“Truce for two minutes?” he suggested.
With a nod, I threw my arms around him. “It’s so good to see you. I feel like it’s been forever.”
“That’s because ithasbeen forever,” he replied. “I’m sorry we didn’t catch up at my sister’s wedding.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Vanessa’s nuptials had been an extravagant, over-the-top celebration. With over five hundred guests in attendance, it was no wonder the only time I saw Alec was during the ceremony as a groomsman and the Heartbreakers’ performance at the reception. “I’m just glad I ran into Xander and he invited me. I haven’t had a chance to congratulate you.”
“Seriously, congratulations aren’t necessary. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? For chrissake, Alec! How many people can say they started their own record label at the age of eighteen?”
“Well, probably not many, but—”
The familiar sound of a laser blast rang out. Alec’s weapon flashed and went dark, just like mine had when he shot me.
“Hey!” came a shout from above. “What’s your name! Xander’s friend! Up here.”
I titled my head back and found JJ leaning over the railing of the bridge above us. The scowl on his face was aimed in my direction.
Frowning, I pointed at myself as if to say, “Who, me?”
“Yeah, you,” he said, gesturing at me with his blaster. “No fraternizing with the enemy!”
Alec let out a loud laugh. “Later, Indie,” he said, dashing off before JJ could shoot him again.
“What’s your problem?” I asked JJ. “Rule number one forbid us from touching other players. It didn’t say anything about talking with them.”
“Too bad. I’m making an amendment,” he replied. “Besides, if you think I didn’t see that little hug of yours, you’re wrong. Pretty sure that constitutes as touching. Get your head in the game, James!”
“That’s my sister’s name, not mine!” I shouted, but he was already gone.
The next half hour passed in a wild, adrenaline-fueled blur. I exchanged fire with a guy I didn’t know multiple times, both of us claiming one of each other’s lives. At one point, I was pinned down by Felicity, who was sniping people from a second-story tower, but Oliver took her out before I lost my final life. Just when I was starting to get sick of playing, the alarm at the red team’s base began to blare.
“Yes!” I cheered, pumping a fist into the air. It was about time JJ and Oliver’s plan worked. I wanted to help protect whoever captured the flag, but I had no clue where they were, so I began making my way back toward our base. I didn’t make it far before the alarm cut off.
I paused, not sure what to do. Had we won?
“Indie, there you are!” It was Xander. He doubled over, placed his hands on his knees, and attempted to catch his breath.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just a little winded.”
“What’s going on?” I asked when he finally straightened up, his breathing under control. “Is it over?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Asha got Oliver. He and JJ are both out of lives.” Despite his bad news, he smiled at me. “Looks like it’s up to you and me. I’ve got one life left. You’re still in this, right?”
“Yeah, I have one left too. What’s our plan?”
Xander carved a hand through the mess of bangs that had fallen into his eyes. Under the crimson strobe lights, his hair looked red. “To be honest, I don’t really have one. I say we wing it.”
“Good enough for me.”
It took us a minute to cross the massive arena and find the red team’s base, another bombed-out building identical to ours with the exception of its red graffiti. Nobody was in sight, but I was willing to bet my last life that a few people were concealed in the surrounding shadows.
“How do you want to do this?” I asked as we crouched behindan abandoned police cruiser. The lights on the top of the car were flashing, bathing me and Xander in a glow of red and blue.
“You go for the flag,” he said decisively. “I’ll cover you.”
