Chapter 33 Scout
Scout
Iknew something was wrong the moment Logan stopped answering my messages.
Logan Carter does not ignore texts.
Not unless something serious is happening.
I walk into the operations room and stop cold.
Infrastructure alerts flash across every monitor.
Traffic systems.
Emergency routing.
Power grids.
My stomach twists.
Because I’ve seen screens like this before.
Two years ago.
When Sentinel kidnapped me.
“Someone want to explain why half the West Coast is lighting up?” I ask.
Grant Willard looks up.
“Well.”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether you want the short version or the terrifying one.”
Clay Vencent sighs.
“She’s going to find out in five seconds anyway.”
Grant turns in his chair.
“Boone called.”
That gets my attention.
“What does Boone have to do with this?”
Clay gestures toward the screen.
“Mobile command convoy heading toward Los Angeles.”
“And?”
“And the system controlling the cascade was originally designed by Sentinel.”
The room goes very quiet.
Because they all know what that name means to me.
My pulse spikes.
“Where’s Logan?”
Grant answers carefully.
“Flying Boone and Wren toward the convoy.”
I stare at him.
“Logan knew about this?”
“Yes.”
“And he didn’t tell me?”
Clay rubs the back of his neck.
“Well…”
“That was probably a tactical decision.”
I cross my arms.
“A tactical decision to keep me in the dark about the man who kidnapped me?”
No one answers.
Because there isn’t a good answer.
Hawk finally steps forward.
“Scout—”
“Don’t.”
The memories hit like a punch.
The cold room.
The restraints.
Sentinel watching me like I was a puzzle he wanted to break.
My breathing tightens.
Grant speaks gently.
“Scout, we already have the situation contained.”
“Contained?”
“Yes.”
“Boone and Wren are intercepting the Architect.”
Clay adds,
“And we’re setting up the LA side.”
I look back at the screens.
Two command signals now moving across the network.
Two.
That part catches my attention.
“What’s that?” I ask quietly.
Hawk points.
“Two command authorities.”
“How is that possible?”
“We’re still figuring that out.”
I stare at the cascade projections again.
Then back at Grant.
“Are they going after them?”
“Yes.”
“Without me, I should have been included.”
Grant hesitates.
“Scout—”
“This was my mission.”
Clay smiles slightly. No, yours was Sentinel. This isn’t Sentinel. He started this, but the architect finished it.
“I had a feeling you’d say that.”