JP - Almost Friendly Fire

Klaire shifted and held her rifle. “To save James…”

Tzeitel shoved back her hair. She wished Cody was more careful with his powers. Not just for his own sake but she worried what kind of example he was setting for Ami. “Yeah, James got caught. So we’re going after him.”

“Then I’ll come along. You don’t want to get caught off guard if you run into Thrane.” Colt said, dropping his arms to his sides. “He ambushed me at that truck, but this time I’ll be expecting him.”

Tzeitel folded her arms. Why can’t all these fucking complications leave her alone? A few weeks ago of course she would want Colt with her. But now she knew Colt still had feelings for her. “You should be resting…” She tried, knowing damned well that Colt did not need rest after Cody healed him.

“I’m fine,” Colt retorted, his cat ear twitching. “What are you gonna do? Force me to go back to bed?” There was a challenge in his voice.

Klaire stood in discomfort. “How about we just go…?”

“No. You know I never would.” Tzeitel flushed, angry and embarrassed. “Let’s go.” She nodded to Klaire.

Klaire nodded and started to head out, Colt following them. “Are we going without anyone else?” He asked.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t forget about us” Alex replied waiting in the hallway.

“Moi!” Piritta greeted.

Susi waved from next to Alex and tossed Colt a new sword. “Since Thrane destroyed your last one!” She chimed.

“Forged it myself so try not to break unless you do so by shoving it up Canestone’s ass” Alex chuckled.

“Oh shi-” Tzeitel jumped when she thought she saw Canestone, then noticed the red hair. It was just Sorley. She was as jumpy as hell. At least she did not attack him. She had raised her new crossbow though. Tzeietl lowered her crossbow and breathed slowly.

“I didn’t break it on purpose,” Colt said with a chuckle as he tested the weight of the sword.

Gelf had stepped in front of Sorley the moment she saw the crossbow, ready to teleport them away. “It’s cool, Tzeitel. It’s cool. This is Sorley. Remember?” She said, keeping calm.

“Yes, sorry. I’m a little jumpy.” Tzeitel admitted an understatement.

Sorley waited for his heart rate to go back to normal. Tzeitel was scarier than Evie. That crossbow looked serious.

“So almost friendly fire aside is everyone read to go?” Alex asked.

Tzeitel nodded meekly.

"I'm ready to punch someone in the dick!" Piritta declared.

Klaire nodded as well.

"Don't we need that Drizzt guy to lead the way?" Susi pointed right to said man as he walked up to them. "Hi!"

"Uhm…hi." Drizzt grimaced.

Tzeitel looked at Drizzt. “The undercover guy? What does he know to help us?”

“I know where they most likely took James…” Drizzt said, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. “It’s the one I was at…until, you know, I finally snapped and you heard me losing my shit on the phone…”

“Five years of working undercover there can do that to a guy.” Klaire muttered.

"That means we can head straight there and get him out" Alex said.

"See Klaire? You'll get him back in no time." Tzeitel said, trying to assure her friend.

"Then let's get going." Piritta said, setting her empty plate to the side.

“Should we grab Nero for this? I remember he was at the meeting.” Susi suggested.

“For a teenager he’s already a giant,” Gelf pointed out. “He’d probably weigh down the vehicle.”

“Didn’t he used to ride on top of the van a lot?” Susi asked.

Gelf and Klaire went silent. Yes, he had…

"He was also a lot bigger" Alex added as they walked.

“Lets let him stay behind this time…I don’t think he’d be okay with going back home just after getting free thanks to RIley.” Gelf pointed out to them all.

Tzeitel was fine with that idea. She did not know how this Nero clone would be, the original was dangerous and unpredictable the first time they had met him.

Sorley squeezed Gelf’s hand.

Alex led them to the motor pool where all the vehicles were there was a van and a small cargo truck waiting.

“Anyone else hear all the rain?” Susi asked as she followed, those keen wolf ears paying attention to everything.

“Yeah, sounds like the bad storm they mentioned on the radio earlier.” Gelf mentioned. “Got a nurse to let Yule and the others listen to one so they could enjoy some music.”

Klaire was silent as she got into the van, having Drizzt get into the driver’s seat. “Can you drive in the rain?” She asked.

“Yeah…” Drizzt replied.

"I'll be right behind you guys bringing the support" Alex replied climbing into the truck.

Tzeitel got in the van. It felt wrong to be going on a mission without Riley but he was in no shape to come along. She made herself comfortable and looked at her new crossbow.

Klaire sat up front with Drizzt, holding her rifle calmly as Colt and Susi followed. The wind user was silent as he sat next to Tzeitel and stared ahead, holding the new sword tightly.

They had no clue what they were about to run into on their way there…

Tzeitel had started looking at her crossbow to avoid having to talk to Colt. She did not know what to say to him. But after a while she was admiring her crossbow for real. It was an amazing weapon and she was looking forward to facing the clones now.