Oh, this is going to be fun.
Once the teams were divided, I went into full-on tactical game mode. Making a circle, MJ, Whip, and I stepped together. “Where is?—”
Looking around like a lost bird, Other Tall Chad stood a head higher than everyone else. His paintball gun hung limply at his side. Tall Chad wasn’t taking things any more seriously. He was busy leaning over the counter and flirting with the young girl working the register.
“Chads.” I gestured toward our group. “For real? Come on, man.”
“Sorry, I— Sorry.” Other Tall Chad nearly tripped over a misplaced helmet, but they both eventually joined our circle.
I sighed, knowing I was going to have to pull up the slack with them on the team. “Okay,” I said. “The first game is classic capture the flag. No hitting the staff. No faces. No dick shots.”
MJ’s face twisted in disgust as she cleared her throat.“Ahem.”
I smiled in concession. “Or other sensitive parts. Are we ready?”
Whip’s eyes were trained on Lee, who was conferring with the Sullivans on the other side of the room. “I’m gonna nail his ass.”
I turned to my brother. “Does your girl know about that?”
The joke flew right over Other Tall Chad’s head, but MJ and Tall Chad chuckled. Whip pushed me. “Fuck off.”
“All right.” I clapped. “Let’s show them who runs this place.”
MJ whooped and my adrenaline spiked. A buzz hummed through the charged atmosphere as we made our way into the forest and onto the field. I stared across the arena to where Team Sullivan was dispersing. Beckett slapped Kate’s ass before she disappeared behind a tree. I scanned for Veda but didn’t spot her. Penny stared directly at me before pointing at my face and dragging her thumb across her neck in a cutting motion.
Jesus . . .
A bubble of laughter tickled my throat as a chill ran down my spine. The spectators stood on an observation deck, Sylvie waving little Gus’s hand while he fussed. The staff barked last-minute rules through a megaphone, and with the shrill blast of an air horn, we were off.
I crouched low, darting behind a barrel to get my bearings and develop a plan. I wanted to capture the Sullivan flag, but there’d be a particular thrill in seeing the look on Veda’s face when I shot her and she was forced to go out.
Movement registered at the corner of my eye, and I popped up, only to startle a squirrel. I recognized distant shouting as it echoed through the trees. Lee and Whip were busy slinging insults.
“Come on, Bill. Too afraid to come out?” Lee’s taunts worked, because I watched as my idiot brother barreled out from behind an abandoned structure to race toward Lee.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Hot-pink paint exploded across Whip’s chest, and he groaned.
“Way to go, rat burger!” Lee shouted to his niece. It was then that I saw Penny had been perched high on a tree branch like a sniper. She leaped down and into Lee’s arms, and he ran off with her.
I fired off a few shots in their direction but missed. Whip walked off the field with his gun and hands in the air and his head hung low.
I patted his back as he passed. “Tough break. Chin up.”
I moved through the forest, checking my surroundings and listening for movement. The pop of paintball guns firing echoed through the trees, distorting the sound.
I ran toward the noise, determined to find Veda while protecting anyone advancing on MJ as she guarded our flag. The Chads were nowhere to be found.
A whizz of air zipped past my goggles, and I reared my head back. Kate’s long brunette ponytail flashed as she crouched behind a concrete culvert. Beckett wasn’t far behind her. His attempt to protect her would be his weakness. I waited, slowly advancing on the duo.
When Kate made a run for it, I fired, hitting her leg and getting her out. Beckett let loose a battle cry and stood, shooting in my direction. He evaded my first shots, but when he stood to fire back, I caught him right in the center of his chest.
Kate laughed, and as I jogged past, Beckett gave me a good-natured shove. Breathing hard, I looked around.
Where the hell was Veda?
The forest was quiet as I slowly made my advance. Birds chirped. Leaves rustled. My ears pricked up when a twig snapped to my right. Deep in enemy territory, I crouched down to shield myself from view.