Gemma nudged her friend away before they caught up with the guys.
The team’s footsteps echoed like thunder as they trod down the road, their feet crunching against rubble and broken glass. Christian, Hawk, and Colton all swiveled their heads back and forth, eyes scanning every building.
Unease wormed its way through Gemma’s stomach. Every hair follicle on her head prickled as though an entire crowd of people stared at her. She tightened her grip on her rifle, unable to shake the feeling that something was about to happen.
Christian halted, snapping his rifle to attention the moment the air rang with a dullthwap.
Hawk’s body jerked sideways, his head bursting like an aneurysm. Blood and chunks of what had once been his brain blew out from his shattered skull. The gunshot’s boom followed a second later.
Gemma froze, wide-eyed, as Hawk’s lifeless body flopped to the ground.
“What thefuck?” Imara screeched.
“Sniper,” Christian shouted. “Get off the street. Now!”
Gemma couldn’t move, could barely hear the others. She’d seen blood and broken bodies and plenty of cadavers. She’d been at her parents’ sides when they’d died. But watching a brain explode from the skull of a friend sucked the oxygen from her lungs and rooted her feet to the ground.
Christian grabbed her arm, the yank snapping her out of her trance as he dragged her alongside him.
The four of them raced into the nearest building, and Gemma instantly tucked herself into the closest corner, blinking rapidly to erase the image of Hawk’s lifeless body from her mind.
“Stay here,” Christian commanded before leaving them to check for enemies, his rifle pressed firmly against his shoulder.
Colton stood guard over the area where they’d entered, keeping an eye on the street for any who might have followed them.
Imara paced between him and Gemma.
“Stay away from the window,” Colton warned Imara.
“What? A couple tests and one day of training in the sim, and you’re suddenly an expert in battle tactics?” Imara chided.
Colton glared at her. “Just do what I say.”
Her nostrils flared. “Who in the blazes do youthink—”
“Stop! Both of you,” Gemma interrupted, trying to bite back nausea. “We barely got here, and one of us is already dead. Quit fighting each other, or we’re going to lose.”
Imara’s grip on her rifle tightened, her knuckles turning white, but she clamped her mouth shut and leaned against the wall.
Christian returned several moments later. “There’s no one else here. Give me a minute to figure out another route to this place.” He yanked the map from his vest.
“That’s about all you got,” Colton said without looking away from the entrance. “There’s a group of bounty hunters headed this way. If they spot us, we’re done.”
Christian’s expression flickered from fear to pain to fury. He didn’t meet Gemma’s stare, but she already knew what he was thinking.
Bounty hunters were some of the worst criminals in all of the United Planetary Systems. They were known for their efficiency with even the evil, dirty jobs that no one else was willing to complete. People paid them exorbitant amounts of money to do these deeds, and yet somehow, they excelled at evading authorities.
These were the people who raped and killed his mother.
And if these were who their team was expected to defeat, none of them would make it to the end.
The lines on Christian’s face had never been deeper as he glanced over Colton’s shoulder and frowned. A war took place in his eyes—the desire to slaughter the bounty hunters where they stood fought powerfully against the wisdom to choose battles carefully.
His hands shook as he shoved the map back into his vest. “Let’s go. Keep your eyes moving. If you see something, call it. I’d rather we give away our position than not see something coming. And stay together, as close to cover as possible. You’re harder to kill when they don’t have a clean shot.”
Gemma grabbed his sleeve as he turned away from his view of the road. His frantic gaze found hers, and she gave his arm a gentle squeeze.You’ve got this. She hoped he could read the thought in her eyes.
Christian let out a loud exhale through his nose, blinking slowly. The look that met her stare when his lids reopened was calmer. He gave her a slow nod, a silent thanks, a quiet understanding reserved for the two of them.
