Potent Potential

Potent Potential - Twelve - Pawn or Participant?

Twelve – Pawn or Participant?

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“I’ve got this feeling that you’re keeping secrets from us. Missi’s nearly insane with the withheld knowledge. You know how her gossip alarms go off when someone holds back information.” Char ran her fingers lightly over the studs in her right ear, fidgeting.

I shrugged. “You know I’d tell you if I could. But the less people who know about what I’m doing, the easier it will be for me.”

“It has something to do with the two new guys,” she continued, ignoring what I’d said. “It’s a tad strange that a Scavenger comes off the street and is instantly under your wing. Even weirder is the fact that he seems to be ordering you around at times and you don’t even retaliate. I took control of a portion of your life behind your back and you had a hissy fit and ignored me for a half day. And I’m supposed to be your best friend.”

“Charlotte…” I waited until she’d turned her smouldering eyes my way. No one called her by her full name. “It’s best you leave this a secret, no matter how painful it is to be kept out. You are my best friend and I’m hoping it’s vice versa. Trust me.”

She huffed. “I don’t like this.”

“I don’t like any of this,” I growled. I hadn’t chosen to take on this task. Sooner or later I would have to face Rowan and his large fists. The guy had ruined my school life and I had to provoke him into beating me up. Brilliant. And then after, I’d have to meet up with a bunch of pathetic hopefuls, infiltrate a resistance and bring it out into the open. I wanted to tell Char, I wanted to moan to her about it. But she would want to help and it wasn’t believable that Charlie Petulengro, daughter of two investigators, would ever consider joining a resistance.

** **

“Lunchtime, now.”

I gave Pulse a bland look. “You telling me that I have to fight Rowan today, like, now?” I was so tightly strung that I didn’t swat Dante away when his hands came down on my shoulders and started kneading. His hands were warm and strong. Comfortable. It was always worrying when I found a guy’s intimate touch comforting. Next thing I’d start needing him. No good. I shrugged, trying to give him a hint but, of course, he simply squeezed down hard on a knot and then gently worked it out.

“Sure thing, kid. He’s in the study room and in about ten minutes he’ll start walking to the cafeteria.”

“And what do I do? Bump his shoulder? Glare at him with the slight quiver of my lip to give the image of cowardice?”

“Just do whatever it is you do normally.” Pulse didn’t even bite my obvious attempt at being difficult.

“Right. Simple. Fine.” In about ten minutes, I was going to fight Rowan. Why didn’t that sound as enticing as it should?

“Good.”

Small attacks, large retreats, that was all I had to concentrate on. No way I could take him at close range. One swing and he’d take me down. He was a muscly guy but probably not so fast. If I attacked him quickly putting enough force to hurt, but not actually following through with all my power, and then quickly taking a few steps back, I could wear him down. I could. No matter what Pulse said, losing wasn’t my only option. Hell, it should never be an option for me.