Starting Over Anderson || ✔

Twenty-five: the Fall

*** read at own risk, not edited ***

"Princess, wake up, they're here."

I shoot up straight, two words ringing in my ear. They're here.

"Five miles," Noah announces, staring at the heat detector slash clock. He has it removed from the kitchen wall and is now holding it in his hands like his life depends on it, which isn't so far away from the truth.

"Say what?" I don't get what he's saying at first.

"It's Kingsley, Princess," Aaron elaborates, tossing me a backpack. It looks suspiciously like the bag I used in the Sim. I catch it without missing a beat. "He's with his henchman and they're less than five miles out."

My eyes bulge. "Wha - what?"

"I'll tell you what," Noah says stoically. "Why don't you be a dear and hit the back room, Princess."

"What for?" I want to know.

"To keep you safe. Now go," Aaron shoves me behind him as Noah reminds us that we have less than three minutes left. Aaron stares at me dead in the eye, emotions running rampant. "Remember to stay in the back room, okay? And keep it locked. I love you."

Why does it sound so much like goodbye? I catch a last glimpse of them, the most unusual team I have ever seen - a Kingsley and a Hood - before Aaron locks me up and pockets the key. They're both wearing combat attire, Aaron even having on a bulletproof vest for good measure.

If you think that I'm surrendering to confinement while the boys have all the fun, you don't know me at all. The locked door is not a problem. I'm Jenna Maxson Hood afterall.

Conveniently, the back room is compromised to become an armory. Perfect. I choose a gun from Noah's complete set ranging from hand guns to sniper guns. I select a XM, my favorite kind of sniper gun. I load the pocket of my jacket with a few knives and daggers, you know, just in case. You'd never know when they'd come in handy.

The door to the rest of the interior of the hut might be locked from the other side (with no key hole on my side - Aaron made sure of it so that I couldn't pick the lock without a key hole) but I have free reign over the door opening to the backyard. It's locked with a padlock but I pick it in three seconds flat with the bobby pins I unpin from my hair. The back door swings open with a creak and I'm met with nothing but more vegetation. Perks of being light and small, I'm able to scale the tree closest to the hut quickly and easily. When I'm high up enough, I find a comfortable spot and set up the XM.

My heart almost stop as my eyes train on the black Cadillac looming closer to where we are. Just as it pulls to a stop with a loud screech of the tires, Noah and Aaron tumble out of the hut. I have perfect view of everything from up here, and I'm almost completely hidden from sight. That gives me an advantage.

Noah and Aaron look so relaxed, I don't notice anything wrong at first. But then again, my eyesight are trained to catch every single detail, that's why I don't miss the little push that Noah gives Aaron, hustling him out of the hut. I don't miss how Aaron's arms are bound at his back with ropes. I don't miss the smug, triumphant smirk on Noah's face as Kane Kingsley and another pale blonde guy step out of the Cadillac, wearing formal suit and tie. I don't miss the nod of approval Kingsley sends at his son.

It doesn't take long for me to piece it all together, to realize what's going on.

Noah sold us out.

"Hey dad," the betrayer begins, full of respect. By this time, I don't know who to aim my XM at - the father or the son.

Kane Kingsley barely acknowledges Noah, his eyes never leaving Aaron's face. I wonder what Aaron is feeling. He doesn't look angry. There is no trace of fury in his eyes, unlike me. In fact, if there's an adjective to describe him now, it would be disappointed. I guess I'm right to be angry, at Noah and at myself. I trusted the wrong guy, and now Aaron will have to pay the price of my blunder. I aim the XM at Kane, tempted to press down on the trigger and end things at once. No, I tell myself. I need to wait for the timing.

"The sooner we get it over with, the better," Aaron snarls at Kingsley. All the Kingsleys.

"Alright then," one side of Kane's face twists into a haunting smile. It's the first time I'm seeing him in real life and I can't help noting the shocking accuracy of the resemblance between the Sim version and the one standing a few feet away from underneath my tree. "Any last words, Hood? Before you join your brother and your father and all your family who walked the Earth before you, only to be killed by a Kingsley?"

Aaron's lip curls when he mentions Brooke. His glare hardens but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he spits on Kingsley's black polished shoes to make a point.

"You had your chance." Kane waves an arm at the pale blonde guy to take Aaron.

And then everything happens so fast my head whirls.

My finger pulls down on the trigger like it has a mind of its own, sending a bullet straight at Kane's heart. At the same time, Aaron's tied hands miraculously become unbound and he throws a punch at the pale blond as Noah aims a hand gun at him. No, not Aaron, the pale blond. I come to a conclusion that it's their plan all along, to pretend that Noah is on Kane's side so that they have the element of surprise. I fire off two more bullets, both hitting Kane square in the chest. You know, just in case. Aaron turns to my direction in alarm, seeing how Kane falls to his feet, blood gushing out by the gallons.

"Jenna!" he screams my name. I frown, why does he seem so afraid, now that we've won? "Jenna get down!"

My eyes widen in realization. I turn around, but it's too late. I feel the bullet lodge itself into my left shoulder and I lose my balance.

I topple off the tree, ten feet high, falling to my death for the second time in my miserable existence.

Only this time, there's no one to save me.

They say your life flashes before you when you're dying. They're not kidding, it happens. But I'm surprised that I only see the good parts. For a fraction, I forget that Isa and Brian are dead. I forget about Rach's back-stab.I forget about my mother's hatred and anger. I forget about the Kingsleys.

I only see myself, when I was three, piggyback riding my father. We were a family. I see myself, a young child, running around central park with Keith and Rach. We were the bestest friends ever. I see myself, a teen, meeting Call and Sam in the garage for the first time. Fluffy Clouds. I see myself, three years ago, finding Aaron and the Hood. My new family. I see myself, here in Anderson, becoming friends with Erin, Isaac, their squad, and Chris.

Chris. His face is the last thing I see before darkness consumes me.