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“What do you want to do?” Eden said to Wren.

Wren studied the Gente surrounding them. She lifted her gun. “We fight these fuckers.”

***

Striker slammed his gun across the back of the head of a Gente before turning and firing at another who was chasing him down. He had no idea where the fuck they’d come from, but they’d appeared out of nowhere. Sneaky, asshole Gente, always using illegal tech. He should have trusted his instinct. He should have fought harder to stop this mission.

And Wren was out there. She’d be fighting for her life, and he couldn’t get to her.

He ducked and rolled as a blast of fire shot over his head. There must be twenty Gente out there, all using that damned shielding tech.

He was slammed off his feet as a blast skimmed his left arm. He hit the ground and flipped over, keeping low as he inspected the wound. It hadn’t hit anything vital, but it burned like a mother fucker.

Wren. He had to get to her. He wasn’t losing her.

“Rexx, what’s your situation?” Striker kept his voice low as he ducked behind rocks and checked his ammo.

“Bit busy here,” came a grunted response over the comm link.

The sound of guns firing blasted around him. “Blaze, you good?”

“Been better, buddy.”

Shit. They were all taking heavy fire. These Gente meant business.

He checked around the rock. Three Gente were approaching his position, their weapons raised.

He ducked and rolled to the next rock, took aim, and fired at one of the Gente, taking him out.

The other two focused their weapons on his location and fired.

He ducked and cursed. He was running out of time. “Wren, can you hear me?”

There was no reply over the comms link.

His heart felt bruised by her silence. “Wren, respond. Where are you?”

Dark thoughts tried to overwhelm him. The Gente were sadistic. Once they got their hands on Wren, they’d destroy her, no matter how hard she fought to stop them.

He risked a look around the rock, not able to sight his weapon properly as he fired. The remaining two Gente were almost on him. He had to keep moving. He promised Wren he’d keep her safe, but he could only do that when he was with her.

He drew a second gun, sucked in a deep breath, stepped out, and was already firing before even spotting the enemy. His weapon hit home, but he doubted they were mortal wounds.

Striker stepped forward, firing repeatedly. The Gente both went down and didn’t get up.

He pressed his back against the rock. “What’s your situation, Rexx?”

There was no reply.

“Blaze, report in,” Striker said.

Two Gente appeared around the side of the rock, their weapons aimed at his head.

“Drop your weapons,” the Gente on his left said.

Striker growled. They had him at a disadvantage. Even if he could take one out, the other would get him.

“Slow and steady,” the Gente to his right said.