Arcane Sequence: 1994: Never Stop Running... (WLW)

Chapter Ten: Just Outside of Brunswick, Georgia, June 23rd, 1994

This chapter contains dark themes.

Berry checked her Smith & Wesson Sigma she'd received as a late gift the year prior, detaching the magazine and sighing as she thought of its origin. She received it when she was promoted to being a lieutenant at the behest of her father. A request he made toward Sergeant Mitchell about three months before his demise. Just as he'd done when she graduated the academy, he'd wanted to gift her with a pistol of her choosing the day of her promotion, yet hadn't lived that long. Her pseudo uncle was forced to do it in his stead. Still, knowing it was something her father desired made the piece her most valued and she would make damn sure she put it to good use. Just as she had the other he'd given her.

She checked her bullets and held out her hand across the backseat of the sedan toward Kirah, saying, "I need four more."

She counted four bullets from the small box in her hands and gave them to Berry, watching her every move. "Show me how you make that piece come out again, please?"

"Sure." Berry grinned at her and ejected the mag with a rapt audience, then glanced over at her once more. Kirah nodded and watched as she loaded the remaining three bullets into the magazine in reverent silence. She slid it back into its resting place and made sure it was cocked before putting it back into her shoulder holster. She pulled her newer gun from her other side and nodded toward her rucksack on the floor next to Kirah's feet. "Now I need nine of the ten mill autos in the other box."

"Do you have more than that?" Ethan asked from the driver's seat as he munched on his fries with one hand and steered the wheel with his other. He nodded to the side and cleared his throat after swallowing. "Saul, take my pistol and hand it back to hoss."

Berry noticed Kirah snickering as Saul stuffed his burger into his mouth and unsuccessfully yanked on Ethan's gun. "Mphm didge cmm off!"

"What was that? All I could make out was off." Ethan replied and Saul narrowed his gaze at him. Ethan had that specially made holster only he could disengage with ease and snorted over at Saul as he did just that with very nimble fingers so quickly Berry couldn't tell just how he unlocked it. It was for the better. Having a trump card up his sleeve would most likely help the rookie more than he, or even the more seasoned of them realized. "Is that what you needed?"

Saul took the weapon and turned it over in his hands, holding out the handle toward Berry. As she took it, she smirked and shook her head. She was happy that at least they could somewhat relax, but truth be told, even after her glorious morning with Kirah she hadn't been able to calm her nerves. Berry just had the sensation that something was coming. She wasn't sure of its origin or when it would happen, but she was on alert and would be for the remainder of their endeavor.

"Is that the same gun?" Kirah asked, breaking through her thoughts.

"Yeah. This one was the sergeant's. He and I had matching weapons and I wanted the rookie to have it." Upon her last word, Berry peered up from the pistol toward Kirah to find an expression full of care staring back at her. Kirah rested her hand atop hers, working the weapon from it and placing the box of bullets on the middle seat. She lifted her eyebrows and expectantly gazed down at Berry's other hand still holding her own pistol. "You want to do it yourself?"

"Yeah, I think I should know how. Just in case, right?"

As wary of the circumstances that would surround Kirah needing to carry a gun, much less fire it made her, Berry nodded. She began showing her just all she needed to know in order to defend herself if the time did truly come, despite willing it to remain far and away from the people dearest in her life.

"Do you think...Tina is alright with Ethan's mother?" Kirah asked with a saddened face.

Berry cupped her cheek, then leaned in to kiss it. "She'll be back with you soon and will be just fine."