Vigilante: Book One

Gun Range

Jessica fired her pistol at the target and hit it center. She was always good at things normal girls were not good at. She was good at fighting. She got in a fight with a burly football player once in her high school and beat him in front of everyone. They thought he was just lousy and went easy, but in reality, her mother had made sure she could fight. She missed her mom. She died a while ago. She fired the gun again. Part of her always stayed with Jessica, they looked a bit alike.  Especially their hair. She didn't have a mix of hair color, just her mom's red hair. Jessica liked to think that she was honoring her mom by having a career in criminal justice. She liked to think that her mom would be proud of her for learning continuous ways to defend herself and others. She fired again. She could remember hearing the time about how she died. She hated to think about it, but she knew that the case she just did yesterday was going to remind her of her mother. She died in a car accident that took the life of the other driver and her mom. She fired the gun until it ran out. Her mom wouldn't be proud of her though, because she left her own law firm because the position of Assistant District Attorney came up. She left Maya Nettles to run Merritt and Nettles by herself. After she just opened it! She left her partner the second she had the chance, what did that say about her? Jessica reloaded her gun. Jessica was wondering where Lazarus was. Just the thought of him made her smile. She had been developing feelings for her best friend and she could only hope that he did as well. She didn't really have friends, per se. She had Jason, Lazarus, and a few work acquaintances. She could see Lazarus coming in the distance, she immediately turned her face from the pure smile and made it seem like she was annoyed he was late. 

"You're late." She said, placing her pistol down.  

"I had a really late night last night." He said. "So can I assume that you have a gun for me to use?" 

She remembered that he didn't have a gun. She handed him her pistol and they took turns shooting it. 

Lazarus aimed at the target and pulled the trigger. He wasn't prepared for the sound of the release. It made him think of the demons firing at him, and he hated it. The sound made him think of the shot that killed Jason. He felt rage. He put the gun down. 

"Hey Jess, I think I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick, ok?" He said, masking his rage with a mask of calm. 

"Ok, better hurry, or I'll use all the bullets!" She called after he walked off. 

Lazarus went in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He could see himself shaking, he splashed some cold water on his face from the sink. Then he saw him in the mirror. 

"Hey, Lazarus." Trevor said with his arms crossed. He was leaning on the wall. 

"Didn't know you had a gun, Trevor." Lazarus said, turning to face him.

"There's a lot about me you don't know about me," He said moving towards him. "So, are you hear with a special someone? I'm not gonna lie, didn't think this was your kind of scene." 

"I'm here with my friend. She invited me to shoot a few rounds with her." Lazarus looked at Trevor's waist and didn't see a gun holstered. Odd.

"Really? I thought you didn't have friends." He smiled and chuckled.

"No, I just don't have that many, but the ones I do have are good." Lazarus said, seeing the mud on Trevor's boots. 

"You wanna grab a drink? We can go hang out at my place." Trevor said, sticking his arm out, placing it on the wall beside Lazarus's head. He stared into Lazarus's eyes. Lazarus looked into his eyes and noticed something, hazel eyes with blue flecks. They reminded him of something, someone, but he couldn't think of who.  

"Nah man, I gotta get going. Plus I'm still kind of weirded out from that day at the gym." Lazarus said, going towards the door. 

"I get it, yeah." Trevor moved back. "I shouldn't have put you in that situation, that's my bad." He lightly slapped his shoulder, "Go on man, go get her." 

"Hey Lazarus, you took too long so I used up all the bullets." Jessica had packed up all her things and was hoping Lazarus would like to go get something to eat. "So, do you want to go get something to eat?" She looked at him and saw his discomfort. "Hey, are you ok?" She touched his forearm for comfort. She could practically see the wheels spinning in his head.

"No no. I think I need to go home. I may have just had a break in one of my cases." He looked her in the eyes, "I'm sorry but I really have to go. Bye." He walked off, faster than normal.

Jessica saw him go and felt her smile fade. She just wished he felt the same. She never felt this way for anyone, only him. It was so confusing and so amazing at the same time. It was also annoying, but her mom once told her this "You can try to deny what you feel, but I discovered that it makes you want it more." She was talking about Jessica's dad. Jessica didn't remember her dad that much, he went overseas to serve, and he stayed there. Once a girl named Chloe was gossiping and said that Jessica's dad ran off with another woman and deserted. Jessica punched the girl right in the jaw. She was suspended for two or three days but it was so worth it.