“Thanks again, Amber.” Amee opened the door the side door.

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll pay for it later.” Amber walked past Amee into the kitchen, but stopped suddenly.

Amee bumped into her, “What are you stopping for?”

“Amber, I would have expected Amee to act this irresponsibly but you?” Amee heard her mother’s voice.

“You both get in here ASAP!” Amee’s shoulders sagged, her father was home too.

Amber kicked her shoes up and gave Amee a look. Amee knew the look well, ‘it was the shut up and let me handle this’ look. Amee pulled her shoes off. She thanked every deity she could think of she’d chosen to put the contacts in on the ride home. She walked in with Amber, she didn’t take a seat. She watched Amber put on her innocent face. Amee scowled, Amber always got away with murder.

“The brat broke her glasses, three days ago, I caught her cutting school, I wanted to make sure she couldn’t whine and get out of school again tomorrow so I took her to get glasses.” Amber shrugged,

Amee could have killed her. Amber had just deflected all the blame to her. She opened her mouth to disagree, but realized if she did, she might have to admit the real truth.

“Oh, that was pretty responsible of you. But you know there have been threats, it was pretty reckless going out like that.” Amee’s mother said, then looked at Amee.

Amee’s shoulders sagged more, it was going to be a long, long, night.

Amber shrugged again, “Hey school’s important, even if Amee doesn’t realize it, besides if she misses another cheerleading practice without a medical note the coach is going to kick her off the team. Can I go now? I have homework to get too.”

Amee’s father crossed his arms, he was still wearing his uniform, it made him all the more intimidating, he glanced at their mother. Amee’s mother nodded to Amber. Amber started to leave, and Amee moved to follow her.

“Amee, stop right there, we haven’t even gotten close to starting with you.”

Amee’s mother pointed to a chair. Amee hung her head and stood behind it.

“You might want to sit down, it’s going to be a long night.”

Amee shook her head. She saw a hint of pride in her father’s face, but it then it vanished behind a façade of military discipline.

“Your father had to leave an exercise to come home. How do you think he felt when he got a call from the school and they said that you hadn’t been there for three days? Are answering the phone, or returning messages too difficult for you?” Her mother looked incredibly upset, this was way worse than normal, Amee wanted to run, far and fast.

“You are fifteen years old, we expect you to behave accordingly. Lying? Cutting class? Skipping cheerleading practice? What is happening with you lately?” Her mother tapped her fingers on the table.

“You are grounded.” Her father said.

“And we are taking your computer away.” Her mother added.

“But, I didn’t do anything, I broke my glasses, I was sick, and Amber could have called you back!” Amee lost her temper, she regretted it immediately as her father stood to his full six-foot two inches height.

“Don’t talk back to us, young lady!”

He slammed his fist on the kitchen table, the glassware on it shook. Amee jumped in surprise.

Agent Johnson walked in, “Is everything alright in here?”

He glanced at Amee.

“You, go outside, we’ll talk to you later, and I’ll have a few words for your commanding officer!”

Amee’s father pointed at the door. Amee winced. She watched Agent Johnson leave.

“He didn’t do anything, it was my fault.”

Amee looked up at her father, she was damned if Agent Johnson would pay for this mess. Amee’s father crossed his arms and looked down at her.

“At least you are taking responsibility for your actions, but it’s not going to save him from getting fired.”

Amee’s mother nodded in agreement.

“You can both go to hell!”

Amee crossed her arms, she felt her temper rising.

“What makes you think you can disrespect us that way, Amee?”

Her father leaned forward getting in her face.

“Because in two days you’ll both be gone and I can do whatever the hell I want!” She screamed at her father.

“Don’t you dare question your mother and I, this country depends on us.” He bellowed.

Amee’s mother stood up and started to gently push the two apart.

“You two stop yelling, I swear you are both the most bull-headed people I know.”

Amee’s teeth clinched, she was about to unleash another volley of words. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash, and then glass breaking. She wasn’t sure how or why, but she reacted. She shoved her parents apart as hard as she could. She heard a dull wet impact. She looked at her mother and father, they didn’t look hurt. Then she felt the burning in her shoulder. Then she felt another bullet pierce her skin. Oh god, she thought, and she stumbled backwards and slid down the refrigerator. She looked down and touched one of the wounds she quirked her head to the side looking at the blood on her fingers. It doesn’t hurt that much, but it’s so cold. She heard gunshots. The world started to spin. She heard her mother start to cry, she saw them move closer to her, her father keeping them low. Amee felt herself getting weaker. The pain was fading.

Amee’s mother reached out and touched one of the wounds, she was crying. Amee’s father started trying to apply pressure to one of the wounds.

“You stay with us, Amee, you stay with us.”

She’d never seen her father cry, but she noticed his eyes getting moist. She reached out and touched his cheek, she tried to talk, but she felt only blood gurgle out, she coughed.

“She’s been shot too many times, she’s losing too much blood.”

“No you’re wrong she’s going to be alright, she’s going to be okay, we’ll get help Amee.”

Amee’s mother started to hug her tightly, “No baby, no baby, this is a bad dream.”

“You’re so brave Amee, you saved your our lives.”

She felt her father grasp her hand tightly.

“You make me proud, everyday you make me proud.”

Amee lost all strength to hold her arm up, she felt it flop to her side. Her eyes closed. She felt it, death grasping at her, wrapping his cold hand around her. She fought it. She heard a huge commotion. She tried to open her eyes. She saw a blur of dark suits. She couldn’t make out the voices anymore, but she was sure she heard her sister crying.

“I love you too.”

She managed to say, she felt more blood leaking from her mouth. She closed her eyes. She tried to fight the approaching darkness, but Death was too much for her. The world went black.