Agent 57 (Book 2)

21. Take a damn break before you die of blood loss you idiot

"You would've left me alone! I could get killed or kidnapped!"

"Believe me if you got kidnapped, they'd return you, and nobody's going to put in the effort to kill you. They'd just be wasting their time. That's the only reason I haven't done it."

She lets out a sound that's like a scream of protest she's trying hard to keep from escaping her throat. I don't bother turning around to look at her, and I can hear Jason snickering from up here.

I take another step but the pain in my leg is suddenly too much. My foot slips out from under me and I fall forwards, landing on my hands and knees, rocks digging into my skin, dirt and sand mixing with the blood on my leg.

I feel a pair of hands grab hold of my arm, pulling me to my feet.

"You alright?" Cody questions.

I pull my arm from his grasp and wipe the sand off on my shorts. "I'm fine," I mutter.

His eyes scan over me before landing on my leg. He gives me a look that clearly says, 'yeah you're fine.'

"I'm fine," I repeat with a little more force in my voice than before.

"Just sit down for a second and clean up your wound."

I shake my head. "We're already behind schedule." I hoist my backpack up higher on my shoulders. "I'm fine Cody."

"It doesn't do you any good to keep going like this. Just take a minute." He holds up his hand to silence me when I open my mouth to protest. "We've brought enough supplies to spend three nights at this place if we have to. We have time, so take a break. You obviously need one."

"I'm fine," I reply again and he glares at me.

"I'm really beginning to hate those words."

I let out a sigh. "Cody-"

"Oh for the love of-" Jason cuts me off but doesn't finish his sentence as he grabs hold of the back of my backpack and drags me over towards a large rock. He places his hands on my shoulders and pushes me down so I'm sitting.

"Take a damn break before you die of blood loss, you idiot." He grumbles as he removes my backpack from my shoulders and drops it on the ground beside me. I glare harshly at him.

"How come she gets a break but I don't?" Elaine whines and Jason shoots her a glare that causes her to shut up.

"She's injured. What's your excuse?" Cody retorts and doesn't look up at her from removing the bandages on my leg. He pulls out some fresh ones from his backpack.

"Your ribs hurt?" He asks as he wipes away the blood on my leg and starts rewrapping it.

"No, they just miraculously healed two minutes ago."

He glares at me from where he's kneeled in front of me. His face clearly conveying how much my sarcasm is appreciated.

"A simple yes would've been fine." He mumbles, tying off the bandage.

"I thought you didn't like that word."

"Only when it comes out of your mouth." He gets back to his feet and brushes the dirt off his legs. I reach over to grab my backpack only to discover it's no longer there.

I look over to Jason, who's got his backpack slung over one shoulder, and mine on the other. I get up and walk over to take it from him. He holds his hand up to stop me.

"Not happening. I could push you over if I felt the need to and the extra weight is not going to do anything except worsen your leg. I'm carrying the pack, end of discussion."