kind of constant calm, when I hear a voice whisper, “Bridgette.”
I turn to see Charles, standing right next to me. Almost completely unrecognizable in a large, floppy sunhat and a cooling bandana wrapped around most of his face and neck. I gasp, but my surprise instantly melts into something new, all my terror and worry from the past few days merging into one powerful supernova of rage. Talking to him on the phone was one thing, but right here, breathing the same air, I can no longer put up a front. I ball up my one good hand, hot, angry breaths streaming from my nose. I know I need to stay calm, to keep my true feelings to myself until Charles is safely locked away, but being in his presence after knowing what he did, I’m exploding with fury, wanting to hurt him as much as he’s hurt me.
Over his shoulder, the nearest Warrior operative sneaks up, gun at the ready, but Siege stills, reading my body language and the possible trap he’s stepped into. Before any shot is fired, Siege grabs fistfuls of my shirt, dangling me off the ground and positioning my body against him like a human shield. “Don’t shoot!” he yells, roaring in my ear. “Or I will snap her neck!”
The few non-Warrior passersby scream, people suddenly running in all directions as the disguised unit members come forward, a wide array of guns and weaponry pointed in Siege’s direction. He holds me like I weigh nothing.
“Put me down!” I scream, kicking my legs violently. But he doesn’t budge. An operative tries to make his way toward him, but Charles swats him away as if he were a fly, causing the rest of the squad to freeze in place.
“How could you do this?” he growls at me, spit flying from his lips. “Set me up like this? I was going to help you!”
His massive fingers begin to wrap around my neck, making it hard to breathe, let alone answer his insane question. “It doesn’t…have to…be like this!” I manage to choke out. But my comment has the wrong effect, as his grasp tightens.
“Yes, it does,” he says, jaw clenched. “They gave me no choice. I have to show them they are weak! That Warrior Nation is not all-powerful.”
I gasp, using every last bit of strength to pry his fingers off my throat, hitting my cast against his hand. But he’s too strong, and I’m running out of air. “Please…don’t hurt me,” I beg.
“I don’t want to,” he admits, revealing the remnants of his moral compass. “But sometimes there have to be sacrifices for the greater good.”
The world starts to go dark as I hear a scream in the distance.
“STOP!”
Something inside me shakes loose, breaking me from my mental prison. Seeing Bridgette’s life dangle in the balance, I burst out from my hiding spot, racing toward her. Out of surprise, Charles loosens his grip, helping my friend gasp for the air she so desperately needs, though he continues to wrap her body around his for protection.
“Stop,” I repeat as two Warrior operatives instantly flank my sides. One of them tries to pull me back out of reach, but I brush him away.
I need to be here. He needs to hear what I have to say.
Wild gray eyes narrow on me as I stand, splaying my hands to show I’m not a threat. “This isn’t you,” I say sadly. “Blue Streak…how could you?”
He shakes his head, still clutching Bridgette. “Don’t call me that.”
“What…Blue Streak?” I repeat, the words frighteningly unfamiliar on my tongue.
“I warned you once: Don’t.”
“Blue Streak is your NAME,” I emphasize, in case he forgot. “You are a WARRIOR. Not a villain.”
His jaw clenches, savagely squinting at the Warrior Nation squad behind me. “They took that from me. Those people—your people. Because of them, I’m no longer a hero.”
“You’re always a hero!” I cry, once again in tears. “For half my life, I’ve worshipped you, following your example of strength and truth. You made me believe there was goodness in the world, that people could make a difference. You saved my life; you gave me something to strive for.” My lip quivers, snot running down, but I don’t stop. The sight of him hurting Bridgette is wreaking havoc on my heart. “You always said that people needed to stay strong against adversity, to take the higher road. You told us to lead by example, to stay true when times get rough.” I step closer, pointing an accusatory