Archenemies (Renegades, #2)(58)

Thunderbird nodded calmly, unfazed. “You are correct, Insomnia. But for the purposes of this exercise, I only want ideas for how one might use their powers with relation to this new tool. I would rather not edit our suggestions quite yet.”

“And how will your power be utilized?” said Frostbite, smirking at Nova. “Maybe you can invite your opponent over for a slumber party and wait for them to fall asleep before injecting them? It’s a bit time-consuming, but we all have to play to our strengths.”

Beside her, Trevor snickered. “Maybe her boyfriend can draw her a slingshot.”

“Good idea,” snapped Ruby. “That way we can all watch Nova slingshot one of the darts straight into your eye.”

“That’s enough,” said Thunderbird, her glare slicing through them. “I want each of you to spend the next few days considering the question, and we’ll discuss it further at the next session. In the meantime, let’s keep practicing with the targets.”

As the teams returned their attention to the shooting range, Adrian stared at Genissa’s group, puzzled. He knew they were just trying to get a reaction out of Nova, who had humiliated Trevor during the trials, but still. Everyone here knew that Nova was one of the best shots of all the patrol units. Her talent with weaponry was unmatched, and her inventions had helped them time and again. Hell, she’d been the one to take out the Detonator! Were they really still under the impression that Nova, of all people, wasn’t worthy of being a Renegade?

Shaking his head, he lifted his gun and again focused on the poster of Hawthorn. He tried to call on his angry feelings—how frustrated he had been when she got away with those drugs, how embarrassed he’d felt when she dumped him into the river, and right in front of Nova too.

Not that Nova knew it was him. But a small part of him still hoped that someday he would be able to tell her the truth.

He was imagining Hawthorn’s smug face and preparing to pull the trigger when a dart struck the board just above Hawthorn’s shoulder.

Ruby huffed. “So close.”

Adrian smiled. Clearly he wasn’t the only one holding a grudge.

“Hey, you guys know about that gala that’s coming up?” said Oscar. He was perched on the short wall that divided the range from the shooters, passing the handgun from palm to palm, apparently uninterested in actually shooting it.

“Of course,” said Ruby, without lowering her gun. She took another shot. “It’s like the whole organization is going.”

Oscar scratched his ear. “Yeah, I heard it’s turning out to be this real swanky affair. And now, with the fund-raiser auction, it’s like … for a good cause and stuff.” Oscar took out the magazine from his gun, flipped it over a few times, then clipped it back in. “I was thinking it might be fun if we all went together. I heard we can bring family, too, so I thought I’d mention it to my mom, and…” He glanced up, quickly, then back down. Ruby’s attention was glued to the targets, but Adrian caught the look. The fidgeting, the nerves. “I thought maybe you could bring your brothers too, Ruby.”

This, finally, brought Ruby’s head swiveling toward him. “My brothers?”

“Yeah,” said Oscar. “You’ve said how much they wish they were Renegades, right? They might think it’s cool to rub elbows with some of the patrols. Adrian could introduce them to his dads, they could listen to us all talk shop for a while.” He shrugged. “It could be fun for them.”

Ruby studied him for a long time before saying, carefully, “You’re talking about going to a swanky gala … and you think I should bring my brothers?”

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 emphatic no building 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’t use them,” she said. “We’re starting with the basics here.”