So you don't trust me: the guy who taught you everything you know. I'm guessing if you have her"-he jerked his thumb at Rae-"that's no accident. Luke's buddies sent her to trap you, and she thought she was doing the right thing, because, duh, she's already proven she's kinda gullible that way."
"Hey!" Rae said.
"You are. Own it. Fix it. Now, you guys have her, which means you escaped whoever sent her after you. You didn't escape without a fight, given that bruise I see rising on Daniel's jaw and the scrapes on Derek's knuckles. But you escaped, and you came back here, and you captured me. Who taught you all that?"
"Daniel and I had already started learning," Maya said, "during those weeks you were chasing us."
"Trial by fire," he said. "Followed by hardcore, hands-on tactical training. You got away scot-free from these guys because of my lessons. And yet now you don't trust I'm on your side?"
"Nope," Derek said.
"Sorry," Daniel said.
Maya crossed her arms and shook her head. I shrugged.
Moreno broke into a grin. "You guys do me proud. I'd give you all a hug, if that wasn't a little creepy. And if I was the hugging sort. But if you survive the rest of this, I'll take you all out for beer and ice cream."
"You don't need to be sarcastic," Rae muttered.
"Oh, but I'm not, and they know it. This is exactly what I trained them for. Trust no one except one another. Excluding you, kid, because I don't know you, and you have a bad habit of screwing up. But these guys are doing the right thing. Next step?"
Turn the tables," I said. "Capture someone who's behind this and get them to talk."
"Mmm, yes. That would work. But even better?"
"Stop them," Derek said. "Don't just take down one. Take them all down."
"Without running to the Nasts for help," Daniel said. "Because in another year, some of us will be off to college, and we need to be able to look after ourselves."
"Starting with proving we can look after ourselves," Maya said.
Moreno beamed. "You guys are ace. See, this is what I told Sean. The best time to train operatives is when they're still young and malleable. None of that shit about waiting until they're eighteen and legally old enough to consent."
Maya shook her head. "I suppose you'd also suggest he have the Cabal terrorize them for weeks first, so they're properly motivated."
"Exactly. Personal rights and freedoms are vastly overrated. And there's nothing wrong with a little PTSD. I've always found mine useful. Keeps me on my toes."
Rae stared at him.
"I'm kidding," he said to her. "Mostly. Don't you joke around like this with your instructors? Oh, wait. You don't have any. Which is why you got tricked-again. And got captured by these guys."
"Can we tie him up now?" Rae said. "And gag him?"
"Doesn't do any good," Derek said.
"We could try.
"Hey!" Rae said.
"You are. Own it. Fix it. Now, you guys have her, which means you escaped whoever sent her after you. You didn't escape without a fight, given that bruise I see rising on Daniel's jaw and the scrapes on Derek's knuckles. But you escaped, and you came back here, and you captured me. Who taught you all that?"
"Daniel and I had already started learning," Maya said, "during those weeks you were chasing us."
"Trial by fire," he said. "Followed by hardcore, hands-on tactical training. You got away scot-free from these guys because of my lessons. And yet now you don't trust I'm on your side?"
"Nope," Derek said.
"Sorry," Daniel said.
Maya crossed her arms and shook her head. I shrugged.
Moreno broke into a grin. "You guys do me proud. I'd give you all a hug, if that wasn't a little creepy. And if I was the hugging sort. But if you survive the rest of this, I'll take you all out for beer and ice cream."
"You don't need to be sarcastic," Rae muttered.
"Oh, but I'm not, and they know it. This is exactly what I trained them for. Trust no one except one another. Excluding you, kid, because I don't know you, and you have a bad habit of screwing up. But these guys are doing the right thing. Next step?"
Turn the tables," I said. "Capture someone who's behind this and get them to talk."
"Mmm, yes. That would work. But even better?"
"Stop them," Derek said. "Don't just take down one. Take them all down."
"Without running to the Nasts for help," Daniel said. "Because in another year, some of us will be off to college, and we need to be able to look after ourselves."
"Starting with proving we can look after ourselves," Maya said.
Moreno beamed. "You guys are ace. See, this is what I told Sean. The best time to train operatives is when they're still young and malleable. None of that shit about waiting until they're eighteen and legally old enough to consent."
Maya shook her head. "I suppose you'd also suggest he have the Cabal terrorize them for weeks first, so they're properly motivated."
"Exactly. Personal rights and freedoms are vastly overrated. And there's nothing wrong with a little PTSD. I've always found mine useful. Keeps me on my toes."
Rae stared at him.
"I'm kidding," he said to her. "Mostly. Don't you joke around like this with your instructors? Oh, wait. You don't have any. Which is why you got tricked-again. And got captured by these guys."
"Can we tie him up now?" Rae said. "And gag him?"
"Doesn't do any good," Derek said.
"We could try.
( Kelley Armstrong )
[ Atoning ]
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