𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚/ c.b

55

"What's the worst job you had to assist?" I dare ask. Jake's not the kind of be vulnerable about anything. Only because he doesn't let things get to him and if he does he lets them go quickly.

"One time, one of the first jobs I ever helped out on, Us and a few other guys got into a fight that ended in bloodshed.. a lot of it. Now blood doesn't really affect me, but Corey ended up getting hurt and I had to hold a bloodied rag to his cut-open stomach and I don't know, it wasn't good. I guess it was bad because it was happening to a close friend but it was horrible And gruesome."

"Shit." I breathe out, "Did it affect you.. y'know, negatively?"

She shook his head, "No. I think it made me more resilient to this shit actually. Blood doesn't make me so scared anymore."

"And it did before."

"No. Again, it didn't affect me as it affects you. I didn't get nauseous or anything but just seeing it would make my stomach drop. But now it's easier to witness, which I think is a good thing." He shrugged, opening the door to the shooting range and letting me enter first. I grabbed us both some noise-canceling headphones.

"I feel like we're all getting used to things we shouldn't have to get used to," I tell him, tossing him the black headphones.

"Probably. But what can we do about it? Experience, learn, forget. That's my motto." He smirked, taking off his jacket and tossing it to the side bench. I took my hoodie off, leaving me in my sports bra and leggings.

"You know the abbreviation for that is E.L.F. right?" I laugh.

He laughed too at the realization, "Fuck that."

We both laughed as we claimed our spots in front of one of the firing lanes. The shooting range was made in one of the large storage units of the warehouse, above ground. It's been made to be soundproof so none of the nearby neighborhoods are disturbed, and our targets were chunks of metal cut out to look like people. Mine had a wonky face drawn on it and a penis drawn on its lower crotch. I rolled my eyes at that.

"Hehe, that looks like Colby." Jake joked, pointing to it.

"I'll be sure to tell him you said that." A voice spoke over the speakers, guiding our attention towards the observation room on the wall far from us. There, Reggie stood leaned over the counter with a smile on his face. Xepher and Cassie sat near behind him, waving at us.

"Reggie why the fuck are you here? Shouldn't you be staring at computers right now?" Jake scolded his older brother.

"I had someone cover for me. How was I going to miss my favorite badass dominate your ass?"

"Could have worded that better," I mutter to myself.

"Livia kick his ass!" Cassie exclaimed, Xepher clapping beside her, taking a sip from her large gas station cup.

"I will!" I speak up with a laugh.

"I hate everyone." Jake sighed, positioning himself and aiming his pistol.

"We hate you too bro," Reggie said lovingly, making kissy noises towards him.

"Rules are simple. Each Glock holds 17 shots, whoever gets the best one at the moving target wins, uh, I don't know? Title of the best shooter?"

I nod, "I agree to the ter- Wait, moving targets?"

He smirked at me, put on his headphones, then focused hard on the range. I turned to see the metal pieces now moving from side to side at a fast pace. My eyes widen as Jake began to shoot, aiming and firing carefully.