I’d like to say that she didn’t catch me off guard, but she did. Despite her obvious attempts to sway me from my purpose, I’d misread her intentions.
In particular, I’d underestimated her willingness to shoot me. Sure, she’d tossed a grenade my way before, but that was different than shooting somebody face-to-face.
Or at least that’s what I tried to tell myself.
Her hands stopped shaking right at the end, I thought. That was an act too. That was partially why I hadn’t been alarmed. I’d felt like I had the situation under control.