Chapter 9: A Strategic Surprise.
The camp stood frozen, the eerie silence only broken by the steady hum of the vehicle sitting at the perimeter. Tension crackled in the air as Sentinels held their positions, eyes locked on the lone vehicle, fingers hovering over their triggers. The slightest movement would set the camp ablaze with gunfire.
Then, breaking through the quiet, a voice—familiar but unexpected—called out, “Blondie, are you out there?”
Ava’s brow furrowed in confusion, her grip on her rifle loosening as she recognized the voice. She stepped forward, waving her hand to signal the others to stand down. "Stand down, boys! He’s with me!" she called, her tone light yet commanding enough to ease the tension.
As the door to the vehicle creaked open, Talon emerged, his usual confident grin in place. He stepped forward into the camp, the familiar swagger in his step easing some of the tension among the soldiers. Ava strode toward him, relief flooding her features as she met him halfway.
“Talon, you idiot,” Ava muttered under her breath, pulling him into a quick but tight hug. “You know how close we came to lighting you up?”
Talon chuckled, clapping her on the back. “What, no warm welcome for your favorite scout?” he teased. “Besides, I come bearing gifts.”
Ava raised an eyebrow, curiosity replacing her momentary frustration. She followed him to the back of the vehicle. As Talon pulled open the doors, Ava’s eyes narrowed at the sight within—a man, bound and gagged, his face streaked with blood and dirt.
The man, now freed from the gag, spat out a mouthful of dust and tried to speak. "I told him—I'm here to help! You didn’t have to tie me up like some criminal!" he protested, his voice hoarse with frustration.
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Talon shot the man a disinterested glance, clearly unfazed by the complaints. "He claimed he was coming willingly," Talon explained to Ava, "but I didn’t take any chances."
The man shook his head, glaring at Talon. "Willingly! I said I’d come with you! This... this is unnecessary!" he continued, his wrists red from the bindings.
Ava smirked at Talon, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “You never were one for subtlety, were you?”
Before Talon could respond, Commander Sterling arrived, his boots crunching against the gravel as he approached with a steely gaze. His eyes flicked between Ava, Talon, and the man in the vehicle. “Quite the catch, Sentinel,” Sterling remarked, his earlier reservations seemingly forgotten. He studied Talon for a moment before nodding approvingly. “It’s good to see you’ve brought something useful.”
Talon grinned, giving a mock salute. “Glad to be back in your good graces, Commander.”
Sterling turned his attention to the captured man, his tone sharpening. “Get him secured in the interrogation tent. We’ll find out what he knows—about the Reclaimers, their movements, and their technology.”
The man tried to protest further, but the guards quickly moved in, cutting off his words as they led him away. “I’ll talk! You didn’t need to tie me up! I’m here to help!” he shouted over his shoulder, but his words fell on deaf ears.
As the vehicle was carefully escorted into the camp, Ava and Talon found a brief moment of respite, walking side by side through the chaos. The earlier tension melted away, replaced by their familiar banter.
“So, what’s the story this time? Some epic last-minute rescue or did you just stumble on this guy in the wasteland?” Ava teased, elbowing Talon lightly.
Talon shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Oh, you know me—always stumbling into trouble. By the time we tell this story, we’ll have taken down half the Reclaimer army.”
Ava chuckled, grateful for the moment of levity in the midst of uncertainty. "Just make sure you save some for the rest of us."
As they continued toward the command tent, their light-hearted conversation was a welcome distraction from the brewing storm on the horizon. But even in the fleeting moments of humor, Ava knew the weight of their task had just grown heavier. Whatever secrets Talon’s “gift” held, it was only a matter of time before they would be faced with the consequences of this new development.
The two of them shared a final glance as they stepped back into the heart of the camp, ready to face whatever came next—together, as always.