The next morning came fast enough for Jaden. She woke up with the start of the sun seeping through her room. She sat up on her cot and swung her legs over the edge. She grabbed her jeans and quickly slid them over her bare legs. She slipped her feet into her boots and laced them up. She reached behind her back and untied her shirt. With the needles in her back, sleeping was still difficult, and sleeping topless wasn't an option for her. So she found a shirt loose enough to keep herself from snagging them while she slept, and tight enough to keep it from snagging on the needles. She unwrapped her shirt and set it aside. She quickly pulled on her bra, top, and corset. She grabbed her holsters and slung them over her body. Jaden rose from her cot and grabbed her sniper strap and gloves and walked out of her quarters.
She walked through the hall toward the science labs. Anne wanted her to go over the inventory for her next run, which was a few days off. Jaden slipped her gloves over her hands while she walked down the hall. She noticed several stares in her direction, but ignored them. She didn't need to defend herself against them. And neither did any of the other harnessed kids.
"Help! In Here!"
Jaden's head shot up. That was Anne. She sprinted down the hall toward the science room, just in time to see a family run around the corner in front of her. Jaden ran into the science room. Anne was sitting on the floor with a split lip.
"Anne!" Jaden called she ran to Anne's side and helped her to her feet. "What happened?"
"Family just…came in and…it was a diversion…they took the meds."
"What?"
"They took everything! All the medications!" Anne explained. "I'm fine. Go get Weaver and those meds back."
Jaden nodded and sprinted back out into the hall. She ran as fast as she ever had down the hall. She kicked off walls as she ran around corners, yelling at people to get out of her way. She slid to a stop just outside Weaver's quarters.
"Captain!" Jaden called as she entered. Tom and Mike were already present inside.
"Jaden, what-"
"Medical was just robbed. We have a family on the run with all the meds." Jaden explained.
Weaver nodded. "Get on those roves and get me the target. Tom, Mike, lets move."
Jaden jogged ahead. She sprinted out of the school. She ran down the street and jumped onto a car, using the momentum to jump onto the roof of a nearby house. She ran along the roves, jumping over the gaps. She spotted the family moving down the street. They were using the houses as cover. Jaden ran ahead of them and set up her shot. She watched them head into a sidewalk pass between houses just as Weaver and his group caught up with them. Jaden quickly took her aim for the father and waited. No shot without Weaver's order.
Weaver, Tom, and Mike ran down the street toward the family. Jaden could see Weaver talking to Tom, probably reprimanding him for something again. Suddenly the father fired at them, shattering the rear window of a car just in front of the team. Weaver's team ducked for cover under the car.
"Leave us alone. I'll shoot I swear." He called. "Just go back! No one has to get hurt!"
"Nobody's going anywhere!" Weaver replied. "You throw out that medicine, then we'll talk."
Come on, old man, do what he says. Jaden thought.
But the father fired again.
"Damnit." Jaden muttered. She looked down at Weaver. He nodded and held up two figures. Two for warning, five for kill. She took her aim from the father and fired just behind him.
The man jumped and looked behind him. He didn't look back toward Weaver and his men. In fact, he was intently watching behind him. Jaden adjusted her sight in her scope. There was something else in the alley that had the father's attention.
"Drop it, or die right now!" came a new voice.
Jaden looked down to Weaver, no one seemed to know who was up there.
"Drop it!" he ordered.
The father dropped the gun and talked to whoever was behind him.
"Who the hell is out there?" Weaver demanded.
"Terry Clayton, seventh Mass." Came the replied.
"Seventh Mass?" Jaden asked to herself.
"Is that Dan Weaver?"
"Yeah!"
"Well come on up!" Terry called.
Jaden watched the wife grab her husband and drag him down the alley out of Jaden's sight. Weaver and his men rose from their positions and walk down the alley. Then Terry, or who she assumed was Terry, walk out into the open. He was an older man with short grey hair and matching camo gear like Weaver. He carried the white medicine bag as he walked out.
"Still a free country right?" Terry asked.
