And as the sniper in the tree shouting once again, “I mean it amigo! Drop it! Drop it now!” He began to lower his weapon as he shouted, “Alright—you got me. I give up!
But this was only a feint—because the second he lowered his gun, he leapt forward and shoved Raina to the ground just as bullets ripped into the Earth just where she had stood. Mathew Benton meanwhile realizing what Mason Walker was up to, ducked behind a tree and shot off a rapid succession of rounds from his semiautomatic up at the platform above.
The first shot was wild and whizzed harmlessly over the gunmen in the tree but the second bullet hit the sniper who had fired at Raina, hitting him right in the head. The third bullet then tore through the left shoulder of the first gunman a split second later. The gunman was astonished at the onslaught and was knocked backward into the massive tree trunk on which his platform had been constructed.
But the daze was only momentary as he raised his still good gun arm, aimed it at Mathew Benton and screamed, “I’ll kill you!!”
Like a master chess player Mason was ready for this move however, as he pulled a grenade from his belt, and hurled it right up onto the platform. The man just barely had time to see the grenade being lobbed his way before the whole platform exploded into a multitude of wooden splinters, blood, and gore.
The silence that permeated in the immediate aftermath was a clear sign their adversaries were dead. Mason meanwhile, down on the ground still shielding Raina with his own body wiped what was undoubtedly a clump of sprayed bone bits and brain matter from out of his eyes as he cursed, “Shit—next time remind me to wear some freaking sunglasses!”
3
Breaking through the Pain of the Past
MEANWHILE AT COOPER’s COFFEE HOUSE ON THE CAMPUS OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
Clara Walker was sitting outside the coffee shop nursing a cappuccino and occasionally stealing a nervous glance at the screen of her phone. This wasn’t her just being an idle busybody—she was waiting for a text message from her old dormmate Serena.
Even though Serena was taking the summer semester off, while Clara was bogged down with classes for her summer months—the two had kept in close contact. They frequently texted each other and called one another on occasion, and by doing so felt that they were becoming closer than ever before.
They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and perhaps Clara did appreciate her old dormmate a little more now that she was gone. It was after all pretty lonesome in her dorm room by herself. But the real glue that bonded them together was the mutual trauma they shared just a few months prior.
Both Clara and Serena you see, had been sucked up into the lecherous clutches of a sex trafficking ring. And although both were rescued before any real physical harm had come to them, the emotional and psychological trauma was more than enough to keep them up at night.
Serena was actually more shook up about the ordeal than Clara was, and just a few days ago she had broken down and called Clara up to cry on her shoulder. Through the mutual adversity they faced these two girls who initially seemed at odds with each other were fast becoming the best of friends. So it was, that Clara was pleasantly surprised that Serena would be making a trip back from her hometown of Seattle where she had been staying with her folks, just to come see her at Stanford.
Seeing a text from Serena pop up on her phone announcing, “I’m here!” put a smile right on Clara’s face. She then looked up to be greeted by the mischievous, fun loving red head she knew and loved. A big grin filled Serena’s face as she chirped, “Well—aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!”
Full of excitement Clara got up from her seat and gave her friend a big hug as she exclaimed, “Serena! You made it! Right on time too!” As Clara and Serena disentangled themselves Serena joked, “Of course! I didn’t want you to think I got kidnapped or something…” Her sentence fell flat however, as a frown crossed her face and she somberly remarked, “Well—that’s probably not the best thing in the world to joke about these days.”
Clara quietly agreed, “Yeah…”
The two then sat down and for a moment and just looked at each other with the kind of knowing gaze that only two emotionally close and bonded friends can muster. Finally, Clara broke the silence by asking, “So how have you been? How are you holding up out there in Seattle?”
Serena nodded, “Good—good. Everything is going pretty good.”
She then thought for a moment before continuing, “I’ve actually been able to reconnect with a lot of my old friends from High School.”
Clara inquired, “Really?”
Serena nodded, and remarked in a slightly sarcastic tone, “Yeah. Ever since I came back to Seattle it’s been like a veritable high school reunion out there. Seriously—everywhere I go I’m bumping into somebody from back in the day.”
Clara taking a sip of her coffee asked, “Really?”
Serena nodded, “Yeah it’s been a real blast. I’ve went to a lot of concerts and festivals—that sort of thing.”
Clara sighed, “Sounds like a lot of fun.”
Serena sensing Clara’s dissatisfaction with her own life, asked, “Well—what about you Clara? What have you been up to?”
Clara dryly laughed, “What little old me? I’ve just been painting the town red with my three best friends.”
Serena not sure where she was going with this, arched her brow, “Really?”
Clara then laughed, “Sure—I’ve been getting busy with my three best buds—books, books, and more books!”
Serena couldn’t help but laugh at Clara’s silliness. From someone else such
