“What?” I ask, my heart skipping a beat. “What do you mean…?”
Why is that question making me panic? It’s as if he knows what’s going on! My heart thuds, and the familiar chaotic emotions begin to heighten.
He looks away, exhaling with irritation. “Find something that you can focus on, and stay behind everyone. Understood?”
“Ok…” I say, wanting to ask him why he asked that question, but we don’t have the time. He’s already looking at the time on his Schattensicht.
His eyes meet mine, and for a second they flip up to look at my hair, and I wonder what he’s thinking, but instead, he turns away and walks off to his bike.
I run to the van, and the door is opened by Bruce, who gives me a small smile.
“Thanks,” I say as I get in and take a seat next to Lucius, sandwiched between him and the wall. The van starts up, and Ilook around at the stack of weapons and guns we have on one side.
I remember that nostalgic feeling of wanting to help, wanting to do something, and the exhilaration I felt. To live without fear of hurting everyone. I was meant to be out here protecting the world like everyone else. Key word being ‘was’, I just wish I could.
First Mission
Sienna
“I’ve arrived.”
I raise my eyebrow as Jayce’s voice comes through the van. We’re still about ten minutes away.
“Be careful,”Allison’s voice comes.
“I can’t tell what it is yet. There are three bodies… I’m not sure if there are any survivors. We have some tracks. Lucius and Renji, I want you to follow those. Sending coordinates now,”Jayce answers, completely ignoring Allison.
They exchange a few words, and I remain silent, paying attention but not contributing. Trying to figure out what it is.
“Can you ask the age and sex of the bodies?” I ask Lucius softly.
He looks down at me, a faint smile on his face. “Sure thing, but you can also do that.”
“If you could?” I whisper.
I glance up, catching a couple of the others looking at me.
“Jayce, what are the ages and sexes of the victims?” Luciusasks,
“Women, in their 20s, why?”
Lucius looks at me. “Why, Sienna?”
I feel my cheeks heat at that. “It’s possibly a manananggal,” I say.
“And you would know that, how? They aren’t in England.” Allison’s annoying voice comes.
“Exactly,” Himari adds from opposite me.
“They are,” I say with such conviction that they all glance at me.
“Is that something you saw, or you heard?”Jayce asks, his tone somewhat calmer than usual. “Manananggals were not on the list of possible threats.”
“I heard two of the professors talk about it in the library. They said they have been sighted in England,” I explain, trying to calm my nerves.
Am I really having a conversation with Jayce?
“Then we keep that open as a possibility. Change of plan, we split into groups, especially as it puts the females at higher risk of being attacked, even if they are known to go for children or pregnant women.”
