DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER XX

M A K A Y L A

As soon as I saw the thin boy among the muscular forms of the newer recruits my heart dropped. As much as Alex had done her best to harden my heart she couldn't stop the fear I instantly had for the boy that was scarcely fifteen. It was the same knee-jerk response that had gotten me into so much trouble in Sector 52 once...

"–the next person to take their eyes off training loses one!" Proximo barked, making the men and women flinch collectively and soon find other things to focus on.

He tucked his hands behind him as he walked to me with a slow smirk.

"Makayla Xavier, you're still alive." He noted with a knowing look.

I rolled my eyes and kept my hands in my cargo pockets. I wish I had such garments in Sector 1. They were beyond comfortable. Cocktail dresses may look the part but you could hardly walk down the streets of the outer Sectors without being abducted, trafficked or had a certain gang with an affinity for organ snatching after you. It might be entertaining to see Alex's response however....

"You should be thanking me." I stated, scanning the young fighters as they worked hand to hand. Especially the smaller one–Lee. Proximo followed my gaze and grinned wickedly.

"So, she told you about that wisp."

"How could drag him here for this?" I demanded, irritated as he was knocked off his feet.

"Oh, I did nothing of the sort. He begged Scorpion to join the ranks. The only reason she gave him the time of day was because of his... assistance that day." He drawled, smirking when he took a jab to the jaw and almost fell again.

"You're really going to pit him against that?" I gestured an arm to his opponent, "–he's got 50 pounds on him."

Proximo grunted and rolled his shoulder. "Size is irrelevant."

I eyed his towered form and snorted.

"You're right, if I let Alex go for you, you wouldn't be standing here."

His lip twitched and he cast me a dark look. "You're right, Division 52 wouldn't respond well if I killed Scorpion."

I grinned back and he matched it. Strong words. No intent. I had known as much when he drew that blade... I just wasn't so sure about how far she would go.

"We'll need you to get us some more intelligence from your dear, Sector 1 friend." He said suddenly. 

My mind snapped back to Velron. That uneasy expression, those weapons coordinates, the bruising on his face...

"God damn it–I'm a terrible friend." I muttered.

"No time for friends, Makayla. I need you focused."

I turned to him and reached for his arm, stopping when he cut those steel eyes down to me.

"I need to know that you'll let him go when we get what we–"

He barked out a laugh.

"He has too much information on us now, Makayla. Regardless if I actually approved of the man–I couldn't release that much intell to the wind. Our enemies could easily collect."

My blood cooled and my heart stuttered.

"So–you–please don't kill him." I spoke quickly trying to come up with a valuable reason to keep him alive–

"I'm not going to."

I paused and scanned his face. He was watching the recruits again however and frowned suddenly. He strode off quickly and intently. I could only stare as he caught a fist from the recruit about to swing a small blade and twisted his arm around into an excruciating angle.