Hostile Takeover ❖ Jake Riley | ✓ [book 1]

12~ Sacrifice What You Are

"You didn't think to teach me this yesterday?"

"Would you have pulled your pacifist ideology if I had?"

"Touché," that time, she really smiled.

"We're ready," the tech said, "He's two blocks away,"

Jenna took the gun and tucked it into the waistband of her jeans, just down the small of her back. She fixed her hair and pulled at her shirt, trying to adjust the wire under her shirt. Then Jake pulled her hood over her head.

"You ready?" Jake asked her.

"I guess I don't have a choice anymore, right?" she replied.

"You got this," Lex told her.

Jenna jumped out of the back and into the cold street, surrounding herself in eerie silence once again. She marched out to the corner of the curb and peered around the building, seeing the faint figure of a man in the distance. She turned back around, seeing three pairs of eyes staring back at her through the window, then she rolled her eyes. She took some dust from the ground and patted it across her face and her neck, then tousled her hair a bit, and stained her jacket and pants. Then, she went out into the light.

She walked with a slight limp and kept her head down, the whole time looking at Estherman with hooded eyes. He looked like he was wandering more like, then his gaze fell onto her. Jenna felt exposed, like an innocent rabbit being stared down by a hungry mountain lion. She stretched out her fingers in her pocket and she took a deep breath.

"Hey," a voice suddenly called out, "You okay?"

Jenna panted lightly and she looked up. Edward was now within five feet of her. To the ordinary eye, he looked relatively normal, not like a terrorist at all. They never did, though, did they?

"Uh... I'm fine," she replied, continuing to limp, "I'm just trying to get home,"

Jake watched the computer tensely. Lex suddenly tapped his shoulder, "Hey, stop clenching your jaw. You're going to chip your teeth,"

Meanwhile, Edward seemed to be buying Jenna's act, "Where do you live?" he asked her.

"On Grandview street,"

Edward chuckled, "Sorry, kid. But there's no way you're going to get passed 27th. Especially not on that knee," he said.

"I'm fine though, I just need to -- oh!" she then 'tripped', and she fell into his arms. Jake rolled his eyes at the screen.

"You got to giver her credit, she's good for a rookie," the tech said. Jake glared at him.

"Shut up," was all he replied.

Edward helped Jenna up, and he looked her up and down. Jenna forced herself to smile back, "Thank you, uh...?"

"Edward. But you can call me Eddie," he said, "What's your name?"

"Winnie," she said, "Winnie Churchill,"

Eddie cocked his head, "Really?'

"Really, Jenna?" Lex asked. Jake shushed him and continued to watch.

"Yeah. I know," Jenna chuckled, "No relation to the British Prime Minister. I checked... twice,"

"Well, can I do anything for you? Are you hungry at all?" he asked.

"No thanks. My mom's back at that shelter with two screaming brats, I'm just out here to find food anyway," she replied. Eddie looked around and nodded.

"Well, there's a Seven Eleven at the end of the block. Banana marshmallows are now free, all the pepsi and sprite you could possibly drink. Nobody's around," he said.