SEVEN.
this blood is not my own!

❝ I'm living in an age / that calls darkness light / though my language is dead / till the shapes fill my head ❞

⎯ arcade fire, my body is a cage

REINE CASTELL WANTS to run.

Her feet carry her over the stone cold tarmac, the sun beating down on the back of her neck like an open oven. There is blood on her hands, and she's not sure if it's her own or someone else's. Her head pulses, her limbs dragging, but her heart beats so quickly that it still feels as if she's in the middle of a fight. Her legs carry her forward, and it takes everything in the small, seething girl not to sprint out into the distance and never stop.

    "Reine!" She doesn't pause. "Reine, come on! Slow down!" Not even the soft, lilting voice of Sam Wilson can tame Reine's fury, and she continues on down the abandoned road with purpose.

    Don't turn around, she tells herself, don't turn around. Her murderous hands, the hands bruised and broken, shake where they are clenched at her side. Blood roars in her ears, blood splatters her face, blood pushes forcefully through her thinning veins. Something cold and dark and angry stirs beneath the surface of Reine Castell.

    The face of the strange soldier in the truck swims through her head. His angular cheekbones, his umber coloured eyes. The way he looked at her, the ravenous hunger on his face when she fought off the other soldiers, it buries into her bones, causing her world to spin off axis.

    She's never felt this way before, so shaken, so off-kilter. Not since her mama, not since she turned to dust and came back to ruin.

    "Reine!" This time it's not Sam's voice. The girl pauses, her steps slowing down, only for a moment, but it's enough to break through the line of red in her vision. Her feet halt, and the sun flashes bright. Her military vest is too tight, her boots pinch the back of her heels.

    "Reine." The voice is closer now, but she still doesn't turn around. She doesn't think she can. Then, a hand touches her wrist. Reine freezes, her body going so still she could be made of marble. Instantly, her hand curls to a fist, despite knowing exactly who is holding her.

    Her neck strains to keep her eyes ahead, but the two pairs watching her face are enough to make her tremble.

    Bucky Barnes wants to take Reine into his arms. He can see the quiver in her lips, the way the blood on her body makes her shiver. He wants to grasp her like he used to, when her nightmares took away sleep and she cried into his shoulder. He wants to comfort her like he did when she grew frustrated with homework, or a bully at school she couldn't punch some sense into got under her skin. He wants to do something, anything, to make her forget the danger she's just been through, the revelation that has shocked them all into silence.

    Bucky still hears her soft, whimpering voice, as clear as crystal.

    Bucky, I'm a super soldier.

    His heart stops partially at the memory. It's as if he's treading on glass with bare feet. Those words, those simple words, have changed everything. Bucky doesn't want to believe it. He can't believe it. But the problem is, he does.

    He believes her, because it makes sense.

    Ever since Bucky had first met Reine, he'd always wondered why she was so strong. It had been a constant knack at the back of his head. Why she always seemed to be able to knock him over in their play fights, why her punches always left bruises, why every time she grew too angry or agitated, something was bound to shatter in her hands.

She's just growing, Marina told him one night as  he tucked a strand of hair behind the little girl's ear, having finally been able to get her to sleep. They'd wandered into the living room, and Marina sat with her head on his shoulder as he gently caressed her cheek.

She obviously gets it from me, his partner had stated afterwards, and Bucky laughed it off, lost in the sweet lilt of her voice that the peculiarity of Reine's strength flew to the back of his mind.

But it wasn't only that Reine was surprisingly strong, she was intelligent as well. Despite being kicked out of every school Marina put her in, Reine was a fast learner. When Bucky forced her to do her homework, Reine got almost every question correct, finishing the worksheets in less than an hour (reluctantly). She was agile and quick for someone so young, fearless and volatile. She was a watcher, able to perceive the things around her, adjusting herself to fit into any environment.

For so long, Bucky had ridden it off as some sort of fluke, that Reine was just a special child and nothing more. It was easy to believe, as everything about the Castell family was special to him.

He should have known. He should have at least guessed. "Reine, come on." Sam says, looking down at the girl, but she shakes her head, refusing to look at either of them.

Bucky sighs, and he shares a look with Sam. His eyes are filled with the same worry that eats at Bucky's insides, like hungry rats feasting on dead carrion. Because that's what he feels. Dead. Dying, in need of release.

He should have known.

Bucky reaches down and grasps Reines hand, taking the sleeve of his jacket and wiping away the blood. She flinches as some of it splatters to the cement. Even Sam, usually so cool and collected, winces at the sight.

