My Covert Bodyguard

41: Gold in the Water

"Can everyone hear me?" Sandy asked through the comms, and we all nodded. I noticed everyone was coursing with adrenaline, bouncing and fidgeting with their weapons, despite showing such arrogance previously. Except for Leilani, who seemed completely unfazed as she stared out to the jungle.

"Where are we hiding the flag?" I asked, trying to grasp the situation.

"It really does't matter." Julianna said. 

I frowned. "Any tactics?"

"No. We'll just go out there and find their damn pole and get this over with."

I wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or not. "Seriously? No defense or anything?"

Niko seemed to finally lose his patience. "Did you not hear us before? They're team J. If you're so worried, you can stick around here and be our 'defense'." He made air quotes when he called me a defense, and I huffed as I tried not letting the words get to me.  Then there was a loud gun shot, and the four of them shot out in search of the flag.

I sat around awkwardly, my whole body alert for any sounds of rustling that would signify someone sneaking in to grab the flag. I heard gun shots and some soft grunts, but it was clear they were pretty far away. I momentarily fantasized about  someone from the opposing team approaching me, me shooting them and being the savior of the day.

But within a minute, Sandy's voice came from our comms saying where their pole was located, and Leilani's voice came almost immediately after that.

"Got it. I'm heading back." She said, and after ten seconds she emerged from the woods running unbelievably fast. She handed it to the referee who pushed a button to signal the game was over.

My entire team came out, unscathed and mildly satisfied, while the other team limped out with their heads hung low. I hadn't even noticed we—or rather, they—had gotten so many of them.

"Thanks for all your help, defense." Niko told me sarcastically, and I completely ignored him as I congratulated Leilani.

"You ran back so quickly. That was so impressive." I told her, being completely honest. I also really wanted to become friends with her, because though quiet, she had defended me and been seemingly kind to me.

"You'll get used to that about her. She's the quickest person here by far." Julianna told me, and I sensed a tinge of bitterness in her voice.

"Everyone calls her the Bullet." Sandy said as he looked at her with deep respect. I studied Sandy and I instantly knew he had a crush on her by the way he looked at her with admiration. 

"It's nothing." Leilani's words were dismissive, but she hid her face slightly as her cheeks grew rosy and a small smile plastered her face.

As we walked back to the main field where everyone was gathered, I walked behind everyone. Once Leilani noticed, she dropped back.

"I just wanted to say thank you." Leilani said in her soft, lucent voice.

I looked at her, confused. "What? If anything, I should be thanking you."

She shook her head. "No one's complimented me before."

"Wha, but—how?"

She shrugged. "I've always just been the freak, or not good enough for my family. And to be complimented by the heir of the Scarlett Legion is just—wow."

She and her family must be incredibly loyal to the Legion, as she thought so highly of me, and her excitement was pouring out of her mouth though she was someone who was otherwise always quiet. And I noticed how she called the Shadow Legion the Scarlett Legion—one of the first people I've heard call it that. I figured her ancestors were with the Legion when it was still using its original name, and that must have been a hell of a long time.