K A N E

As soon as he was let into the compound, Hunt handed Jaxon back the papers he'd taken a few days ago.

The blond boy eyed the director curiously and asked, "Well? What did you find?"

"A few things worth mentioning. First, my engineers were able to translate the blueprints and they found out what the Scorpions actually do. They're essentially cannons that shoot rays of plasma at their targets. Also, from what they can tell, they're meant for multiple targets, meaning that they take out more than one enemy at once."

"Rays of plasma," Finn repeated, turning the idea around in his mind. "What exactly does it do to a person that's hit?"

"That is a bit more sinister. Once someone gets hit by the ray, they're burned alive almost instantly. The very flesh gets melted off their bones."

"It's probably for the best that we didn't touch the machine when we were first in the factory then," Arlo remarked cheerfully. "Or we would have found that out firsthand."

After delivering Arlo a flat look, Finn said, "Got it. We'll stay out of the line of fire."

"Good. Second, we were able to find out where all the weapons factories are. Apparently, Jaxon, you also took a list of all the weapons delivery times and where they'd be coming from." Arlo slapped Jaxon on the back in congratulations. "There are three other factories over in Europe: one just outside Prague, one in Ukraine and another in Romania."

"We should split into groups to destroy each facility. That way, we save more time," Riley suggested. Her eyes found mine. "Kane and I will destroy the one in Prague."

Her voice dropped in volume as she leaned slightly over and spoke only to me. "They say that Prague is a very romantic city."

My voice was steady as I replied, "We'll have to see when we get there."

Almost everyone in the group that had heard me wore a surprised expression. Jaxon wore that easygoing smile as he gave me a slow nod. I knew they were all surprised that I'd played along with Riley's flirtatious banter.

"I'd say that Finn and I will go to Ukraine, but I'm afraid that we might not survive," Arlo said matter-of-factly.

"Speak for yourself," Finn mumbled under his breath.

"Don't worry, man. You two won't die on my watch," said Jaxon, resting a casual elbow on Arlo's shoulder.

That left Jake and Delphinium. Everyone turned to them. "We'll go to Romania," Delphinium stated, a hard look in her eyes, "And reduce that facility to rubble. We did it once, we can do it again." Jake said nothing, just stood there with that vaguely uncomfortable cold presence.

"Whenever you get back, come straight to the ONNT headquarters and brief me on what you saw there." Hunt paused. "I also recently set out a few groups of soldiers to scout out the area around Imperium's fortress in Romania. They're going to take out as many of the incoming vehicles and supplies as they can," Hunt told us. I'd been wondering what the ONNT was doing to help in the mounting war with Imperium and now I had my answer. But I wasn't sure how long a few groups of soldiers would hold out against Imperium's monstrous forces.

"Well, that's that," Jaxon said, half-shrugging. "I was designing some bombs to take with us for when we destroyed the other fortresses, but I guess that time has come."

As he went upstairs to gather the weapons he'd created, my gaze dropped down to Riley. She gave me a wicked grin and I partially wondered if I was going to regret this.

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When the small plane Hunt sent for us took off, it felt as if my stomach was left back on the runway. I didn't think I'd ever get used to that sensation. I'd only flown a few times before when we'd been traveling for missions.

A few moments later, I glanced over at my parter. Riley's eyes were tightly closed, inky lashes fanned out on her cheeks. Looking down, I saw that her fingers dug into the fabric of the armrest.

"Don't like heights?" I would have found humor in the expression she wore if I didn't know she so scared.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Her tone was sharper than usual, usually a sign that she was anxious.

"No need to be rude."

She huffed. "I think I'm permitted a small amount of rudeness. I'm stuck in a pressurized cabin a thousand feet in the air next to a brooding grouch of a boy."

"I don't brood."

"There you go again." She didn't even have to open her eyes to see.

Crossing my arms, I leaned back in the seat. "Just don't get airsick and throw up on me."

"Talking to you is going to make me airsick." Her frequent flirtation said otherwise.

"Then why are you still doing it?"

Finally, she opened her eyes and turned to deliver me a flat glare. But her annoyed frown quickly became a feline smile the longer she stared at me. Yes, I was going to regret this.

"Maybe you're worth the risk." She eyed me with a smirk, wanting to see how I'd react.

I mirrored her sly expression, not faltering under the intense look in her eyes. "You'll soon find out."

