𝐈𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝

Chapter Twenty-Three: Duels and Confessions

After going over the maps a few more times I heard a loud crash and some yelling coming from the shooting range. What the hell? I jogged over to the doors to check it out before Sam flew through them, panic in his eyes.

"Nora, come quick!" he shouted, pulling on my arm to drag me along.

"Charlie and Dylan are fighting!"

My eyes widened and I took off, racing towards the shooting range and leaving Sam behind. Oh God. I skidded to a stop when I saw Dylan on top of Charlie, the two wrestling each other. I could tell Dylan wasn't using his full strength as he fought Charlie. I knew he could do a hell of a lot more than just leave a couple of bruises if he wanted to.

Suddenly, Charlie got a leg free and kicked Dylan in the stomach, causing Dylan to fall backward, but he shot up off the ground and held his fists up, a smirk playing across his lips as he was undoubtedly enjoying the fact that Charlie was incredibly pissed off. Before their fight could escalate even further, I stepped in front of Charlie, pressing the palm of my hand against his chest to push him back. Charlie's eyes remained locked on Dylan's, not letting his death glare falter as he tried to push past me to get to Dylan.

"Charlie, Charlie, stop," I pushed Charlie back more firmly this time. I could hear Dylan walking over to me, but I quickly spun around, standing in front of him so our faces were mere inches apart. "Back up," I hissed through gritted teeth. I watched as Dylan retreated a few steps back, his eyes scanning my face. "Are you guys serious?" I addressed both boys to which neither of them responded, keeping their gaze strictly on me.

"Both of you have people you love in there and yet here you are, fighting each other over some petty little issue that probably means absolutely nothing compared to what we're about to do tomorrow!" I shook my head in disbelief and anger as I glared at them. We're about to break into Monarch tomorrow and they want to fight each other. Stupid. "Nothing, really?"

The boys turned their gaze to the ground, starting to feel ashamed of their fighting.

"I suggest that both of you stay the hell away from each other until you can grow up and act like adults because if I see you two like this again, believe me, I will take those vans and leave both of you behind," I threatened before turning back around and marching back inside.

"Nora, wait!" I heard Charlie call. He wrapped his hand around my arm to stop me.

"What, Charlie?" I spun around.

Charlie dropped his hand from my arm and I could tell he was taken aback by my aggression. He sighed. "Look I'm sorry, okay. He just gets on my nerves sometimes. He's a dick-."

"Yeah, Charlie, I know that but we've already had this conversation! I'm not going to keep doing this with you! Just grow up and ignore him, alright! You have to just last until we get Bianca and Connor back, and then you can fight him or ditch him - I don't care." I spun back around and marched to the warehouse, leaving Charlie to stand there with a loss of words. I walked back to the bed I had slept on this morning and sat down on the side, placing my head in my hands.

All I had to do was get through tonight and then I would be able to save everyone. I was going to get Connor back. I tried to let out a few deep breaths to calm myself down but ended up kicking a cardboard box that was set down beside the bed across the room and slammed my fists into the bed on either side of me.

Damn it! Why did they have to make it so difficult all the time? How hard is it to just shut up and get along? Why couldn't everything just be easy for five seconds! I didn't want to have to babysit Dylan and Charlie or watch myself around Raine, who every time I looked at her, was reminded that our relationship and my entire childhood was a complete and utter lie.