Page 33 of North

“I see signs of the monster coming this way.” Kai’s voice rose with excitement.

We carefully approached the cave mouth and all lifted our carbines.

Jameson touched the flashlight on the shoulder of his armor. The beam of light illuminated the darkness ahead.

“Jesus,” Kai muttered.

A sticky, weblike substance hung from the ceiling and coated the rocky walls.

“Please don’t be hybrid spiders,” North muttered. “They’re the worst.”

“Shh.” Jameson yanked out his combat knife, then hacked a hole through the web. He shoved it aside and continued into the cave.

We continued on, Jameson and Kai taking the lead.

“Jess.” North grabbed my arm.

I yanked away.

“Hey, I just want to apologize,” he said quietly.

I blinked. “What?”

His face was in shadow. “You were right. I was out of line earlier. It was the heat of the moment. I was just focused on the fight, and getting you free of that monster. I know you have skills. I trust that you have my squad’s back. Have my back.”

I stared at him for a long moment, then I nodded.

He nodded back, then pushed on ahead.

He’d apologized. I hadn’t been expecting that.

But I didn’t have time to think about it right now. We had a monster and a kidnapped boy to deal with. I hurried to catch up with the others. But still, my brain tried to process it. Not many guys I knew were good with an apology.

“Form up,” Jameson said.

We all focused on the cave. The web stuff was thicker here, and I saw that it was harder for Jameson to cut through it.

“Could the monster get through this?” North asked.

“Maybe it made it,” Kai suggested.

Eww. That was a gross thought.

“The cave is wider ahead,” Jameson said. “Let’s?—”

“Shh.” Kai held up a hand, cocking his head. “Quiet.”

We all stilled.

I didn’t hear anything.

Then, came a faint noise. A moan, maybe? I tightened my grip on my carbine. “What is that?”

Another moan. Then what sounded like a sob.

Of a kid.

My pulse spiked. “It’s Hudson.”

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