My head snaps over to Lane, who is staring at the table so hard it might burst into flames. "Excuse me?" "No, DJ. I don't think it's a good idea for you to come." I stand up so quickly my chair falls over. "That's not for you to decide." "Well based off of prior experiences, it's highly likely you're going to get your ass injured, maimed, or killed." Lane growls, standing up as well and whirling to face me. "Then let me! You're my girlfriend, not my commander or my mom!" "Oh I'm sorry if I want to at least attempt to make sure you don't, oh I dunno, FUCKING DIE!!!!" Lane yells, slamming her hand on the table. I startle. "DJ?" "I'm fine." Lane and I stare at each other for a moment. I sigh. "Lane, I know you want to keep me safe. And I'm sorry I did what I did, that was stupid. But I'm not gonna take that big a risk again-" "Bullshit."
I recoil slightly. "What?" "You say that time and time again. "I won't take a huge risk again, I promise" but then you do. I'm tired of watching you get hurt every single time you try dumb shit." I throw my hands up in desperation. "Yes, I take risks. But that doesn't mean you can treat me like a fucking child!!!" "THEN STOP ACTING LIKE A FIVE YEAR OLD THROWING A TEMPER TANTRUM!!!" Lane screams. My fists clench. "You want me to stop acting like a child?" I chuckle. "Fine. I'll follow orders for once. But they'll be Natalie's, not yours. If you want me to stop taking risks because you don't want to see me get hurt, then maybe we just shouldn't date anymore."
The moment the words fall out of my mouth I regret it. Lane's face twists into a look of pain and anger. "You're right. We shouldn't. It'll save me the pain of watching you get yourself killed." Lane brushes past me and out the door. I glance around the room at the shocked faces of the others. "Oh fuck off."
And so preparations began. Hade, Kit, and Axl were given instructions on who to target, when, and code words. The rest of us were given various positions. Lane and I are on server duty (Natalie's doing. I wonder why...), Gabriel, Caleb, and Maxine are in the kitchen, Karson and Mateo are in bartender duty, and Natalie and Damien will be sending us all demands through comlinks. As for the disastrous meeting when this was announced, no. Lane and I have not made up. She's still pissed. I mean, it's understandable why she'd be pissed. But it still hurts to know I fucked up that bad.
Also I feel like shit because my girlfriend of three years agreed to breakup with me.
"DJ! Be at the car in ten." I hear Natalie yell from outside my tent. I button up the vest of my uniform and mess with my hair a bit. A few things about me were the tiniest bit different. My hair is light brown instead of dark brown with no green streak. My eyes are A) the same color and B) a few shades lighter so they have more of an amber color. I'm less stocky and muscled, my jawline is a tad sharper, and I have faint freckles on my cheeks.
I look like my name would be Sam or something.
My hair is still the same style though. Which is nice. I stand and swing open the fabric opening to my tent. Lane, or at least who I'm assuming that's who's standing in front of me, is waiting. Her hair is blue and chin length, and her eyes are a mossy shade of green. The freckles are gone. And her face is rounder. "Ready?" She asks quietly. "Um.. yeah! Yeah, I'm ready." I stutter. We trot over to the van and load in. She attempts to sit down next to Natalie but is shooed away. She plops down next to me.
Well this is awkward.
The ride up goes smoothly, considering we've got thirteen people plus Elian. Apparently he's coming because he had a previous "connection" with the owner of the casino. The only person that thinks it isn't some sort of sexual relationship is Caleb. The rest of us have various bets on how awkward this'll be. The van pulls into a back alley. Natalie immediately unbuckles and stands.
"Ok, so here's the plan. Elian will go in with the rest of y'all while Damien and I stay here and watch cameras for anything going south. Maxine, Caleb, and Gabriel will head into the kitchens and look out for anyone going in or out. LO operatives will have little black diamond shaped pins somewhere on their person. Lane and DJ will work the casino as servers. Be on the lookout for any familiar faces. Then alert Hade, Axl, or Kit. You three are barely disguised, if Anai so much as see's one of y'all, namely Hade, the whole mission is screwed."
The group tenses, the weight of this whole thing dawning on us for the first time. The goal is to make a statement. To announce that the Rebellion was back and ready to fight. But if anyone realizes what we're doing before we spring into action... the whole thing is fucked. I glance over at Hade. The only real difference in their appearance is that their hair isn't dyed or shaved on one side. "Hey, you remember what I taught you?" I ask. Hade nods.
The person volunteered to go into the heat of a casino without knowing how to play poker.
And guess who was the only one who actually knew how?
Natalie swings open the door to the van. "Let's go, idiots."
YOU ARE READING
Star Beings
FantasyI thought I was normal. That's what I was always led to believe anyways. But then one day a portal opened up in my closet and someone yanked me onto the other side. Now I'm stuck in a different world where apparently magic exists and I'm one of the...
