Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Marc
Showered and dressed, I walked into Squad Command with Zeke.
My brother was sticking close. I didn’t blame him. I’d done the same after his abduction. I’d even slept on the floor beside his bed for a few weeks.
We had a special connection, and always had. I always knew he’d have my back.
The main command room was dominated by the screens on the wall filled with data, live feeds, and maps of the area. A group of people stood at the huge light table in the center of the room.
My gaze skated over the generals, the rest of the squad, and settled on Colbie. Her red hair gleamed under the bright lights, and my stomach tried to tie itself into a pretzel.
My gut hardened. She’d blown off our night together like it was just a breezy hook-up. I didn’t like it.
Zeke made a noise.
I glanced at him. “What?”
“You’re an idiot.”
I scowled. “What do you mean?”
“Back at Colbie’s. You two played it all casual.” He shook his head. “I don’t know who you think you’re fooling.”
“We explained. We’re just two friends enjoying a little more.”’
My brother cocked his head. “So you’re okay if she’s seeing that Spencer guy too?”
I growled. Fucking Spencer wasn’t getting anywhere near my dove’s pretty girlie bed. “She isn’t seeing him.”
“Not what I asked.”
“I’m not into relationships, Zeke. You know that.”
“I know you shortchange yourself. Hold yourself back.”
I growled again. “Drop it.”
“You deserve to be happy. You deserve her.”
I scowled. “Zeke—”
“If you don’t get your head out of your ass, you’ll lose the best thing to ever happen to you.”
I glanced at Colbie. She wasn’t looking at me. In fact, she was acting like I wasn’t even there.
“I—” Shit. I didn’t know what to say.
Memories poured in. I’d memorized every sound she’d made, every facial expression. I knew how she felt, how she tasted.
And I wanted more.
Not just the stellar sex. I like her laugh, her feisty spirit, her passion. Hell, I even liked the way she rolled her eyes at me.
I liked her.
Now my gut felt tight as a rock. I more than liked her. And that scared the shit out of me.
Zeke’s gaze locked on my face. “Bro—”
“Marc and Zeke, glad you’re here.”
Roth’s deep voice made us both look up.
Colbie glanced my way for a microsecond, gave me a friendly smile, before she focused back on the screen on the wall.
We joined the group. Sasha was beside me, eyeing me like I was a lab specimen that had just climbed out of a dirty Petri dish.
“Right,” Avery said. “Thanks to Colbie and Marc, we know that Blue Mountain Base seems to be a concentration point for the threaders.”
“There are lots of them there,” Colbie said. “And they seemed to be communicating with each other.” She pulled a face. “And we heard them mimicking human speech. One was making a noise that sounded like the word help, and for a second, I thought it was someone calling out.”
“Hell,” Jameson said.
The generals looked unhappy. We all knew the threaders must have heard the word a lot to learn it.
“Our plan is to catch a threader alive,” Avery said.
Roth nodded. “That way, our scientists can run tests on it to discover more about them, and the cocoons.”
“And find a way to stop them,” Avery added.
“There are lots of cocoons at Blue Mountain Base.” Colbie wrapped her arms around her middle. “Probably more humans in there too. Suffering.”
Avery nodded, her face serious. “Hunter Squad has been authorized to destroy the cocoons.”
Jameson lifted his chin. “We’re going to load up the flamethrowers.”
“We can’t try and rescue anyone?” Colbie asked.
Maxim Ivanov stepped forward. His longish black hair was pulled back from his face today. He was tall and lean, and didn’t look like any scientist Marc had ever worked with. He looked like he should have a knife in his hand, hiding in the shadows, ready to assassinate someone.
“It appears any prolonged exposure to the cocoons is a death sentence,” Maxim said. “Destroying the cocoons is the only way.”
Colbie’s feelings of horror and sadness were clear on her face, and I desperately wanted to go to her and wrap my arms around her.
“The threaders are damn strong,” Jameson said. “We can’t risk getting too close.”
Jess nodded. “Capturing one isn’t going to be easy.”
“We have a plan,” Avery said. “Maxim?”
The scientist nodded. “I have two things to help. I’ve been working with the medical team, and we’ve developed a sedative we think should work on a threader.”
