Chapter 1: Hunter
Josephine always said that they best way to judge somebody was by the way they play sports. It reveals their true nature, apparently. If they are shy with people, but aggressive in sports, then they are going to be the better ones in a fight. Sports bring out the competitiveness in people, the same way fights do. But if a person is outgoing in real life, but shy in sports, then they are probably not going to be the best in fights. They are going to be terrified out of their minds.
It seems Josephine was right. The girl I have been watching the past few weeks isn't what you would call outgoing. She sits by herself on the bench, isolated from the others. After the games, she walks to the bus that will take her back to the boarding school alone, with her head down and shoulders slumped. But in the games, she's fearless. She is always going up for the rebounds, tiny as she is, and shouldering the bigger girls out of the way. She is always going up and taking the risky shots nobody else would dare, and most of the time, she makes them. And I have seen her play softball, too. She's patient batting. She will never swing at wild pitches, but she will never let a good pitch go by. The skills like that add more proof that she's one of us, that she is an Unknown.
Alex has had me keeping an eye on her the past month or so. He likes to make sure that people are really like us before he brings him in. This is how we check possibilities out, we watch sports games. Her report shows she's been to over 4 different foster homes and 3 different boarding schools in the past year. But we won't known until we bring her in, and Alex wants her home ASAP. He says "we have enough evidence".
The game ends. I should do this now or I will have to wait for her next game. I take a deep breath. She isn't the first one I have brought in, but Alex thinks she might be the most important, though we won't tell me why. If she really is important, I have no idea why he would send me to get her. He must think I'm ready for it.
I step out from the shadows by the bleachers and catch her eye. They widen almost imperceptibly. I know she recognizes me; the past few games I have made sure to cross paths with her, or bump into her, anything to get her to notice me. I jerk my chin towards the back door. I see she can understands. With one last glance over her shoulder at her teammates, who are laughing and giggling behind her, she shifts her bag over her shoulder and raises her chin defiantly.
I walk out and wait for her, leaning up against the side of the brick building. She exits a few moments later and looks around before finally spotting me. She takes a few hesitant steps towards me. Her brown hair is plastered to her forehead with sweat from her game and her hands are shaking, so she crosses them across her chest to hide the trembles. I am honestly a little surprised she came this far. Most people refuse, and then we have to send the Minders out to get them. And I know tend to be intimidating. With my dark hair, dark eyes, tan skin, and dark clothes, most people tend to take one look at me and run the otter way. I don't blame them.
"If this is the part where you try to tempt me with candy and convince me to climb into the white van, then sorry, you're going to be highly disappointed." Her voice comes out low and snarky.
Despite myself, I nearly laugh. So this was how it was going to be. "Makenna Larkspur," I say, her first and middle name rolling off my tongue.
She stiffens. "Kenna. Just Kenna. And how do you know my name anyway?"
I smirk. "I know a lot of things about you, if you would care to listen."
"And how do I know I can trust you?"
She was a full head shorter than my 5'11 frame. I bent down so I was eye-level. "That's the thing. You don't." Her green eyes widened again, though she tried to look brave, I could see the fear and panic that sparked there. Forest green. Like Aaliyah's... I could still see her with those eyes, crying my name...
I straightened. "You sure they won't miss you?" I asked, gesturing to the yellow school bus and the girls loading onto in.
"No," Kenna replied, not even glancing behind her to check who I was talking about.
"Good." I turned my back and made a follow-me gesture over my shoulder to her. "Then come with me."
