BountyGrl - A Sniper Story: Chapters 1-5

BountyGrl – A Sniper Story

– by RaysALight - Jennifer Butler



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Summary: Hiya! I love sniping (in video games heh), but ever wonder what would happen if I was a sniper in real life? BG, my alter ego, is a teen girl working for a secret government organization - the Division. With her enhanced body and senses, she, along with her handler, complete jobs around the world until one shocks her to the core.



Disclaimer: None. This story and the characters are mine alone.



Author’s Note: Reviews make me happy; flames make me sad; constructive criticism makes me embarrassed, but a better writer.



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Chapter One

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“I had a really nice time tonight.” His eyes skimmed up my figure, though I didn’t notice. I’d opted for a blouse and a red skirt that fell just below my knees. A bit conservative, but such was needed when one had things to hide. I shifted my weight from foot to foot. Boots were so uncomfortable.



His gaze locked with mine, ever searching, maybe just a bit suspicious. I’d have said a few words to reassure him had my mind not been on other matters.



Potomac Avenue… the intersection with Pennsylvania… brown eyes and black hair… though it’ll be too dark to distinguish him clearly… it’s a highly crowded area… one shot is all I’ll get…



“Hey, Slacker?”



The familiar nickname jarred me to attention. I mumbled an apology, beaming a smile in his direction. The truth is, I’d had a really great time as well, but I wasn’t sure what to say. Every moment I was able to spend with him was perfect…



My watch beeped. It was 11:00.



“I have to go. I’m sorry.” Why did it seem like I was always apologizing? If only he knew. I had less than thirty minutes to get into position, an hour to make the shot. My fingers fumbled with my purse, itching to slide along the cold metal of the trigger.



In a swift motion, he pulled me to him in a chaste kiss. My mind reeled in that moment as I suppressed the urge for my training to kick in and deliver a blow that would disable him for the next few hours. But I remembered who I was with - there was no danger with him - and truthfully, I was content to just let him kiss me.



My watch beeped again, urgently, annoyed. He backed away with a chuckle. It was always like this. We’d meet outside his high school – my old school – and catch a few precious hours together before I’d be called away again.



“I’m sorry,” I whispered again, and then I was off, breaking into an awkward run across the parking lot and out of his view. A white van pulled up beside me, the brakes giving a slight screech. The door slid open and I was yanked inside. A strong and angry hand slid around my waist as the other slammed the door shut. With a signal to the driver, we were off.



I knew what was coming.



“What the hell do you think you’re doing!? Are you crazy? We have twenty-eight minutes to get you into position! If we miss this chance-” the angry 21-year-old finally took notice of my flushed cheeks and trembling fingers dancing across my lips.



“He kissed me,” I breathed. It was my first kiss. His eyebrows rose dramatically.



“For the sweet love of God! I knew this was a bad idea! How the hell are you going to be able to stay focused now? I swear! You’re like some kind of love-sick puppy!”



The van took a sharp turn and I went tumbling into his chest. He sighed, his rant over. “Just who is this guy anyway?”



I grinned. “That’s none of your business, Jaden!” He smirked; it was kind of an inside joke between us. He knew he’d hear all about it later, debriefing me; my business was his business, my life was his job.



“Whatever. Take that skirt off.” At this, the driver coughed and glanced back at us. I squealed in laughter at the absurdity of it all, and began to undress. Jaden rummaged around in the backseat for my clothes and gear.



As the van steered around the last corner, I was practically in his lap trying to pull on my black pants as he fumbled with trying to push a black turtleneck over my head. The driver was midway into a choking fit now, sneaking glances in the rear-view mirror. It was a good thing Jaden and I were beyond embarrassment; it must have been a sight.



Our ride screeched to a halt behind a local supermarket and Jaden pulled open the door and jumped out, with me in one arm and a backpack in the other. Suddenly gentle, he set me down on my feet and brushed a lock of hair out of my eyes.



“Do you remember the mission? Want me to brief you?”



“I’m fine, really.” This was the only time it became awkward between us. I was going into a battle of sorts and he would be left behind, waiting. I knew he’d worry about me. It was times like these when I knew that he actually cared about me more than he let on – I was more than a job to him.



Then the moment was over. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away.



“Don’t come back until you do it right.”



I held back the urge to smack him as I grabbed my elongated backpack and slung it over my shoulders.



