Adjournment (The Fate Series) (44 page)

“Whoa, Sid, is that a tactical vest?” Morgan shouts slamming the door behind her.

“Of course… how else would I carry around all the ammo?” Puckering my brow at her, I slide my boots on.

“How did you manage to bring all this stuff here and not have anyone see it?” Molly breathes as she looks over the bed that is covered with enough magazines for everyone.

“That was easy… I didn’t bring clothes.” I smile up at her.

“What!” they both shout.

“Well you were supplying the dresses and other than that all I needed was bathing suits, pajamas and underwear… that left a lot of room in there for all this.”

A knock at the door silences us, I walk over cracking the door slightly to see our dad standing there.

“Oh, come in.” I grab his arm to pull him in quick.

You never know where someone might be.

“Girls, there you are. I was just at your rooms. I need you three to come down to my office right now.” He smiles. Turning around, he starts to leave, and we follow behind him.

To our dad today is bigger than a holiday… This is his day, and he takes it very seriously… we all take it very seriously. Especially since there’s a trophy that the winning team gets to keep in their house.

He opens the door, and we walk in where Lexi is already dressed and waiting.

“You were so right, I look good!” Lexi squeals jumping up in an identical outfit as she twists and turns to show it off.

“Lex, you look ready for paintball,” I laugh at her.

“Yeah, paintball… that’s what you two look ready for.” Molly shakes her head.

Our dad clears his throat and gives Molly a hard stare.

“I’m glad it fits. Thank you, Mr. Chandler,” she beams, ignoring Molly.

“Wait you bought them all that?” Morgan looks back and forth between us.

“Well her old vest was too small, and Lexi didn’t have anything. Then I got to thinking, it’s time to upgrade our equipment. Girls, here are your outfits.” He flashes an evil smile.

“Morgan my dear, a new sniper rifle and these are for you, Sidney, and Lexi.” He smiles handing Molly our guns.

Ours are regular military-style paintball guns.

“Dad, these look like assault weapons…” Molly looks from them to him.

“Badass, right.” I grin, taking mine from her.

“Are you having an episode? Did you forget who you are?” Molly squints her eyes at me as she moves closer.

I ignore her.

“I was nervous at first but you’re right, they’re awesome,” Lexi gushes, grabbing hers from Molly, who is still looking at me.

“Girls, your masks are over there, and, well, Sidney has the rest in her room. Now, who’s ready to win that trophy?” he grunts at us.

Morgan begins to sniffle as she starts to get emotional over the gifts.

“Go get ready, we’re wasting time,” he says pushing us out of the office.

We’re walking back to our rooms when Morgan starts to feel the excitement of the day. “He really does love us!” she cries. 

“Yeah, he and I were talking about the new equipment a couple of weeks ago. He wanted to keep it a surprise,” I say opening my door.

“Wait, you helped him pick this out?” Molly says with shock.

“Of course… Oh, and I got us these!” I hand her a pistol.

“I got us each one! The magazines are over there,” I point out.

“Oh, and our guns are barrel fed or magazine fed. You just switch it over like this,” I demonstrate.

“How many rounds?”

“Ten rounds in the clip. Two hundred and thirty in the barrel but the CO2 is good for sixteen hundred,” I explain.

“Guys, he bought us new guns.” Morgan keeps saying as she runs her fingers over her new toy.

“Yes, now get dressed so we can go!” I shout at her.

“How many rounds in the pistols?” Molly asks loading up her vest.

“I just told you… ten… so take a bunch of them.” I give her a look.

I don’t know why I try to talk when they have shiny new toys in their hands.

Lexi leaves and in a few minutes she’s back. “I almost forgot, I got us all a little something.” She smiles handing us each what looks like a water balloon.

“Grenades!!! You are my new best friend,” Morgan cries out, wrapping her arms around Lexi.

“Who would have known Morgan would get all sappy over paintball equipment?” Lexi pats Morgan’s back as she continues to sob against Lexi’s shoulder.

