Unleashed

“Wow,” I murmur. “How . . .”

“I worked on a system like this when I was in the military. That’s where I first met Caden’s father and the General. We’re able to collect intel and use it to help carriers, gather supplies, prevent raids.”

But it can’t protect from everything. They didn’t hear anything to help save Tabatha and the others.

I point to one of the headphones. “Can I listen?”

Nodding, he helps me get set up, punching a few keys on a keyboard and securing the headphones on me. I’m listening to gibberish that I don’t entirely understand, most often coordinates being rattled out by patrols and agents alike, when Caden finds me half an hour later. His face is white and his mouth bracketed with stark lines.

“What’s wrong?” I demand, rising up from the chair where I was listening to the various snippets of conversations broadcasting between patrols in the area. I pull the headphones off my ears and hand them to Terrence.

Caden doesn’t answer, just shoots Terrence a dark look and hauls me off to his room. Once inside, he releases my hand and faces me. “I didn’t know where you were.” His voice, his intense gaze, remind me instantly that there’s a killer out there. Not just a carrier who could kill or might kill. There’s no supposition to this. And now I understand why he kept me so close. It’s not simply my scintillating company. Necessary or not, he’s trying to protect me.

He motions with his hand. “He’s locked in here with us.”

I nod, sobering.

“Until we capture him, you’re not leaving my side. I promised you nothing was going to happen to us . . . that we have time . . .” He pauses, his throat working as he swallows. “That you can have something good with me, something that lasts for once. I’m going to prove that to you.” His voice fades then and I step forward, touching his cheek and ignoring the pinch near my heart.

“I get it. Okay?” I smooth a hand over his face, brushing his lips that have become so familiar to me, hoping to get rid of his frown. When that doesn’t work, I kiss him, hating seeing him so scared for me. I prefer him mad to that, and that’s when I realize his happiness has become as important as my own.

I should have known Caden would come up with a plan. He’s not a leader by default. Sure, his father got the ship up and running, but Caden’s not the kind of guy to stand by and watch as the world moves past him.

My father always used to complain about my brother’s lack of ambition. Especially after he dropped out of college. He said there were doers in life, and Mitchell wasn’t one of them. Not that I agree with Dad’s low opinion of my brother, but the categorization always stuck in my mind.

Well, Caden is, unquestionably, a doer.

When Terrence knocks on our door one night after dinner, I can tell this is no random visit.

“We’re all set,” Terrence says.

Caden nods. I rise from the bed, where I had been reading one of his books.

“Hey,” I greet, looking between the two of them, my familiar wariness quick to grab me. I trust Caden, but that doesn’t mean I trust the reality we live in. I cross my arms and look between the two of them. “What’s up?”

“We came up with a plan to catch our rat,” Caden explains.

A plan only he and Terrence know. And now me. I warm inside. He’s known Terrence for a long time. To be trusted alongside him makes me happier than I should probably feel.

“Let’s hear it,” I prompt.

“I’m lifting the lockdown next week and sending out a group for supplies.”

“You’re setting a trap,” I state, knowing there’s no way he would lift the lockdown and risk the mole getting out to relay information to the enemy.

“That’s right.” Caden nods at Terrence. The former soldier says nothing, simply crosses arms over a chest that any wrestler would envy. “Terrence is going to stand watch at the exit through the next several nights.”

“You think he’ll try to sneak out.”

He shrugs. “Maybe. We’ve been in lockdown for over a week. He’s probably anxious to get out and communicate with his Agency contact.”

I nod slowly. “It sounds like it could work.”

Caden flashes me a grin. “Of course it will. Where’s your faith? I’ll make the announcement in the morning.”

He opens the door for Terrence. “Get a good night’s sleep, T. You’re going to need it starting tomorrow.”

He closes the door and pulls me into his arms. I step forward willingly, loving the way his hands move on my back, his fingers skimming each tiny bump of my vertebrae over my shirt.

“Thanks for telling me,” I say.

“Are you so surprised to know your opinion matters to me?”

I stand on my toes and kiss him, letting that serve as my answer as I marvel that I ever thought I could resist this. Emotions. Feelings. Him. All the things that separate the living from the dead.

No more hiding from that. No more Cage.

* * *

Conversation between President Pitt and General Dumont

Undisclosed location:

PRESIDENT PITT: General, pleasure to finally meet you. Your reputation precedes you.

GENERAL DUMONT: I’ll let you begin, Mr. President. You wanted this meeting.

PRESIDENT PITT: I want this all to end.

GENERAL DUMONT: I had nothing to do with the attack on Agency headquarters.

PRESIDENT PITT: Be that as it may, you are a recognized leader among the Resistance. You are much respected. Your lead is followed. If we can reach a peaceful accord . . . let’s just say I want this country to live another century without imploding.