Bucky's thoughts instantly go to his wife, the woman he swore to protect, whose daughter he swore to protect. This isn't what she would have wanted, he thinks bitterly, the last thing she wanted was for Reine to become a soldier.

And yet here she is, knuckles bloodied from a fight he put her in, shivering from almost being taken by a man Bucky will now end in a heartbeat. He remembers watching helplessly as the angular super soldier stalked towards Reine, struggling to gain footing on top of the moving truck.

When Bucky saw the hunger in his eyes as the man watched her, he's never wanted to be the killer he once was more than in that moment.

I promise to protect you, his vow taunts him. Well, hasn't he just done a fine job at that?

"You're going home." Bucky says, his voice hard as stone. Now Reine does move, her small head jerking upwards to meet his eyes.

"Que?" She practically yells. "No!"

"Yes." He answers. "You're going home and we're going to figure out what is happening."

"I know what's happening" she argues, and her words are as clunky as the first few months she spent learning English.

"Do you, Reine?" Bucky says, his tone more harsh than he meant it to be.

"Si." She answers briskly. "I do. Firstly, there's a new Captain America running around with uncle Steve's shield ruining everything. "Second..." She makes the numbers with her fingers for more emphasis. "There are a bunch of super soldiers running about trying to do I don't even know what, and one of them clearly wants something to do with me." Bucky closes his eyes at the sickening thought. "And third, I've finally figured out what I am! Her voice cracks. "What I really am. A... a super soldier." The moment she finishes, Reine sucks in a breath, her cheeks puffing out as she exhales deeply, eyes swimming with tears.

A part of Bucky breaks when he sees her, as her words wash over him like a tidal wave.

Sam puts a hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting. He's seen this kind of trauma before, but never before would he think to find it in someone as young as Reine.

"Look, kiddo, we don't know anything yet..." he begins to say soothingly, but Reine cuts him off with a look.

"I do." Reine claims, looking back ahead, her eyes roaming the forest ahead of them. "Ever since I was little, there was something... different about me. Inside," She gestures to where her heart hides behind her ribcage. "But when we came back, and mama... mama was gone, it grew. It was... it was like when you go to the gas station to fill up the car." she's rambling, her mind too fast for her mouth. "It is fuelled, and that is what happened. My strength... the speed, it's in my blood." Bucky won't meet her eyes as she peers at him. "I'm a super soldier, and I am not going home."

Her voice shudders, like a scream dying on the wind. "It's not even a home, Bucky, it's nothing without her." He clenches his jaw. "So I'm not going back, not until I figure out how I got the serum in my blood, not until I figure out what's happening to me!" Her voice rises at the last part, peering directly at Bucky, her eyes blazing, and he knows better than to question her now. Reine takes her hand out of Bucky's and walks forward.

"Reine..." Sam says slowly, but the girl cuts him off.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Reine states, and continues to move, now silent. Sam lets out an exasperated breath and looks at Bucky, but the soldier shakes his head. There's no point speaking about it now. Reine never backs down when she's passionate about something, Bucky knows. She'll keep fighting for what she wants even if it breaks her, and Bucky is fairly sure her staying with them on this mission will lead to more danger.

The thought causes his organs to turn inside out, but he swallows the protest down. With everything that's happened, Bucky's realized it's better to go along with her, to mend their relationship, than to keep arguing. He's made a promise, a promise to his wife, a promise to the stars, he's not going to break it.

And so, Bucky gives a slight shake of his head to warn Sam not to go into her surprise reveal farther, then the two walk side by side, practically running until they catch up with Reine. Bucky sticks by her side, sharing a look with Sam every once in a while across the top of her head as they tramp down the abandoned road.

The silence teeters on for what feels like an eternity. After a while, Reine's tense shoulders start to relax as neither Bucky nor Sam argue for her to be taken home. Bucky's shoulder scrapes against her own, and it's comforting to have him so close, to know he's shielding her.

So, she unclasps her arms from her chest and reaches down, lacing her fingers with his own. She says nothing, and doesn't meet his gaze when he glances at her, but it's enough.

Then, Reine speaks again, and to everyone's surprise, her tone is light. "We're sorry about Redwing, Sam." she says softly. The Falcon turns, eyebrow raised. Bucky scoffs, his voice a little louder than intended, which causes Reine to elbow him in the gut.

"Yes, yes..." Bucky says, choking slightly. "I'm sorry."

