Project Trouble X Three

Dedicated to N.Y.O.B. Thank you for being the first to comment on sequel. Enjoy.

Recap

Madrid walked over and stuck his arm out, shaking his head at his men. I could tell he was amused at his men standing against the walls, acting as if they were chickens. I decided to mess with them and made a sound as if I was a chicken, startling the men and making me laugh. I could sound as if there was a live chicken around us but I could make more animal sounds than those, but I think I’ll keep those to myself. The boys were not amused at my chicken impersonation.

“I’ll show you chicken at our next training session, Cat,” Warrior stated, looking at me in challenge.

Cats POV

I smiled cheekily. “Bring it, old man.” All the other guys ooh’d at my statement. I knew he could twist me as if I were a pretzel, but I hadn’t been showing him everything I had learned by the other guys and I was itching to beat him one day.

After everyone got their shots I turned to my siblings, waiting to see what they would do. My sister was shaking and my brother pushed his body closer to the wall. I wanted to roll my eyes at them but I was trying to be supportive, not that it was helping.

“Sissy,” I hissed. “Come on, it won’t hurt as bad as mine did. The only reason I screamed is because it had to be put into my already sore wound. It’s like the shots we had to take as kids,” I coaxed my brother and sister. “I thought you two were tougher than this.” I knew it would get my brother moving. He hated being called a pussy and he took what I said as if I was calling a pussy. I knew there would be hell to pay for my words but I didn’t care, he couldn’t hurt me.

“I’ll do it.” He glared at me. “I’m not a sissy, so I will go first.” I looked over at Warrior and smirked, knowing he was thinking the same thing I did.

“Well, technically your sister went first,” Flirt commented, getting a glare from Cruz and a smirk from me. I was trying as hard as I could not to laugh, knowing Warrior and Eagle were about to bust out laughing.

I watched as Cruz held his arm out and waited for my dad to swab his arm with alcohol. I noticed when our dad jabbed the needle in Cruz’s arm he flinched and then smirked at Sophia. I knew he was going to be an ass towards her and so did our dad. He pulled Cruz around and shook his head, putting his finger to his lips and giving Cruz a hard glare, resulting in Cruz taking a hard gulp. He knew as well as I did our parents didn’t like when we made fun of each other, thinking we should be the best of friends.

Yeah, right.

Best Enemies.

Yep.

I decided to walk over to Sophia and pull her in a hug. “You can do this, Sophia, I know you can,” I whispered in her ear. “I’ll hold your hand if you want me to.”

Sophia nodded her head and grabbed my hand as we walked over to our dad. Cruz had a cruel smirk on his face and I knew there would be trouble later. I glared at him and nudged him away from us, hoping he got the hint and moved. It took my mom grabbing his arm and pulling him away to another room for him to move. I sighed as Sophia put a stranglehold on my arm, making my hand go numb, but I didn’t say a word or make a sound of distress.

“Sophia, look at me.” She turned her head towards me. “That’s right, keep your eyes on me and breathe with me. Follow the pattern of my breathing, letting your mind wander to a place you love. You know, your closet?” I laughed, Sophia joining me

“All done,” my dad said, making Sophia whip her head around and notice the bandage on her arm.

“All done?” Sophia asked as she looked at me. “Thank you, Cat, I don’t think I would have been able to do it without you. It didn’t even hurt.”

I nodded my head and went to one of the hammocks, laying my tired body down. My episode tired me out and I was ready to sleep. I had forgotten I needed my shoulder stitched until my dad called me back to the table.

I climbed back down from the hammock and walked over to the table, doing as my dad commanded and laying on the table on my stomach. I was surprised when Sophia came over and grabbed my hand, a soft smile on her lips. I watched as my mom got everything set up and had to use peroxide to wash out my wound, something I hated more than anything. I didn’t like the feeling of something bubbling up from my skin.

“But, you like me bubbling under your skin,” my jaguar piped in, laughing at my hard look I gave her in my mind. She walked over and laid down, giving me a funny smile, well, a smile as much as a jaguar could give.

Next came the rubbing alcohol. I felt my breath whoosh out of my lungs but I still didn’t make a sound of distress. I felt my mom numb my shoulder up, something I could have done without. It wasn’t something I needed, considering the numbing agent would wear off before she was finished. She tried to hand me a bottle of rum but I shook my head as she raised an eyebrow.

Not happening

She glared at me but I shook my head again, so she started sewing up my wound, my dad helping her by pulling my skin together. It felt as if they were pinching the skin around my wound and pinching hard. I still didn’t make a sound.

“Do you need more numbing medicine?” My mom asked me as I shook my head no. I didn’t want them to stab me with any more needles. I would do fine without anything else jabbing in me. My mom shook her head at my stubbornness and started sewing my wound again. It felt as if she was sticking me harder on purpose but I still didn’t make a sound.

The next thing I knew I was being carried and put in a hammock. “She must have passed out.” I heard my dad say to my mom.

“No I didn’t, I fell asleep. The stitches were nothing,” I told my dad, surprising him. I didn’t think he knew I was awake because he almost jumped a mile. I laughed softly and smirked at him

“You fell asleep?” He asked me incredulously.

“Well, yeah. I was fine with the pain. I felt you were almost finished, so I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I was tired from all the shaking, puking, and seeing stars. It was the reason I was in the hammock before,” I explained as I looked him in the eyes. He knew I wouldn’t lie to him, especially if I was looking him in the eye.

Okay,” he said as he put me in a hammock and raised his hands up. “I believe you.” He backed away slowly, the men laughing at him.

I laid back and closed my eyes. I was tired, beat up, and full, the perfect combination for sleeping. I knew I fell asleep but I must have been in a light sleep. I could hear everyone talking, especially my parents. I could hear them talking about me, wondering if I was ready to go to the Amazon. They knew the cartel was going to take one of us and they rather it would be better to use me as bait. I kind of liked the ideal. I didn’t want them to get their hands on my sister or brother. My sister would panic and get herself killed. My brother would piss them off and then be shot. It was better all around if they got me.

“I’ll do it,” I stated, starling all the Shadow Cats and my family. I sat up and smirked at all of them. “You should know me better, I never sleep deeply. And, your ideas have merit. I know Sophia doesn’t want to be taken, so I will do it.”

“Okay, but we need to talk first,” my mom told me as I was sliding out of the hammock, landing on my feet quietly.

I walked over to the table and seemed as if everyone let out a sigh. I knew they didn’t want me to do this but it was better for me to sacrifice myself. I knew I could take care of myself better than my siblings. It was a no brainer. I could see the worry I was getting from the Shadow Cats and my family.

I sat down next to my family. “Okay, so what do I need to know?” I asked as I looked around the table at everyone, confidant in my abilities to protect myself and my family. I had a lot of extra training even my parents didn’t know about.