“You think?” I asked.
Maxim shrugged. “Without testing on a live one, there are no guarantees.”
Great.
“And I’ve developed this.” He held up a black device. It looked like a large flashlight and was conical at one end. He aimed it away from the group and pushed a button.
A net flew out and snapped into place around a chair.
“Nice,” I murmured.
“The net launcher is powered by compressed air. The netting is reinforced with titanium. Nothing can break out of it.”
Okay, get a threader in the net, and sedate it.
Walk in the park.
“When do we leave?” Jameson asked.
“Now,” Roth said. “We can’t risk you flying in the area at nighttime, because it seems the bird monsters that attacked Colbie’s Talon are more active in the darkness. Get in, get the threader, and get out.”
All of Hunter Squad nodded.
“I’ll get the Talon prepped,” Colbie said. “I need to get acquainted with my new bird.”
My body locked.
Colbie going straight back into danger?
Back to the place where she’d crashed and almost died.
No.
“You’re not flying us.”
Now, she looked at me, her eyes widening. “What?”
“It’s too dangerous.”
Her small body vibrated with tension. “I’m this squad’s pilot.”
“You just survived two nights in a monster-infested forest.” Memories peppered me. “You were injured—”
“So were you. I’m all healed now.”
“Colbie—”
“I’m doing my damn job. I’m the best pilot here. Don’t worry, Marc, I won’t crash again.”
I growled. “That’s not what I meant—”
“Colbie has been cleared for duty,” Avery said.
I sucked in a breath. I was worried about her going back out there too soon. I wanted to keep her safe.
I couldn’t lose her.
“All right, Hunter Squad,” Jameson said. “Get your gear from Maxim, and let’s suit up.”
Roth nodded. “Bring us home a threader, and stay safe out there.”
Colbie
It felt good to be flying again.
As we flew northwest from Dawn, I focused on the controls. I was acutely aware this wasn’t my Talon.
My heart squeezed. No, my Talon was broken into hundreds of pieces.
I smoothed a hand over the console. I’d get used to this bird. I’d learn her quirks, her strengths, her weaknesses.
The sky was a piercing, beautiful blue, broken by only a few fluffy clouds.
It wasn’t long before the Blue Mountains came clearly into view, with their distinctive, blue tinge.
My chest tightened, and my next breath was shallow.
I tried to think about the good things—the steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests, pretty waterfalls—but a shot of fear hit me hard.
All I could think about were monsters. Everything was still a little too fresh—the crash, running, and fighting for my life.
“Hey.” The big hand rested on my shoulder.
Marc’s touch instantly made my chest loosen. My next breath was far easier.
Then I felt a shot of annoyance. He hadn’t wanted me on this mission. He’d made that very clear.
“I’m fine,” I clipped. I shrugged his hand off.
“It’s understandable to be nervous.”
“Are you nervous?”
He shifted closer. “A little. But I’m looking forward to burning down those cocoons.”
I’d watched them load the flamethrower devices that Maxim had developed into the Talon.
God, he looked good in his armor. Ugh, why did I have to feel so much for this guy? This gorgeous man who would only ever see me as a friend with benefits.
I was realizing that I’d overestimated my ability to enjoy him and let him go.
“I’ll be fine. I will admit I’m happy I don’t have to go back inside the base.”
He grunted.
“This is what I do, Marc. I fly. I fly Hunter Squad into dangerous places. It’s an important job, and I’m good at it.”
He frowned. “I know that.”
“You tried to get me kicked off this mission.”
“I didn’t. I was worried about you. I was trying to look out for you.”
I made a scoffing sound. “You worry about all your one-night stands this much?”
He made a low sound and touched my jaw. He forced me to look up at him.
“That’s not what you are to me.”
“What am I then?” God, I knew this wasn’t the place to have the discussion.
His mouth twisted, opened, then closed. Clearly, he didn’t know what to say.
I sighed. “Look. Forget it. It’s okay. We need to focus on this mission.”
“Colbie—”
A chime came from my console. I looked back at the cockpit window. “Look. There’s Blue Mountain Base.”
I was flying in from the other side, and could see the giant hole in the hillside. The one I’d climbed out of with Marc.