Sam laughs. "No you're not." Bucky frowns, but doesn't argue back, and Reine rolls her eyes. "What's going on in that big cyborg brain of yours?" Sam continues.

"It's computing." Bucky replies dryly, and Reine wants to smile. The ease their conversation had back on the jet has returned, and Reine knows now they won't talk about her being a soldier anymore. She's grateful, because if she thinks about it herself, she's afraid everything will come crashing down.

Sam chuckles. "You know what? I can actually see it." Reine peers up at him. "I can see the gears turning." His smile is wide. "Can you see it too, Reine?" He points over to a brooding Bucky, and Reine follows his eyes, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of it all. "Oh, they're malfunctioning, shutting down. Yep, they're on fire."

"Bucky what is it?"Reine asks, and her stepfather doesn't even hesitate in answering.

"We gotta figure out where the serum's coming from." he blurts, and Reine pauses only slightly before re-asserting herself.

"Yeah," she whispers.

"And," Sam adds in, grateful the air is light enough to speak about the present situation again. "How in the hell after 80 years are there 8 super soldiers runnin' loose?" Nine, Reine adds in bitterly, biting the inside of her cheek.

It's then that the rumbling from behind them catches up with her ears. The girl turns hurriedly as a loud honk sounds from beside them, and soon an open top army truck comes into view. Bucky instinctively reaches down to close his hand over her arm, and she doesn't pull away.

Her frown returns with extra ferocity as she sees who sits inside.

"So, that didn't go as planned, huh?" John Walker asks from his lounging spot in the back of the vehicle. Reine gives her best death glare towards the fake Captain America as a string of strong Spanish insults run through her head.

The trio walk right past the car. Walker opens the back door.

"Okay," she hears him mutter as the door closes and the car starts back up again. "Just keep going." The car emerges from behind them once again. "Look, at least we know what we're up against now, huh?" Reine gives him an incredulous look, noting the smug smile on his white face. His matted blonde hair buffets in the stale breeze.

"And we're pretty sure it's one of the Big Three, so..." Reine and Bucky slow down.

"Aliens, androids, or wizards?" Sam questions.

"Pretty sure." Walker clarifies.

"There's no such thing as wizards." Bucky pipes up, and Reine nods her head in agreement.

"Alright, then it's aliens, or androids..." John replies, and Reine bites down on her tongue so hard she's pretty sure she'll draw blood soon.

"Or super soldiers." Sam says.

The other man in the car with Walker leans out the window, surprise plain on his chiseled face. "Shit. Super soldiers, for real?"

"Yes." Reine pipes up, her voice lined with daggers. "For real." the daggers poke into her flesh. Everyone looks at her, and John Walker gives her a smile so obviously fake it makes her want to rip the car apart. She curls her hands into fists, remembering that she very well could be able to do that now.

"Wow. all right, well," Walker says. "Then we gotta work together." Reine scoffs.

"That's not happening." Bucky responds.

"I think we stand a much better chance if we all just..." Walker's tone is light, giving Reine the briefest pause in her haste to dismiss him, but it's quick, fleeting, and Bucky speaks before she can think more on this.

"Just 'cause you carry that shield," he says loudly. "It doesn't mean you're Captain America." There's a pause, and Walker stares at the soldier beside Reine. They carry the same fire in their eyes, and you could almost think they were related, but Walker knows better than to point this out. Despite appearing to know nothing, he's done the readings on the 14-year-old that goes by the name of Reine Castell.

He knows the history, the fact that she's been on the government's radar ever since Bucky Barnes was apprehended in Germany in 2016. He knows she has a temper, that she's been going to weekly therapy sessions to work through the trauma of her mother's death.

He also knows that she likes to fight, and right now, the very last thing he wants is to get into more trouble with the three people in front of him.

However, he can't help but defend himself. "Look, I've done the work, okay?" Bucky peers at him.

"You ever jump on top of a grenade?" Bucky challenges, and Reine thinks back to when Steve told her the story of where he came from after Bucky went back into the ice.

"Yeah." John replaces, making the girl stiffen. "Actually, I have. Four times." She raises an eyebrow. "It's a thing I do with my helmet. It's a reinforced helmet." the eyebrow resumes it's regular frowning position.

"It's a long story, but, any... look, it's 20 miles to the airport. You guys need a ride." Bucky looks down at Reine, who's shaking her head vigorously, giving him a warning. "Look, Gary, stop..." he turns to them. "Get in."

