Chapter 603

"It's so beautiful," I gasp, on my knees in front of the newly-opened case that holds my paintball sniper rifle, which is matte black and obviously brand spanking new. The helicopters have just pulled away and we're in a secluded, thick patch of trees that's growing on a plateau halfway down the cliff edge of a ravine.

"Could you try to be a little less of a girl?" Rafe murmurs at my side, looking around with a grimace to see whether any of our teammates have noticed me pressing my fingertips delicately to my lips in awe. "For like, one day?"

"I can try," I sigh, dropping my hands but otherwise ignoring him as I reach out for the gun, picking it up and inspecting all of the details, kind of impressed by the quality of the scope. "Where are the bullets?"

Rafe reaches for another box, pulling out a pair of binoculars and then a couple of magazine cartridges attached to a belt. He hands them all over to

me.

"Accessories!" I gasp, putting the gun down and slinging the binoculars over my neck before reaching for the belt, grabbing it and starting to work it around my waist.

Rafe laughs and stops me, helping me rearrange it so that the belt drapes neatly over one shoulder and down to my other hip. "So you don't have to lay on it," he murmurs.

“Thanks,” I say, beaming up at him. “Um, can I practice with this?" I pick up and hold out the rifle, which is satisfyingly light.

“As much as you want,” Rafe says, rather passively, standing up and gesturing for me to come with him. "But we need to get everyone in place first. So, patience, all right, trouble?"

"Yes sir yes sir," I mutter, standing and taking the gun with me, trying to hide my disappointment. Rafe smirks at me and then together we walk through the little patch of forest over to the rest of the team, who are being briefed by Jackson. When we wander over, several cadets raise their eyebrows at the huge gun in my hands, but I just grin at them, knowing that they're jealous.

"All clear?" Jackson asks, looking around at the group.

As one, they all chant “yes sir!” and break into two smaller groups with Jesse and another Cadet standing to the side. "What's happening?" I whisper to Rafe, curious.

"Two strike teams," he murmurs, bending to the side a little towards me as he gestures towards the two groups of Cadets. "One advance and one reserve. And then Jesse,” he says, pointing to our cousin, who is crouching by the supplies and strapping on his own set of weapons, "is advance scout."

"Really?" I ask, looking up at Rafe. "All by himself?"

"That's what he's trained for," Rafe says, grinning down at me. "Well, not as a scout - that's different. But Jesse can move fast and undetected alone, so we're using him for special projects today."

I'm still turning over in my mind what the hell special projects means when my eyes turn towards the last Cadet standing alone with Jackson. "Who's that?” I ask, raising my chin towards him.

"Our singular ambassador," Rafe

says, sounding a little guilty about it.

"The other teams are going to

et

negotiate more, but Jacks and I...he hesitates, glancing at me, "well, we kind of just decided that going Scorched earth was going to be

more effective."

I laugh a little, staring up at him. "Seriously?"

He shrugs. "We have a strong team - we're playing to our strengths."

"Well, what about you?" I ask, readjusting the rifle slung over my shoulder. "And Jackson? And me?"

"I'm in command," Rafe says, turning and pointing through the trees towards what looks like a little brown shack that I didn't notice before. "Going to be directing the troops by radio from in there. And Jackson -"

"Is going with you," Jacks says, sauntering over to us, slipping a tiny earpiece over his right ear and holding one out to Rafe and to me. "Come on, Clark. Time to get you in position - the Game's already started."

I look wide-eyed at Rafe and then back at Jacks as I slip my earpiece on. “Seriously?” I say. “That's all the briefing I get?"

"You don't need to get briefed," Rafe

says, clapping me on the shoulder

line

and turning towards the command shack with the reserve group as Jesse and the other group head towards the cliffside. "You just take commands and let us do the

thinking."

"I hate that,” I scowl, glaring at my brother, my hands tightening on the strap of my gun.

"Welcome to the army, sis," Rafe says, smirking at me and patting me on my cap before turning away, getting started.

“Come on,” Jacks says, grinning at me and nodding towards the forest and the cliffside climbing at our back. “Let's get you set up."

I sigh, but nod, following my mate.

On the way, Jackson - I think

sensing my frustration, my need to

comprehend instead of just

et

following orders explains some things to me. "The whole point is to see which team is standing in the end," he says, walking swiftly and obliging me to trot to keep up. "We can either kill everyone by getting paint on them -" noveldrama