2. H O L Y W A R : Target

CHAPTER V

Cameron took the next day off, opting to stay home and trying to refocus her mental efforts on keeping calm and fighting back the fear that made her jump at every sound. Unfortunately, that fear was only intensified by the fact that the feeling of being watched had grown stronger.

Cameron tried to sip tea from her cup, her shaking hands making the feat virtually impossible. I wanna go home, she thought feverishly. I just wanna go home...

Knock-knock-knock.

Cameron jumped, almost spilling her tea. "Wh-wh-who is it?!" she practically screamed, leaping off the couch—and spilling her tea in the process.

"It's Camilla," a bored-sounding, muffled voice replied. "Y'know, from Z.P.A."

Cameron blinked, remaining motionless for a long time. Then she jerked into action, stumbling toward the door and throwing it open.

Standing outside was a young woman—maybe a few years younger than Cameron herself—with dark reddish-pink hair, tan skin, and a heart tattoo under one eye. She looked as bored as she sounded and didn't seem happy at all to be standing on Cameron's doorstep.

Cameron stared at the girl through her bleary red eyes. "Uh... hi," she greeted her, surprised.

Camilla crossed her arms and shifted her weight. "Hey."

Cameron looked left and right in confusion before meeting Camilla's gaze again. "...I'm sorry—what are you doing here again?"

"Well," Camilla answered, inspecting a nail, "our mutual friend 'Big Z' told me to swing by and see what I'll be dealing with in my mandated counseling sessions."

"Oh. Well, I—"

"I don't really know why," Camilla went on, speaking as if Cameron hadn't said anything, "but I guess he wanted me to 'familiarize' myself with you." She scoffed and added, "Though, honestly, I don't see anything worth familiarizing myself with."

Cameron's expression turned incredulous at that. "I haven't even—"

"Also, just so you know," Camilla interrupted again, leaning forward and lowering her voice, "don't bother trying to 'read' me or 'change' me or do whatever weird s**t shrinks like you do. I'm only coming to the sessions because I have to, and when I'm done, I'm done. Got it?"

Her fear almost forgotten, Cameron pressed her lips together and nodded slowly. "Okay," she said simply. "Got it. But can I ask you one thing?"

"Sure. I mean, that's what you're here for, right?" Camilla gave Cameron a mean smile dripping with false innocence.

"It is," Cameron confirmed patiently. "But I'm wondering, Camilla... are you actually trying to graduate? Because I read your file, and I mean... you're 21 and still in high school." She chuckled as Camilla's expression slowly turned into a scowl. "That's not exactly the best situation to be in, is it? Unless you're just sticking around to exercise your... pedophilia."

Camilla's eyes widened with rage. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, didn't you know? Most of the people you sleep with now would be underage," Cameron informed her. "Unless you're only knocking up seniors, that is. It'd be a shame if Zechariah or I leaked that information to the Safe Haven Authority, wouldn't it?"

Camilla's jaw dropped. "Are—are you blackmailing me?"

"You can call it that. Or you can call it nothing at all and show up to our sessions ready to make progress. Otherwise... you might be spending the next fifteen years or so in a very uncomfortable cell."