I know he’s worried about me after my reaction to Mikah passing.It’s been much more dissociating than grieving, staring at the ground for long periods of time and spacing out frequently. My restless sleep and gut-wrenching distress over what will happen to the rest of us has been weighing on me. I mean, if they can get rid of a hacker like her that easily, then we must be next to nothing to them.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” I lie and flash him a smile.
“Remind me what your favorite tea is.” He changes the subject. I narrow my eyes at him because his question is entirely random.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had this conversation. It’s ginger tea, with elderberry.” I grin at the scowl he gives me. Sweat collects locks of his pale hair to his forehead. He’s so fucking handsome when he’s smirking and sweating. My eyes dip down to his broad shoulders. Even beneath the tight black long-sleeve, every corded muscle makes itself known.
He’s been back to his stable self. Well, more stable than the day I caught him almost killing a guard.
“God, of course you’re an elderberry girl. What about Earl Grey?” His tone is light and humorous. It sends a flutter straight through my chest.
“Everyone likes Earl Grey.”
He hums. “I’ll have to remember your preference of tea.” I expect him to say more, but as a few moments pass and he doesn’t, I press him.
“For what?”
Cam gives me that lazy smile I’ve fallen so hard for. “For after we’re free,” he says in a hushed tone. Hope soars in my chest at his words. Then guilt for everyone who hasn’t had the chance of freedom up to this point. Mikah. Bree. Kayden.
I wonder where each of them now rest.
The war room is made entirely of brick and resides on the main level of the building. Three ten-foot-tall black-steel-framed windowsallow the afternoon rays of light inside and make the topic at hand considerably less grim.
Lieutenant Erik stands at the front of the room with a whiteboard and pen. It reminds me of Cameron when he tried to drill our phase one mission into me.I bet he’s still boiling over me taking matters into my own hands at the Great Basin hideout.I glance over at him and he’s leveling me with a knowing look that says, “Don’t even think about it.”
I grin to myself and focus back to the photos that Erik tapes up.
My stomach drops as I immediately recognize the target location.
Finis.
It’s an abandoned city in southern Italy that has similar architecture to Craco, but it’s much farther into the uninhabited, mountainous terrain. Hidden and forgotten by the world. I never knew its true name—my father always called it Finis. Latin for “the end.” He said he’d need a location for his empire to fall one day. Somewhere the odds could shift in his favor. Somewhere that was easy to protect because of the higher elevation advantage and remoteness of it.
Erik shows us aerial shots from one of our drones to confirm that my father’s men, and likely him, are at Finis. The buildings are made of stone and have been deteriorating for a long time. Windows have long since shattered from storms and the vegetation has grown onto the walls as if the earth wishes to reclaim its borrowed resources.
It’s beautiful how nothing stands forever. Everything must return to the earth eventually. Time will not stand for anything else.
I think that’s why he chose it, knowing that his reign would inevitably end.
If I had to guess, I’d say that’s what Reed is after too. Just like Belerik.
Mavestelli’s empire.
And I’ll gladly hand it over to Reed. He could run the entire operation with his eyes closed, and I’d rather it go to him than my estranged uncle who doesn’t give a shit about me or the squad. It’s clear that my father’s men respect Reed more than anyone, including Greg himself. Reed has probably already turned over half of their allegiances against my father as it is.
Everything is a game to Reed; he’ll grow tired of these antics eventually. Soon the rush of taking empires won’t stimulate him anymore, so it goes with everything in life. If you’re always chasing the next thing, happiness can never be yours.
Erik uses a baton that was sitting in the corner up against the wall to smack the first image. It’s of one particular building from the aerial viewpoint, the second biggest roof.
“This is where we believe they’re holding up in. Greg Mavestelli will likely be somewhere in the basement of this building, but we’re not going to rule anything out. The main objective here will be to terminate the target and bring in any surviving guardsalive. Should they refuse to surrender, then we’ll execute them all on-site,” Erik states in a low tone that sets a chill into my bones.
Gage crosses his arms uncomfortably at that.
Damian raises his hand, but the lieutenant dismisses him effortlessly.
“We’ve verified that this is an abandoned city much like Craco. The buildings are similar in style and material used to construct them. We’re lucky that we don’t have to worry about civilians, but we’re anticipating the hostiles to be heavily armed and secured.” He pauses as he pops off the marker cap and writes on the board. “Which is why we’ll be HALO jumping into the city.”
A collective breath escapes all of our lips.
