Anarchy

Chapter Two - Weak

Chapter Two - Weak

Grace

My hands were steady in front of me, arms extended to keep the gun aimed at his chest. His features were set in a solid expression, masking any fear he might have felt even though he didn't strike me as the type to easily be afraid. His hard gaze met mine and I was momentarily stunned by the depth of green in his eyes as they narrowed at me.

He hadn't seen me before he'd stepped out of the door, his hasty glance looking in every direction but to his exact left where I'd stood hidden by the shadows. I hadn't been surprised when a smaller shadow followed him out the door because of the racket they'd made in the building, but I hadn't got a good look at either of them until he'd turned around to face me. I almost wished he hadn't because even as I held a gun to his chest, there was no denying how attractive he was. He was about my age, twenty-one or so, and with his messy, dark hair pushed back in a bandana, it was easy to see the sharp line of his jaw, the piercing green of his eyes, and the stony look of determination written on his face.

A quiet whimper sounded from behind his back, shaking me from the spell I seemed to momentarily have fallen under. For the first time, a flicker of worry flashed in his eyes beneath his tightly knitted brows. I stepped closer, determined to uphold my composure just like I would with any other raider who was caught in the act.

'Who's behind you?' I demanded sharply, nodding over his shoulder.

'It's just a kid,' he answered. His voice was deep and gravelly as he tried to keep it down and avoid drawing any more attention to us. He must have noticed I hadn't alerted anyone to his presence yet, although I knew others were already on their way.

'Let me see him.'

'Put your gun down first,' he returned firmly. His hands were still raised by his sides but I could see the flexed muscles beneath his skin, his body tense and ready to react.

'Nice try.'

As I spoke, a small hand gripped the side of the shirt he was wearing before a head peeked around from behind his back. A set of wide brown eyes peered out at me, very obviously terrified. He let out a tiny squeak when he saw me looking at him before ducking behind the man's back again. My gaze travelled back up to his face, gun never leaving his chest.

'Where are you from?' I asked. He stared back at me defiantly, not answering my question as he set his jaw tightly. I hadn't really expected him to. That was one of the first rules of raiding: you get caught, you stay quiet, and most of the time, you die. There was a reason hardly anyone dared to raid Greystone, and it was the reason he wasn't giving me any information now. He knew he probably wouldn't make it out of here and didn't want to risk retaliation on the rest of his camp.

That wasn't always the case, however. Many times, the person caught would give up all sorts of information if there was even the slightest chance it meant they'd escape with their life. Whoever he was, he was loyal and brave.

'Why'd you bring a kid with you on a raid?' I questioned again. My tone held a hint of annoyance. I didn't like being put in this situation, because I knew I should shoot them both and I really didn't like the idea of having to shoot a kid. He was so small and terrified, it hardly seemed justifiable, even if he was on a raid.

'I didn't,' he said through gritted teeth. The skin was pulled taut on his neck as he watched me closely. His eyes darted to the side, leaving mine for the first time since his gaze had locked on mine at the sound of someone calling my name.

'Grace!' the voice called. His eyes snapped back to mine, an eyebrow rising as if questioning that it was me they were calling for.

'Look, at least let the kid go,' he said shortly. It was almost as if he were irritated that I hadn't shot him yet. I stared at him, gun still raised and ready.