FORSAKEN CHILDREN

CHAPTER 3

    It was with both hands formed into a pistol shape that Rachel pointed at the newcomer. Beside her, a young man mimicked a walkie-talkie at his mouth.

"Who goes there? Intruder, I repeat, intruder."

"Good grief, she's armed, what do we do?" Alexandra played along.

"But, but it's your bow, Captain, isn't it?"

Yes, the same bow she had crafted for hours. After destroying three others before it.

"Damn, I thought it was incredible!"

At the entrance of the refuge, Alexandra tilted her head to the side as she approached them. She toyed with the string of the bow protruding from her back. What class that bow had, and she wasn't saying that just because her signature was on it...

"I knew I shouldn't have come back, I couldn't remember why... Thankfully, you're here to refresh my memory."

She was kidding, right?

"Did you see this ingratitude, Lieutenant?" Rachel exclaimed, blowing a strand of hair that had escaped from her light mullet, the roots of its natural color probably becoming visible from all the regrowth.

"Wait, why am I the Lieutenant?" grimaced her friend, who didn't fare any better with his curly, equally disheveled hair.

"Since when can you tell the difference between a lieutenant and a captain?" Alexandra mocked, as usual.

They both rolled their eyes, or at least to the rock ceiling, pondering... She had a point.

"Oh oh ohhh, how I've missed you!" Pierce enveloped her immediately, spinning her around in the air.

Did she look like that too when he spun her? The horror, that kind of thing didn't seem consensual at all, in fact!

Then Rachel's blood boiled at the sound of a discussion.

"Remind me why it's one of theirs accompanying you on expeditions?" Hector quipped, hands in his pockets.

"Because she's the Director's favorite?" Rosalynd's rhetorical question stung.

The jerk. Did he think he had the skills to replace his friend maybe? Rachel knew, she had the skills, but not the temperament. Although it killed her to admit it, she wouldn't have lasted long with a Camil as annoying on an expedition. Besides, it was a recurring thing, tasked with socializing with the other Lost Refuge she didn't know where in the cold. No, she preferred to sacrifice her friend to this task.

Rosalynd withdrew from Camil's embrace, although she still held onto him. All three of them stared at Rachel, who didn't break eye contact. Were they intentionally being so indiscreet? And since when could she be tactile with people, this socially anxious wreck?

So, with politeness, they received a splendid middle finger from Rachel.

"And remind me how that one can be your twin?" Hector asked with his strong English accent. Why did he have to emphasize the words like that? Accept living in America.

"As mysterious as the Bermuda Triangle," Camil replied.

Camil slapped his shoulder. Seriously, he should stay quiet instead of launching into sketches. They were already descending the steps to reach the main temple when Rachel was interrupted in her pursuit by Pierce's strong arm around her shoulders. He had stooped down to her level to press his cheek against hers. She then tried to push him away with one hand.

She hated it when he was so syrupy just to prevent her from murdering someone.

Alexandra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She began her walk to follow the trio of idiots.