"Terry, good to see you." Weaver said, shaking Terry's hand.
"Always had good timing." Mike said.
"Mike you're a sight for sore eyes." Terry said.
"Tom, how're the boys?"
"They're good. You're a long way from home." Tom said. "Last word was the seventh was making camp outside of Wilmington."
"Yeah we were. The seventh mass is gone." Terry explained.
"Damn." Jaden muttered.
"Is gone?" Weaver asked.
"Games changed. Skitters hit us and hit us hard." Terry explained. "They're coming this way next."
"Double damn." Jaden said. She rose from her position and slung her rifle. She made her way from the roof. She could still hear the conversation from the officers as she hopped back onto the ground. She walked up behind the officers, as they returned to the school.
"I'll explain everything back at base. But just a quick question for you guys. Which one of you made that damn good shot? Missed the old man but certainly got him to focus on me." Terry asked.
"Wasn't any of us." Tom explained.
"What?" Terry asked.
"No, that was our supply runner slash sniper." Weaver explained. He looked behind them. "Jaden, go take the meds back to Doctor Glass."
Terry looked behind him and blinked in surprise at Jaden's sudden appearance. "Damn she's fast."
"Have to be." Jaden said. She took the meds from Tom.
"And Jaden, news about the seventh Mass needs to remain under wraps until I can debrief everyone." Weaver explained.
Jaden nodded. "Yes sir." She turned and sprinted back toward the school.
News of the seventh's mass demise and incoming skitter attack had spread fast once Terry and debriefed Weaver. Civilians had immediately started packing supplies and belongings. Parents with young children seemed to be on even higher edge with the fact that their children could be sent away. Fighter patrols had been doubled and Dai was on his way for scouting.
Jaden was on the front steps of the school watching Dai pull out for scouting. A civilian walk past her quickly. He headed straight for Tom, giving Jaden a bad feeling.
"What's this about sending our kids away?" he asked.
Jaden winced as her accuracy.
"That's just a precaution, nothing's been decided yet." Tom explained.
"Well made it should be." Anthony suggested.
"Excuse me?" Tom asked.
"Look, skitters want kids, right?"
"Now our kids are a problem?" Mike asked.
Jaden stepped off the front steps and made her way to the group, just in case she would be needed.
Anthony shook his head." No, they're targets, we know that."
"No, we're all targets." Tom corrected.
"If you want to make this something about something else go ahead. Alright, but this man lost his entire unit and they're coming for us next-"
"Maybe. Or the third Massachusetts is gonna show up and we're all gonna walk out of here, together." Tom replied.
"I hope so. Because luck has been in real short supply recently." Anthony said as he turned and walked away.
Jaden turned and walked with Ha and Tom. "I hate to say, but Anthony has a point about no luck."
"People are really scared about this attack." Hal said.
"Comments like that don't help." Tom replied. "We have enough to worry about without having to scare ourselves."
"Coming from a harnessed perspective, you don't say comments like that to scare yourself. You're scare enough by already knowing what's coming." Jaden replied. She set off ahead of them.
"Let's get started on the barricades!" Tom ordered.
Jaden walked inside the school, still fuming over the conversation. The fear was only trickling in little by little, but it was enough. She hadn't dreamt of being taken or harnessed in weeks and she certainly didn't want them starting up again now. The skitter voices in her head had shrunk to whispers, but the news of an attack had brought them back to full volume.
She walked past the science lab just as Maggie walked out.
"Hey JJ, looking for your boyfriend?" she asked.
"Not now Maggie." Jaden snapped.
Maggie's brows rose as she walked alongside Jaden. "You on edge too?"
"Yeah sure. You know there's something about an imminent skitter attack that just puts me on edge." Jaden replied.
"I hear we may be outa here before that happens." Maggie replied.
"I hope so Maggie, because I have no intentions of reuniting with my harness." Jaden said. She turned down the next hall, separating herself from Maggie.
