My Ammunition

Chapter 6

Cooper hung up and the car was quiet once again.

"What's happening?" Ariella quietly said and Cooper glanced at her side profile.

He didn't say anything and kept driving. Ariella didn't want to test his temper so kept her mouth shut until they reached Cooper's grandpa's house.

"So..." Ariella began but was cut off by Cooper slamming his car door shut and going around the front to get Ariella's door.

"At least you haven't forgotten your manners." Ariella snorted and walked briskly towards the door. She soon heard the car door shut and footsteps behind her. She knocked on the door, at this point not caring about anything but finding out why she was the person Cooper's grandpa was looking for. 

A short old man with a cigar in his mouth opened the door and let her in. No words were exchanged. The air in the room was dense as she sat down on the small couch closest to the door in case she needed to run. Safety first.

"You're sure this is her?" the grandpa asked skeptically and Cooper nodded and handed the box to his grandpa.

The grandpa put a small stack of papers on top of the coffee table and carefully slid it towards Ariella. Not a word to her.

"Good job Coop. Peridot girl... she doesn't look it." he said again, doubt in his voice.

"I'm right here. You can talk to me personally." Ariella said a bit harshly and the grandpa took the cigar from in between his teeth and smiled.

"I stand corrected. This IS her." he said and took the cigar back into his mouth. 

Still no explanation as to what Ariella was here for. She reached for the papers and Cooper sat next to her and leaned into her to see what was on the paper. Ariella felt herself tense up and felt her ears heat up at the close proximity of Cooper's body to hers.

Ariella's eyes skimmed the paper.

"A contract?" she murmured as Cooper read the contract as well.

"Oh my god." Ariella said as she moved onto the next page, handing the first to Cooper so that he could finish reading it.

"What the hell does all of this even mean..." Ariella's voice said, fading off.

"So I'm the one that's supposed to...?" Ariella looked at Cooper's grandpa in the eyes. He nodded.

"I don't know if I can do this." she said and looked over at Cooper.

"You put in my true identity." Cooper said, slightly irritated.

'The so-called Peridot girl, or the one who recognizes the birth stone and has a connection shall be protected by the Black Hood organization including Cooper Howen, Brandon Tyler, Luke Fitz, and Michael Montgomez. The reason of protection being that she is now targeted for her wealth and social status. She will have to cooperate with the Black Hood completely and is in charge of protecting the stone.'

"Wait a second. 'Wealth and social status'...? I'm not rich and I'm of average social status what does all of this mean? Why do I have to be protected? Why is this stone so important? And Cooper, what the fuck? You're in a gang?" there were so many things rushing through her brain.

"Slow down, shut up, and let us explain." Cooper said as he tried to calm Ariella's rising tone.

Ariella abruptly stood up and walked towards the door.

"No. I'll be in the car. Waiting for you to drive me HOME." she said and opened the door and walked out, bumping into a stranger.

"Sorry." she mumbled, not even looking at the person's face before walking away.

"Woah, wait." the voice said and ran after her.

Ariella looked at the guy who ran in front of her and stopped walking. She looked up at him and took in his features. Damn.

Tall, brown hair, hazel eyes, lip ring, pierced ears. Awkward air about him, fidgety fingers, white t shirt with a flannel. They were matching clothes.

"Nice flannel." Ariella said and he unconciously touched his top.

"Thanks, you too. Luke, by the way." he said and put his hand out which Ariella gladly took and shook.

"Who's the pretty lady?" a voice yelled and another boy with dirty blond hair, grey eyes, and a black t shirt and jeans on came running.

"Brandon." he said with a wink and Ariella began to recognize the names. They were in the contract.

"And you must be Michael." Ariella said to the last blond-haired blue-eyed boy that came over, hands in his pockets with a childish grin.

The guys looked at her with a confused look on their faces.

"Ariella. Aka 'Peridot girl'." she said and smiled at the three.

"Thank god you guys are here. This psycho won't sign the contract." she heard Cooper say behind her and she rolled her eyes.

"Maybe if all of this shit wasn't thrown in my face all of a sudden I would be a little bit calmer right now." Ariella said with a stressed tone and Luke put an arm around her shoulders. 

"Let's go talk in my truck, if that's okay?" he asked and Ariella glanced over at Cooper, who seemed to be fuming.

"You mean your pickup truck?" she asked, looking at Luke. He nodded. She smiled.

"I love guys with pickup trucks." she said and gladly walked off with Luke.

She got into the pickup truck with Luke and watched as Michael, Brandon, and Cooper talked, Cooper's anger evident in his arm movements.

"I know this is all kind of sudden for you. It was sudden for me when I got the phone call." Luke began and Ariella took her eyes off Cooper and tuned in.

"Basically, the peridot stone was found when me and the guys were in this abandoned house. We heard a wealthy family lived there and we wanted to explore. We were curious. You know what they say; 'curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back.' and our group was falling apart. We weren't talking as much anymore, we didn't enjoy each other's company, it just wasn't going well. But we decided we would go into the house and we found the stone. We were all suddenly mesmerized by it. There was a small picture of a girl in the box with the stone. I think we all felt something when we saw the picture. We showed Coop's grandpa and he was hypnotized too. It had some sort of power. We let the box go after a while of trying to figure out who's it was and why it was so captivating. And when we ignored it, it was stolen. And that was when we knew the stone meant something, not only to us. And we've been trying to look for the girl and the stone for almost 4 years now." Luke explained occasionally looking back at the guys, who were still talking.

"And then Cooper did some stalking, if you will, and found you. He wasn't totally sure if you were the one but I think he felt something when he saw you, as did I." he added a wink in, although it was a little awkward but still adorable.

"Michael and Brandon were able to find out where the stone was." he continued and looked down at his hands.

"While all that was happening, I had some issues I needed to take care of with another organization or gang if that's what you want to call it. Almost got arrested but that's besides the point. Basically, the whole point was to get the stone and the girl and protect them both because there's someone or multiple people trying to get you. We don't know why. And I don't know about the other guys but I want to keep feeling this power and feeling you give us so I want to keep you around." he finished and gave Ariella a few minutes to take that all in. She was looking out of the windshield and playing with the leather on the seat.

She sighed before carefully opening her mouth and thinking about her selection of words.

"So basically, you guys are my 'bodyguards' and this stone means something to someone who has bad intentions and the stone and I are a package? Nothing magical, correct?" she said and Luke nodded.

"No magic, I promise. No deceiving. Only protection from the Black Hood." he said and looked at Ariella's side profile intently.

"Let me see that contract again."