The plan was to land close by.
“The base is in range,” I called back to the rest of the Talon. I flicked a quick glance at Marc. “You’d better strap in for landing.”
He leaned close, and I smelled him, flutters starting in my stomach.
“We’ll talk later. After the mission.”
“That’s not nec—”
“We’ll talk. After.” He repeated the words forcefully, then he slipped back with the others.
I blew out a breath. I needed to focus on the landing, not this man who was driving me crazy.
I zeroed in on a grassy area beside the base. It was encircled by trees, but there was just enough room for me to land the Talon there.
I’d stay on the ground with the bird, while Hunter Squad went to get the threader. I’d keep the Talon’s security system operational until the guys returned.
God, I hoped they’d be okay in the base. I always worried about them, but now, after being with Marc…
They’re good at their job, Colbie. The best at what they do.
“Okay, we’re coming in to land.” I circled the quadcopter over the tight clearing. There were no signs of any monsters, thankfully.
I adjusted the controls, then started lowering the aircraft.
Trees brushed the side of the Talon. The maintenance mechanics would be pissed. They treated every scratch as an insult, and I was on thin ice after crashing one of their babies.
“Okay, we’re nearly down. I think—”
Bang.
The entire Talon shuddered, and a shadow fell over me.
Gasping, I grabbed the controls to steady the quadcopter.
Through the cockpit windshield, my gaze locked on the burning red eyes of the giant wolf monster. It had leaped onto the Talon.
Its nose pressed to the cockpit glass, then it opened its jaws and it roared.
I fought to keep the Talon steady and not crash sideways into the trees. Shouting and cursing from Hunter Squad filled the copter. A massive paw slammed down on the Talon’s body, and I watched the metal bend and depress.
“Fuck!” Marc yelled. “We need to get it off.”
“I can land us. Hold on.” The controls shuddered under my hands.
Ignoring the monster, I fought hard to keep control of the aircraft. I gritted my teeth.
“You’ve got this, dove.”
Using every ounce of my concentration and skill, I descended the last few meters. The monster roared again and the quadcopter wobbled, brushing the trees.
“You aren’t damaging my Talon,” I gritted out.
The skids hit the ground.
The monster’s next roar gave me a perfect, close-up view of the wolf’s enormous fangs.
“Well done.” Marc gripped my shoulder.
“I’m not done yet. No one hurts my Talon.” I flipped open a cover on the console and pressed the button.
It activated the security system that Maxim had installed.
Electricity skated over the Talon’s outer surface. The voltage hit the monster, and its large body shuddered.
I smiled. “Don’t like that, do you?”
The monster slid off the Talon. I saw it land on the grass, moving weakly.
“We’ll take it from here, Colbie,” Jameson said.
I deactivated the electric charge, and watched Hunter Squad leap out, their carbines aimed and ready.
They circled the monster and finished it off quickly.
Once it was safe, I leaped out to check the damage on the Talon. I studiously avoided the body of the monster.
“Will she fly?” Zeke asked.
I jolted. I hadn’t even sensed him, he’d moved that quietly.
I nodded. “Just a little dinged up.”
“Don’t give up on him.”
I cocked my head. “What?”
“Marc. Don’t give up on him.”
My chest squeezed. “Zeke—”
“He’s the best guy I know, but he’s afraid. Help him.”
In usual Zeke fashion, he didn’t say anything else, just stalked back to join the others.
“Colbie.” Jameson appeared. “Talon good?”
I dragged my gaze off Zeke. “Yes. There’s no structural damage, but the security system needs to recharge. I used all the juice.”
The squad leader nodded. “Then grab your blaster and let’s move.”
I blinked. “What?”
“What?” Marc also demanded.
“It’s too dangerous for Colbie to stay here undefended.” Jameson hefted his carbine. “The security system will take time to charge.”
Damn.
That meant I had to go back to inside Blue Mountain Base.
I glanced at Marc. He looked conflicted.
“Zeke, Marc, and Jess will carry the flamethrowers. North and Kai, you get the net launchers. Colbie, stay close.” A grim smile crossed Jameson’s face. “Let’s go get ourselves a threader.”