Oh damn. I can’t see you again.
C
hapter 3
Chills and Spills
“They should have been there,” Hedin gripes, and I just roll my eyes as we walk into Seminole compound empty handed.
Per the usual, our clever suspects got away. No big surprise really. I knew it the moment he ignored my findings. We found the car, but not the men we were looking for because facial recognition software wasn't searching for the faces we never saw. It was looking for the ones we let get away during the vehicle exchange.
“Any words, Ms. Banner?” Captain Fricks asks hopefully.
He’s sweet enough to include me, but even he can't do anything about the commander’s pet.
“No, Sir. Mr. Hedin followed the trail they laid out for us,” I murmur with hidden undertones of snarkiness.
It’s the truth. He followed the trail they wanted him to.
“Very well,” Captain Fricks murmurs with a bit of a frown, almost as though he’s disappointed.
He was always fond of my father, since Dad gave him the compound captain position shortly after he took the commander job. Captain Fricks is one of many long-living souls with a tortured past and tainted memories. He's also my one ally that isn't a part of my family. Though I appreciate his attempt to help me out, he's just going to make it worse.
Hedin sighs out while narrowing his eyes at me. He hates it when anyone asks for my input. You’d think they just handed me his title every time they say my name aloud.
“She was only there to observe,” Hedin growls.
“Aria has been observing for a while. I think it’s about time she starts leading some tracking missions. The more trackers we have in the field, the better,” Captain Fricks rebuts.
“I don’t think she’s ready, and it’s my call, not yours.”
I roll my eyes while leaning against the wall as they continue bickering and talking about me as though I’m not here.
“Actually, it’s the commander’s call. I’m supposed to meet with him today about something. I’ll speak to him about her being released on her own while I’m there.”
“Not going to happen. After her denoting being recorded for her trailing a trap, there’s no way he’ll see her fit to track on her own. That was the first trial run she had, and she failed miserably,” Hedin maliciously interjects with condescension thick enough to slice through.
Only because you interfered, you son of a bitch.
“We’ll see,” Captain Fricks murmurs softly, secretiveness etching into his tone as well as his pale eyes.
He walks off to leave me with the brooding hybrid tracker that hates me with a passion.
“You need to stop speaking even when spoken to,” he growls at me.
I move off the wall to step up closer, and my eyes narrow as I scowl at him.
“All I did was agree with your findings."
“I don’t need your fucking blessing. You should have walked away without acknowledging his question, or pointed to me to answer. From now on, I expect silence from those rebellious lips of yours.
Rebellious lips? I’ll show you rebellious, you asshole.
Suddenly I feel arms pulling me away before I can jump on and beat the hell out of that arrogant prick. He walks away as I turn to face my brother.
“Damn it, Rex. Why is it you can only see me?” I snap.
He laughs lightly while wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me inside the central building.
