Persphyni: I am Determined

46

"Someone just ran out of that cave." McCreary.

My jaw clenched as I slowly looked down at my hands. The rope digging into my wrists and forearms. I clenched and unclenched both fists, gently wiggling the rope. "Harris, Falk, watch your six."

I couldn't do anything too drastic yet, but I definitely was about to cuss at Madi and Clarke.

"Copy that. Tight intercept." Whoever that is better start climbing some damn trees and get out of sight fast. I kept discreetly wiggling my wrists as I moved my gaze to Diyoza.

"Fast little thing. We can cut her off at the lake. Go west." Madi. That must mean Clarke needs more medical help. You've got to be kidding.

"Changing direction now." I glare into Diyoza's eyes as she walked forward with the walkie outstretched.

"Wait she turning north. I've got a shot." Damnit. McCreary asked for confirmation on the shot and before Diyoza could say anything I jumped in.

"No." I growled low. "She's a child."

"She speaks." No shit. Cocky-ass.

"Congratulations, you've put a child endanger and have gotten me to speak. Please give Diyoza a round of applause." I mocked in Trigedaslang much to the confused look of both Diyoza and Shaw. Oh I was going to like this.

"How many others are in the woods." I bared my teeth when she walked towards me and got too close to me. Her step backwards creating distance had me smirking.

"The third one is injured. Your blast. So none that can hurt you." I glared into her eyes, lying to a degree. I wasn't going to act desperate. I wasn't going to plead. I was testing her. To see how soon I needed to get out of these ropes.

"Fire at will." She gave the order and my jaw clenched as I sat still. I drew the map of the village in my head and began to smirk when I heard McCreary.

"She went behind those twin rocks!" She's taking them back to my hunting ground. "Falk! Take her on the other side."

"She's a smart girl." I voiced in English as I sat back. "You on the other hand Diyoza are a horrid leader. Letting your men walk straight into a trap." I spoke the last sentence in Trig as I grinned devilishly at her.

"What was that last thing. Repeat it, in English." Diyoza ordered. My grin widened.

"No. I don't think I will. After all, it's your men."

"It's your child." I frowned.

"I don't look that old to have a child, do I?" I turned to look at Shaw. The pilot's face was full of surprise as he sat there blinking. "I'm taking that for a no. Mochof."

I turned back to Diyoza. My wrists still moving as I wiggled the rope looser.

"If your men follow her, they will look like kabobs. Those rocks lead to my hunting grounds. One of many. They follow her, they die." I stare up at her cockily. "Your move, Diyoza."

"I see her. I'm going in." I just sat back and waited. It was up to Diyoza to take the bait. And this time, the bait was Madi.

"All units, stand down. Over." I smirked as Diyoza lowered the walkie.

"If we stand down, she'll get away. I'm taking the shot." I rose an eyebrow at McCreary's voice.

"Falk, if McCreary disobeys, shoot him in the leg. Harris, if Falk disobeys shoot him in the head." Interesting. Soft spot for McCreary.

"Standing down."

"Good choice. There may be traps near your position. Check it out and report back. Over." Diyoza pulled the walkie from her mouth as I smugly held eye contact.

"Son of a bitch. Another bear trap." Maybe it was time to tell you guys how many hunting grounds I had. But I'd need both my hands and one foot to count that. "Almost stepped right in it."

Damnit. So close. It's okay Madi. You just saved him for me.

"Report to base camp. Over and out." I leaned further back into the chair with a soft sigh.

"It would have been funny if he stepped in it." I spoke in Trig. Grinning maliciously at Diyoza. "Point two for me and zero for you. You'll never win. Not while I'm breathing." I taunted further into Trig. All while keeping my face neutral as I kept my smirk internal.

I will not bend.

_______•*•*•*•_______

"Now since we know that you can talk. Let's begin. Start with how the world ended." I copied her stance, sliding forward in my seat, still gently wiggling at the ropes.

"Oh, I love telling stories. Which time?" I laughed at their shocked faces. "The world ended twice. We called them both Praimfaya. Only I wasn't alive for the first death wave. My ancestors were up in space. Good thing whoever old grandad and mom were they chose to be astronauts, right?"

"Just get to the point." I rolled my eyes at Diyoza's impatience.

"Fine. Jeez, I say one word and now I'm a talking book. Look, the simple version of it all, the earth was blow up by all the nation's nuclear weapons. Then less than a hundred years later, I get dropped from the Ark and get two beautifully free years here on earth. Then the nuclear reactors finally began to eat down and the radiation spiked into another death wave." I debated continuing but it figured it was whatever by now. As long as I don't disclose any personal information, I'll be fine.

"I got injected with the 'blood alteration' as Shaw put it and I was able to survive on the surface for six years. Yay me. That's it. That's the end of the story."

Diyoza opened her mouth to say something when the crackling of the radio interrupted us.

"Colonel, we have five more hostiles. At least one is armed. Are we still playing nice?"

My heart leapt into my throat as I stared at the walkie. My breath catching as I repeated his words over again. There was no way.

"Well this is perfect timing." I grumbled in Trig as I waited for Diyoza's response.

"Standby." She rose from her seat and walked towards my chair. "Find out where they are and reinforce their position." The men who had gathered for story time began to collect their things.

"Not you McCreary. What did I tell you would happen if you lied to me?" I rose an eyebrow and looked the lady in the eyes.

"I don't recall the conversation ever coming up. Do you mind retelling what you had said in your head?" I saw her eyes flash as she was momentarily taken aback. My own eyes flamed as a new fit of passion was unlocked.

She swung her fist, connecting with my cheek. The stinging effect faded shortly before I smirked up at the woman.

This bitch didn't know me.

I was Persphyni Atlys Kane. I will not be beaten.

I do not bend.

I do not break.

I rise.