American Assassins

Chapter 28: Kimberley

I run and hear Ronnie rustle in the tree tops behind me.  I grumble to myself think of how stupid I was to bring her along with me.  She should be doing this on her own.  I shouldn’t be saving her butt every second.  If Jama, however, sees me fail he might kick me and Ronnie out of the deal in training us.  Ronnie is a pain in the ass but she’s my sister.  I turn my head up and see her leaping to another tree branch.  I can’t help but smile.  Ever since she was little she always had the ability to hop trees like a squirrel.  Guess that’s why she’s more suited for defense fighting than combat.

                Ronnie was never really . . . strong or muscular, but she is nimble and agile.  She had fast reflexes and never really fights someone unless she absolutely has to.  I am more on the strong side of the family, along with Blake and Jason. 

                I push my feet harder hearing the fresh snow crunch under my feet.  I hold a sword in my hand now ready to swing it anytime. 

                “Kimberley!”  I roll my eyes and stop looking up.  Ronnie slide down from the tree puffing, bending over trying to catch her breath.  “Can-can we please stop?”

                I open my mouth to protest and yell at her when I feel my own body ask for a rest.  I sigh, “Sure we can stop.”

                Ronnie didn’t need to be told twice.  She just flops down in the snow.  “Thank You.”  She sighs happily.  I smirk taking a seat next to her.  I look up in the sky.  The sun is past its highest peak, must be about three.  That means we’ve been out here for at least two hours!  I groan and fall back in the snow with Ronnie.  “When is Jama going to ring that stupid bell!?” 

                 “Who knows?”  Ronnie answers.  “Maybe he doesn’t even care.”   Then she sits up paranoid.  “What if just left us out here to die and is just playing with us, like you tease a dog when you make it do tricks for a treat.  What if he’s making us do tricks but we don’t get a treat!?”

                I sit up slowly and stare at her.  “Have you been inhaling too much snow?  Now I know we just met Jama, but he would never do that.”

                Now Ronnie pounces to her feet.  “How do you know?  He could be lying to us, he could be just using us for something.”  Then her face drains of anger and into shock, “Kimberley he could be a Union!”

                “If he was a Union, he would have killed us by now.”  I say.  Ronnie is silent for a moment then shrugs in approval. “I guess.”

                I turn away seeing another hologram.  I’m about to take my bow but then realize, Ronnie hasn’t killed many.  I sigh and see her looking at the hologram as well.  “Ronnie.”  I whisper.  She turns her eyes towards me and I gesture my head over to the hologram dummy.   She looks at it then back at me pointing to herself making sure she knew what I meant.  I grin and nod. 

                Ronnie’s face lights up and takes out one of her weapons.  A whip.  She sneakily moves towards the hologram.  I duck behind a rock watching her every move.  She’s doing well so far.  At the last second she leaps up in a tree.  I feel all the pride in my body just die.  She gave up, I think to myself.  She just plainly gave up.  I grunt but then watch as a whip flies out from the tree branch and wrap around the holograms neck.  It doesn’t have time to react when Ronnie jumps back down pulling the hologram upward.  I hear a snap and the hologram disappears.