𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡

𝟑𝟓 | 𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐩, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐬

... THE PRESENT ...

We were on our way from the armory when I noticed the dark car that has been with us for too long. It was becoming suspicious to me.

"They're watching us," I told my friend, no matter how much panic I might have caused him.

"What do you mean they are watching us?" Otto muttered, crumpling in his place. After he heard my words, he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"I'm sure you know how," I said. What else will affect us before we reach the Mine? How many times will I endanger not only my life but Otto's as well?

Otto ignored my answer and my rude tone.

"I don't understand how it is possible that they found us. We got rid of the tracking device and we even had a good lead," he said agitatedly, then paused. At that moment, the same thought came to his mind as I did. "Is that Leo's car?"

I turned my head slightly, looking back in the rearview mirror. I wanted it to be him. I wanted he would make us stop, made us come out, then apologize for acting like an idiot, and tell us he wants to help. But deep inside me, a common sense was yelling at my heart. He reminded me that it was absurd and stupid. With my imagination and ideas, I only gave myself false hope.

"It's not," I commented as disappointed as Otto. Apparently, he, too, wanted the same thing. Leo wasn't twice friendly to both of us, but it was still a better option than being chased by some assassins.

Curious, I stuck my head out of the half-open window like a dog.

"At least they're not attacking us," Otto said, which he probably shouldn't have done. The moment he finished his sentence, the fire broke out behind us. I just managed to avoid the three-pointed bullet that hit back instead of me. "Or not," he added, shifting into gear. He was going fast, but not fast enough for us to escape the shooting.

And that needed to change.

"They must be really stupid when they shoot at us, even though we only left the armory half an hour ago," I said, pulling an M249 from my bag. It was charged and unlocked, ready for one thing only – to shoot down enemies.

I leaned out of the window again, ignoring Otto's: "Are you crazy?"

I aimed mainly at the wheels, but it was not easy to hit something, as Otto moved the car from side to side. Someone should explain to him that this was not a video game.

"Shit!" I swore as I managed to shoot at the road several times in a row. I didn't like wasting bullets, even now, when I had a bag full of them.

Otto somehow felt that I wasn't thrilled with his driving skills.

"I'm doing what I can," he shouted apologetically, trying to drown out the noisy bullets. "I really don't want to be shot, Ria," he said as I put the new bullets into the gun. The road ahead was straight and empty. It was just us, them and...