“Whatever, ‘big brother.’ You know I never fail.” I winked at him and took off down the dark alleyway. I didn’t have to look back to know that his shoulders were shrugged and his face was blank. He never knew quite how to deal with me.



The sound of my boots scraping the gravel echoed off of the brick and cement walls. I couldn’t risk being detected; anyone who saw me would have to be killed. Without a second thought, I yanked off my boots and shoved them into my backpack. The gleaming metal of my rifle caught my eye and I shivered in anticipation.



With newfound courage, I took off toward the ladder that would get me to the roof of the supermarket. All thoughts of my first kiss and any lingering annoyances about Jaden were pushed out of my mind. In that instant, just like all the others, I ceased being a teenage girl and turned into a killing machine.



I am an assassin. I’m a sniper. If there’s a bounty on your head and the government knows about it, then you’d better watch your back. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over these past two years, it’s that the government knows more than we’d like to think.



My code name is ‘BOUNTYGRL.’



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Chapter Two

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The U.S. Government’s best-kept secret had aching arms. I cursed under my breath. Jaden could have at least told me that the ladder was over thirty feet long! I sighed. Why would anyone want a two-story grocery store?



When I was within an arm’s length from the roof, I paused to catch my breath and run over the mission in my head. Though mostly, I stopped because my arms were screaming in pain.



I knew there was no time to lose. If I was being obedient, (and by now, Jaden knew better) I would have had my earpiece in so he could yell directions straight to my brain. Not that I had a problem with listening... it’s just that once I saw my gun...



I held back a grin and pulled myself up onto the roof of the building, reciting the rifle’s statistics under my breath. Gas-operated, locked-breech with a rotary bolt. Caliber: 7.62 x 54 mmR. Length: 44.7 inches. Barrel length: 24.4 inches. Weight, with empty magazine: 9.4 pounds. Effective killing range: 800 meters.



I pulled the gun from the straps on my back. It was a beautiful rifle; classic, but efficient. The Dragunov SVD. How a gun originally used by Russia fell into my hands, I don’t know. But I loved it.



Running my fingers along the length of the barrel, felt that familiar tingle in my spine. It was time. The roof’s ledge would provide proper support, and the rolled-up empty backpack would help to steady my shot. Gun on soft on hard equals less noise.



As I readied my aim, my thoughts wandered to the Division. One thing about this classified section of government... they were thorough. My location had already been scoped out, the mission run-through, and my gun cleaned and tested. Not such a bad deal, considering how much money was deposited into my parents’ bank account every week and the trust fund I’d receive in a year.



I leaned into the stock and pressed my eye to the scope. It wasn’t as crowded as I thought it’d be. With the height advantage and added night sight, this would be a piece of cake. Two black sedans parked outside the tiny 24 hour food mart. The car doors popped open.



There he was.



The target was always easy to find, halfway hidden in a mob of guards. As described to me earlier, he had dark eyes and hair. There was a woman with him; not surprising. These lowlifes usually had a few groupies.



This shot was estimated to be at just over 500 feet. At this closer range, I had to shoot to kill. I could almost hear Jaden’s voice in the back of my mind – center mass, center mass.



Of course, I had a bit of an ego. It would be safer to aim for the man’s chest and inflict a wound that would most certainly kill him within seconds. Better safe than sorry, right? Nope, I wanted a clean head shot. At this distance, there was no doubt in my mind I could make the shot.



Something vibrated in my pocket, momentarily cutting off my concentration. I mumbled a choice word and reached for it. Apparently, Jaden must have had the techs install a rumble feature into my earpiece to remind me to use it. He always found a new way to annoy me. I shoved the piece into my ear and nearly shouted into the microphone.



“Damn it, Jaden! I’m trying to concentrate here!”



There was a couple seconds of garbled static; most likely he had nearly fallen out of his seat when my voice screeched in his ears.



“You shouldn’t yell, BG.” His voice was calm, almost mocking. “Someone could hear you.”



“The hell I shouldn’t!” I took a deep breath and began to whisper furiously. “Just wait until we get back to the Agency! I can’t believe you had the techs install a vibration feature in my fucking earpiece! I could have been making the shot.”



“I knew you weren’t. The ladder’s 33.4 feet long. There’s no way you could have made it to the top that quick with your scrawny arms.”



