Page 61 of Archenemies

Oscar blinked at her. “I like being inclusive?”

Ruby turned to the targets and went to take another shot, but her gun clicked, empty.

“And maybe Nova could invite her uncle?” suggested Oscar.

Nova let out a peal of laughter. “He’s not the gala type.”

“Oh. But… you’ll go?” asked Oscar.

Nova pulled back and Adrian could sense the emphaticnobuilding on her tongue, but then she hesitated. Their eyes met and he saw indecision there. A question. A… hope?

“I’ll think about it,” said Nova.

“Okay,” said Oscar, checking his wristband. “Does anyone know when we get to break for lunch?”

“Maybe,” said Ruby, “after we’ve actually practiced.”

Oscar inspected the gun. He seemed about as enthusiastic about learning to use a new weapon as Adrian was.

“Come on,” said Adrian, raising his gun again. “I’ll buy you a pizza if you hit a bull’s-eye before I do.”

Ten seconds later, he owed Oscar a pizza.

Adrian groaned.

“Okay, I can’t take it,” said Nova, setting her gun down. “I’m teaching you how to do this.”

Adrian chuckled and shook his head at her. “Honestly, Nova, I’ve had some of the best Renegade trainers here try to teach me. It’s just not in my skill set.”

“Oh, please. It’s not that hard.” She came to stand beside him and took the gun from his hand. “You know what the sights are?”

He gave her an annoyed look.

“It’s a legitimate question, given that you apparently don’tusethem,” she said. “We’re starting with the basics here.”

“Do you know how many times I’ve drawn a handgun?” he said. “I must have practiced it a thousand times when I first started onpatrols. So, yes, I know what the sights are. And the hammer, the barrel, the cylinder… all of it. I understand how gunpowder works and the physics of propulsion. I know how gunswork.I’m just not very good at getting the bullet to hit what I’m trying to hit.”

“Okay, smart guy.” Nova returned the gun to him, handle first. “Show me what you’re doing.”

He groaned. “You really don’t have to do this.”

“So you’re okay being mediocre?” She clicked her tongue, disappointed.

He scowled at her, but it was competing with a smile. “What am I aiming at, oh wise teacher?”

“That bull’s-eye,” she said. “The close one.”

“Oh, the close one,” he said. “You’re already setting your expectations low.”

“No,youalready set my expectations low. Now stop talking and shoot.”

His lips twisted, but he conceded her point. He lifted the gun and fired.

He heard the dart hit something, but whatever it was, it surely wasn’t the bull’s-eye.

“Okay, for starters,” said Nova, “you need to relax. You tense up when you shoot.”

“Of course I tense up. It’s loud and… loud.”

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