Starstreak

Aftermath

I waited until all the cop cars had pulled away and were out of sight. Once I couldn't see the flashing lights anymore, I let out a sigh of relief. I pulled off the hood and mask and sucked in the fresh air of the night. 

Then I called out into the darkness. "They're gone. You can come out now." 

Jordin stepped out of a shadowy patch of overgrown bushes. "I was kind of hoping you'd kill him." 

"That makes 2 of us," I replied. 

Just then, Alex came running out of the brush with Zara just behind him. Alex reached me first. He wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me off my feet. He twirled me around in the air before setting back on the ground but didn't let go of me. "You are the craziest girl I have ever met," he exclaimed.

I laughed. "I'm probably the only girl in Jewel with a maniacal father."

"That, too," he said, grinning.

He pulled me close to his chest, and I let the warmth of his body flood through and fill me. We stayed like that for a minute before I pulled away and was almost immediately crushed by Zara.

"That was completely insane!" she shrieked.

"Zara? Can I breathe now?" I gasped. Zara waited a few more seconds before finally releasing me.

"Por favor, prométeme que la próxima vez que hagas esto, no me llevarás contigo," she said. Please, promise me that the next time you do this, you don't bring me with you.

"Por supuesto," I answered. Of course. I gave her another hug.

"Starstreak, huh?"

Alex's voice took me by surprise. I pulled away from Zara to face him. "Yeah, what about it?"

"So which one is it, Raven or Starstreak?" he said.

"Raven. Starstreak is just a codename," I answered then added playfully, "Do you really think I would give some random idiot my real name?"

He chuckled. "I guess not."

I looked at Jordin, who'd been quiet the whole time. He was still trying to slow the bleeding from the bullet wound in his shoulder. My smile faded. "You need help?" I asked.

"No," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right." I pulled out the knife and held it up.

Jordin took one look at it and said, "No. Absolutely not. No. I'm already going to have one scar from that thing."

I rested my fists on my hips. "Jordin, it'll be fine. How do you think I got that bullet out of my arm?"

Jordin scowled and subsided. "Fine," he said, "but make it quick."

I eased the dagger into the wound and felt Jordin wince in pain. I felt around in it as gently as I could until it hit something solid, not bone though. I angled the dagger underneath it and levered it out. The bullet fell into my hand. It was still bloody, but the wound was beginning to heal. Like it had with me, the blood slowed until it had completely stopped. The skin began to heal over until all that was left was a barely noticeable scar.

Jordin stared at it. "What the-?" he began.

"Before you ask, I don't know," I said, cutting him off. I slipped the dagger into its sheath and did not intend to take it out for the rest of the night. My costume disappeared along with it.

Out of nowhere, Zara said, "I want to see what we can salvage from that computer. I'd like to tinker with it."

"Help yourself. No one will care," said Jordin.