I silently fumed. “Whatever, Jaden. The target’s in my sight and for your information, I’m taking the shot now. Goodbye.”



I tore the device from my ear and threw it to the ground, my sight once again falling on my Dragunov. Instantly, my body relaxed and my heart rate slowed to a delightfully sinful level. It really was a beautiful gun.



I again leaned into rifle, slowing my breaths and taking up the slack on the trigger. The target was now faced away from me, watching the woman pull something out of the car. My hands stilled and my finger rested lightly on the trigger. I lined up the crosshairs on the man’s head, and then adjusted slightly for the distance, angle, and wind, double and triple-checking my calculations.



Suddenly, it seemed everything went into slow motion. Between breaths and heartbeats my finger pulled the trigger and my body jilted from the recoil. The bitter smell of gun smoke filtered through the air. I blinked and then looked through the scope to see that, yes, I had indeed completed a headshot. The bullet had ripped through his skull just below his right eye. His body went rigid, then dropped to the ground with a soft thump.



My breathing returned to normal and I lay prone for a few more seconds, observing, waiting to see if further action would be necessary. The so-called guards stared at each other in shock. The woman started to scream, and there was a high-pitched wailing I couldn’t identify. No one so much as raised a weapon in my direction. Time to go.



On my stomach, I began to inch backward. At a safe distance away I unloaded the rifle and disassembled the sight so it’d fit back into the long backpack.



Then, I began to shake. Killing someone never me a good feeling, but this time, it felt like something was wrong. I had hit the correct target. Why did I have this horrible feeling?



I was tempted to stay and observe the scene to figure out what had sent off warning signals in my head. I also wanted to talk to Jaden; I needed his reassurance. But neither of those things could happen now. Most importantly, I needed to vanish, and return to the Division so I didn’t get caught.



I stood up slowly. Catching my bottom lip between my teeth, I stifled a groan as I bent over to pick up the blasted earpiece. My muscles and shoulder ached from the gun’s powerful jerk. I unzipped the top of my backpack, stuffed the device in, and pulled my boots out. Slinging the sack over my shoulders, I headed for the ladder, shoes in hand, feeling the weight metal of the rifle push against my backside.



In the distance, I heard a muffled scream and another gunshot. Then another. Then another. Hands trembling, I stopped counting and scurried down the ladder. When I was less than ten feet from the bottom, I let go, landing safely on my sock-covered feet and a palm pressed against the ground for balance. I straightened up from my crouching position and stepped into the boots. It was then, as I took off into a run, that I noticed the Division’s van had disappeared.



Something had to be wrong. This was supposed to be an easy job. My sidearm was strapped to my thigh, inside my pants. Unless I was going to undress right there in the alley, I was vulnerable. If only I still had on that skirt…



My breath began to come in pants as my run turned into a sprint. I needed to get out of there. Where was Jaden!?



The device in my backpack rumbled.



“You’ve got to be kidding me!”



I screeched to a halt and, once again, pulled the backpack off my shoulders. I rummaged through the contents, cursing all the while, until I found the earpiece. I didn’t even need to put it in to know that what I heard wasn’t Jaden’s voice. There was a recorded message, repeating itself over and over.



“Agent BountyGrl. Retrieval point has been relocated to an alley forty meters northwest. Agent BountyGrl. Retrieval-”



The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach grew to an unbearable level. If Jaden had been called back to base, then something definitely wasn’t right.



Faintly, I heard the rumble of an engine in the distance. The pickup unit must have arrived. I took off toward the sound and prayed that I didn’t run into anyone along the way.



Thankfully, after running through a maze of alleyways and backyards, the van was in sight. The door slid open, revealing two agents in black suits that I recognized. When I was within reach, they yanked me inside, and not at all gently.



“Where’s Jaden!?” I whispered, breathless. There was no answer. I asked again, and finally one of the agents removed his sunglasses and looked my way, revealing a scar from the bottom of his eye to his brow.



“I don’t know the details, Agent BG. Our orders were to get you back to Division as soon as possible. I’m sure your questions will be answered then.”



I sighed and leaned back in the seat. It was the end of another job. All I could do was wait for answers.



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Chapter Three

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We arrived at base nearly an hour later. Red-eyed and weary, I nearly fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. ‘Job’ nights were always hard, but the most difficult part was when I was alone in my bed at the Division, and the only thing I could think of was that I had ended someone else’s life. My mind would replay just how the bullet penetrated the flesh and tore through bone and fleeting pictures of gore haunted my dreams.



