𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

Chapter 33

"Don't patronize me, I know what's at stake. But there need to be lines we don't cross. Risking our people? Kathy and Jack-" Bringing up the subject was still fresh and raw so Cristine didn't finish her sentence. She didn't think she had to given the guilty responses from Blake.

Blake couldn't believe his ears and hissed Cristine's hypocrisy back in her face, "you didn't mind us crossing those lines once you fully integrated. The experiments. Theories based on your research and notes. Did you think about those lines when you and Troy tortured the enemy for intel? A kill is still a kill Cristine. Even if you didn't pull the trigger yourself. Don't get on your high horse because of your unresolved daddy issues." Cristine slammed her hands into Blake's chest and the later slightly stepped back from the force she put behind that push. Unsatisfied, Cristine pushed him a few more times as rough as she could, until Blake had enough and grabbed her by the wrist to stop her.

"Hate me all you want. Call me all kinds of assholes and cuss me, but you would've done the exact same thing if you were in my place. To keep us from being at a disadvantage and vulnerable."

"Not like this." Her breaths were labored from being winded and some of her curls sprawled over her forehead from the way she thrashed during her outburst.

Blake asked her an earnest question, "So now what? You'll knock on Kathy's door worried about keeping her newborn safe and tell her it was your dad's fault her husband's dead?" Her anger dwindled ever so lightly and Blake snapped in a low tune that told her that she wouldn't, "didn't think so."

Before Cristine could retort and say something she would ultimately regret and ruin her and Blake's friendship, their argument got cut short by the confused voice, "Cristine?" Her head snapped up as she saw her sister in the entryway of the tent. Hailey stood tensed on her spot, like a spying kid who just got caught witnessing something she wasn't supposed to. She hesitated, narrowed eyes plastered judgingly on Blake and the way he held her sister.

Cristine spotted her baby sister's red, puffy eyes. Wringing herself from Blake's grip, she crossed the distance with a deep seated frown and touched her slender shoulders, voice worried and soft, "what is it? Are you hurt?" A sharpness cut in her chest at the meek sight and Cristine spread her other arm to pull her sister in for a comforting hug.

"N-No. Troy and Mike are getting into it," she breathed, glancing over her shoulder with bitter worry and sniffed. "It's looking bad. Troy's out of control." Cristine didn't immediately move for a second and didn't reject or affirm her sister's indirect insinuation. A strained smile, one that made it seem as if she suffered from a toothache, followed by a slick comment. "The guys are just letting it happen. Maybe he'll listen to reason before shit hits the fan and Troy does something he can't come back from." Despite the heartache she went through, Cristine saw the no-nonsense glower in those glossy baby blue eyes.

Without sparing Blake a look, Cristine followed Hailey hot on her heels as the three sprinted in the direction of the commotion. A small crowd gathered near the few campervans parked and packed. Troy and Mike stood closest near his family's camper and the childhood friends were in a heated argument, at least Troy was. Mike was just standing there, refusing to answer Troy's taunts, which quickly turned ugly when Troy slammed his best friend into the side of the van to rile him up.