This update is a bit shorter, sorry about that. I have most of this story written so it just turned out this piece ended sooner than the other ones. The next update will be much longer and will even include a new character! You can expect that one tomorrow, or if I can't wait, tonight! :)
The sun had barely risen when James awoke from his mere 2 hour sleep.
Gaz had completed her sewing by that point and was sitting in a silent vigil against the cave wall, her gun in her hand.
James opened his eyes to see her sitting there, alert and pointing her gun towards the entrance of the cave.
Beside her sat the backpack, her free hand was holding it tightly next to her.
"You're awake," She said, breaking the silence.
He hadn't even known she had noticed him being awake. He didn't even know how she noticed.
He didn't respond, she knew the answer already. Besides, she had said it more as a statement than a question.
"Are you ready to move? We can't stay here another day. It's too close to the base. There's a town a couple miles east. We could probably get there before noon." Gaz spoke quickly, spilling out the plan she had been thinking of for the couple of hours that James was asleep.
James sat up straighter, "Yeah, I'm ready." He said simply, watching as Gaz stood, slightly crouched due to the height of the cave.
Since she was standing, James stood too.
"Oh," Gaz said suddenly, tossing him the gun she was holding.
James caught it easily but eyed her with a questioning gaze.
She knew what he was thinking so she merely lifted up the black shirt, revealing the rib holster that contained a gun.
Of course, he noticed the gun. But, he also noticed the scars.
Quickly, her shirt was back down and she had the backpack slung over her shoulders.
James moved to conceal the gun as she had, lifting his shirt to put it in his waistband.
But, she interrupted him, "Keep it out." She said simply, pushing past him without another word and exiting the cave.
"Where did you put your knives?" James asked curiously.
Gaz didn't look at him as she answered, "They're in my bag." She replied shortly.
After that, there wasn't much discussion.
The temperature outside of the cave was brisk. There was no wind, so it wasn't a biting cold.
But, it wasn't warm either.
Gaz thought of the short sleeve shirts they wore and James's lack of shoes.
"Once we reach the town, we'll get you shoes." She promised, speaking aloud without meaning to.
James looked down to his barefeet like he was just remembering that he wore no shoes.
The cave was surrounded by rocks which they navigated with caution.
Gaz felt she was on high alert for possible injuries as James stepped on each rock.
With each movement, she was afraid he would get a rock stuck in his foot, or he would suddenly plummet to the ground below them.
Once they reached flat terrain, she was finally feeling less nervous about injuries.
But, as they walked through the grass and passed tall trees she was reminded of the insects in the forest.
Everywhere she looked she found a new threat.
They both walked, Gaz leading the way and James followed silently.
Gaz felt the nervousness in the pit of her stomach, she fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she walked to try to release the energy bundled up inside of her.
She scanned the area often, her eyes wide and alert.
She jumped at every sound she heard or any movement that she felt, which meant she jumped quite a bit since she was in a forest that was flooded with wildlife.
James didn't fail to notice her jumpy behavior or the way she looked around every so often to take in their surroundings.
She would turn and look at him frequently too. Her eyes always drifted to his barefeet before she turned around and continued on closely observing everything else.
"Are you hungry?" She asked suddenly, slinging the backpack off of her shoulders and opening it as she walked.
James didn't say anything at first, confused by her simple question.
"I brought protein bars. I have water too." She told him, grabbing two bars and two bottles of water from her back and tossing one of each behind her in his direction.
He caught them both with ease, eyeing them cautiously.
Gaz understood his concern, she opened hers first and took a bite out of it to prove that the food wasn't poisoned.
She uncapped her water and drank from it as well, hearing the familiar rustle of the packaging opening behind her.
"Where are we?" James asked as he took a bite of the protein bar which was apparently a blueberry flavor.
Gaz took another sip of water before closing it and putting the bottle in the side pocket of the backpack, "Black forest, Germany." She said simply as she performed the actions.
"Germany?" James asked, sounding confused.
"Yes. Don't worry, The closest thing to the Nazi's is Hydra. But, that isn't very comforting, forget that." She said, attempting to soothe his concern of being in Germany but not doing a very good job.
"It's safe?" He asked, ignoring her failure to console him.
She shrugged slightly, taking another bite of her protein bar, "The town we're going to is. I know a guy who can get us out of here." She spoke easily.
But, then she corrected herself, "Or, just you out of here, or just me. It's up to you really. I did my part getting you out, it's your choice if you want me here any longer." She shrugged again, letting him know that he was free to go on his own at any time.
Her tone held no emotion as she said the words, even though the words themselves held a strong meaning.
At least to James they held a strong meaning.
So, she isn't going to just dump me in the next town, he thought, that's comforting.
His voice also lacked emotion, that was something both assassins had in common, "I want you here."
Gaz ignored the words, but internally she was a bit shocked at them, "Town's fifteen minutes that way. I know a guy who can get us passports that will get us the hell out of here."
She told him, her tone still holding the same fast pace as it had been the whole walk.
"You know a guy?" James asked, his head turning slightly to the right as he heard a squirrel rustle in the leaves.
"Yes," Gaz answered vaguely, not elaborating.
"We'll be able to go anywhere- you'll be able to go anywhere-" James was afraid she was going to go on her monologue again so he interrupted her.
"We'll just go together." He said finally with a light sigh.
