from the table.

She didn’t know what I had planned, but when she saw my smile, she got the hint and played along.

“Okay,” she played along with it. “I’ll bite. Let’s do this.”

She fell in stride behind me watching and waiting for the right moment. She knew what was about to happen—but the team that was hunting—they didn’t know what to expect.

We walked towards the front entrance and when the doors pulled themselves apart, it felt like my presence lit up like a Christmas tree, since everyone that was in the area at once turned and faced me.

They started to point their weapons at me, and as soon as I they did, I made a choice to make a run for it like a common criminal with something to hide.

I did my best to dodge their rain of bullets. But eventually, I knew I had only two options. Either take a bullet and let them take me

Or…

“CEASE FIRE!” I heard Claire shout to the soldiers who had opened fire on me. “YOU WANT HER ALIVE! LET ME GET HER!”

That could happen. Fuck, we were still out of sync with each other.

“D!” she hollered. “Give it up! Your surrounded. You wont live through the hail of bullets!”

I poked my head out from the side of the wall I was up against, knowing that I was going to make her work for the capture.

“Come and get me Bitch!” I playfully teased her. “I won’t go down easily. You want me, make it worth my time.”

I poked my head out from the wall again and saw that she was making her way towards me, everyone just standing by waiting for the next order.

“Just give up Dimitria.” She said firmly. “Make it easier on yourself. Easier for everyone else. Don’t hold their blood on your hands.”

She was right, I didn’t need to have their blood on my hands, but I already did—however now she would too.

“I’m right here.” I flipped my hair back, out of my face. “You want me…” I paused. “Fucking come get me.”

She rushed me and threw a punch towards my face which I dodged, however, in my movement, she used her legs to trip me and throw me to the ground, where I tried to quickly recover and get back to my feet, however, before I could, I felt her body pressing up against mine, as she used her strength to pull me up against her.

“I win.” She playfully taunted me. “I knew I would. You could never play the game.”

“Oh,” I taunted her back. “Is that so?” I snickered. “I think this game is just beginning.”

I heard the clicking noise of her Zipties. “I didn’t want to waste precious handcuffs on you. Didn’t feel right.” I struggled to break the restraints. “I wanna save them for your sweet darling Kaitlyn!” she laughed in my ear. “Oh, how I’m going to love watching you scream for freedom as you both try to escape what’s in front of you.” She shoved me forward. “Now move!”

I walked the best I could with her behind me. “How was that?” She asked.

“I think you sold them.” I agreed. “Keep it up though. You still have to catch and break Kait.”

“That’s going to be a fun challenge.” She smiled. “Let’s go. You have quite a while before I decide to change my mind.”

She roughly shoved me into the back of one of the Hum-Vs that were parked in the plaza and basically told me to get comfortable the best I could with my arms useless and cuffed behind me.

“Let’s go.” She commanded the driver. “We have a drive ahead us,” then she looked at me. “This could be useful. She could lead us to the others.”

“Aye Commander.” The soldier replied. “Starting the drive now.”

We traded smiles, knowing that if we kept this up, everyone would be safe. We just had to be careful, since right now, she was the hunter. I didn’t need her to become the hunted like I was.

But for now, all this was a start. Soon, we could all rendezvous together.

Soon, we could start putting all this mess together.

Frist though—we just had to outlive the hunt.