SILAS

The radar ping notification pops up about ten minutes into Shiloh’s Jacktech dive.

Both Shiloh and Ethan sit with their backs to a rising cluster of rock, tall and wide enough to provide shade, for the moment at least. Shiloh’s Jacktech cable is uncoiled, coming out of the side of her neck and plugging into Ethan’s port, near his collarbone.

They’re both unconscious and vulnerable as can be.

Cade watches Shiloh intently, looking for…well, I’m not really sure what. He doesn’t have any of the gear they used the last Shiloh did this. He has no way of monitoring her condition. I supposed he’s doing the best he thinks he can.

For my part, I’ve mostly been turned away, scanning the desert horizon and skyline. Not just to keep watch, but because Shiloh’s still, seated form reminds me a little too much of a certain someone in a dark cave, broken and bleeding out while all I can do is watch.

This risk she’s taking, right now. It’s because of me. And while I have confidence in her abilities, if something happens to her, it will be my fault. And I’ll never forgive myself.

Those two blips on my sensors aren’t doing much to dissuade my concerns. My thoughts of Sal dying right in front of me are starting to feel like a premonition.

Is it time to panic, yet? In theory, those objects could be anything. They could be more recon drones, or-

Something changes. Lines of code scrolling across my vision. The numbers shift, rearranging themselves into the following message.

Two airships rapidly approaching your position. Hostile intent anticipated.

ETA: Less than sixty seconds.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

At the same moment I’m able to see those words in my mind, really process them, there’s the crack of a sonic boom, coming from somewhere off in the distance, echoing across the dry plain like thunder.

I turn toward Cade. His mouth is slightly open, pupils wide and dilated with alarm, like shiny black coins.

Two to three seconds have passed since my sensors picked the ships up.

I turn back toward the horizon, facing the direction where my OS is telling me the ships are supposed to be.

Sixty seconds.

Not enough time to do much of anything. You can fry an egg in about that time if it’s over-easy, and if the burner’s already hot.

It’s certainly not enough time to put together a flexible, complicated strategy that ‘just might work’, like we did with Daimon. No ‘power of friendship’ factor to help back me up, this time. (This isn’t a fucking anime. Or if it is, it’s one of those ones where you can never tell who’s going to live or die.) Or a giant-ass crane.

Two ships. That means two operatives, far as I can tell. At least. And they’ll be stronger than Daimon. Put together, at least. That just maths. They’re not going to send a weaker force than they did last time. They’re going to escalate. It’s an arms race to the finish.

Which is great, because I’m actually weaker than when I fought Daimon, thanks to only having one functional arm.

I have no cover, no resources—save what I have on my person—and no backup.

They really couldn’t have caught me at a worse time.

Us. Caught us at a worse time.

I glance over at Cade and the others. He’s still stunned. Processing. When he returns my look, I’m surprised to see that, for once, he doesn’t seem to have any idea. If anything, he seems to be looking to me.

Which is just fine. Because I already know what I need to do.

“Stay here,” I say, turning my back. “If you can, try to move them out of sight.”

“Silas, no, wait-“

But I’ve already taken off at a run.

For some reason, the Biodroids want me alive. They’re not just going to carpet bomb me from above. But that doesn’t mean the others won’t get caught in the crossfire.

I need to put as much distance between me and them as I can.

If I’m going to die here, I may as well give my friends a head start. A chance.

I can see them. Vague, dark pinpricks traversing the sky. Two of them. Looking like “UFO’s” in an old YouTube video. But they’re closing. Coming in fast.

I initiate Blast Protocol.