I waited for a knock at the steel door that closed off my room. My quarters were lavishly furnished. Obviously, someone here had good taste. The section that contained my room was almost like a dormitory. There was a bedroom, living room, bathroom and a small kitchen. Each room had nearly every electronic gadget one could dream of, though I still had no idea what most of them did, nor did I care.



Where was Jaden? He usually stopped by before he went to bed to see if there was anything I needed, or offer a quick word of advice or a joke to make me smile.



Minutes passed, and a feeling of dread came over me, much like the one at the job site. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Why hadn’t Jaden showed up? I wondered if he was with the Commander. That wouldn’t be a good thing.



If only he could check in on me and tell me goodnight, tell me that I had done a good job, tell me that the mission was a success, but most of all tell me that I had saved lives by doing what I did.



I killed for a living.



Unable to keep my eyes pried open any longer, I pulled the covers up to my chin and fell into a fitful sleep.



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The dream started off slowly, dragging me into the past.



Sixteenth birthday... sixteen documents... once they were signed, the bills would be paid. There definitely had been more than sixteen bills.



My first thought when I signed the paper on the bottom of the stack, was that I had signed my soul away to the devil. The government’s representatives were dressed in black, and looked like fearsome, unshakable fellows lacking a sense of humor. Two of them stood on either side of my hospital bed and a boy just a few years my senior kept his distance, shadowed in the doorway.



I was terrified. The agreement was that they would help me in return for work. But in reality, I would become some kind of human experiment.



A nurse entered and checked my vital signs. My eyes searched her face; she didn’t look familiar. I thought I had met every nurse on the pediatric ward. Her gaze met mine, and she smiled.



“Don’t you worry, little miss. These guys aren’t so bad, once you get used to them.” She injected a clear, smelly fluid into the IV. “Even the little mister by the door there; he’s actually a nice fellow.”



The boy scowled. I flinched, hoping I wouldn’t have to deal with him much in the future.



“There you go. It might sting a bit, but this should calm you down. The anesthesiologist will meet you in surgery. The whole thing shouldn’t take more than a couple hours.” The medicine injected, she disposed of the needle and pushed a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear. “I’m Agent Meredith. I’ll be one of your doctors from now on.”



“Th-thank you.” I whispered.



“It’s no problem, sweetie. Okay, you two,” she called to the dark-suited agents. “Make yourselves useful and help me wheel her down to surgery.”



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My dream shifted to minutes after the surgery when I awoke. Opening my eyes, I had blinked the blurry scene into focus. That boy had been standing over me, a wary but curious expression on his face.



Meredith had lied. There were multiple surgeries and at times when the pain was unbearable and my voice was hoarse from screaming, they’d put me into a coma. I swear I could still feel it. It was as if someone had cut my body into pieces and stitched them back together again.



I had spent the next few months at home, recovering and going through physical therapy. My strength had greatly increased; which meant no more days spent confined to a bed. Overall, my immune system was next to perfect, my speed had improved greatly, and my reflexes seemed almost inhuman.



My parents had been as supportive as possible, but I found out that they’d never look at me the same way again. I was different now. And I had never specifically asked what Division had done to me; I guess I really didn’t want to know.



Jaden’s face forced its way into my dreams again. His head was down, his shoulders slightly slumped. He stood in the background, as always, nearly concealed by the tall, overpowering man in front of him. The Commander.



I had been nervous. My knees were shaking, though I pretended it was because I had not yet mastered the use of my enhanced limbs.



“Is this the new operative?” The Commander bellowed, his voice as fearsome as his presence. The ‘Men in Black’ nodded and folded their hands behind their backs.



“Hmm. More tiny than expected.” His eyes assessed my body, noting the scars that were just beginning to fade. Dressed in an oversized boy’s military uniform, I felt very out of place. “She needs a name,” he continued. The boy spoke up.



“Permission to speak, sir?”



“Granted.”



The boy gestured toward the right wall of the room and suddenly there was my picture and every detail of my short life projected onto the screen.



“After some research, our techs found that her online gaming name is BountyGirl. Perhaps that could be her alias here?”



There was a moment’s pause. I, for one, was too surprised to answer. The government did know everything, didn’t they?