Twelve hours down another twelve. The barriers had been reinforced. Numerous cars had been lifted onto the sides and set up behind the barbed wire. Gear, supplies, and belongings had all been packed and ready to move on first orders. Everyone had duties to fill and then extra duties.
Weaver stood in his office. He stood at his desk, looking over the battle plan and maps. Anthony, Clayton, and Jaden were standing beside him. Jaden marking out the patrols on her base map and compared them with Anthony.
"How many people do we got to handle patrol?" Weaver asked.
"Enough, but barley." Anthony answered.
"We're spread too thin." Jaden said.
"We're twelve hours off twelve on; we still won't be able to cover all the access points." Terry explained.
Weaver looked up at the door. Jimmy stood in the doorway holding his rifle. "What to do you need, Jimmy?"
"I want you to put me back in the rotation." Jimmy said. "I heard you talking and you're shorthanded."
"Kid, there's plenty of noncombatant work to be done before we're ready to move." Anthony said.
"I'm not like the other kids." Jimmy explained. "You don't need to send me away, I can take care of myself."
Weaver was silent.
Jimmy sighed and turned to leave.
Jaden walked beside Captain Weaver, "Captain, Parker and I could use Jimmy on patrol tonight at south post."
"Parkers on the ground, you're in the air, am I right?" Weaver asked.
Jaden nodded. "Yes sir."
"I'll tell you what, Jimmy." Weaver called.
Jimmy turned.
"Parkers all alone out south post tonight, I'm sure he could use some company." Weaver ordered.
"Y-y-yes sir." Jimmy said. He turned and walked out of the room.
Terry turned back to Weaver. "He's a good kid."
"Yeah, and he should be in junior high school with his arm around a cheerleader not fighting a damn war, but there it is." Weaver replied. He turned to Jaden in private. "Keep an eye on him tonight."
Jaden nodded. "Yes sir." She closed her book. "I'll pass out the message of the meeting while I check on the supplies."
"Good, do it. Remember the clock is ticking." Weaver replied. "And you're on night post, get some sleep while you can."
The gym was lit by battery lanterns set several feet apart on the bleachers. Parents, fighters, and kids either sat on the bleachers r stood. Jaden was on the top bleacher leaning against the wall. Her rifle leaned against the wall beside her. She was on patrol in ten minutes, but she wanted to hear what Clayton had to say to the parents. She could see the older two Mason boys on the floor near Rick, Mike, and Terry. Terry stood in front of everyone and moved to sit down.
"I can only tell you what's worked for us." Terry said. "I don't have kids so I can't even pretend to know what you're going through."
"Especially now, when you've got all these people thinking that our kids are the enemy." A man said.
"No, you've got them thinking that. I'm trying to get them thinking about the safety of their kids, instead of their own comfort. This is a temporary measure folks!" Terry explained.
Jaden sighed and shook her head. This conversation was going nowhere fast. Neither one of these men were really listening to each other, and they weren't trying to.
"Until we-"
"Until we're what? Attacked Terry?" Mike asked.
"The skitters are what, gonna give us a pass?" he yelled.
"I never said that!"
Tom pushed his way through the crowd and wedged himself between the two men. "Whoa! Whoa! Hey, what's going on?"
The man turned to the group. "I know that a lot of you have lost your children, don't think that my heart doesn't break for you. Please imagine that you still have your child. Would you let anyone take them away from you?" he asked.
"Hey, that hasn't been decided yet." Tom replied. "Everybody here wants the same thing; our kids to be safe."
"They'll never be safe! Safe is over!" he explained. "We could die any day and when that day comes, I'm gonna be by my daughters side."
"I don't want anybody to die, this is about what it's gonna take to survive." Tom explained.
"Yeah? Well I swear to god, anybody tries to take my little girl-" he reached for his weapon.
Jaden reached for her rifle, but Tom grabbed his arm first. "Hey, don't forget who the enemy is! Everyone where has had to make hard choices just to make it this far. And we're gonna make more, but if we fall apart now and start turning on each other, then it doesn't matter when the attack comes because we've already lost."
