Page 100 of Becoming Super

Heath laughed nervously. “I hate to think of what you thought when you first met me.”

I scooted closer to Zack. It might have been silly, but I wasn’t used to sharing things and this idea of sharing my thoughts and ideas with others felt foreign to me.

“I believe her,” Zack said shortly. “She spent time in some pretty harsh circumstances. I would be willing to bet that her assessment of people was accurate.”

Rylee nodded. “Yeah, I think Mart is a suspect.”

“We still feel that the Stavainians are ultimately behind these acts, now whether they are supplying the ideas, or even behind the violence, we don’t know.”

“What is the excuse we are going there under?” Zack flipped through the brief to read more on the mission. “It says here that their Unification Day is next week. So, we are going under the guise of celebration?”

The Head Commander nodded. “You are to be the representatives of Zeron for their first Unification Day with Tantar ruling as the king.”

“How long was Tantar the king before he reached his majority?” Rylee asked.

“Seven years, give or take a few months, according to the brief,” Zack answered. “It also says here that the planet was being run by his nearest relative while he was a minor. What do you want to bet that was Mart?”

“It looks like you have your work cut out for you,” The Head Commander smiled. “It’s time I got back to my wife; she has been entertaining Axel and Sarah long enough on her own. There will be two more soldiers coming along with you. I have sent for Drake from the Gamma unit and Rafe from the Zion unit; they should be here in the morning. Until then, I know that you will keep everything we have talked about confidential?”

We nodded and then he walked out. When the door closed Heath let out a low whistle. “Rafe and Drake? They are pulling out the big guns for this one.”

“Who are Rafe and Drake?”

I was glad that Rylee asked, because I was also dying to know.

“Rafe is arguably the richest man in the galaxy. He has his own armies and is known for his ruthlessness. Drake is brilliant; there isn’t a lock he can’t figure out or an equation that he can’t solve. He usually works in administration because of his intelligence. But he is something of a ladies’ man, always making interstellar news with his playboy ways. I think he is invited to the celebration aspect. He likely would have gone anyway.”

I turned to Rylee. “It looks like you will have a few more soldiers to flirt with.”

Heath stood up so quickly that the chair he was sitting in tipped over.

He grunted out something when he left, likely ‘excuse me.’

Rylee turned surprised eyes onto Zack and me. “What was that all about?”

Zack shrugged, “How should I know?”

I almost said something. But then it seemed that it would be wrong to stir things up when we were leaving on a mission in forty-eight hours together. Maybe it was best that I just let things play out naturally?

And of course, there was always the chance that I was wrong.

Rylee left shortly after and Zack turned and took my hand. “Heath has something for my sister, doesn’t he?”

I noted the way that his jaw was clenched and his eyes tense.

“Will you interfere?” I asked.

Zack blew out a breath. “I am not going to lie, the thought of anyone near my sister makes me want to tear him apart. But Rylee is growing up and Heath really is a good guy. Honestly, I don’t know.”

It was insightful and honest; I felt it with every word that he said. Was this part of the SUPER powers that they said would continue to develop?

I took a chance and told the truth. “He likes her, maybe even loves her.”

“Fuck,” Zack breathed through his nose. But instead of getting up and chasing after Heath, he stood and pulled me to my feet. “Let’s go take my mind off this, okay?”

I was more than happy to oblige.

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