15. Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Fleur
T he ground beneath me trembled with the aftershocks of the explosion, dust and debris falling around us like confetti at a macabre parade. Orion was gone, and I was alone. The makeshift barricade provided little comfort as gunfire continued to pepper the building, each shot telling me how precarious my situation was.
I winced, clutching my side where a jagged piece of debris had torn through my clothes. Blood trickled down, but I forced myself to focus. I had to finish reconfiguring the missile system and ensure the completion of our mission.
"Come on, come on," I muttered to myself, my fingers dancing over the keyboard. The portable control unit beeped reassuringly as the drones responded, positioning themselves for the final sequence.
"Viper, Rune, do you copy?" I tried again, but static was my only reply.
My heart sank. If I couldn't get through to them, we were as good as dead.
My vision blurred momentarily, a combination of pain and exhaustion. I blinked hard, refusing to give in. Orion was out there, risking his life to get our signal through. I couldn't let him down.
The holographic interface displayed the status of our security system. It was ready, but so was the enemy. I could hear footsteps outside, the crunch of broken glass under heavy boots.
"Fuck," I whispered, adrenaline surging through me. I activated the final sequence, the drones deploying their defensive measures. The holographic screen lit up with confirmation—our task was complete. But the relief was short-lived as a shadow loomed in the doorway.
A figure stepped in, weapon raised. I froze, my mind racing for a solution. My sidearm was within reach, but drawing it would take precious seconds I didn't have. And it wasn't like I was a great shot.
Before I could react, the figure crumpled, a single shot ringing out. Alpha One's voice crackled in my earpiece. "Got your back, Wraith."
I exhaled, my hands shaking. "Damn, but it's good to hear your voice."
"We're getting back up. Hold tight."
After that there was silence again. So, I waited.