“Don’t give me that bullshit. You know I’m here if you need me. We’re connected whether we’re together or not,” he scolds.
“I don’t give a fuck about our connection. It’s apparent you don’t either. Let’s just try to be civil in front of the two kids learning about their connection. I swear I’ll inject myself with olophine thirty fucking times a day to keep from ever needing your help again,” I scream, and then I jerk Angelica by the hand to lead her to the elevator.
“He’s a major dickhead. What could he have done?” she whispers.
“Nothing Brazen didn’t do better,” I mumble, and I see the wincing face of Hale as he joins us on the elevator.
Fuck. That was too cruel. I shouldn’t have said that.
“What is his gift?” Clay asks to lighten the silent and awkward tension.
Grayson starts to answer, and I put my hand over his mouth to keep him from spoiling the surprise.
“I’ll let you see it before I try to explain it. Make sure to bring at least two, maybe three vials of olophine.”
“I’ve already sent for five. I like to be thorough,” he murmurs suspiciously, his eyes gauging my new friend.
“I want to request an in-house training allowance. I’m certified for training, and her father is the captain. It’s apparent the two of them shouldn’t be separated for a while, and I’m acquainted with the both of them as well as his gift.”
“I don’t see why not,” Clay says with a shrug.
“Absolutely not,” Hale inserts. “I’m the hybrid advocate, and I request they train here with our more equipped training facilities.”
The elevator opens deep underground, and I run over to be in front of Hale.
“Are you doing this to try to belittle me right now? Because it’s working. I am a damn good trainer since interrogation and training are all I’ve been allowed to do for five fucking years. You have no right-”
“Stop fighting, damn it,” Clay blares. “Araya is right, Hale. She’s earned the right to ask for anything she wants. She has trained every cadet without falter, and I trust her implicitly.”
“We don’t know what he can do,” Hale murmurs to Clay.
“We don’t have to. Araya knows what she’s doing. You can’t use your rank against her in this situation because she’s too qualified to be overlooked. It would look as if I’m not doing my job right. I think I’ve held her back enough,” Clay growls, and the two of them seem to share a silent conversation with their eyes.
“Thank you,” I murmur to Clay, and I stick my tongue out at Hale.
Great. Now I’m five again.
Clay stifles a snicker, and I stare into the glass as Angelica and Grayson sit side by side.
“Where do you want it?” I ask her while I walk into the room.
“The same place you have yours,” she says with a smile while lowering her shirt to reveal her back.
Grayson’s eyes trail over to her topless body, and she blushes while covering her breasts.
“You may want to invest in a bra. Your training will intensify,” I chuckle out.
“I think that’s a good idea,” she murmurs bashfully, and then Hale takes a step too close to me when I feel his breath on the back of my neck.
“She adores you. Apparently you’ve made an impression on her.”
“She just wants to be an interrogator.”
“Our compound has a far greater training facility for newbies. They should stay here. I promise I won’t separate them.”
“They’re coming back with me,” I huff. “Just stop fighting with me on this. Clay gave this one to me, so get the Hale over yourself.”
I watch the lasers swirl rapidly over her back. The concentrated uranium laced ink burns through her skin to embroider the sparrow on her back. I look over as Grayson’s process begins, and the burning starts on his chest.
