The Blonde Bowstring: Steelgray's Story

14

Tim had left because Nelson had called, leaving Nicole in the discomfort of the early morning, so she'd gone to bed at around seven a.m.

"Up and at 'em, Nini!" Jillian said using her 'mom voice'. She'd swung open Nicole's bedroom door but was shocked to see an empty bed. She was shocked even more to see the bed was made since Nicole never let Anya into her room.

"What was that?" the little blonde asked, coming out of her bathroom. She was already fully dressed and was now curling her shiny hair.

"Oh," Jillian said shortly. "Well. Good. I'm glad you're-"

Nicole waited patiently for a proper clause to leave her mother's mouth.

"That's good. You just keep on getting ready."

Nicole chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Alright, mom."

Jillian left the room a second later.

What the older woman didn't know was how easily Nicole could tell she was coming upstairs. She was getting used to being back home. But still, any footsteps sneaking up on her instantly had her alert. She was truthfully still half-asleep, but she'd been smart enough to lay out an outfit before taking her nap.

Nicole let out a breath and looked at herself. Raising an eyebrow, she realized that she was wearing her dress backwards.

<20>

She would yell at him, but he wasn't her son. Instead, she had no other choice but to fight on his side again.

The blonde sent a powerful arrow at the man who couldn't fully conceal himself as he ran to another tree in the forest. She took the opportunity to sprint over to the Skenz Brothers and propped up on one knee while keeping her head down.

"Ghost, you fucking idiot," she said out of breath. She looked down at the silent brother and took him in.

His left hand was pressed against Harris's side as an arrow stuck out from his middle and forefinger. He was almost using the entire length of his body, resting his back on Harris's propped-up leg, as he held the trigger of his M4 in his other hand.

"How is he?" Nicole asked, moving her bow around as she searched the brush behind them.

"I have an arrow skewered in my ribs, so I'm not doing well."

Nicole rolled her eyes at the response. Well, guess what? She hadn't been asking him.

<20>

"Nicole, what happened to you last night?" Rush asked with his hand on the small of her back. He walked her to her car and opened the passenger door.

"Rush, I'm sorry. It all just happened so fast."

"What happened?" He asked with a clenched jaw and cocked his eyebrow.

"I got the attention of a guy last night because I thought he might've been Alino-"

"What? Trickshot- Trickshot doesn't go to things like this." Oh great. Nicole inwardly rolled her eyes. All the bad guys were getting names now. "Didn't you hear me when I said he pushed me onto a landmine? Don't you think that would lead to never showing your face in public again?"

Now that Nicole thought about it, she felt stupid for last night. Rush didn't have to know that though. It made sense; Rush was a local military hero, so obviously, Alino would be the villain. "Hey, you asked for my help. That's the best I could do with the setting I was in. And for your information, it wasn't him."

"No! Really?" Rush taunted, Nicole blinked a couple times before finally shaking her head and sitting in the passenger seat.

"Hello, Rush."