Seraphina crouched low behind the thick undergrowth, her emerald-green eyes gleaming with excitement. The night air was thick with tension, the faint rustling of leaves and distant gunfire creating an eerie backdrop. She flexed her fingers, feeling the rough fabric of the stolen gloves she had taken from the two unfortunate recruits lying unconscious a few meters away.
Taking them down had been disappointingly easy. They were sloppy, overconfident, and clearly not expecting a predator in their midst. The first one had barely turned before her fist connected with his gut, sending him gasping to his knees. The second had managed to get a startled "Wait—!" out before her boot met his jaw, silencing him instantly. Now, they were nothing more than inconvenient bodies she had to drag behind a tree to keep hidden.
She glanced at the badges she had confiscated, flipping them between her fingers before tucking them securely into her pocket. Two down. Too easy.
A faint crunch of leaves snapped her attention back to the present. The last one had returned.
"What the hell?!" his panicked voice echoed as he stumbled into the clearing, eyes darting around. His rifle was raised, but his grip was unsteady. "Where did they go? Did they leave me behind? Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have trusted those idiots!"
Seraphina smirked, moving with silent precision behind him. Poor guy, he really should've kept his mouth shut.
Before he could take another step, she grabbed him from behind, wrapping an arm around his neck in a chokehold. He let out a choked gasp, struggling against her iron grip, but it was no use. Within seconds, he slumped against her, unconscious.
"Tsk. Not even a challenge," she muttered, dragging his body next to his comrades before plucking his badge from his vest. She was about to leave when—
Snap.
Her ears perked up. A faint sound. A misplaced step. Someone was nearby.
Seraphina stilled, her heartbeat steady. She pretended not to notice, casually shouldering her stolen gear. Amateur. Whoever was hiding was anxious, their breathing uneven, shuffling their feet slightly. A predator could sense prey like that from miles away.
Then another sound—barely noticeable, but enough to give away their position.
Seraphina moved swiftly, vanishing into the shadows. The hidden figure seemed to take this as a sign she had left and slowly peeked out from behind a tree.
A girl. Small, delicate.
She had short dark brown hair with messy bangs framing her round face. A pair of oversized glasses rested on her nose, amplifying her wide, nervous dark brown eyes.
She let out a relieved sigh. "Phew… I'm safe—"
"Surprise."
The girl shrieked as Seraphina tackled her to the ground, pinning her effortlessly.
"W-What?! No! Wait!" the girl stammered, flailing helplessly. "I surrender! I surrender!"
Seraphina arched an eyebrow, tilting her head. "Do you want my badge?" she asked in mock amusement, watching the girl's face pale.
"No! No!" The girl shook her head violently. "Please don't beat me up! I—I was just watching!"
Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "Watching?"
The girl hesitated, then blurted out in one breath, "Iknowyou'reJayJay!"
Seraphina blinked. "Excuse me?"
The girl inhaled sharply and sat up, practically vibrating with excitement. "I knew it! I thought I was seeing things, but no—you're really JayJay! I'm your biggest fan! Oh my god, I can't believe this is happening! You're even cooler in person—wait, can I take a picture? No, wait, we can't have phones—ahhh, what do I do?!"
Seraphina pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling. "Oh great, a stalker."
"No, no! I swear I'm not!" The girl waved her hands frantically. "Listen! I can be useful! I'm really good at computers, numbers—strategy! You should totally team up with me! Please?"
Seraphina stood, dusting off her clothes. "I don't need a team. Go away."
The girl's hopeful expression crumbled. "Wait, wait! Please! I'll do anything—just let me stay!"
Seraphina glanced at her again. She is cute… she thought begrudgingly. There was something oddly endearing about her oversized glasses and puppy-like expression. With a heavy sigh, she crossed her arms. "Fine."
"Really?!" The girl's eyes sparkled as she bounced on her feet. "Oh my god! Okay! I won't let you down! You won't regret this! I swear! By the way, my name is Mia! Mia Rainfield! I'm 21—but turning 22 this year! My favorite color is red, and my room is filled with your posters and albums! You are amazing, I can't believe I'm here with you! I am never washing my hands again after touching you—"
Seraphina clamped a hand over Mia's mouth. "If you keep talking, I will personally feed you to the wild animals here."
Mia's muffled voice came through excitedly. "I wouldn't mind dying by your hands, JJ—"
Seraphina sighed, staring up at the darkened sky. This girl is next-level annoying.
Still, she had to admit…
Maybe having a teammate wasn't so bad after all.
"Let's go," she muttered, walking forward.
Mia beamed and immediately followed, bouncing behind her. "Yay! My first mission with JJ!"