"𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫"

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒

I watch it rain lightly outside, imagining I was a tiny droplet. I'd float softly down, watering the luscious earth. Then it would repeat.
I get up, a thought about putting on some real clothes circles my mind. I'll just hope that no one is up at 2 in the morning. Terror grunts and says something about getting some sleep, I ignore him. I go to the meeting room. Pictures on a whiteboard of people we target. It ranged from mobs, dirty politicians, and a few foreigners. Terror and I was particularly good at being persuasive. My finger synchronized with the pattern of the rain. As I tap on the window watching raindrops race, my thoughts drift off to Nik and Connor. I had coffee with him yesterday. He reminded me of Peter more than ever. I misread him. I think about Connor. He gives me feelings that remind me of a time that was very long time ago. I can't let it happen. Because he'll leave me when a Sarah across the street gives him a flirty look. Might as well put myself through that much. As my thoughts bounce, my eyes get droopy and hear swells behind them. Drifting off into sleep.
I feel a firm but nudge on my shoulder. I look up to see Eddie. We hadn't really talked since my breakdown. And it's been pretty awkward ever since.
"Hey kid. Meeting room, 10 minutes," he briefs me.
I nod my head and pick myself up. My head aches from my sleeping position. I look at my phone, 6 am.
I just wash my face, brush my teeth, and get on some clothes without stains on them. Terror comments occasionally about us not staying in bed. I ignore him.
Everyone is sitting at the table and Arthur is talking.
They ramble and argue about rules and policies. And talk about how much impact their making. If this was out of context you might confuse them for an insurance company. Across from me Connor stares at me. I feel his stare and so I avoid it. Then he nudged me with his foot. I stare at him, look away and smile. He copies my gesture.

Eddie dismisses, I go outside and jump in my car. Then, I hear the passenger and backseat door open.
"Where are we going," Connor asks smiling.
"To test my suit." I say.
Connor is ecstatic in the rearview mirror Nik looks the same.

Thirty minutes later we pull into Kits shop. My dad and I would get parts from here and advice from him. Kit's pretty much my honorary grandpa. He is like a dad to mine. He was my real grandfather's best friend. Before he got all big in ranks in the military. We get out, he looks confused but the hugs me. His long slender arms snake around my body. He smells like grease and old cars.
"Peanut, your mom told me you were back," he laughs. "I couldn't believe it. You shoulda come seen me sooner." He's from North Carolina, his southern accent shows.
"What brings you here with your...friends?"
He looks and Connor and Nik with a fatherly sense.
"I haven't put on my suit in 6 months. You know about my relationship with dad. And I need a crashing pad, incase something isn't working correctly." I explain. I'm so happy to see him.
He nods his head. Kit takes off his cowboy hat and wipes the sweat off his forehead. We go in the auto shop and pass by muscle cars and 50's pickup trucks. The boys look happy. We go to the pasture. He puts his suit on. Red, white and blue. He went on many tours in the middle east, and was in the gulf war. My grandfather went up in the system, Kit just wanted to beloyal soldier.
I put mine on. It feels weird, Freya greets me. There's a bulls eye target, I am my arc reactor and shoot. Kit and the boys cheer. I tell him I'm going up, he follows.
Alarms start blasting I'm falling.
All.
Over.
Again.

I'm scared. Kit yells something. A large net is propelled at me. A sense of relief fills my body. Terror cursed and says nothing else.
Connor comes running.
"Lillian, Lily!"
I start laughing and he starts swearing in Russian. He laughs.
Kit says, "Damn kid, that's happened a thousand times. It still scares the shit outta me when that happens."
"Again," I say.
This feels normal in a sense. Not like old me, but new me. Something remotely close to my dad.
It feels like I'm closer to dad. The dad that wasn't obsessed with controlling me. That loved me for being me. I miss him, more than I'll ever admit.
I had planned on revenge.
I had.