Page 16 of Marked Resistance
“No, no it doesn’t,” I responded. “My last team had old vampires on it and they were anything but— “
Xavier’s voice boomed. “This isn’t your last team! And you’d do well enough to remember that. I don’t plan on dying in a hallway.”
My eyes narrowed to slits and heat rushed to my neck. “Fuck you.”
“Come with me.”
Xavier marched with purpose down the left side of the corridor with me in pursuit until we reached the last door at the end of the hall. He threw open the door which emptied out into a wide cafeteria. Long blue metallic lunch tables aligned themselves with each other in parallel lines and filled the room like stripes on a zebra. Incandescent lighting sprayed the area with illumination and flickered like a heartbeat. The serving area contained silver, metallic bins with handles sticking out. The smell of blood filled the air.
My forehead scrunched as I surveyed my surroundings. “We’re in a school?”
Son of a bitch! They really are treating me like I’m some young kid.
“No,” Xavier responded and headed towards the middle aisle. “Thiswasa school. Past tense. Now it’s a base to operate from.”
Oh. Dammit, why’s everything so confusing with him?
Seated in the center of the room, Ilanis glanced up at me with a scowl on her face as we approached. There were three manilla folders on the table, one in front of her, and the other two on the opposite side. Xavier took the seat slightly off-center from Ilanis and gestured with a wave of his hand for me to sit beside him and directly opposite of her. He grabbed his folder, opened it, and cleared his throat.
“You’ll find our next assignment inside,” he informed us.
I opened the folder and inside were two different sets of documents.
“You’ll also find information on another team member we’re set to take on,” Xavier continued.
“You know I’m pissed, right?” Ilanis growled.
“Who’s surprised?” I muttered under my breath.
Ilanis shot me a look full of venom.
Shit. How do they keep hearing me?
“We’ve always been a team of three,” she continued while glaring at me. “Now, we move to four? It’s not right, especially when our current makeup is less than desirable. Zenobia over here, couldn’t beat a cold, let alone another vampire. Why are we being forced to take onanotherone?”
My jaw tightened and my lips pressed together.
Ilanis tilted her head. “What? You have a problem with something I said?”
I lifted my chin.
“Didn’t think so,” she said with a smirk.
“Because Command said it,” Xavier interjected, drawing our attention to him. “They send it, we follow it. Doyouhave a problem with something I said?”
The smirk on her face disappeared. One formed on mine instead.
“Alright then,” Xavier settled. “The only thing left to do is decide which order we want to do it in. Do we go after the rogue, or pick up our new team member?”
Both sets of eyes went to me and I became very aware of how lonely the cafeteria actually was.
“What? Why are you both staring at me?” I asked.
“Because we’re letting you choose,” Xavier answered.
I shrugged. “Why? You both have reminded me many times of how young I am since I got here. Why rely on the least experienced person to decide?”
“You failed my test,” Ilanis stated.