Atoning (Darkness Rising 3.1)

I'd learned to control it, but that was part of the reason I hadn't asked someone else to run this errand. Dead bodies make me nervous, an

d the more exposure I have to them, the more confident I get that I won't have an unfortunate power surge around them. I entered the tent and avoided looking at Luke while clutching my necklace, which seemed to be oddly warm. My sweaty hands, I guess. I walked to Moreno's backpack, found what I was looking for and left.

Moreno was telling the others that he'd overheard Luke making a phone call, one telling someone we were missing. Luke promised he'd "take care of things." That's when Moreno had texted Maya to stay away. When Luke lured him into the tent to find the lantern, he knew he was about to get jumped. He'd used his powers to get the jump on Luke instead, wresting the gun away. In the ensuing struggle, the gun went off, and Luke was now dead on the tent floor. Which was not what Moreno had intended, as evidenced by the cursing.

"Can't interrogate a corpse," Moreno said.

"Also, he's dead," Maya said.

Moreno muttered that anyone who pulled a gun on him shouldn't expect to live through it, but he added, "Dumb kid," with an angry shake of his head, and I knew he regretted what happened. Not that he had a problem with killing someone who posed a threat, but neither Luke's crimes nor his threat potential had warranted the death penalty.

"So, that's your story," Maya said.

"Story?"

She gave him a hard look. "Don't expect us to believe it just because you warned us. That would be a good way to gain our trust. Killing Luke would be a good way to claim he was the leak, since he's not alive to claim otherwise."

"You must have heard us fighting in the tent. You heard him jump me."

"No," Derek said. "We heard a fight in the tent and a gun go off. We can't say for sure who started that fight."

"So you don't trust me: the guy who taught you everything you know. I'm guessing if you have her"--he jerked his thumb at Rae--"that's no accident. Luke's buddies sent her to trap you, and she thought she was doing the right thing, because, duh, she's already proven she's kinda gullible that way."

"Hey!" Rae said.

"You are. Own it. Fix it. Now, you guys have her, which means you escaped whoever sent her after you. You didn't escape without a fight, given that bruise I see rising on Daniel's jaw and the scrapes on Derek's knuckles. But you escaped, and you came back here, and you captured me. Who taught you all that?"

"Daniel and I had already started learning," Maya said, "during those weeks you were chasing us."

"Trial by fire," he said. "Followed by hardcore, hands-on tactical training. You got away scot-free from these guys because of my lessons. And yet now you don't trust I'm on your side?"

"Nope," Derek said.

"Sorry," Daniel said.

Maya crossed her arms and shook her head. I shrugged.

Moreno broke into a grin. "You guys do me proud. I'd give you all a hug, if that wasn't a little creepy. And if I was the hugging sort. But if you survive the rest of this, I'll take you all out for beer and ice cream."

"You don't need to be sarcastic," Rae muttered.

"Oh, but I'm not, and they know it. This is exactly what I trained them for. Trust no one except one another. Excluding you, kid, because I don't know you, and you have a bad habit of screwing up. But these guys are doing the right thing. Next step?"

"Turn the tables," I said. "Capture someone who's behind this and get them to talk."

"Mmm, yes. That would work. But even better?"

"Stop them," Derek said. "Don't just take down one. Take them all down."

"Without running to the Nasts for help," Daniel said. "Because in another year, some of us will be off to college, and we need to be able to look after ourselves."

"Starting with proving we can look after ourselves," Maya said.

Moreno beamed. "You guys are ace. See, this is what I told Sean. The best time to train operatives is when they're still young and malleable. None of that shit about waiting until they're eighteen and legally old enough to consent."

Maya shook her head. "I suppose you'd also suggest he have the Cabal terrorize them for weeks first, so they're properly motivated."

"Exactly. Personal rights and freedoms are vastly overrated. And there's nothing wrong with a little PTSD. I've always found mine useful. Keeps me on my toes."