Page 64 of Judgment Day

She could hear Scar calling to her. He sounded far away, though she knew he wasn’t. She didn’t realize she had tears streaming down her cheeks until Scar rushed to her and wiped them away.

“Talk to me, love,” he said, worry evident in his voice. “Tell me the code, and I’ll finish this for you.”

Exa tried to stop the tears from falling. They wouldn’t. They just kept coming. Scar took the gun from her shaking hands and pulled her against his chest.

“It’s okay to cry,” Scar told her.

“No, it’s not,” Arson’s voice came over the line. “Mission first. Emotions later. Exa, you can cry when he’s dead. You can cry on Scar’s shoulder, mine, and the Dark Duo’s. But those tears must wait. The Timeless don’t hesitate, Exa. The Timeless kill with precision. The Timeless thrive in the darkness and shove evil into the light, exposing it.”

Seven and Skye joined in. “The Timeless protect the innocent and destroy the wicked. The Timeless never shed tears in the presence of their enemies.”

Exa leaned away from Scar and wiped her face. She, too, joined in.

Together, she and her team chanted.

“The Timeless are women who’ve been hurt but have learned to turn their pain into strength,” she and her team chanted while Scar held her hand. “The Timeless may stumble, we may fall, but we will never stay down. We will never give up. We will continue to hunt those who create chaos. We will continue to protect those who are too weak to protect themselves. We will continue to destroy evil forever or until time ticks no more. But as long as there is time, the Timeless will stand strong and show no fear. Together.”

Exa wiped her eyes again. “Thank you, sisters,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome, sister,” they said in unison.

Exa stared up at Scar. “Thank you, savage.”

He nodded with unshed tears in his eyes. “Let’s finish him,” he told her. Holding her hand, he led her to the basement door.

Exa took a deep breath, then punched in the code. The panel flashed twice, and then the door eased open.

“How? Impossible,” she heard the judge saying from the other side of the door as it opened. “You can’t know my code.”

Exa strode into the room with Scar by her side.

“I do know your code,” she announced, then froze, eyes widening.

Scar tried to jump in front of her. But it was too late. The judge fired, striking Exa in the chest. Scar shouted her name as another bullet hit her. Her body fell backward.

Chapter Nineteen

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