Her mouth dropped slightly open and after a few seconds too long, she let out a peal of laughter. I'd struck her speechless by returning her flirtation for the second time today.

"Who even are you?" She asked, hand covering her mouth between laughs, "And what have you done with the real Kane?"

"Maybe I'm spending too much time with you."

"Maybe you're not spending enough time with me." The grin was still on her face. "You know, I like this side of you."

"What side?"

"This." She gestured to me. "You're happy, more lighthearted. Not so dark and...sad."

I raised a joking eyebrow. "Sad? You're making me sound pathetic."

She slapped my arm. "You know what I mean. "

The words caught in my throat as I looked down at her, radiant and beaming freely. So I only offered her a rare smile of my own as I realized how much I'd changed in these last few weeks.

I'd come into this team angry, quiet and ready to leave at the first chance I got. But somewhere between the war with Hundsen, discovering the fate of my beloved brother and ending my first life, I'd emerged a different person. Stronger. Bolder. Darker. I had no apprehension now. Not after what I'd seen happen to Benny and the team.

Also, I wasn't as wary and uncomfortable as I'd once been. As much as I hated to admit it, perhaps the petite girl sitting beside me had something to do with that.

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We walked down the sidewalk together, a closed gate preventing the car from coming any further. The weapons factory was in the distance, only a few street lights illuminating the building in the darkening night.

"There could be people in there," Riley said, pointing toward the few cars parked in the parking lot.

"If we have any company, I'll take care of them."

"Just like you took care of the man who broke into the compound."

"Exactly."

We walked a few more steps down the sidewalk before she spoke again. "That was the first time you've ever ended a life, wasn't it?"

"Yes." I didn't falter; it wasn't something I was ashamed of.

"And how did you feel?"

I shrugged. "Nothing. I'm glad I did it. If it happened all over again, I would have still done it." I tried not to remember the sight of her broken body by his feet.

"Why's that?"

I glanced down at her. The moon shone in her black hair, illuminated her skin and gave it a silver sheen. She must have felt my gaze, because her mysterious eyes met my own.

It took me a few moments to get the words out, but as soon as I'd started speaking, I couldn't take them back. "Because I thought he'd killed you. You were so still. I didn't even think that you were breathing. When I saw that, I was filled with...this reckless anger."

"Then what did you do?" Her lips barely moved.

"I shoved him away from you. And I stabbed him with one half of my staff. He was trying to tell me something, anything, to make me let him live. But I killed him because he'd hurt you. And Finn."

We'd reached the gate. Riley pulled a pin from her hair and began to pick the lock. It clicked open. Sleight of hand had always been a skill of hers.

The two of us had both gone through the gate to the facility before she said something in reply. "All my life, no one has ever protected me except for myself. It's strange to know that there might be someone else now."

"You're not alone anymore. I will protect you." If there was anything I'd learned from that whole ordeal, it was that raw truth.

Somewhere during our conversation, we'd stopped walking. I stood towering over her smaller form as she stared up at me, her catlike eyes boring into my own. Heart beating fast, I let her wrap her arms around my neck and bring my lips down to meet hers.

Everything else faded away: the factory, our problems with the rest of our team and with my brother. Almost out of some deep instinct, my hands found her curvaceous waist and pulled her closer. She responded by threading her fingers through the curls of my hair. I could feel her smile against my mouth, lips parted.

Riley's lips against mine sent my better judgement, my capacity for rational thought, straight out of my mind. When I was here now, I realized that I'd been wanting this for a long time, craving it. It was clear from the way she was clutching me that she had too.

I couldn't think straight when her teeth slid against my bottom lip. She made a noise deep in her throat when I slid a hand from her waist to her silky hair.

She smelled of wildflowers and the ocean, I realized hazily. It was fitting. Everything about her was wild, untamed. Kissing her was appealingly dangerous. If I wasn't careful, I might get swept under her current. And I might like it.

After what seemed like both too little time and too much, she pulled back. "Thank you," she whispered, her breath mixing with mine, and it took me a moment to realize that she was responding to my promise to protect her.

Her hands left my body. My arms seemed to be too heavy at my sides after I released her. My lips still burned like she'd seared me.

Shooting me a dazzling smile, she took a few steps toward the factory. "Come on, Shires."

So I followed, my heart still hammering in my chest.