Boom

                There are two kinds of people in this world: the people who get caught, and the people who don’t. As a member of the foremost undercover training academy in the world, you’d think I’d be in the latter, but I usually fall in the former. Not only is this strange considering my background, but I’m a demolitions expert. The likelihood of one of us getting caught is close to nothing. We set the explosives, we get out, we detonate, and we’re gone. But not me. I’m more of a hands-on girl, for some stupid reason, and the pyromaniac in me tends to act out at the worst of times. For example, the Headmistress first found me in the middle of the burning remains of a building as I laughed manically, rocket launcher still clasped in my hands.

                Now isn’t any different. I just get in more trouble because for some unknown reason I’ve decided to accept authority from someone.

                “I don’t understand,” I say, halfheartedly twisting two wires together. “It just doesn’t make sense. You’re literally taking a bunch of knives to a gun fight.”

                Catastrophe, who happens to be leaning up against my Jeep quite unwelcomely, flips her hair. “It was the Headmistress’s choice, not mine.”

                “Right. Because you had no say in this.”

                Cat takes a break from fiddling with her newly-dyed hair to look down at me like I’m a pouting four year old who doesn’t understand why she can’t light the family dog on fire. “Look, X. I know we’ve been through a lot together, but for this mission—“

                “For this mission, we’re fighting one of our own!” I slam down the lid of the electrical box I’ve been fiddling with. “We’re fighting a traitor, and I don’t think we should let anyone who has stayed loyal to us suffer because of her. Is that such a crime?” Cat’s face darkens, but I ignore her. “She pushed you out a window, Cat. A window! She tried to kill you, and you two were closer than the Academy likes to allow us to be. She burned you, and now you won’t burn her back. You just want me here for a pyrotechnic display of epic proportions! Why not let me take her out instead?”

                “Because she’s mine.”

                A silence falls between the two of us. Cat and I are familiar with each other, sure. You could almost call us friends. We’ve worked together on a lot of missions, me as backup and her—and yes, Arsyn too at times—as the field workers. When you work with someone that much, it’s impossible not to form an attachment. Do I want Arsyn to die? I don’t know. What I do know is that I want her to suffer. The Academy isn’t all fun and games, but it’s home. And despite how much I hate it, I’ll always fight for it.

                “So that’s why I can’t come out and play?” I know full well that I’m pouting now, but I can’t help it. I want to have my rocket launcher back in my hands, where it belongs.

                “Well,” Cat says with a snort, “that and the Headmistress said you’re still on probation after that little stunt in Headquarters.”

                I turn my nose up at her giant grin. “It wasn’t intentional!”

                “You hit the trigger in perfect synch with some cheesy one liner! I was standing right there!” She’s trying to hold back her giggles, and her eyes are watering up in the process.

                I hope it smears her stupid fancy eyeliner.

                When my ancient Jeep and I pull up into enemy territory, I expect to be ambushed faster. Instead, her team keeps to themselves. They all have weird face shields on—probably because they’re a bunch of princesses that can’t handle a scar or two. But if they aren’t paying attention to me, then that means I can attend to my work without any distractions. The only thing that could ruin this moment of quiet would be—

                “Any particular reason you’re over here, Natalie?”

                I clench my teeth in an attempt to stop myself from strangling her. “Just over here to brighten your view, Griselda.”

                “That isn’t my name,” Arsyn says smoothly, voice void of emotion.

                “Really?” I say, removing a bundle of wires from my backseat. “Because you really look like one to me, what with all that ratchet hair and makeup.” I look up at her, feigning surprise. “Oh dear, that’s your natural face, isn’t it? I’m sorry! No, really, it must be dreadful looking that terrible all the time, you poor thing.”

                She just stares at me, as cold and blank as ever. She’s too cold to be fire. I’ve always thought that. Next time I see Frostbyte, I’ll have to ask if she snatched away the codename before this poser could get her hands on it.

                “I don’t want to kill you, Natalie,” she says quietly. “But I will, if forced. So tell me—“ her eyes meet mine. There’s nothing but ice in them. “What are you doing here?”

                After I let her simmer for a few minutes in my defiant stare, I chuckle softly and turn back to my explosives. “You really pissed off Cat with that last stunt. I mean, like, really pissed her off.” She doesn’t move. “And you know Cat better than any of us. She’s not too happy with you.”

                “No,” she says, staring just to the left of me, “I don’t expect she would be.”

                “Oh, and the Headmistress…” I shake my head and click my tongue a few times. “She’s furious.”

                “That doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

                “I know.” I tenderly put the finishing touches on the current pack of explosives and move to get the next one. “I’m just trying to piss you off.”

                Between trips to the Jeep, I can see her staring at me with her right eyebrow raised. Let her stare. Let her wonder. God knows she doesn’t think very hard, or else she wouldn’t have betrayed the Academy.

                “You fired another RPG in the building, didn’t you?”

                “They had no right to remove me from roster,” I snap before I can stop myself. Arsyn has the nerve to smirk. Call me that name one more time, I think. Call me that name and give me a reason to pull out my gun.

                “That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

                “Doesn’t it?” I say glumly as I throw down a box. Arsyn gives me the pleasure of jumping slightly. “I’m at the biggest battle the Academy has ever seen, and I’m not allowed to play along! Instead, I have to ‘set the mood.’” I glance up at her, embarrassed that I can’t help but tell her my woes but relieved that someone will finally listen to me without complaining that I singed their eyebrows during the explosion. “You know Catastrophe. She wants this to be big.”

                “Ah, yes.” She smiles, looking for all the world like a crocodile. “Did the phrase ‘we have to make this look hella good’ factor into this conversation?”

                “’Hella tight,’” I correct, moving on to the next explosive. “She specifically said ‘hella tight.’”

                “Well, then. I suppose I can’t argue with that.” Arsyn looks smug. I can’t blame her. No matter which way this fight leans, she’ll always have the satisfaction of knowing how badly Catastrophe wanted to look cool. “Anyways, I have to get back to my troops. World domination, and all that. It’s extremely taxing.” She starts to walk away, then looks back. “Oh, and thanks for letting me know, Des. I’m glad I don’t have to kill you.”

                I can’t help but give her a smug smile as she walks away. She has no idea how “hella tight” this will look.