“What a wonderful idea, Mr. Jaden!”



Everyone looked toward the door as Agent Meredith, one of the doctors, burst into the room, grinning as usual. The Commander frowned.



“Agent Meredith!”



“Yes, Commander, Sir?” She stood to attention in mock salute.



“You did not have permission to attend this meeting. Isn’t that correct?”



“Aww, but Sir,” she whined, taking a glimpse at me as I fidgeted. “The poor girl’s frightened by all of you. And I think that BountyGirl is a wonderful name!”



The Commander nearly growled. “Agent Mere-”



“Excuse Me.” Everyone’s attention turned to me, especially the Commander, who was shocked into speechlessness that I interrupted him. “It’s spelled Bounty-G-R-L. If I may, I’d like to go by that alias. And I wanted to thank everyone for all you’ve done for me. I hope I can work well for you in the future.”



“Well,” Meredith laughed. “Perhaps she isn’t as shy as I thought. Guess I’ll be leaving now!” With a wink and a smile, she left the room.



“Fine.” The Commander sighed. “BountyGrl it is.” He waved toward the boy behind him. “Jaden, change the spelling and show her to her quarters. Dismissed.”



With a final glance at the towering man behind the desk, I left the conference room, following the boy now known as Jaden. He looked at me over his shoulder.



“I’m surprised. Not many people can stand up to my Father.”



“The Commander’s your father?” I asked, noticing how much more relaxed Jaden seemed now that the meeting was over. They did have the same brown hair, though the Commander’s was cropped short. Father and son… interesting. He didn’t reply. I began to walk quickly to keep up with him. The joints in my knees popped and clacked with each step.



“So... are you my officer or something?”



“Yes and no. Technically, I’m your CO. But Agent Meredith - you know, that doctor from before - told me that I’m more like your ‘big brother.’ That sounds dumb, but you’ll be learning everything you can from me and your other instructors. However, I’m still your superior, so don’t forget that.”



His hazel eyes sparkled and I could tell he was teasing me.



“I’m serious,” he replied, cracking a smile. “BG.”



That had been the first time I’d ever seen him smile. I couldn’t help but return the grin.



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I woke up groggy and unsure of where I was. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and yawned. It had been a long time since I’d dreamed of the past.



And Jaden had never come to check on me. If anyone had so much as laid a hand on the doorknob, I would have woken up instantly.



I needed to find him. And finding him would lead to more information.



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Chapter Four

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I threw on a sweatsuit and padded out the door in my sock-covered feet, shoes in hand. It was an odd sight for anyone who wasn’t used to being at the Division; seeing a girl walking around so casually dressed among towering men in suits and ties.



They barely looked my way as I passed by, though with my enhanced hearing, I knew most of them were whispering about me behind my back. I continued walking, ignoring them, and making my way through the maze of corridors until I found the door leading to Jaden’s office.

I peeked in. His secretary, a rather large woman with thick-rimmed glasses looked up at me and frowned.



“Is Jaden here?” I asked, trying not to make eye contact. She always did hate me.



“The young master will be back in approximately 90 minutes.”



I nearly gagged at that. The ‘young master,’ jeez, just because he’s the Commander’s son. Thankfully he wasn’t the kind of person to flaunt that kind of attention in my face... at least not very often.



“Where is he now?”



“That information is classified,” she replied curtly.



I nearly threw up my hands in frustration.



“Fine. I’ll be back later.” That woman made me want to scream. They just had to find the most disagreeable person to be Jaden’s secretary.

She ignored me, so I turned and left the room, my tennis shoes in hand, knocking against each other with the motion.



So... I had an hour and a half to kill. Not literally. Flashbacks from last night’s scene whirled through my head, and I fought to push them out. I needed to go for a run.



A few minutes later at the main gate, a soldier on guard duty approached me as I finished tying my shoe laces.



“Name, rank and ID please.”



I looked him over. He was young, probably about Jaden’s age, and his clean-shaven face and boyish features seemed at odds with the firm look in his light blue eyes. The standard uniform he wore was a bit too large for him, and I tried not to chuckle as he fumbled with his shirt, eventually tucking it in.



“An ID? I haven’t carried that with me for a while now.”



He reached for his gun. I held up my hands, even though it was quite possible for me to disarm him and mash his face in the pavement in 2.3 seconds.