Much to Reine's bitter disappointment, Sam and Bucky stop, forcing her to halt her steps as well. She looks up at them, anger plain on her young features, but neither of them listen to her, and Sam turns back to Walker, nodding at him, but he doesn't seem too happy.

Soon, Reine finds herself sitting in between Bucky and Sam, anxiously tapping her foot and staring at John Walker and his partner with enough intensity to burn holes in the side of their heads.

"Okay," John says, shifting in his seat across from Reine. "So we've got eight super soldiers on a bulk supply run. Why?" Reine notices how he holds Steve's shield close to his chest, always looped around his arm, as if he's afraid it's going to fall off and be lost forever.

He should be more worried about me ripping it off his arm, she thinks sourly, but hides the pleasure it would give her through a frown.

"They say their mission is to get things back to the way it was during The Blip." Sam says softly. "Maybe they think they're just trying to help." Reine scoffs, and the man's —Alex, she remembers— iron grip around her throat causes her hand to move up. As she does so, her injury, and the blood from her fight with the assailants flashes in the afternoon sun, not going unnoticed by the two government agents. John narrows his eyes.

"They had a funny way of showing it." Bucky speaks up for the first time since climbing into the vehicle.

"That serum doesn't exactly have a great track record." John speaks up, and both Reine and Bucky go still. "No offense." he adds in afterwards, for Bucky. Reine raises an eyebrow, her mouth hanging open.

She speaks up, talking directly to Walker. "You know, if someone has to say no offense after a sentence, they usually mean offense." Everyone turns to her, aware of hard-edges lacing the sides of her words. John opens his mouth to say something back, but finds his voice gone. Both Sam and Bucky hide smirks.

John gains footing once more as Reine cocks her head to the side. "Hey, why is she even here?" he points to her. "Aren't you a little young?" he jests in a tone that reminds Reine of their landlord in Madrid, an angry old white man too rich to bother with the likes of Reine and her mother.

"Aren't you a little old?" Reine retorts, and that's when Bucky elbows her side. She's pulled back by him, not having noticed she'd leaned forward while arguing. She takes a deep breath, crossing her arms, biting her tongue. John smirks, which then causes Reine to stick her tongue out at him. He moves forward, but before anything can get out of hand, Sam steps in.

"We need to figure out where they're going." he says in that calm tone of his. "How'd you track them? The Flag Smashers." The name is still terrible.

John Walker's comrade speaks for the first time, scratching the back of his head, not able to meet their eyes. "Uh, no, we didn't track them," he says quietly. "We tracked you, uh, through Redwing." Reine's mouth drops open.

"You hacked my tech?" Sam asks, fury plain in his soft voice.

John chuckles. "Sorry, it's not exactly hacking." He says through a sweet smile. "It's government property." then he points to himself. "Kind of the government."

It's still hacking, Reine thinks, as both her and Bucky glower at John. The older man has more composure, a blank stare that burrows into the side of Walker's head, but the girl is less fortunate. Reine Castell has never been able to keep her emotions in check, and so her frustration is plain as day as she glares at him.

John, after a while, turns to Sam, asking. "Do they always just stare like that?"

"You get used to it." Sam replies, the delicate nature of his voice gone, replaced with something stone cold and unforgiving.

"Okay, look," John states, clearing his throat. "You know, things have gotten kind of, uh..." he trails off, looking over Reine's head.

"Chaotic." his partner finishes for him.

"Yeah." John replies. "Well, the GRC, they're doing the best they can to get things up and running smoothly, post Blip." Reine winces. She's never liked that word, that small, puny little word to describe the death of billions. It sounds like a joke, like someone is simply sharing a funny story of a time past. But for Reine, and for many others, it's not just a memory, it is still reality.

"Reactivating citizenship, social security, healthcare." the other man continues. "Basically just managing resources for the refugees who were displaced by the return." Reine puffs out a breath, trying to wrap her head around all those words. She understands some of them, like healthcare, and citizenship. When her and her mother came to Spain, they moved all the way from Cuba, where her mother was raised and where Reine was born. She remembers how stressed mama had been, trying to get them into another country. She remembers the mean old men at the desks who would barely listen to mama as she asked for a visa. She remembers the mountain of paperwork on the small coffee table in their studio apartment. She remembers how tense mama was as they finally boarded a plane and left their home for good.

Reine knows a little of what the man is talking about, but there's still things that leave her with a mountain of questions.