“All of us… why do you think our dad kicked us out of his office… she gets so emotional over this stuff,” Molly scoffs.

The doorbell rings, and it’s time. Picking up our masks we walk down the hall.

“See that look in their eyes? That is why I told you we aren’t playing,” Jacob says to Tyler as they come out to walk with us.

“Ladies,” our uncles greet us as we come down the steps.

They are dressed in regular fitted hunting clothes along with our dad.

“We’re meeting the guys at the cabin. The actor is giving them a bit of a problem.” Uncle Sal shakes his head.

“Hey, girls.” Mea smiles walking up to us. “Madness is staying here… she is going to make food for later and finish packing up. But I can’t thank you both enough for the outfit and the equipment… you were right, we do look like the perfect team.” She giggles showing off her identical outfit.

“That’s why I married that woman… she always thinks ahead.” Dad smiles as we walk outside.

“So, here is our final touch,” he says, placing a wire in my hand.

“This side goes into your ear and you talk in here,” he says, clipping it to the collar of my shirt.

“Best day of my life!” Morgan screams, taking her wire.

Giving our dad a look, he shrugs. “I forgot to give it to you before.” He gives a bashful look.

“Okay, enough of this, let’s go!” he yells, and we all run to jump into the Jeep.

People stare at us as we drive down the street.

“Ha! They look scared because they think we’re with the government,” Morgan beams.

“No, they look scared because they know it’s you,” Uncle Sal chides.

After a half hour in the car with them, we are finally driving down the long road to the house. Our dad parks, and we jump out to walk around the side of the house where we see the guys on the back deck waiting in their gear.

“Is this all necessary?” I hear Josh say as we walk back. 

“Absolutely.” Dean nods in our direction.

Our guns are clutched down between our elbow and side as we walk up the steps.

“Well, these are distracting outfits.” Dean clears his throat.

“Yes… I thought so too.” I wrinkle my nose at him.

“Genius!” Morgan cheers. My plan slowly starts to unfold in her head.

“Okay, boys, pick up your chins and let’s go,” Uncle Mitch says, pushing the guys to the woods. 

“Wait, isn’t it ladies before gentlemen?” Simon stops, bending down he bows to let us pass.

“You just want to stare at our asses,” Mea teases, walking past them.

“Is that such a terrible thing,” Josh smirks, walking behind her.

“I tell you what, I’ll let you have this. It’s the least we can do before we kick your ass out in the field.” I walk past Simon. “Thanks for the wakeup call this morning, too.” I flick his ear.

He jumps back grabbing it. As soon as I’m in front of him he stands to follow me down the steps, giving his signature whistle the whole way.       

Giving my hips a little extra sway I smirk when I hear him trip behind me.

“I’m okay,” he yells.

Good for yourself, Jackass.

“You’ll get no argument from me! My ass looks amazing in these pants. I may never take them off.” Lexi struts past me followed by Molly and Dean.

“Don’t even think about it, Chase!” Morgan sends him a warning.

I can just imagine what that man is thinking about.

When we get to the stop we all form a circle, looking around to size each other up.

“This seems like a really aggressive game, and I don’t want to hurt you girls. Wouldn’t it be safer to play cards or something,” Josh frowns at us.

“NO!” Mea shouts, giving him a look. He laughs then agrees.

I guess they’ve played cards against these guys before.

“I’d be more afraid of them hurting you,” our dad retorts.

“Okay, so rules!” I shout, bringing them all silent.

“No shooting in sensitive spots… also, since not all of us have full masks no shooting in the face, and absolutely no shooting at point blank range.” I look at Chase.

“That was an accident! It just went off.” He tosses his arms in the air.

“What are the sensitive spots?” Josh asks looking around.

Taking out her pistol, Morgan shoots Chase between the legs, dropping him the ground.

“There,” she says putting it back in its holder.

“It was an accident, when are you going to let it go?” he screams at her.

“What? That was an accident… It just went off.” She shrugs at him.

“That’s why we wear cups,” Dean mumbles.

