The Sword And The Shield (X-Men) (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Snap

Snap

Jade's POV

I walk with my hands in my pockets, avoiding the crowd of people we walk through to get to the bank. It's Jason and Shaya's date night, and I'm third wheeling. Jason has made it his personal mission to see to it that I get at least two hours of human contact a day, and while it's exhausting and annoying, I do appreciate his friendship. He's an older, edgier Aaron, and Shaya is a sweetheart who insists on finding me something to wear, other than black shirts and jeans. "It'll only take fifteen minutes, then you can have your steak," Shaya pats me on the head as I hold the door open for the two. He knows how much I love steak.

There's a short line. A young mom and her baby walk in behind us and Jason insists they move ahead of us. "It's no problem, really." He shows her his charming smile and Shaya watches him lovingly.

My ears perk up when the bell over the front door rings again, but I don't care enough to look. It isn't until Jason's smile fades and he grips Shaya's arm that I know something is wrong.

Someone fires a gun right next to my head, causing a ringing in my head that renders me useless as they demand that we all lay on the ground with our hands on our heads. I can't hear anything over the ringing, but I know Jason is trying to get my attention.

'Are you all right?'

I nod my head in slow motion, or at least, that's what it feels like. My spine arches backwards as I lift my head to look around the room, counting five men before one of them shoots the ground next to me as a warning. "I said keep your heads down!"

The woman screams, shielding her stroller with her body as one of the robbers pulls her away from her baby and pushes the stroller into a corner of the room. "No!" She tries to follow it but he slams her head into a wall and I watch as she crumples to the floor.

I feel my eyes starting to burn.

I've been in a situation like this before, where men think they can take control and expect everyone else to shut up and take it. Unfortunately for these guys, I've grown since then.

'Jason.'

I mouth his name repeatedly until he catches me. Worry flashes across his face. 'Jade, don't.'

'Knife.' Jason was a marine. I doubt he doesn't have some sort of weapon on him. I don't have my swords, I don't have my knives. I just have a burning desire to break these guys' necks.

He subtly glances to his back pocket, where I can make out the rectangular shape of a Swiss army knife. Good enough.

I wait for him to tell me to stop, that it's not a good idea, but he doesn't. 'Be careful.'  I nod in understanding and hold my breath as a man in black strolls past me, checking all the hostages. Shaya fakes a sneeze and I take the opportunity to grab Jason's knife and jab it into the man's back.

His buddies yell and start to fire their guns, but I just hold onto his body and carry him around, letting him take all the bullets. As soon as I get within four feet of the next robber, I throw his friend at him and kick his gun out of his hands. He tries his best to land a punch, but I catch his fist and twist it until I hear a crack, or a scream. I sling him across the room and he slams two of his friends into the glass doors, leaving one man standing.

The asshole who knocked out the crying mother.

He stares me down, stepping over hostages as we circle each other. There's a look in his eyes that tells me he thinks he can win. He thinks he's better than me, that I won't kill him. He's the one who enjoyed tormenting the hostages. I'll enjoy killing him the most.