Evolution

Chapter Twenty Six: Caught

"Well this is a nice surprise" He spoke, unfazed by our threatening entrance

Jesse and I remained in place, ready to fire our weapons at any moment

"What are you doing here Jess?" Arden continued, urging his two sidekicks to lower their guns with a nod

Jesse shook his head "You chose the wrong side"

"Did I?" He quirked an eyebrow casually moving closer to us "Or did you?"

My grip tightened, my stance ready

"Shaun is power hungry, you are nothing but a tool to him" Jesse spoke, calm but firm "Are you aware of what he's doing?"

Arden shrugged "You were once a tool, you belonged to me, now look at you, and yes, I'm aware. Sometimes sacrifices need to be made" He said, almost proud
He took another step closer, in which I became nervous of
"Keep back" I demanded

Suddenly, his eyes were on me, studying me up and down "I really underestimated you" He began "You're a brave girl, too brave" His smile quickly dropped, his eyes hungry on me

"No" I shook my head slightly "Brave entitles one who takes risks lightly, I do not take risks lightly" I informed him

Arden's gaze averted to Jesse "Smart too" He added "Just as smart as you maybe" He mused with narrow eyes

Gunfire exploded from the other side of the wall, shouts erupting causing me to flinch. Jeremy and Jacob also flinched, or, more like jumped. Arden however, barely moved, his eyes held firmly on Jesse and I in front of him

"You brought friends" Arden smiled "Your friends will die"

"And so will you" I snapped bringing his gaze back

He gave a sigh "What's holding you back? Do it" He half laughed, holding his open hands outwards in surrender.
I shifted a little.
What was holding me back?

My hesitance pleased him, his smile extending wide "You won't kill me" He told me confidently "And neither will you" He looked towards Jesse

"No?" Jesse tested, his gun straight, his finger on the trigger, steady

Arden shook his head "No" He repeated "Because if you pull that trigger, Jacob here" He nodded to his friend "He will shoot her right between the eyes" He threatened Jesse, looking at me as he pointed to the middle of my head, squinting

Jesse's jaw twitched, easily noticeable from the corner of my eye. I couldn't believe that this was Arden, the same Arden I knew only a week ago. I hadn't known him well, yet I hadn't ever imagined him to be on the opposite end of my weapon, threatening me with brute force. I couldn't imagine how Jesse may have felt.

"It doesn't matter if I die" I told Arden "People die every second, I'm no less important to this world as much as you are"

He continued to smile "It's not always about being important to the world, but you can be important to just one other single person" He responded

My eyebrows crossed, confused "What are you talking about?"

"I heard about what happened in the boiler room" He sighed, signalling between Jesse and I with his hand "You see Jesse here, he's like a piece of gum, the moment it catches your shoe, it's stuck, and it quickly becomes completely attached"

My head was spinning, and I wasn't sure if it was because of my high blood pressure, the slowing gunfire from the other side of the wall, or his cryptic sentences

"You've lost your mind" I told him, impatient

Arden allowed a small chuckle out; amused as he stared at me "I could smell the sexual tension the moment you were introduced to him"