Giving him a nod, they both take a step away from Morgan.

Chase stands up and I watch as she, for a second, shows concern for him. But she would never admit to it.

“Okay, so teams!” Molly smiles, trying to change the subject.

“Well, you six have to be divided.” Uncle Mitch grins.

“We pick Sidney for Captain,” Morgan announces.

“Chase is ours,” Simon and Dean reply.

“I think they have to separate them because they would just shoot each other if they’re on the same team,” Mea whispers to Josh.

“I figured,” he whispers back.

“I choose Mea, Lexi, our dad, and Uncle Sal.” I start negations.

“Your dad and Uncle Sal?” Chase frowns.

He rubs his hand along his jaw. “I don’t know about that.” He shakes his head.

“Hey, I’m taking two newbies, plus myself. Besides you get Uncle Mitch, Uncle Matt, and Josh… It’s an all-male team,” I point out.

Hoping to appeal to his male ego, I watch as he thinks it over.

“Well that seems fair then since you three are amateurs,” he decides.

Jackpot.

“Great, see you boys out there!” Morgan yells.

“Wait, is this legal?” Josh asks.

Squinting at him for a second, I look around and see everyone looking down.

Cowards.

“Well, we’ve never been caught.” I try to put a positive spin on that. “Oh, most important rule, do not to shoot the trees…” I add to our rule list.

“Can we get arrested?” He ignores me and looks around at everyone.

“Of course not! You’re with us…” Molly gives a shaky laugh.

That isn’t very comforting.

“Actually, he’s with them,” Morgan points out.

“
Oh,
well then, the possibility exists. Good luck and remember, don’t shoot the trees.” Molly pats him on the shoulder.

We all shake and go our separate ways. “Why can’t we shoot the trees?” he asks, and no one answers. “I don’t feel secure about all this,” he whines, walking away with them.

It’s not long before we all know our positions and get Morgan into a good spot. “Chameleon to leader; come in leader,” Morgan says into my ear.

“Go for leader,” I whisper back.

“I have heavy movement to my left side,” Morgan aka Chameleon whispers.

“I’m to your left, stay hidden,” our dad notes.

The sounds of rapid shooting starts, but I can’t see who’s involved and the snapping of twigs near me holds me in place until I see Chase slowly walking past the bush I’m semi under.

“Chameleon, I have their leader. I repeat, I’m taking Chase out.” I whisper into the mic at Morgan.

With a quick pull of the trigger, I miss the back of Chase’s knee when he takes off running.

“Dammit! I missed he’s on his way to you, Livewire,” I say to Molly.

“Leader, this is Father Bird… I’ve been hit. Josh and Mitch are out too,” our father says into our ears.

“I’ve been hit, too,” Mea pouts.

Well hell, there goes my team.

“Okay, Livewire how’s your position?” I whisper to Molly. Standing up, I look around to make sure I’m alone.

“I’m surrounded,” she breathes through the ear piece.

“I’m there,” Uncle Sal answers.

Another round of fire starts, and I take off running toward them. The sounds of the shooting masks the sounds of me running. When it stops I’m feet away from where we covered Morgan, and I freeze so they don’t hear me.

“Who’s left?” I say, grabbing onto the tree for support, and catch my breath.

“I got Dean, the others took off running,” Uncle Sal informs us.

“That means Simon, Chase, and Matt.” Our dad is in our ear again.

“Leader, this is Chameleon, I have Uncle Matt in my scope,” Morgan whispers.

Without any further contact she shoots him. “You said no sensitive spots! And who shoots twice!” he yells out.

“I couldn’t help myself, sorry guys,” Lexi laughs into our ears.

“Maybe you need to put some extra time in on your ass at the gym. It should be like a rock, not a sensitive spot,” Morgan shouts back.

“That leaves Chase and Simon,” Uncle Sal says laughing in our ears.

“This is Livewire… I’ve been hit,” Molly says.

I open my mouth to say something when I hear twigs snapping again.

“Sid, they’re close,” Morgan whispers.