From the enemy base, another ship is rising fast, engines hot.
It provides a distraction, and I sprint for the armored vehicle. Bullets ping into the metal as I dive for cover next to Ryker.
“Fuck,” Ryker yells into his helmet radio over the tumult. “A ship got away. Do we have orbital cover in place?”
The confirmation comes that it’s been taken down, but an enemy vessel has just warped into space above the planet.
Fuck.“We need that door down and right now!” I yell.
Ryker taps his comms. “Ethan! We need to pop the door. I’ve got this.”
Ethan’s glare burns into Ryker across the short distance and hail of gunfire. “Lilly’s going to kill me if she finds out I let you loose with?—”
“We don’t need to tell her!” Ryker says. “Just give me the authorization. You know I’m good at this—I’ll get it done!”
Ethan exhales sharply, mutters a string of curses. “Shit,” he snarls. Then taps his wrist piece. “You’re authorized. Don’t get fucking killed. Or I swear to God, I’ll bring you back just to strangle you myself!”
I catch the flash of Ryker’s grin, his eyes hidden behind the visor.
“What the fuck have you just authorized?” I demand of Ethan.
Ethan grits his teeth. “Don’t ask.”
My head swings between the compound door and the enemy fire strafing the space in front of it.
Ryker has already dropped low and crab-crawled to a nearby armored vehicle. I watch, stunned, as he hauls a rocket-propelled grenade launcher out of the back.
“Cover me!” Ryker shouts, already striding into the open like it’s a sim and not a war zone.
“Fucking crazy,” I mutter. But I raise my rifle and start laying down suppressive fire.
The rest of our soldiers do the same,
A high-pitched whizz cuts the air. And then the entire front section of the enemy base explodes amid a shower of shrapnel.
The impact throws bodies—Uncorrupted soldiers—flying like rag dolls. A massive gap yawns where the doors used to be, smoke billowing.
“Fuck yeah!” Ryker shouts.
“Go! Go! Go!” Ethan yells.
We run, boots skittering over rubble, jumping debris, and smoke stinging our eyes as we draw near. We need to get inside before they can regroup.
No more excuses. No more ships leave. But if any do and if my target is on one of them, then I need to be on it too.
Esme
It’s only later, when the first casualties arrive, that I recognize the last emotions I saw on his face: desperation, longing…and deceit.
He was lying to me. Has been from the start.
He’s never going to see me again.The realization hits like a tsunami. The floodgates open and whatever his closeness did to mask my abilities is gone.
A cry escapes me. I double over, and someone rushes forward to catch me before I hit the floor.
The pieces come together in a jumbled rush.
Whatever his mission is, it’s dangerous, important, and done in collusion with Ethan Black and Ryker Sherwin, probably under instructions from the highest levels of command.