“Whoa, whoa, take it easy. You must be new. I’m Agent BountyGrl. It’s nice to meet you. And, yes, I do have an ID somewhere, though it’s probably buried within the depths of my room.”



His face paled slightly.



“Y-you’re Officer BountyGrl?” He stood to attention, and I sighed.



“Chill. At ease, or whatever. I’m just going for a jog.”



The new guard continued to stare at me intently, though trying not to make it obvious. Whatever he’d heard about me had now rendered him speechless.



“Well if it isn’t Miss B.G.!” a voice in the distance called in a lazy southern drawl.



I looked over the trembling guy’s shoulder. An older man was walking toward us. His face was kind with grandfather-like features and a bald head.



“Ernie!” I called out, running to him for a hug.



“How are ya, my little sweet thing?” He picked me up and swung me around as if I was a child.



“I’m fine! Just going for a run.”



He set me down on my feet with a grin.



“Still haven’t gained any weight I see. You’re as light as a feather. Just wait, I’ll go home and tell ol’ Nana to bake you some of her triple chocolate cookies. That’ll fatten ya right up!”



I laughed and agreed.



“I just met your new recruit, Ernie. It seems you neglected to tell him that I always forget my ID.”



The older man gave a snort.



“You know these new boys they send in; they don’t know nothin’. I’m sure the mistake won’t happen again. Ain’t that right, Jenkins?”



“Y-yes Sir!



Ernie winked at me and pressed the combination of buttons to open the gate.



“Don’t be gone too long, ya hear?”



I smiled and waved.



“I won’t, I promise!”



I started to jog away from Division headquarters and heard Jenkins cough as Ernie slapped him on the back. I giggled. Ernie was one of the few people I could always count on.



My steps landed swiftly on the pavement as I jogged across town and into a residential area.



It wasn't imperative that I keep in shape, my doctors and other specialists could always alter my muscles, but jogging helped clear my mind.



I ran easily through the next few miles, not surprised that I still wasn't breathing heavily. At least my joints didn’t pop and crack anymore.



Jaden hadn’t come to see me that morning either. And I had a bad feeling about this classified meeting he was pulled in to. For the average person, I had surprisingly high security clearance, but there were many things even I wasn’t privy to. A thought pricked at the back of my mind; I wondered about these secrets that were kept from me and if it weighed heavily on Jaden.



The back of my calves ached, so I stopped and bent over for a second, wiping my brow. I’d ask Jaden my questions later. Perhaps knowledge would ease my bad feelings.



'This neighborhood looks familiar,' I thought, taking another look at the houses around me. I continued down the sidewalk at a slower pace, not wanting to have to explain my aches and pains to the doctors later.



"Slacker?"



I whirled around and a hand went behind my back, feeling for my missing knife. Wait. Only one person called me by that nickname. And he was across the street, bending over a car engine and staring right at me. Dressed casually in blue jeans and a T-shirt, he twirled a wrench around his finger as he watched me. His unruly hair, that was just a bit too long, fell into his eyes, making them unreadable, as they always were. In that instant, he looked completely masculine, at thought that traveled straight from my brain to a fluttering part in my stomach.



"W-what are you doing here?" I called over to him, tripping over my words. He chuckled.



"Well... I live here." He motioned for me to come closer, and I did. I always was drawn to him. I crossed the street and approached him somewhat shyly.



"You work on cars?" I asked.



"Mm-hm." He pulled a rag out of the back pocket of his jeans and wiped his hands.



"Strange."



"What?" He smiled. "That I like cars?"



"No, no. Not that." I looked away, face flushed. "It's just that... we've known each other all this time, but I still don't know all that much about you."



He paused for a moment. He had a talent of becoming completely still if he wanted to, a gift that could be really unnerving at times. I turned to look at him, and he folded his arms, leaning against the side of the car.



"You never ask."



He had me there. It seems I've always had something else on my mind. Being the government's top secret assassin wasn't easy. I couldn’t reply, so he continued. “I’m not really all that great with cars. Too many different pieces. A guitar is much easier to handle.”



My gaze strayed to his hands. I had to snap out of it. What had he just said?



“You play the guitar!”



He chuckled at my outburst.



“And what do you like to do, slacker?”



I paused. Saying that I assassinate terrorists in my spare time... would probably not go over well.



“Well... I sing.”



He smiled, a rare sight.



