Chapter 395: Bambi’s Revenge Arc (2)

After driving to the woods that would lead them to the loan shark’s fortress, they all got off, and Haley drove the van to a secluded area to avoid Boar Don’s men spotting it.

She pulled the vehicle behind a thick wall of pine trees, cutting the engine before the dust could settle.

Leaves crunched under her shoes as she stepped back into the clear, pulling a sleek black tablet from her pack. A small drone rose quietly from her palm, its tiny propellers whirring as it darted up through the tree line.

She used her spy drone to give them directions.

And she was far away from them, making herself useful but not putting herself in danger..

Henry, happened to be on his day off with Kali, was there too.

He stood near a large oak, shifting his feet while adjusting the strap of his shoulder bag. The snake coiled loosely around his collarbone, her pale scales catching the faint light filtering through the branches.

The moment Malo called him, he wanted to make an excuse, but Malo said Faye would be furious if he didn’t follow them.

Henry had no choice. He left his sightseeing and came running with Kali wrapped around his neck.

Peamah had no choice either. Even if he had said no, he still would have come.

He dragged his feet through the dry dirt, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. His head hung low, a heavy scowl pulling at his mouth as he kicked a loose rock out of his path.

He just kept pouting as he walked.

Sasha does not like the way he was pouting. She kept her space a few paces back, her eyes narrow and fixed on the back of his head. Each time he let out a loud, exaggerated sigh, her jaw tightened, her fingers twitching against her belt.

Malo and Faye had been staring at Kali around Henry’s neck.

The snake lifted her flat head, her tongue flicking into the chilly air before she settled her chin back against Henry’s collar.

"So, you don’t put her inside a backpack for safekeeping?" Malo muttered.

He took a half-step back, his arm brushing against Faye’s shoulder as he kept his eyes locked on the reptile.

"Kali likes it when she’s free, and she loves fresh air," Henry explained.

He ran two fingers gently over the back of the snake’s head. Kali closed her eyes, letting out a soft hiss as she rubbed against his knuckles.

Faye nodded her head as if she understood.

She took a short breath, keeping her body still so she wouldn’t make any sudden movements.

"Good. Just let her remain on your neck and not on the ground, okay?"

"Okay, friend. I will," Henry replied.

Faye’s eyes darted toward Bambi. She hadn’t talked to her since the last time she saw her, so she moved closer to the girl.

Bambi walked alone near the edge of the line, her shoulders stiff and her chin tilted downward.

"Hey..." Faye smiled at her.

The smile was small, barely pulling at the corners of her lips.

Bambi looked at her, then back at the twigs on the ground.

Her boots snapped a dry stick into pieces, the sharp sound popping in the quiet woods. She didn’t slow her pace, but her eyes stayed locked on the earth below.

"I wanted to ask what you’re going to do when you face the Don guy. Are you going to turn him over to the GPF, or... you know, snap him in two?" Faye asked.

She kept her voice low so the others wouldn’t hear, her fingers tightening around the strap of her own bag.

"I plan on emptying every bullet inside Kraven’s gun into his chest, ripping his heart out, and then putting him on a spike right in front of the Gamma Police Force station so they can see what justice means."

Bambi’s voice was flat, carrying no heat, no anger, just a cold, steady promise.

Hearing that from Bambi, all Faye could do was stare at her.

Her breath caught in her throat. She looked down at Bambi’s hands.

Bambi was holding the gun Kraven once possessed and his cross chain.

The cross swung slightly with every step she took, the cold metal clinking softly against the iron barrel of the pistol tucked into her grip. The metal was worn, scuffed at the edges from years of use.

They weren’t blood-related, but they had grown up together through thick and thin. They stood right beside Butcher just to survive and help other kids like them.

Kraven was her brother, and he was wasted on the street.

Faye swallowed hard, watching the quiet rage sitting on Bambi’s shoulders like a physical weight.

"Just... don’t die this time, okay?" Faye told her with sincerity and hope.

"He’s the one dying," Bambi replied before moving ahead.

"Soooo... you want to talk about why you didn’t show up to school last week?"

Malo moved closer to Faye. He was trying to engage with her instead of staring at the Frost guy who stole his first kiss and acted like it was nothing.

Every time Peamah shifted his weight or brushed past a bush, Malo’s gaze flicked sideways before quickly snapping back to the dirt path. His neck was red, his collar pulled up tight to hide his chin.

Faye stopped in her tracks and looked at Malo with an unreadable expression.

Her eyes narrowed, her feet planted firmly on the bed of pine needles.

"How many times do I have to explain to you what I’ve been doing throughout the week, huh?"

"I just wanted to have a discussion with you. There’s no need to broadcast it out in the open," Malo said.

He raised both hands, palms out, his voice dropping into a quick whisper as he glanced around to see if the rest of the group was watching.

"You know, if we want to discuss something, let’s talk about how my girlfriend is going to survive whatever she’s doing. My mind is still on that stupid tunnel. Dre said it was a dangerous place to be, and Princess doesn’t see it as one."

Faye finally let her fears out.

Her chest heaved as she let out the breath she had been holding all morning.

She was trying to act like she was okay with Princess and her friends going on a suicide mission, but she just couldn’t.

The constant thought of how they were going to survive was still on her mind.

Every scenario playing out in her head ended with blood on cold stone, with Princess trapped in the dark surrounded by things that didn’t feel pain.

"Well, she’s not alone. She has Beamer Frost and Kiara. It’ll be fine," Malo assured her.

He reached out and gave her shoulder a light, quick tap, trying to offer a reassuring nod, though his own face looked pale under the dim forest shadow.

"I get that Beam might be the angry Hulk kind of person who could rip hearts out in the blink of an eye, which still won’t kill the Walkers. But what does Kiara do other than act as an accessory to the group? She always bails out during dangerous situations. That girl is nothing but a useless, fancy nuisance," Faye spat the words out, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"You are wrong."

Peamah’s calm, cool voice came from behind them as the two friends looked at the nonchalant guy.

He stepped around a tall bush, his hands still buried in his pockets, his gaze fixed straight ahead as if he hadn’t just interrupted their conversation.

"What do you mean I’m wrong? Because when it comes to combat and strength, Kiara Petro is 0."

Faye turned her whole body toward him, her eyebrows drawn together.

"They are equal in everything, academics and combat. Kiara doesn’t do combat because she doesn’t want to bleed. The Alpha may be the strongest, Beam may be the most brutal, but Kiara is above them all. As annoying as she is, she can wipe out the entire town if she wants to."