"The Global Repatriation Council does all that. I get that." Sam says. "So why exactly are you two here?"

"Well, they provide the resources and we keep things stable." the man replies.

"Yeah," John adds in. "Violent revolutionaries aren't usually good for anyone's cause." Reine frowns at this, not quite understanding what he means. But what if those violent revolutionaries believe the same of people like the government?

Sam's next comment supports her thoughts. "Usually said by the people with the resources."

"Well, we got a lot of resources." John says. "If you guys, if you joined up with us," then he points to Reine. "I mean, not you, obviously." her frown deepens. "We could..."

"No." Bucky speaks up for the first time in a while, staring directly at John, his jaw set. Down by her thigh, his hand laces with her own, squeezing so tight she thinks it might break a finger. But she lets him, because frustration radiates off her step-father like smoke from a flame.

"I mean, I got mad respect for both of y'all." John's partner steps up. "But you were kinda getting your asses kicked till we showed up." Reine's head jerks over to the man, who up until this point she thought to be the more sensible out of the two.

Her cheeks turn pink as she stares at the man. "And then you also got your asses kicked." she says without hesitation, deadpan and serious. The man raises an eyebrow, a surprised smirk on his face, but Reine doesn't think there's anything funny. She turns back to John, who's easygoing manner is replaced with a look as cold as ice.

Bucky turns to the man. "Who are you?"

"Lemar Hoskins." he replies, and it's then Reine notices his last name on the front of his vest. She looks down at her own, but the vest is blank. Reine frowns, wishing to be back in her red hoodie and sweatpants.

"Look, I see a guy hanging out of a helicopter in tactical gear," Sam says. "I need a lot more than Lemar Hoskins."

"I'm Battlestar." Lemar responds. "John's partner." There's a beat of silence, and Bucky's grip in Reine's hand turns into a fight of who can break the other's hand the fastest. She looks up at him, slightly puzzled.

"'Battlestar'?" Bucky reiterates, and smiles after a moment, then turns to the driver. "Stop the car!" he yells, and his eyes burn bright. Reine doesn't speak, knowing this isn't her place.

The car comes to a steady halt, and soon Bucky is standing, pulling Reine to her feet. Sam watches them, but does nothing. Reine is almost glad of Bucky's urgency. Her heart hammers in her chest, red lining the edge of her vision as she glares at John Walker. Before the car has even fully stopped, Bucky is opening the door and ushering Reine out.

"Look..." Walker tries to say, and the girl turns her back to him, no longer able to deal with anything he says. "I... I get it, okay? I get the attitude, I do." Reine's feet land on the solid ground, and her hasty braids bounce in the movement. Her broad shoulders are a rival to Bucky's, muscles rippling across her fractured body. Her hands ache.

"You didn't think the shield was gonna end up here." John is still saying. "I get it, Bucky." Reine locks her jaw as Bucky let's go and starts to walk away, down a separate road covered with trees. "You too, Reine!" the girl pauses at Walker's voice. He said her name. It shouldn't be surprising that he knows who she is, but that's not why she turns around at the comment, eyes narrowing.

It's because he said her name as a friend. He said it as if he had known her for years, knew her secrets, knew exactly who she was. Only mama said her name like that, and only mama was ever allowed to.

Reine whirls around, her eyes alight with fury. "Would you shut up?!" she yells, causing Lemar to flinch at the steel bite of her tone. "Just leave us alone!" With that, she turns and follows after Bucky, who hides the pride in his face as she catches up to him instinctively laces her hand with his own. Together, they stalk away, seething, burning, and breaking with the weight of everything that's happened, and everything that's surely to come.

✧

Alexander Lagard is angry.

He stalks around the small room where they've taken refuge, the rest of his team making themselves comfortable on the beds and desks. Everything is dimly lit, and everyone is shaken from the fight on the truck.

Alex follows Karli, their so-called leader, towards the corner of the room, where the younger girl pulls out her phone and Alex leans against the railing, running a hand through his hair.

That's a mistake.

Blood seeps from his head, a wound open and festering, even more of the crimson liquid taints his hands, staining them ruby. The blood is not his own. It belongs to the girl, the girl from the battle; Reine. He grimaces as he remembers her escape, the two men who took her from him.

They have no idea who she is, what she's capable of. His hands shake as fury runs through his veins, sparking in his chest.

"Alex." Karli's crisp accent causes him to turn, and he grimaces as her worried frown meets his eyes.