Just then, a black limousine pulled up behind us and a door popped open. No one stepped out, a signal that I was supposed to get in.

“I... have to go,” I said softly, trying not to notice his puzzled expression. He eyed the limousine, a single eyebrow arched. I choked out a nervous laugh. “My... uncle... owns a limousine company. So... I’ll see you later!”



Face red with embarrassment, I ducked into the car and shut the door behind me. I barely noticed Jaden sitting in the backseat beside me.



“You wanted something?”



“Are you trying to ruin my life?”



Jaden shrugged. The car began to accelerate and I took a deep breath and let it out, purposely avoiding looking out the window at the baffled guy fading into the distance. My love interest could wait. There were things I needed to find out. I cleared my throat.



“Something was different about my assignment last night. I don’t know how to explain it... but something was... wrong.”



Jaden pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose as if a headache was coming on.



“BG,” he began. The seriousness of his voice startled me. I tried to look him in the eyes, but he folded his arms, stared straight ahead, and continued. “That man... the target... we didn’t receive accurate information about him. It turns out... he wasn’t your standard terrorist.”



My whole body went numb. Jaden kept speaking, saying something about the man’s wife and baby, but I couldn’t pay attention.



“Take me back,” I whispered, interrupting. “Please. Take me back to HQ.”



He nodded, looking over my worried face and frowning. “Yeah. We can finish talking there.” He pressed a button and murmured a few words to the driver.



Things were easy when I could tell myself that I was helping my county; that I was only getting the bad guys. Now, a man was dead... a man who might have been innocent. Because they hadn’t ‘received accurate information.’ I wasn’t sure whether to cry or scream.



The silent ride back to headquarters seemed to take forever.



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Chapter Five

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As soon the car stopped, a few men in black suits approached Jaden's window. He opened the door and began to speak in hushed tones. I used the opportunity to open the door on my side and slip away, but not before noticing the folder handed to him labeled 'classified.'



My breaths came out in short gasps as I walked briskly into the building, not meeting anyone's eye. I turned a corner, and began blindly walking through hallways, the smell of gunpowder growing stronger. I drew a breath, reveling in its bitter sweetness.



The feeling was beginning to return to my limbs, the shock fading. I needed to shoot something. Now.



But Jaden would be looking for me.



I backtracked to the front gate and looked around for Ernie. He was nowhere to be found. I needed to get into the shooting range, undetected. If I used my prints to open the door, Jaden would be able to find me. And right now, I didn't want to face him. What I wanted was my gun...



“Officer BountyGrl!”



I nearly sighed out loud. It was Jenkins. This guy really had the worst timing.



“You don’t have to call me that, you know.” I turned to face him, crossing my arms.



He saluted. I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to comment. He fidgeted.



“I wanted to apologize for earlier... If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”



He continued on, mentioning something about being the top of his graduating class and how honored he was to have been transferred here. I half-listened, a plan forming in my mind.



Well, if Ernie couldn't sneak me into the range... then perhaps...I paused for a moment and then flashed him a sneaky grin.



“Well... actually...”



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Minutes later, Jenkins and I were tiptoeing through the corridors to the training hall. We didn't really have to tiptoe, but his reactions amused me. I could see he was trembling.



“Officer- um... Miss BountyGrl? I don’t think we should be doing this.”



I could have looked back and given him a reassuring nod, but his awkward hesitance was getting my mind off the night before.



“It’s fine!" I said nonchalantly, waving a hand for emphasis. "All I need you to do is let me inside. You have the proper clearance. When we get there, just press your finger against the black and red square-”



“Don’t you have clearance?”



I smiled back at him.



“Of course I do. I can go pretty much anywhere I want. But right now,” I said, grabbing hold of his arm to make him move faster, “I want to sneak in, so Mr. Big Brother won’t come and find me.”



“Uh... Big Brother?”



“Don’t worry about it.” I sighed, taking a glance at his police-issued sidearm. “I bet you’ve never shot anything other than that puny thing.” He paused, looking for a moment like a scolded puppy. “Relax,” I said, laughing. “If you do what I say, I’ll show how it’s really done. And if you’re good, you might just get a chance to shoot one of my guns.” I winked at him, and he flushed bright red. Heavens. Guys were so easy sometimes.



Finally we reached the back entrance to the training hall. I stopped, shooting an amused glance at the new recruit.



