Till Deceived Do We Part

It took me only twenty minutes to get to the site Jake had told me about. And when I saw a black car circling the area, I knew Flint had beaten me. Now usually I would take this as a blow to the ego and challenge Flint to some type of challenge that I knew I could win, but this was Zane’s life on the line. I didn’t care, and obviously Flint didn’t either; judging by the impassive face he had when he got out.

I parked slightly behind him and got out also, grabbing a spare sweater I kept in the back. I also grabbed my backup gun. I had forgotten to get my gun back, but I would worry about that later. Sure it was my baby, that no one touched, and that I never went anywhere without, but Zane was more important. I’m sure Jake would die if he heard me think that. Zane is more important than my gun. I’m sure even Zane would have a heart attack if he heard that. Even my mind was objecting to it.

“Damn it,” Flint hissed as he reached my side. At first I thought his anger was directed at me, but then I noticed the glazed look in his eyes. He wasn’t mad at me, he was mad at himself. Whenever Flints eyes went that way, he was beating himself up over something. It rarely happened, seeing as he was so arrogant, but on rare times like this, and on the pregnancy of his soon to be mother of his child, did it occur. “We always work together! I shouldn’t have allowed Jake to-“ he trailed off. “Damn it.” He then turned to me. “We had better find something. Anything.”

I agreed with him, not out loud. In times of crisis me and Flint are capable of working together, as proven, without killing each other. But that didn’t mean I would talk to him and share with him as much as I would Zane.

Flint headed towards the trees and I followed. He knew more of the situation, so for once, I followed him. He didn’t comment on how I was acting, nor did he point it out. He was as I was, putting everything to the side for now.

He led me off into the forest, following a trail for only a few minutes before trailing off. Now, many people would be looking for torn pieces of cloth caught on branches, right? Footprints... though it was raining. And any sign of disturbance or foreign object, right? Well, this wasn’t the movies. Nor was it a book. This was real. This was the real deal, and if Zane had went through here with pros after him, they wouldn’t have left something like that so carelessly behind. Me and Flint both knew that, but I think we both needed to feel like we were helping in a way. To soothe our minds, to calm down.

The only thing we could really rely on was broken branches or bushes... as we were currently making more of from trailing off the path. It wasn’t reliable though. Hikers, campers, teenagers and even animals could have caused them. There was no way of knowing, especially with the rain. My feet were covered in mud, but I paid no mind to them. Neither did Flint.

“Everything’s falling apart.” Flint finally said, and I heard something in Flint that shocked me. He was scared, hewas falling apart. I looked at him, allowing him to continue. “They’re trying to bring us down. They’ve attacked one of our top; you. You barely made it. An attack was made on Jake, our head, and a betrayal was made in the process. Zane has gone missing, another top, and we can’t even trust anyone.” I wondered if this would be a good time to mention I had a hit on my head? I didn’t think so, so I ignored the thought.

“Just keep your eyes open.” I said. I didn’t know how to deal with a falling apart Flint. It wasn’t what I was used to. Now, if he was to randomly throw a punch at me, that I could deal with. “Zane’s a big boy, I’m sure he’s fine. And if not, I’m sure he put up one hell of a fight.” At this Flint turned to me, his eyes not his own. He didn’t look like the Flint I knew... he looked broken.

“You know what the worst thing about all of this is? Jake is breaking. I was fine, until I saw the fear in Jake, saw the defeat.” His words stung me and I felt a lot of my confidence leaving. I took in a deep breath before doing the only thing I could... I punched Flint in the stomach.

He doubled over briefly before taking a deep gasp of air and shooting me a glare. There. Good ol’ Flint back.

“See? Everything’s the same, now quit whining and move.” I growled, shoving him. He did as I said, not before shoving me. I didn’t retaliate, only because we had better things to do. But I had accomplished what I had wanted. He was back to himself now, and that was all I wanted.

We kept walking for who knows how long. I gave up trying to stay warm and dry. I gave up trying to not to step in mud, and I gave up on any hope of even the slightest indication Zane had been there. Now I was just walking to forget. To ignore the sting of losing someone dear. If Zane was okay, he would have called Jake. If Jake had gotten the call, he would have called us. I may not be brilliant in math, but I can put two and two together. So now we were walking just to forget.

I used to always walk when I was younger. If I couldn’t hit a far target, I would go for a walk. Or run. If I screwed up, if Flint was annoying me, I would go. It was my way of relaxing. One time Zane had decided to stalk me, to see what I was doing. I knew he was there, but didn’t bother busting him. It was one of the days I went for a run, so he had to run to keep up. Even I was panting by the time I was done, so Zane learned a valuable lesson. Not to follow me when I’m in a bad mood, for he’ll end up exhausted and too tired to defend himself from me afterwards.

I almost missed it, letting my mind wander. But I caught the glimpse of fur at the last second. I stopped, and when Flint didn’t hear my sloshing foot steps, he stopped also. But my eyes were already locked onto it.

A coyote.

Not uncommon, not anything to worry about. But this was uncommon. For he had his head in a tree. His tail was moving ever so slightly as he tried to get his head farther in the tree. Now, I may not be an expert on coyotes, but I doubt that when it rains, they go inside trees.

This tree was huge, with one of those giant holes that led to the inside. Many trees in this forest were actually hollowed out. Don’t ask me why, I never really paid attention, but I knew it had something to do with all out tourists.

