Worst Cupid Ever

Don't Do It

Pausing mid-flight, Ada struggled to think. Rushing to Genevieve in a panic would be stupid. And the people in the camp. If Genevieve and Raymond manage to escape, what about others? Ada shivered when her mind flashed to the crazy weapons the insurgents wielded.

"This is bad. This is really bad." Resuming her flight at top speed, Ada made it back to the camp.

"Haruto!"

"What?" Haruto answered without turning. He was still sitting on the truck's roof with his back turned in her direction.

Flying around him, Ada grabbed his shoulders. "Insurgents!"

Haruto frowned and observed her with a weary stare. "Huh?"

"Insurgents are minutes away," Ada pointed in the direction she saw them. "You have to believe me." She buried her fingers in her hair and glanced around. Genevieve and Raymond were still talking; the entire camp... oh no. "They have guns. What should I do? I should warn—"

Haruto stood. "Show me."

"But—"

"Show me," Haruto repeated with a firm voice. Unlike Ada, he appeared calm. In place of his previous sulking mood was a kind of focus Ada had never seen him display.

Ada led Haruto to the spot, reducing her speed to accommodate his slower flight. To Ada's dismay, she realised the insurgents were much closer now.

"It's too late," Ada moaned. "They are—"

"It's not too late," Haruto cut in. "There is something I can do."

"There is?"

Instead of answering, Haruto winked out of sight and appeared in the nearest security outpost. Ada rushed after him. Two soldiers were snoozing on a bench with a small radio playing local music in the background. Appearing between both men, Haruto touched their temples and shut his eyes.

Understanding dawned. Haruto was tampering with their mind—an action he was harshly punished for in the past. Wasn't this dangerous? How would the Rifters react if they found out he had deliberately altered the thinking of a human? Did the rule even apply to Rifters?

Both men woke up. One yawned as he retrieved his rifle. "I'd go take a piss," he said to the second soldier. "Start your patrol; I'll join you."

Heart squeezing, Ada reached for Haruto. "You..."

"Don't worry about me." Turning away, Haruto waved in a shooing motion. "Go warn Genevieve. Make sure they're as far away from the camp as possible. I'll go to the other guards and lead them to the insurgents."

Nodding once, Ada hurried to do as Haruto instructed.

***

"Can't believe Chima compared me to a butterfly," Genevieve said with an annoyed huff. Come tomorrow morning, she'd give him an earful.

"Don't frown." Ray swiped at the wrinkle between her brows with his thumb. "You're no butterfly. Recall how you bent me to your will, even had me sign a contract. I blinked once and found myself in the middle of an IDP camp. I don't think a butterfly is capable of that."

"If I'm not a butterfly then what am I?" Genevieve frowned again. "Some other cute bug?"

Ray laughed into her neck. "Let's throw the butterfly euphemism out the window, yeah?"

Genevieve was about to reply when she sighted Ada over Raymond's shoulder. The funny thing was that she could see her perfectly in the dark; she gave off a faint white glow. The panicky look in her eyes gave Genevieve a pause.

"You must leave," Ada said in a rush, drawing nearer. "Get up and leave now."

"Huh?" Genevieve blinked at Ada in confusion.