Camellia waited for Jonas to say something, but he didn’t. He allowed Angel to tell his version. Jonas could be terribly stubborn, and right now, he was choosing to be at his worst. She wasn’t certain why. Kyle and Jeff remained in the background, neither one adding to the conversation, just listening to Angel give her the details.
She took her gaze from Angel and placed it firmly on Tusker. His back was to her. He seemed to be looking toward the helicopters, but every now and then, he tipped his head up slightly and looked toward the trees. She followed his gaze upward. There was little fog in the branches of the trees so high up, and she could see the occasional flutter of leaves as the breeze passed through. Insects chased one another in the sky. There was very little movement other than a lizard or two skittering up the trunk of a tree.
“Something began to happen to their friendship over time. It was subtle at first.”
Angel’s words were ominous enough to pull her attention back to him. His mask of calm began to disappear, to be replaced by lines carved deep with anger. “Jonas can be very jealous and controlling. He likes to be the center of attention. The one in charge. Oliver went from being his best friend to a rival. Jonas didn’t like that sometimes Oliver outran him or bested him in any way on a mission. There were troubling fights. Jonas began acting arrogant and talking to Oliver about how others without enhancements weren’t worth much, and why should they risk their lives for them?”
The Jonas she knew could be jealous; maybe being the commander might make one think he was controlling. Definitely, he preferred being the man in charge, but he didn’t seem to like to be the center of attention. She couldn’t see him claiming that others without enhancements were less important or valuable. He was a protective man, and she couldn’t see him ignoring those not enhanced.
Camellia waited in silence, but Jonas didn’t defend himself. Jeff or Kyle didn’t leap to his defense either.
“Go on.” She didn’t bother throwing her voice. She spoke directly to Angel, but she remained hidden in the mist.
Again, she turned her attention to Tusker below, studying him carefully. He turned his head to look over his shoulder toward her. When he did, there was a fluttering of wings in the trees, and bats wheeled and dipped, rushing to get the insects, especially night moths, from the sky.
Echolocation.She breathed the word into the minds of the three men.We can’t hear it, even with our superior hearing. But he can. Tusker. He must have tremendous hearing. Very acute. That’s how he became aware of us. Or rather believes he’s aware of us. Jeff is so still in the tree, he appears part of the tree to the bats. Kyle seems part of the ground. They can’t locate Jonas.
“I’m going to give you the short version, Camellia,” Angel said, his voice harsher than it had been. “Team One was sent out on a mission. I wasn’t there, but from what we understand, it was hell.”
“Where did you get your information if you weren’t there?” she interrupted, watching the bats.Gray. Blue. I need you now.She didn’t want the owls to kill the bats, just drive them away as if they were too close to a nest.
“A very, very reliable source. From someone who was there,” Angel assured her. Again, his voice rang with so much honesty that she swung her full attention back to him.
Immediately, he had Jonas’s attention as well.
If what he says is true, someone betrayed us,Kyle said.Someone on our team.
Her heart sank. She suddenly was tired and wished she was anywhere but where she was. She’d asked to come along. Jonas had given her every opportunity to stay in her beautiful garden where she was safe and protected. She wouldn’t have met these men, and she wouldn’t have heard what Angel had to say. She wouldn’t feel hurt. Her hurt. Jonas’s hurt. Was life just a series of betrayals? One after another? Was there no real loyalty?
That seems to be the name of the game all over the place, doesn’t it?Camellia said.You really can’t trust anyone, can you?
That’s not necessarily true, honey,Jonas said.Let’s hear him out. And let’s not lose sight of why they’re here. Even if I did everything wrong and murdered their brother the way they think I did, it still doesn’t give them a reason to wipe out men, women and children who had nothing to do with it.
It was the first time he’d said anything that might be a rebuttal to the version of the story Angel was telling her.
I’m not about to forget why these men are here.She wouldn’t. The idea that they had so callously decided that Marigold’s twins could be murdered right along with Mari and her twin sister andnephews sickened her. What was wrong with them? No matter how charming Angel thought he was, she would always keep that purpose uppermost in her mind. There was no forgiveness for that.
“As the mission was being carried out, several of the team members were wounded. They were in a valley surrounded by heavy gunfire with the enemy above them.”
She could smell the gunpowder and hear the heavy shells hitting all around them. Jeff and Kyle as well as Jonas were thrown back in time, remembering the tense moments when they all thought they wouldn’t make it out.
Nico got to higher ground and gave us covering fire. I’m not sure any of us would have made it out alive without him,Jonas supplied.It was chaotic with so many wounded and the enemy surrounding us.
“The enemy had them pinned down. Oliver decided to make a run for it. He figured he could break through the enemy lines and get help for everyone. They were running out of ammo and desperately needed medical supplies. He went to the commanding officer, Ryland Miller, and told him his plan. If he succeeded, they would all be saved. If he didn’t make it, only he would suffer the consequences. He was extremely fast. Their sniper could help him get through.”
So far, he’s right on the money,Jonas informed her.
They could have access to the report,Jeff said.Ryland files a report with the general each time we come back from a mission. Someone could have hacked into the general’s files.
It’s a possibility,Jonas agreed.
My leg is cramping,Jeff said.
Don’t you move,Jonas snapped, the order clear.The one in the clearing is definitely directing everyone, and he’s got his ears on you. No one is killing you today, Jeff.
That brought Camellia’s gaze back to the bats.Gray, Blue, run them out of here. Chase them far away.
“Oliver was a hero that day. He broke through enemy lines and got the word back to his superiors that his team needed aid. Jonas couldn’t take that he received all the attention from everyone. It was too much for him. When Oliver snuck back to his team, there in the valley, determined to help carry the wounded out, Jonas attacked him. The entire team witnessed it, including Miller.”
