Page 188 of Silver Elite

Kaine leans back in his chair. “I bet it was some rookie. From what I’ve heard, the famous one never misses.”

“He missed this morning,” Cross says with a shrug. “And it’s clear they’re escalating their efforts. Picking more high-level targets. We need to figure out how they found that cache.”

I hope nobody can see through my neutral expression. Beneath it, I’m fighting my excitement. The knowledge that I played a part in the bombing, that I’m the reason we’re all sitting in this war room right now, makes my heart beat a little bit faster.

There’s something incredibly thrilling about the notion that I helped create chaos.

—

Two days later, I run into Ellis outside the mess hall. The presence of a Mod on the Command base is never a good omen, but there’s something doubly unsettling about Ellis. I still remember the spooky sensation of my bones literally knitting back together because of this man.

No human should have that much power.

Not that my power is any less dangerous. The ability to incite is far more destructive. Ellis heals, making things better.

I break them.

He nods at me as we pass each other in the corridor. I force a polite smile, then keep walking.

I raise my coffee to my lips, savoring the rich flavor. Every time I grab a cup from the mess hall, I refuse to let a drop go to waste. The stuff here on the base uses real coffee beans from Tierra Fe, the one export I hope never runs out, which is a valid fear given how it’s no secret the trade treaty between the Continent and our southern neighbors has been on shaky ground for years.

At least it prevented a war, though. When those first Mods started coming into existence in the years after the Last War, Tierra Fe almost waged another one on us. They thought we were demons from hell, and a religious war nearly broke out among the remaining continents. It was the Continent’s ruler at the time who managed to thwart it. A Prime who assured Tierra Fe’s leadership that the Aberrant would be contained.

And contain them he did.

The thought of those early Aberrant asylums reminds me of what I saw in that Ward C hospital. A roomful of people with fragmented minds.

Sadness lodges in my throat. It’s devastating to me that they’re trapped there. And they have no idea, their minds too broken to grasp what’s happening to them. But perhaps that’s better. Maybe oblivion truly is the more blissful state of being. Those fragmented people have no idea they’re trapped, but people like Tana, like Morlee Hadley, who are working at a labor camp—theyknowthey’re prisoners.

Thinking of Tana brings a stab of pain to my chest. Our telepathic conversations are few and far between these days. She won’t admit it, but she blames me for where she is.

An alert comes through on my source, drawing me from my dismal thoughts. I stop walking to pull it out of my pocket.

Report to Medical

Instantly, my hackles are raised. I’m in perfect health. Although I did hit my head while sparring with Kaine in the gym the other night. For fun. Truth is, Silver Elite is not as exciting as it’s been made out to be. It involves a lot of waiting around. A lot of surveillance. I’d kill for some action right now. I can’t even remember the last time I got to shoot my rifle.

Wariness lines my steps as I make my way to the Medical building. I reach it at the same time Kaine emerges from the opposite hallway.

He grins at me. “You were summoned, too?”

“Yep.”

Turns out we all were. All the Elite members who are currently on the base.

Kess walks in alone. She’s cut her hair since the last time I saw her. Given herself bangs. It’s a severe look but suits her perfectly. Since Anson’s death, she’s lost her biggest ally, and she’s been keeping to herself during briefings.

Ara Zebb and Noah Jones arrive together, nodding in greeting.Several soldiers I don’t know too well yet linger at the door. Theo is among them, his huge biceps flexing as he runs a hand over his buzzed scalp.

Cross enters with Xavier and Tyler. My heart rate kicks up a notch when he comes to stand right beside me. But then I notice Ellis walking in, and my pulse races for another reason.

“Let’s get started,” Cross says without preamble. “Theo, you’re up.”

“What is this?” I ask him.

“Mandatory wellness checks.”

Trying not to frown, I watch Theo stride toward one of the narrow hospital beds. He strips off his shirt but doesn’t stop there. The pants come off, too. In nothing but boxer shorts, he sits on the bed as Ellis approaches him.

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