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“The three sites aren’t far apart,” Striker said. “They could be using the locations for different purposes. Testing, resting, and clean-up?”

“It’s possible. We’ve picked up heat signatures at all sites. Alien and animal,” Cleo said.

“Including white tails?” Wren said.

“Again, we can’t be sure, but I’ve picked up three of the same signature. It could be our white tails.”

Striker whistled through his teeth. “That’s quite a payload if we find three of those rare animals.”

“That’s not all,” Cleo said. “There are small pockets of other animals moving around Epox.”

“Hybrids?” Georgia said.

Cleo nodded. “It’s most likely the hybrids we’re getting readings from. Watch out when you’re on the ground. After Georgia’s encounter, we know we’re dealing with something lethal, even to Apexians.”

“An overgrown kitty cat with an attitude won’t be a problem for me,” Striker said.

Wren nudged him. “It should. It almost killed Georgia.”

“Don’t worry about me, babe,” Striker said. “I’m invincible.”

“When we get to Epox, you’ll break into three teams and investigate the locations. I’ll stay here with Hunter so we can move fast if needed. I want radio silence so the Siblet don’t know we’re down there. Only make contact in an emergency and if you find the white tails. Record your findings, dispatch any hybrids you encounter, and search for the animals. That’s our focus. We need to get those white tails out as quickly as possible,” Cleo said.

“And we’ve got pens on board to hold them once they’re located,” Hunter said.

“What about bringing back a hybrid?” Georgia said. “It could be useful. Dallin and Angel may be able to synthesize an antidote for the poison faster if they’ve got another specimen to study.”

“Only if you can do it safely,” Cleo said.

“And if we encounter any Siblet?” Daisy said.

Georgia sucked in a breath as she waited for the answer.

“Detain them,” Cleo said.

“And if they fight back?” Georgia tensed in her seat. She wanted to destroy every Siblet she came across.

“We need evidence.” Cleo’s expression hardened as she focused on Georgia. “We have to show High Command, the Apexians, and the Siblet governors what’s going on. We need a living, breathing Siblet.”

“We’ll make sure that happens,” Ash said, giving Georgia’s knee another squeeze.

“We’re ten minutes out,” Rexx said from the cockpit. “Everyone make sure you’re strapped in for the descent.”

Georgia rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck. She did want to destroy the Siblet, but she wouldn’t fail Cleo or anyone else on this mission.

But she’d make sure the Siblet lost this battle.

***

The docking ramp onthe transport ship descended, and Ash looked out. He grimaced. What hellhole had the Siblet picked to host their sick little experiments this time? Everything was either gray or brown. There was a stench of sulfur in the air, and the stunted trees nearby looked like they’d died years ago.

“You know your locations,” Cleo said as she headed down the ramp with the others. “As I said, radio silence unless there’s an emergency. Once you’ve located the white tails, sedate them and make contact. We’ll fly to you and get them in the pens. Retrieve any useful data, destroy what’s not useful, and get back here. We must be quick, discreet, and make sure we don’t draw the attention of any poisonous hybrids.”

Everyone nodded.

Ash looked at Georgia. Her expression was impassive, but from the tense set of her shoulders, she was itching for a fight.

Perched on those shoulders was her new pet banty. He’d refused to let her board the ship without him, so she had him along for the ride.