Chapter 73
The sound of a click drags me from sleep. My eyes open. The sky is just beginning to lighten, suggesting only an hour or two has passed.
It takes me a moment to realize something is pointed at my face.
Something long, round, and metallic.
I feel Rook shift beneath me, and we slowly sit up.
The sight before me leaves me speechless.
A dozen people stand stretching across the horizon.
Rook groans, and he exhales a leaden breath as they all approach, slowly surrounding us in a wide circle.
They’re clearly an organized group. They wear tactical gear, though it’s mismatched, like they’ve had to accumulate various pieces to form a whole. Regardless, they’re all physically imposing, armed, and clearly trained for fighting.
I wait for some signal from Rook.
Does he know who they are? Are these the superiors he mentioned?
But what I see isn’t reassuring.
His forehead furrows. He knows who they are, but this isn’t a happy reunion.
That’s when someone else approaches, peeling away from the line.
Dressed in tactical pants, a fitted sleeveless top, and combat boots, she might be the most strikingly beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. With strong, angled features; lean, muscled limbs; and long brown hair pulled into a tight braid.
“Fuck,” Rook says, putting me on alert.
The circle closes in, and the woman stops, spreading her stance and folding her arms across her chest.
Her blue eyes are cold, devoid of emotion, but the faintest cruel smile curls on her lips.
“Rook Athira and”—her gaze skips to me, her nose wrinkling—-“whoever you are—by order of Commander Fisher Sterling, you are both under arrest.”
The End . . . For Now
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