Manipulate
Chapter Thirty-Five

“Stop!” she orders. “Abhaya Lynne Hughes, I will shoot you if you do not step forward.”

“What’s the catch?” I ask, knowing that something will happen.

“I’ll still shoot you,” she says, pointing the gun at my stomach. “What will you choose?”

I take one step forward and then stop. Donatella nods and beckons for me to continue. I don’t. She takes a step toward me and aims the gun at Aj who now stands beside me. Within four feet, her finger curls over the trigger as I leap in front of Aj to protect him. I feel the bullet pierce through my skin, lodging itself in my right arm. Another bullet pierces through my right hand, right between my thumb and first finger.

An overwhelming feeling of pain overcomes me and I suppress a scream from crawling out of my throat. Out of my peripheral vision, Aj, Mom, Brooke, and Rae begin running toward other guards, taking them out while Theo and Linda stay to help me.

“Go,” I urge. “This is my fight.”

They stay. Theo looks at me, sending the message that we fight together. Donatella’s eyes become saucers at the sight of her daughter on our side. She aims her gun at Linda with shaky hands.

“You filthy traitor,” she states. “I thought that you were on my side! What is wrong with you?”

Linda steps forward, facing her mother. “I’ve made my decision, Mother. I don’t want to be on your side. I don’t want to be the bad person, so I’m joining Abhaya. She was the real sister to me. She was and still is real family to me. She’s been there when I needed her. I’m not like you, I’m like her.”

Donatella gapes at Linda then at us. Then aims her gun at her own child. The one she gave life to.

Just as Donatella pulls the trigger, I shield Linda and feel the bullet graze the side of my stomach and then another one in my shoulder. The throbbing pain in my hand is becoming unbearable at this point and my shoulder, side, and hand are all oozing blood.

My head is dizzy from the loss of blood and I fall to the ground on a knee. I manage to pick my gun up and aim it with my left hand at Donatella’s leg. I squeeze the trigger with my remaining strength and fire. The bullet pierces Donatella’s leg as she collapses in pain. Theo picks me up and carries me on his back while Linda takes my gun. My body feels limp now but my adrenaline is pumping through my veins like a rollercoaster.

We catch up with Aj, Mom, Brooke, and Rae. Theo shouts at them that we have to go. Theo runs with me on his back, leading us to the train. We make it just as the train is pulling around the corner. Theo jumps in and lays me down on the ground. Then Rae jumps in on her own, Aj comes next with a little of assistance, then Brooke is pulled up, and Mom is too. Theo sits by me as Rae examines the blood coming from my body.

“She’ll need surgery for a fact,” Rae states, lifting my right arm up to examine it. She lifts my shirt up to reveal the bullet graze. “Lucky, lucky girl there, Abhaya.”

Theo pulls me against his chest and lets me rest against him. He strokes my hair as the train takes us away. My eyes feel heavy and so does my body. I can’t die yet.

I just can’t. I still have to save my friends and kill Donatella. I have to fight. I have to stay.

“Hold on, Phoenix,” Theo whispers, kissing my temple. “Stay with us. You’re our secret weapon.”

My eyes close and I’m pulled into darkness. I’ll come back and I’ll fight. I’ll make sure TID is safe for us to live in again. But for now, I float in the darkness, holding on for dear life.

End