“Unfortunately, I’m not sure Leila and Brandon would agree.”
“Can’t you stop them? Aren’t you their fucking boss?”
“Leila pretty much told me she doesn’t trust me anymore. That she doesn’t believe my loyalties lie with the mission.”
“And is she right?”
He didn’t even need to think about it. He’d made his decision. People were what mattered. “Yes. But Leila’s loyalty will always be to the mission. She won’t stand down and let them destroy the machine. Even if it means Kaitlin is sacrificed.”
“Christ, what a mess.”
Too right. He forced his mind to focus. There had to be a way. Maybe it was time to find out their endgame.
“What do you want?” he called out. Sometimes it was easiest to just ask.
“We want safe passage to the machine,” a woman replied.
“Release Kaitlin, and we’ll consider your request.”
“I don’t think so. Stop shooting, let us go to the machine, and then we’ll release her.”
“Do you trust them?” Jake asked quietly.
“Hell, no.” He blew out his breath. There had been a short cessation of shots while they talked. Obviously, Leila was listening in. Now they started shooting again. And the gunfire was moving closer to where they had taken cover with Kaitlin.
“Leila’s going to try and take them out,” he muttered. “Shit.” He could see Leila now, and Brandon off to her left, crossing a short space of clear ground.
Beside him, Jake raised his rifle and took aim. At Leila.
“Jake?”
“If it’s a choice between Leila and Kaitlin, Iwillshoot her. I’ll try not to make it fatal, but I can’t promise.”
Kane gritted his teeth. Part of him knew he should stop Jake, and his hand inched out. This was Leila. He’d known her all his life. But then there was Kaitlin. He couldn’t let her die.
“Leila, back down,” he called out. But she didn’t even glance his way, and he knew she wouldn’t listen to him any longer.
His hand dropped to his side as Jake’s finger tightened on the trigger.
Before he could shoot, there was movement behind Leila—two dark figures against the backdrop of rock. A laser blasted out, hitting Leila directly in the back, spinning her around, and she crashed to the ground unmoving. A second shot took out Brandon. Then silence.
Jake lowered his weapon. “Shit.”
He wasn’t wrong there. “Are they dead?” Leila’s head was turned in their direction and her eyes were wide open and staring.
“I think so,” Jake said.
Kane’s mind was blank. They were the last of the Guardians.
But he couldn’t think about it now. He pushed the grief to the back of his mind, knowing he would grieve for them later.
The two figures, both dressed in what looked like black body armor with helmets and face masks, moved closer, their weapons aimed toward him and Jake. Kane held himself still.
A second later, a man and a woman emerged from their cover, Kaitlin held in front of them like a shield. Kane’s breath caught. She was alive, though her face was screwed up in pain. The man holding her also wore black body armor, but no helmet. In one hand he held a pistol aimed at Kaitlin’s head, the other hand gripped her upper arm. Kane suspected it was all that was keeping her upright. She stumbled and almost fell as the man pulled her out from under the cover of the rock.
“Can we take them?” Jake murmured from beside him. “A coordinated shot to each one of them.”
Kane shook his head. “Not a chance. Not with that armor. Likely our bullets won’t even get through. No, we’ve got to let this play out. But we need to find a way to separate Kaitlin from them.”
