nightrunners

xxxiii.

A deer in headlights was a good way to describe the girl. Her feet frozen to the ground, eyes wide and body trembling. She slowly tucked the pistol in her waistband and lifted her free hand to shield her eyes from the van's headlights.

"Tell him to come out," JJ shouted to the girl.

Cassiopeia leaned against the railing, her body unable to stop shaking. She wasn't sure if that was because she was scared out of her fucking mind or that the adrenaline rush from being shot in the foot was dying down.

She felt JJ's eyes land on her foot.

"Did he shoot you?" He yelled angrily.

Cassiopeia shook her head with as much as force as she could.

"He's not here," She mumbled.

"Huh?" JJ waltzed up to her porch steps, a gun visible in his waistband.

"He's not here," Cassiopeia repeated quietly, her knuckles turning white from how hard she was gripping on the railing.

"Can I see your foot?" JJ doesn't wait for an answer. He scrambled up the steps, but Cassiopeia reached behind her, pulling the small pistol out on him.

"Stay away from me," She breathed, making eye contact with the boy.

He looked tired, drained even. The color had left his face and the once baby blue eyes were swallowed up by a dim gray.

"You're hurt, and bleeding profusely," JJ objected, reaching out to touch her bloody foot.

Cassiopeia took a step backwards, nearly falling in the process. Her gun remained pointed on him.

"Touch me and I'll shoot you."

JJ chuckled and put his hands up in the air as a defense, stepping back onto the ground.

"Right, I forgot you aren't Cassiopeia anymore, just another Rafe clone."

Cassiopeia's cheeks swelled in embarrassment, her extended arm shaking violently.

"You don't even know how to shoot," JJ laughed, joining John B's side.

Cassiopeia bit down on her lip hard, immediately tasting blood. She was attempting to hold back any obscenity that was ready to roll of her tongue, and she was doing a poor job of it.

"Cassi," John B's voice echoed, making her point the gun at him instantly.

"Put the gun down," He held up his hands, "We aren't here for you, we aren't going to hurt you."

Cassiopeia shook her head rapidly, "Doesn't matter," She winced in pain, putting all of her weight on her woundless foot.

"You're here to hurt him."

Sarah stepped forward then. The once smiling girl had her lips turned into a frown.

"Just tell us where he is," She spoke rather calmly given the extreme circumstances.

"You're joking," Cassiopeia spat, unable to stand on one foot anymore, she leaned against the house.

"We don't have time for games," Sarah said bluntly, "Quit fucking with us."

"Me?" Cassiopeia nearly choked as she heard the girl's response, "All of you, you all knew what happened to my brother, and did absolutely nothing!"

The group of Pogues stood there, blinking at her awkwardly.

"Cassiopeia, they didn't-."

"Shut it JJ," The girl spat, "Rafe told me, Sarah was there that day when he found out. What, am I some running joke to you all?"