Spades and Angels

Traitor

Lolita

The fortnight following my accident was difficult, but thanks to Mad's and the others' support I worked through it enough to shake off some of the depression I'd started falling into when my brain snapped from a buildup of trauma. Whilst it might not have solved the nightmares or the paranoia it screws my head back on straight enough that I can get back to helping people. Talking to my partner when that's all he'd asked for. Just that I talked to him. Something we do most nights, like we're two normal kids. Able to pretend our whole mess of Spade-Angel turf war and all that comes with it.

The others stick near me and I with them since we're all on edge. Especially with the Winter Formal dance coming up since we'd had no direct attempt to come back at us. The issues around the statue fire seem to have disappeared as if someone had used their credentials to hide it. Not that we knew why. Leaving us with more questions than answers.

"I just don't get why they'd stall the whole fire of the statute shit," Michael asks one time we're talking about it. Correction: they're talking about it while I train with Riv. The other girl's skill keeping me on my toes where we're training with ring daggers today. A favorite of hers I'm told besides a crossbow or standard gun. The way she handles them is familiar. "Careful Lo, on your left."

"Thanks," I pant as I roll to avoid the nearest dagger that misses my ear by inches, kneeling on the corner of the mat. "I don't know, keep us guessing maybe," I mumble as I focus and throw, hearing it hit the wall and cursing. "I don't know," I stop to take a drink check my hair's still out of my face and turn to my friend who frowns. "Keep us guessing when they'll get back at us for me.

"You? What did you do?" Michael sounds confused before I hold up my right wrist to show the Angels tattoo. "That? I mean it's a little extreme, don't you think? Hunted down for wanting out of a twisted shithole? I don't know Lo I see a correlation but not a definitive cause for a link."

Riv laughs from across the room before a dagger clips my arm and I turn to see her give me a sorry look. Luckily it had cut through the fabric of my clothes but not my skin, though the warning to keep on my toes was enough as I moved to try again. Coming closer but not hitting my target. Cursing under my breath I move a little to the left and try again, hearing when I hit something else. A little closer to my intended target but did not hit her, hearing her call back to Michael instead. Carrying on the conversation.

"It does and doesn't make a link," Riv calls and I see our friend give her an odd look when she pops out from around a corner. Narrowly missed my next attempt. Cursing again I refocus and close my eyes, trying to track her movements like she's been showing me how to do. "It does and it doesn't since I think Lo's right. The lack of a direct attack possibly being a way to string us along. To trick us into complacency. As if they'd gone away but not forever. Just enough we'd think we had more time, relax vigilance and the BOOM!"

She claps her hands then and I throw without meaning to, the dagger sticking in the wall above her head. Stiffening once in shock I offer a contrite apologetic smile and she shrugs, turning to Michael again. Both he and I looked confused.

"Boom what Riv?"

"Boom we relax enough, think we have enough time and then close in for the kill. Possibly by taking Lo and or framing Mads. Maybe for trying to implicate one of the rest of you in something or take another of us out." She throws another dagger up and down, somehow always catching it by the handle and never the blade, before throwing it. Missing me again by mere inches. "Thinking we have enough time to solve it if we slow down before closing in on me and Lo."

"Taking out the traitors, sure that hold water," I mumble, throwing once when Riv's off guard and hitting her the way she did me, smiling when I realise I have. Something she smiles at. Both of us are done for now. "Taking out traitors would hold water with the Spades' way of retaliation; it's the method I don't get. Not this time." I give Riv a look hoping she'll have a fresh insight but she just sighs and shrugs. "Nothing?"