𝗦 𝗜 𝗟 𝗩 𝗘 𝗥

𝟮𝟯 | "This is insane."

a/n: I love me some good flashback chapters. also what is everyone doing while reading this, I'm eating chicken.

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You see: this situation that Jada's in isn't the first time she's been shot because she wasn't paying attention. It's happened very few times before so not as often as you would think.

One of the worst times was with Julian.

To be honest, Julian wasn't always like this. He wasn't always lewd, and cruel, and burning down villages.

No, he used to be much better. It was a long long time ago, sure, but it was a part of him that only the angels could see. Or Jada could see.

6 years ago, February 12 2014
Location - Unknown, Warehouse

The air is thick with tension as the soon-to-be turning sixteen year old Jada crouches in the shadows of the abandoned warehouse, her senses heightened. Her heart pounds in her chest, a rhythm that matches the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Or the subtle fear through her veins, it's one of the two.

She glances at Julian, who stands a few feet away, scanning the dimly lit room with watchful eyes. At seventeen, he's much taller and has a certain charm to him that both infuriates and captivates her.

"We've done worse," Julian mutters, his voice low, breaking the silence. His hands rest casually on the weapons at his hips, but Jada knows he's ready to jump into action at any moment.

"Sure, but that doesn't mean I want to die today," she shoots back, rolling her eyes. She may be a skilled fighter, but there's a weight to this mission that makes her pulse quicken for all the wrong reasons. Shit man, she might mess this all up.

"Relax, Red," Julian says, a teasing smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You'll survive this, I promise."

If his words are meant to comfort her, they don't. They just heighten her anxiety. They're here on a mission to infiltrate a hidden facility rumored to house dangerous experiments. They don't know what they'll face inside, but she can already feel the shadows of doubt creeping in.

With a swift motion, Jada unclips her weapon, feeling its reassuring weight in her hand. She takes a deep breath, grounding herself. This is what they trained for. This is what she is good at.

"Let's get this over with," she says, stepping forward, her instincts kicking into high gear.

They move through the warehouse, their footsteps silent against the concrete floor. Every shadow feels like an enemy waiting to strike, and the dim light barely penetrates the oppressive darkness. Jada leads the way, her sharp gaze scanning for any sign of movement. She can't shake the feeling that they're being watched.

Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps echoes from a side room, and Jada gestures for Julian to stop. They crouch low behind a stack of crates, the tension palpable between them.

"Three guards," he whispers, and Jada nods, her mind racing as she formulates a plan. They've faced worse odds before, but something about this feels different.

"On my mark," she says, adrenaline igniting her senses. "We take them down quietly."

Julian nods, his expression serious for once. She can see the determination in his eyes —the same fire that drives her forward, the same fire that keeps her from giving in to fear.

With a silent count of three, they spring into action. Jada launches herself at the nearest guard. She catches him off guard, delivering a swift kick to his midsection that sends him crashing to the ground.