Defenders

Defenders (6)

After I had changed, I sat in the bathroom for as long as I could until I heard Dex pounding on the door.

“Come on, princess,” he called out, and I couldn’t help but scowl at the pet name. “I’ve got to change too, you know.”

I opened the door, glaring at him as I made my way back outside with the rest of my team and my mentors. I ignored them all and just took a seat as far away from them on to couch.

Dex was out in thirty seconds, and since he was the last one to change, we were now all sitting around, waiting to return to the Defensive Affairs Unit, even though I would have loved to have gone back home.

“Come on, Violet,” Hank tried to cheer me up on the drive back from the beach once everyone was changed back into their regular clothes. “There’s no reason to be upset. You did great and you kicked Randall’s butt! Aren’t you proud of yourself?”

I wasn’t going to answer him honestly and tell him that yes, I was pretty proud of myself. It was the first time I actually could control my powers, and even though it was a test, it would have saved my life if it hadn’t been.

Nay was on the other side of the RV, wrapping up Anthony’s injured arm. She had told us after we had started driving that no one was supposed to get hurt during this training session, but she wasn’t surprised that someone did get injured.

“Blood in the RV,” RV practically sang. “This brings back memories!”

Hank laughed. “Maybe you should save them the story about Aiden’s father and the bloodbath for after their first real mission after they’ve finished training.”

“Aw,” RV whined, and I couldn’t help but be curious. “But it’s a nice story!”

Hank snorted. “Nice, sure. You just say that because you can’t bleed.”

“But, still!” RV protested. “Let me tell them the story!”

Nay looked up at the ceiling of the RV warningly. “RV.”

“Fine,” he sighed in defeat. “I guess it would be best to wait until after their first real mission so they won’t get spooked. It did happen on their team’s first real mission, and we definitely don’t want a repeat of it…”

This made me feel uneasy. There was a bloodbath on our parents’ first mission? Obviously they had all come out fine, but… still. That was intense.

The rest of the ride was filled with awkward silence, and I really wished that someone would say something to break it. I would have preferred it be RV, but I was really okay with it being just anyway.

“The five of you deserve a real day off,” Nay informed us now as the RV came to a sudden stop. “So here, you’re free.”

The doors opened, and we made our ways off the RV to see what they were talking about. I was surprised when we were face-to-face with a gigantic, shiny mall. My four teammates seemed surprised as well.

“We’re really getting a day off?” Aiden asked our mentors now, since this was the question on all of our minds.

Nay nodded. “You’re really getting the day off. Go on, now. Have fun. You’ll see that each of you have thirty dollars in your pockets.”

All five of us shoved our hands into our pockets, and sure enough, there were thirty dollars in each. This seemed to be enough initiative for Aiden and Kristie, who then left us and made their way into the mall together.

And that, just like it had been on the beach, left me with Anthony and Dex.

“And then there were three,” Hank grinned at the three of us, but we still didn’t budge. “I must say, we’re not very surprised that the three of you aren’t very trusting.”