With a trembling hand, Jenkins pressed his thumb against the fingerprint reader and the steel door snapped open.



The sounds hit you first; the booming of rocket and grenade launchers, the pop of pistols and the sharp, sweet cracks of rifles. Then the smell of gunpowder and the stifling heat welcomed you to the range. The state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor shooting range was one of the largest in the world. There were both physical and virtual targets to aim for and nearly every gun known to man was available for practice.

In the center of the facility was a winding maze, furnished with tables, desks and other obstacles, with figures that popped up periodically. I walked with Jenkins to the back of the range where agents were lined up in the practice lanes each shooting paper targets. I made my way past the last lane and looked back at Jenkins. His hands were over his ears and he was wincing at the sounds of gunfire.



I shook my head in amusement and bent my knees. With speed and power only my enhanced limbs could produce, I jumped onto the top of lane 50. The lanes’ ceilings were actually pretty sturdy. I reached a hand down for Jenkins and he stared at me blankly, his eyes wide with disbelief and arms hanging limp at his sides.



“Grab my hand,” I said. He did nothing, unable to hear me over the noise. “Grab my hand! I’ll pull you up,” I shouted. He hesitated, but then leaped toward me and grabbed a hold of my hand with both of his. I easily pulled him up and he crouched beside me.



“We’re not supposed to be up here!” he yelled.



“It’s okay, we’re both pretty light. Now, follow me, there’s something I want to show you.” I took careful steps until I reached a ledge near the back wall. I ran my fingers along it until I found the crack I was looking for and pulled out a long, heavy rifle. It was Jaden’s old M110 semi-automatic sniper system. I had bribed the techs into salvaging the parts and refitting it for my shorter arms.



In a few smooth motions I loaded the gun and was prone, a finger teasing the trigger. Jenkins cautiously came to rest beside me and I watched him from the corner of my eye.



“All right, you see that guard on the other side the range?”



He squinted, and I had to remind myself that not everyone had eyes like I did. “At eleven o’clock, near the door?”



“I… I think so.”



“He looks like he’s about to nod off. How about we give him a nice, loud wakeup call?”



Jenkins just stared at me, so I lined up the guard’s head in my crosshairs and shifted them slightly to the right. I breathed in and out and then held it as everything around me slowed to a crawl and the sounds of gunfire quieted in my head.



I was in my own world as I watched the guard through the scope. I could see every strand of hair on his head, the red and whites of his eyes, and his slightly drooping mouth.



In my mind, I checked and rechecked calculations and made tiny adjustments until I was just beside his left ear. Slowly, I pulled the trigger and the recoil of the rifle snapped me back into reality. The long bullet flew right by his ear and slammed into the wall where I placed it. The startled guard then hit the floor, his hands over head. That would teach him not to dose off and he really should’ve been wearing noise muffling ear phones, this place was noisy.



I let out a silky laugh, and pulled back to look at Jenkins. His face was white. Poor guy.



“You really shouldn’t do that.”



A voice to my left surprised me; a rare thing, considering very few had snuck up on me and lived to tell about it.



“Jaden.” I knew then what Jenkins was staring at. We’d been caught.



I sighed and snapped the leftover bullets out of the rifle, resisting the urge to swear. Jaden watched me as I slid it back into the crack in the wall. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he found me so quickly, he probably knew me better than I knew myself.



“Dismissed,” Jaden said firmly in Jenkins’ direction, his eyes never leaving my mine. The new recruit snapped to attention, saluted, then carefully made his way down from the high roof.



“Jaden,” I said again.



“Not here.”



He turned and walked to the edge of the roof and hopped down. He held out a hand for me, the gesture second-nature, and I took it as I descended, though I didn’t need the assistance.



“Are you mad?” I asked. “You’re mad, aren’t you? I wasn’t going to hurt anybody; I just was showing Jenkins something-”



“Who?”



“Jenkins. The new guy.”



“Strange. Haven’t heard of him,” Jaden mumbled and let go of my hand. “Let’s get out of here. No one but you can actually hear anything above all the noise.”



I nodded and began to walk beside him. I could tell by the way he walked, shoulders straight, that he wasn’t angry, but something was seriously bothering him.



“So, what was with that job?”



“Not here,” he repeated. “I’ve set up a secure conference room.”



“Fine,” I lied. Everything was not fine. In fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth.