The Lethal Encounter | ONC2024 Longlister

Chapter 8. I would do it again. For you.

“Look, I killed her because she was a threat. Not to me, but to you. I didn't want any more chances of her hurting you. Do you have a problem with that?”

Jennie glances towards the covered body, then back to me. She blinks away the tears spilling out as her mouth gently twitches. Her eyes drop to the floor. “I… don't know.”

Bits of glass crunch under my boots as I step closer to her. Lifting my hand up to her face, I brush away a few loose hair strands from her eyes. I tuck my fingers under her chin, tilting her head up so her eyes meet mine. “I know our values and perception of things are different. But sometimes, you have to do what you have to do in order to survive. Like when you shot us at the café. Which, by the way, ow.”

Jennie winces. “Sorry again.”

“And if killing someone, even if I knew them, is the only way to ensure your well-being, then I'm going to do it. As many times as it takes. I won't let anyone hurt you. Is that okay with you?”

She sniffles, an incomprehensible amount of emotions flickering in her watery eyes. A few seconds pass. Out of the corner of my eye, a squirrel hops through one of the chopped cracks in the front. It skitters away when I shift my leg, the crunching glass scaring away the little rodent.

“Yes.” Jennie finally answers.

That one word sends ripples of relief down my spine. I remove my hand from her face. “Good. Now we need to focus on getting out of here.”

Jennie frowns. "Why?"

I inhale sharply. What the hell does she mean by “why?” Isn't it obvious? "Because they know where we are,” I say out loud. “And I can guarantee that Lena is not the only one Eve has sent after us. So grab your stupid backpack or whatever. We're leaving in five."

“Don't you…” She gestures towards me, concern furrowing her eyebrows. “Need to take care of that? I can… help?”

I scoff. “No, I will just take some ... supplements and change. I'll be fine. No.” I raise my hand to stop her when she opens her mouth. “Don’t worry about me, okay? What's important is that you are in one piece.”

Indecision flickers in her brown eyes before she nods slowly. Everything I said, I meant it. Because I am sure that even one cut on her arm would send her into a coma.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

I'm not even sure. There are a few KSD hideouts in New York City and the surrounding areas, but I know that they will look there first thing. But I'll think of something while we're on the road, because we're like sitting ducks out here.

"Also, I have to call Mina to let her know that I'm okay,"  Jennie adds. "I saw that I had a bunch of messages and missed calls from her... before you... snatched my--"

"Fine, you can call her at a payphone. But you will only thirty seconds, not a second more. Got it?"

A few seconds lapse before she nods. "Yes. So where are we going?"

I let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm not sure for now, okay? I'll think of a place on our way back to the city."

Thankfully, she doesn't reply with another one of her annoying questions. She walks around me, her small feet barely making a sound when she steps on the debris. Once she disappears into another room, I straighten up and immediately regret it as pain shoots up my upper body. I definitely need to do something about it if I want to be in a condition to stay alive and protect Jennie.

With a frustrated sigh, I kick away the feather-covered pillow lying near the destroyed couch and approach the kitchen. My boots continue to emit a crunching sound. Glancing downwards, several goose feathers are stuck to the bottom.  Apparently some of the glass pieces have lodged themselves in the soles. I exhale in annoyance.