"I'm fine." he says, but Karli just shrugs. His gaze darkens. Not for the first time, Alexander wonders why she is the one running the Flag Smashers, not him. Karli is new to being a super soldier, new to being in charge, while Alex has been a leader all his life, had the serum in his blood longer than anyone in this room.

He curls his hands into fists, the scabs on his palms opening up again.

"Look at this." Karli motions, handing over her phone. Alex takes it reluctantly. On it, an unknown number has messaged Karli.

You took what was mine, it says, I'm going to find you and kill you. Alex scoffs and hands the device back, though he can see clearly on Karli's face the words have gotten to her.

"Empty threats." he says, his French accent, long since run over to be replaced with something indistinguishable, peaks through. "Don't pay it any mind."

She nods and gulps, vibrant red hair bouncing. Alex smirks.

"Scared, Karli?" he asks, jesting. The girl frowns.

"Shut up." she says. Alex laughs, a stark yet vivid sound. Karli's eyes narrow. Alex is a mystery to her, even now. When he first found them, he was quick to join their cause. There was a wisdom in his eyes, a knowledge knowing no bounds, that never reached his carefully constructed words. He laughed and teased, but in fights, he fought and killed without a second of remorse.

Late at night, Karli often heard him pacing in his room, and every morning, fresh scabs arose on his hands, bruises lining his flesh like a second skin. One time, Karli had seen scars lining his neck, reaching down to his back, painful pink marks that traced over his body like a tapestry.

In truth, Karli Morgenthau still doesn't trust Alexander Lagard, but there is nothing she can do about it. He had proven his loyalty many times over, yet every time he looks at her, his eyes seem to crawl under her skin, burrowing down, leaving her scrambling and unsettled.

"Shit." Alex looks over to his fellow comrade sitting at the desk, typing furiously at the computer. "They're already looking for us." He crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm wiping our aliases off any public traffic sites now."

Another soldier, Lennox, steps forward. "Karli. We can't stay here for long."

"Six months ago would you have imagined people supporting the cause like this?" another pipes up, his smile broad. A grin tugs on the corner of Alex's lips. He cocks his head to the side, resting it against the wall. He hides his shaking hands, biting down on his lip.

The serum is acting up again. It burns in him, like fire is eating away at his insides. He's always been one to cherish the idea of death, of oblivion, but every time the serum flares, he wishes for nothing except to live and fight through it.

"We're not playing no more." Karli says from beside Alexander. "We can't let the same assholes who were put back in power after The Blip win." Alex stays silent, eyes tearing through the flesh of each and every soldier in the room. "The GRC care more about the people who came back than the ones who never left. We got a glimpse of how things could be." Alex takes a deep breath, memories filling inside his head like wine poured into a glass.

"I need to know that you're all committed." Karli continues. "Because after tomorrow, there's no going back."

There's silence. Alex takes a deep, shuddering breath, his scars aching. After tomorrow. He thinks back to the fight earlier, to the blood on the girl's hands, how terror clutched her after fighting off his men.

She isn't who he needs her to be. Not yet, anyway, but after tomorrow, he is going to make sure everything falls into place. He just needs Reine.

"Yeah." a soldier named Matias says, standing. "One world."

"One people." the others respond.

"One world." he says again, louder this time.

"One people." Alex makes the words with his mouth, but no sound comes out. Thankfully, the others don't notice.

"One world!"

"ONE PEOPLE!"

Alexander Lagard turns away, a determined frown on his face, a plan forming in his head.

a/n: damn, it's been a hot minute, hasn't it? Sorry for not updating guys. buuuuuut don't be discouraged, because I am still very much in love with this story and I am determined to finish it this summer, so get excited! I would like to clarify that this book will be going deeper into the immigration process, as well as what it's like to be biracial as well as racism against the Latinx community. I myself am biracial, and my father is an immigrant from a Spanish speaking country, so I do have some experience with these topics, but I do not know everything, and I definitely have not experienced what being an immigrant in a country like America is like, so please, if you are POC, I would love to have some feedback, thank you <33

What did you guys think of this chapter? What did you think of Reine's speech at the beginning? What did you think of the interaction with (ew) John Walker and Lemar (rip). and FINALLY, what did you think of the Alex perspective at the end? He's definitely an interesting character and I can't wait for you guys to see more of him!

As always, don't be afraid to vote, comment, and follow me if you enjoy this story! Until next time, where we meet the legend, the man himself, the real hero; Mr. Isaiah Bradley.

Love you, Mal