"And who's going to decide what to do when the attack comes? Weaver?"
"No, I will." Tom answered.
That was all Jaden needed to hear. She slung up her rifle and climbed down the bleachers. She walked around the people without much trouble. She trusted Weaver and Tom with her life, but when it came to the survival of the team, she trusted Tom more than she trusted Weaver. He wasn't military; he knew how to value the lives of the civilians and the fighters. She touched down on the ground and headed toward the south door.
"Jaden."
Jaden didn't need to look back to know it was Ben following her, but she looked back to make eye contact with him. "Ben."
"This is crazy, huh?" Ben asked.
Jaden titled her head. "Not quite the word I'd use, but yeah."
"You think we'll have to go?" Ben asked.
"I really don't know, Ben." Jaden explained. "I really hope we don't."
"Me too, but everyone's really on edge." Ben said.
"You could say that again. Hey, look I gotta get to patrol; I'll catch up with you later." Jaden said.
Ben nodded. "Yeah. Be careful."
Jaden couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips. "Please, you should worry about packing, not me."
Ben shrugged. "Nothing left to pack."
Jaden rolled her eyes. "Later Ben."
Ben smiled and turned down the hall while Jaden kept going south. She immediately felt more lonely without Ben walking with her. She sighed and stepped out into the cold air. She climbed up the ladder onto the roof. The abandoned school bus was parked just outside the door of the south exit. Jaden could see Parkers outline already inside. She climbed up onto the roof and settled on her stomach. She set up her tripod and set her rifle on top. She leaned into her weapon and stared through her scope. Jaden heard the door opened below her. She watched Jimmy from the corner of her eye walk onto the buss.
A slight vibration caught Jaden's attention. A metallic echo sounded in the distance. It grew louder as the seconds passed, just the same amount of time it took for Jaden to realize what it was before the mech light blinded her. She could hear the mech walking toward the bus. She heard the mech open fire and the collision of the bullets against the bus. The light diverted from her sight, giving her the chance to open fire. Jaden took the mech into her sight and opened fire. The mech turned its attention to Jaden. Its laser scope zeroed in on her. She ducked from the sight just as it opened fire on her. She felt the debris spray by her. Below, she spotted Jimmy running from the bus, yelling for help. But there was no sign of Parker.
Several more fighters ran across the roof toward her position and opened fire. Jaden rolled back onto her stomach and took aim for the mech again. She rose to her knees, still firing.
"Cover me!" she ordered. She ran to the edge of the roof and jumped off. She landed on the roof of the bus and rolled off onto the ground. She landed on her feet and hugged close to the bus. She ran backwards to the emergency exit. Jaden climbed up into the bus and ran to the front. Parker was lying across the seat. Blood splattered the chessboard that lay at his legs.
"Clayton, Mike, go for the mech!" came Weaver's orders.
She looked back as Weaver climbed into the back. "Captain!"
"Where's Jimmy?" he demanded.
"Inside. Parkers dead." "Jaden answered.
Tom entered the bus from the front doors. "Any sign of him?"
"No, Jaden says he's inside." Weaver answered.
"Mech's retreating!" Mike called.
"Help!" came a yell.
"That's Jimmy!" Jaden said. She sprinted down the back of the bus. She could hear Weaver and Tom coming up behind her. They ran back into the school and down the hall.
"Tom, take the hall. Jaden, lower stairs. Go! Go!" Weaver ordered.
Jaden ran down the stairs, leading back down to the lower, unused hall. She remembered the doors at the bottom of the stairs had been locked. She knew because she'd slipped through them at times during her supply runs empty-handed. She jumped the stairs, catching sounds of Jimmy below.
"Jimmy!" she yelled. She jumped the final stairs and landed in front of the doors. She saw a skitter standing over Jimmy. She yanked the door open as far as it could go and squeezed her way inside. She lifted her rifle up and took aim.
Suddenly the skitters head exploded in front of her, sending brains, skull, and blood all over Jaden's body. The skitter collapsed in a heap in front of Jaden. Jaden looked up to see Weaver standing just at the hall entrance. He slung back the gauge, ejecting the empty casing.
Weaver walked around the dead skitter toward Jimmy, who had yet to move from off the ground. Jimmy shook on the ground, looking up at Weaver. "Jimmy?" he held out a hand in front of the boy. "Jimmy."
Jimmy slowly took Weaver's hand and rose to his feet.
"You alright?"
Jimmy broke into tears. He wrapped his arms around Weaver and started crying. Weaver, though uncomfortable by the situation, did not remove jimmy. He gently patted Jimmy's shoulder. "It's okay. It's okay, son."
Jaden sighed and heaved herself from the bloodied floor. She walked around the skitters corpse. Weaver turned to Jaden and nodded. She turned and headed back down the hall, where Tom would be coming from. She rounded the corner and nearly ran into Tom.
"Whoa, Jaden! What happened?" he asked.
"I found Jimmy, and the skitter. Weaver's with Jimmy right now." Jaden explained.
"Is he okay?"
Jaden nodded. "He's shaken, but he's alright."
Tom nodded. "Okay. Get back to your post once you clean up."
Jaden looked down at her bloodied clothes and then back up at Tom. "Probably a good idea."
"Yeah."
Jaden walked past Tom and headed back to her quarters. Her shirt stuck to her chest and arms. The blood was already drying on her face, making her braids stick to her face. What was worse, it smelled horrible. She prayed the smell wouldn't stay in her clothes. At least her remaining patrol wouldn't be as exciting. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing either.
The 2nd Mass was still on edge the following morning. Most of the supplies had been packed away and only the supplies that were opened were served for breakfast. Ben stood at the tables, looking over the different granola bars laid out.
Suddenly someone pushed his arm roughly. "Why don't you take one as get out of here?"
"What's your problem?" Ben asked.
"I'm not standing in line with this razor-back. One's like him are the reason the skitters are coming." He said.
Maggie stepped in between them. "Hey, take what you want."
Hal followed Maggie and grabbed the guy. "Hey, got a problem?"
The man smiled. "No problem. Just glad we're not bringing these harnessed kids back to the 2nd Mass."
"Oh, nobodies stopped anything." Hal explained.
"Hey, you okay?" Jaden asked, appearing behind Ben. She wore a dark pink and black tank top. Borrowing it from Maggie as her shirt was still soaking out the skitter blood from the night before.
Ben looked at her and nodded slowly.
"Soon as we get the drugs doctor Glass needs, we're going to rescue as many of them as we can." Hal explained.
"You're just inviting a skitter attack." The man said.
"See, the skitters should know by now, anybody that messes with our families gets their asses kicked. "Hal explained. "By me."
"Okay, okay." The man said, stepping back.
Hal turned to look at Ben, but he was already out the door. Jaden turned as well, catching the last glimpse of Ben. Anger bubbled inside her and she turned back to the man.
"You should be thankful, some of us razor-backs are the reason the 2nd Mass is still alive." Jaden turned, showing off her bare back and needles.
Razor-back. The word was like acid in his mouth. It was a vile term that made Ben wish he hadn't come back. Every time he looked at his back, he saw those spikes still there, haunting him. The other kids were free from their needles, but not him. Why? Why did it have to be him?
Ben walked through the hall toward their family quarter. Everything the man had said kept replaying over and over in his head. "You're just inviting a skitter attack." He was right. The longer the kids stayed with the 2nd Mass, the more danger everyone would be put in.
He walked into their quarters to find his dad looking in a small box. "Dad."
Tom looked up. "Hey."
"What're you looking for?"
"Oh, necklace that belonged to your mother." Tom answered.
Ben couldn't resist his next comment. "Gonna wear it?"
"No. I'm just, making sure it doesn't get lost in case we have to move fast."
"Dad listen. Um…it's okay. I wanna go." Ben said.
"Go where?" Tom asked, latching up the box.
"With that guy, Clayton." Ben answered, sitting on the desk.
Tom looked up in surprise.
"You're worried about what will happen to us if the skitters come, because of what they did to me."
"Ben-"
"You have to be ready to fight if they come. You can't do that-not really- if we're here." Ben said. "I've been thinking about something you told us, about world war two England."
Tom smiled. "During the Blitz."
"That the um, Germans were bombing London. Right?"
"Yep, and England sent their kids away to the country to keep them safe. While the parents stayed behind. Ben, I'm not sure this is the same things."
Ben stood up. "Well nothing is."
Tom sighed and stood up. He wrapped his arms around his son and held him close. He hated to admit it, but Ben was right. Things weren't the same, and the kids would be safer somewhere away from the fighting. "I wanna ask you a question. And I want the truth.."
"Okay."
Tom released Ben. "Are you…are you happy that you're back?"
"Of course." Ben answered without hesitation. "Are you glad you found me?"
"More than you'll ever know." Tom answered.
"Then let us do this for you." Ben said.
Jaden was watching the doors, eating her bar, when Tom entered. She could see from the way he walked through the crowd that he was about to say something. She spotted Ben standing by the doors, lingering alone. She glanced back at Tom and she knew what he was going to say.
"Everybody!" Tom yelled.
The gym fell into a hush.
"I've decide to send Matt and Ben along with Lieutenant Clayton." Tom announced.
Jaden sighed and lowered her head. It sucks being right.
"It'll put our kids a couple hours ahead of whatever's coming and I think that's a good thing." Tom explained. "By tomorrow, the third Massachusetts will be here, and if everything goes as planned we'll be reuniting with our kids by tomorrow night."
"We just got hit by a skitter. If they're still out there, how are you going to get through?" he asked Clayton.
"We're a small group on foot." Clayton answered. "We'll be ahead of the main skitter force and way under they're radar."
"If you're not-"
"And they're going to have a security detachment with them." Tom explained. "O'Brian and Fuller."
"I'd like Mike to come too, if that's right?" Clayton asked. "We go back."
"Okay." Tom said. "We know the skitters aren't after the youngest ones, the rest will go because our kids are our future, and they're safety has got to come first. So pack 'em up, they leave in an hour." Tom finished.
Jaden grabbed her rifle and jumped off the bleachers. She walked through the crowd to Tom. "Sir."
Tom turned to Jaden. "What do you need, Jaden?"
"Request permission to stay with the 2nd Mass." Jaden said.
Tom looked at Jaden. "All kids under eighteen go with Clayton, you know that."
Jaden nodded. "I do, but I also know that the 2nd Mass could use their best sniper with them instead of sending her away."
"Alright then, report to your post." Tom said.
"Yes sir. Thank you." Jaden said. She turned and headed toward the exit where Ben was no longer standing.
By the end of the hour, all the children accompanying Lieutenant Clayton had gathered out in front of the school. Parents and patrols joined the children for the sendoff. Parents and children checked packs and supplies one last time. Several parents had tears in their eyes as they hugged their children goodbye.
Ben was standing behind Matt, checking his back when Hal slammed the photo against his shoulder.
"Here." He said.
Ben grabbed the picture. "I told you to hold onto this."
"Well, I decided to come with you." Hal said. "Might as well hang onto it yourself dumbass."
"You're coming?" Ben asked.
"Yeah."
"Great, we'll actually have some peace and quiet." Jaden said, joining the boys.
"Very funny JJ." Hal said.
"Who's joking?" She turned to Matt and Ben. "Do you know how you can tell when Hal's on patrol? He's snoring."
Ben laughed. "You should try sleeping in the same room as him."
"Yeah the windows rattle." Matt said.
"What rattles the windows?" Tom asked, joining his boys.
"Hal's snoring." Matt answered.
"Oh yeah. Be sure you keep those people up all night for us." Tom joked.
Hal nodded. "I'll get 'em there and stay with them until you can catch up."
Ben walked around his dad to Jaden, who had taken back some distance to give the family some privacy. She was still wearing the black and pink tank top with her rifle slung in front of her. The metal beads of her braids had been removed. Her missing jacket and pack top Ben that she was serious about staying with the 2nd Mass.
"No beads?" he asked.
Jaden shook her head. "Make too much noise."
"You know, you still have a chance to come." Ben offered.
"Someone has to make sure this school holds. So you guys have something to come back to." Jaden explained.
"Right." Ben nodded. "You're not…you're not mad at me for going, are you?"
Jaden frowned. "No. No, I'm not mad. What happened in the gym this morning wasn't your fault. That prick had no right or reason to say those things beyond fear. I understand why you're going with Clayton, and it's your choice Ben. It's not my place to tell you what to think."
"Okay. You gonna say goodbye to Jimmy? I mean, I know you and he are close…ish."
Jaden shook her head. "Nah, Jimmy…" she paused. "He's still shaken with the skitter last night. And he hasn't quite forgiven me for not telling him I'm…a razor-back."
"He'll come around." Ben said.
"I hope so; I'm not too good with the silent treatment." Jaden explained.
Ben nodded.
Jaden swallowed. "Look…between you and me, this whole upcoming attack, sanctuary thing, doesn't sit right with me. That's part of why I'm not going. The other part, is that I have no intensions of running from the skitters when I can take them out. I plan on fighting for my freedom every chance I get."
"Makes sense." Ben said.
"Good." Jaden replied. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a blade and blue handled hunting knife. She tossed it in her hand and held it out to Ben. "Take it."
"Jaden I can't-"
"This doesn't sit right with me. I may be paranoid, but I might not be. Take this for protection." Jaden explained.
"Jaden, Hal, Mike, and two security guys are coming with us. We won't need-"
"It's a knife, not another rifle, Ben. Take the damn thing." Jaden ordered.
Ben sighed and took the knife from Jaden. "I hope I won't need it."
"So do I. Just make sure Hal doesn't see it or it's my ass." Jaden said. "And if you lose it, it's your ass. That's my favorite knife."
Ben chuckled and slipped the knife into his pocket. "Try not to miss me too much JJ."
Jaden snorted. "In your dreams, Mason."
Ben winked. "Always." He turned quickly, rejoining his family.
Matt looked up at his dad. "I don't wanna go."
"I know but it'll only be for a few days , maybe less." Tom said. "It's gonna get better." He kissed Matt's head.
"It's gonna get better? IS that the best advice a college professor can pull?" Ben asked.
"Well it's the best I've got. Be safe, I love you." Tom hugged Ben.
Terry walked in front of the group. "Alright, on me!"
The group began forming up. Jaden slipped through quickly and grabbed Ben's sleeve. She pulled him back and wrapped her arms around him. She released him again before Ben had a moment to react. "Good luck."
Ben nodded. "You too."
"Yo Ben!" Hal called.
Ben turned and jogged to catch up with his brothers. He glanced back and waved to his dad, but Jaden had vanished.
"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it." Hal said.
"Yeah, I'm sure Jaden will wait for you." Matt joked.
"Shut up." Ben muttered. It was going to be a long trip.
Jaden stood on the roof of the school, watching the kids pull out with Terry in the lead. She spotted the Mason boys in the center of the group. Ben's arm was wrapped around Matt's back as they walked away. She sighed to herself, reprimanding herself. She was better than this. She was in control. She couldn't get involved, or even think of getting involved with anyone, let alone Mason's son. They were in the middle of a war with aliens-that was still hard to believe. She had needles sticking out of her back, and she was running faster than most people. Who would want to get close to her? Someone who was in a similar situation as she; apparently. And because of her momentary weakness, she had not only broken her personal boundaries, by hugging Ben, she's also given him her knife. This was not acceptable for a fighter in her situation.
The group vanished from her sight, earning another sigh. It was going to be a long couple of days.
big chapter but i'm trying to keep it in the episodes now. obvoisly this is sanctuary. they might split scenes between characters, but most of them now will focus on JJ.