“What do you think?” Asked Flint. “I think it found food; meat.” I was already heading toward it. I didn’t bother sneaking up on it, but I did send a bullet beside it. It jumped and scampered away, as I thought it would. Animals. They may seem tough and brave, but everything had its limit.

My hair was clinging to the side of my face, and I almost welcomed the shelter when I stuck my head in the whole... careful to not disrupt anything.

Now, I had not been expecting to see what I saw. I may not have screamed, or jumped back or shown any sign of shock, but I was shocked.

A body lay in there. No, not Zane’s. If it had been, I would have been gone by now. I have no idea where to, but I wouldn’t have been able to stand the sight of it. No, it was another male. I didn’t personally know him, but judging by the bullet wounds to his stomach, I guessed Zane killed him. The size of the holes looked the size of his bullets, and unless they had began to copy our bullets, it was his. Also, Zane was a stomach person. He tended to shoot them once in the stomach, something they could live from, then shoot them a few more times a few minutes later. He liked making the scum suffer. It was his way of punishment. In his eyes, death wasn’t one. It ended their life and they would never have to worry about money or food again. Their worries would be gone. So that was how he treated them, how he punished them.

The man in the tree was pruned. He wasn’t old, but the rain that had soaked through the tree, and the air itself, had made his skin look as if it had been sitting in water for hours. Mine probably looked no different. But he was at an odd angle. His but touched the ground, whereas his legs were bent up, on the side of the tree. His arms were broken and bent beneath him, his face facing up.

His eyes were hollow and already clouded over. They held no emotion, but even if they did, the cloudiness would have gotten rid of it. Also, his clothes were soaked in blood, and claw wounds now surrounded him. Most likely from the coyote.

I stepped away and allowed Flint to take a look. When he backed off, he had a smile on his face, and I’m sure I mirrored his look. It wasn’t much, but it gave us both a small ray of hope.

“Good job. Now get it out.” I blinked. What? I didn’t want to touch the shrivelled up broken man.

“Why don’t you do it?” Obviously we were both feeling better, for the arguing returned. Flint scowled and shot me a glare.

“You found it, didn’t you? So-“ I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

“We don’t have time to argue. I’ll grab the arms, you grab the legs.” He didn’t argue... until he found out why I chose the arms. But by then it was too late. My mind was set, and I was stubborn. He knew it, everyone knew it. I one time took a bullet to my side because I was too stubborn to relinquish what I held. It’s a long story, but to put it in short terms, I ended up getting what I wanted and when I wanted it when I was little. Then again, I still do.

I chose the arms because they were already broken. I could bend them in any way, whichever way it was easier to carry. Flint would have to deal with stiff frozen legs that had been in the same position for who knows how long.

After much arguing, and many curses on Flints behalf, we began the long journey back to the cars. Both of us were satisfied to go back now. Plus, Jake would want us to come back immediately.

The walk back was anything but fun. I was the one who had to walk backwards, so I was the one running into trees and almost tripping. Flint could have warned me... but then again, it was Flint. He was back to normal now, and I was relieved. I may have hated him, but it scared me when he was like that.

Finally we made it back to the cars, and that’s when the next argument came up... who’s car? Of course neither of us wanted it, but I had a better reason. I had a hit on my head. They were more likely to target me, and if they did, the body wouldn’t get back to the base. And it had to get back, it was our only evidence.

“No.” Flint growled. “Your car already smells horrible. You were the one in it, after all. Why stink up two vehicles?” I shot him a deadly glare.

“I can’t take it, it has to...” I trailed off. Shit.[i/] I let my tongue slip. I was going to tell Jake about the hit, I really was, but I didn’t want him to find out from Flint. I didn’t even want Flint to know. Flint’s eyes narrowed at me and I could tell his mind was working. Not good. He could always put things together. “To be in one piece. You know my driving.” I finished, but judging by his expression, he didn’t buy it.

“Tell me the real reason why you can’t take it, and I will. I don’t care if it’s a lame excuse, just tell me.” A fair deal, but a deal I didn’t want. But after standing there, locked in the eye showdown with him, I knew I couldn’t win. Maybe it was my split head talking, or my aching arm that really shouldn’t be carrying weight, or maybe even my numb fingers... but I gave in. Wow, never thought I would do that. Hopefully I can live with the shame of giving into what Flint wanted. I wouldn’t want it haunting me.

“I have a hit on my head. It’s safer with you.” His end of the body dropped, and the sudden weight difference caused me to drop my side. My arm stung and I shot him a deadly glare while letting out a hiss. I rubbed my sore arm and his eyes briefly darted to it. Had he forgotten about it? Or was he merely wondering how much it would hinder my fighting, to see if he could take me?

“When did you find this out? Why are you even out. This has got to be the stupide-“ I cut him off.

“Earlier. And I’m out for the same reason you are, Zane. Now, how about we get back to the base before someone drives by and shoots us. Help me with th-“ but he had picked up the body before I finished. And he took it to his car... which meant I won the argument. That boosted me ego for a moment, until Flint came back and began to shove me to his car. I shoved back and he glared. My glare, however, was colder. And for the first time, he took absolute no notice. Usually he let off some small sign it bugged him, but this time, he seemed like a frozen wall.

“Get in my car. It’s not safe for you to go alone, especially when you’re injured.” I didn’t know what was worse. Getting insulted that I couldn’t handle myself from Flint, or having him want me to accept his help.

This wasn’t a good day. Zane was gone, I had my wounds burning... and now I had Flint helping me. I would never live this down. Never.