Page 59 of Warrior

“My father killed hellhounds, and I asked King to teach me.I’m still working on my technique.”

Mila hugged her arms around herself and shivered.“When you’ve got it down, please share.I’m still terrified of them.”

“Deal.”I meant it.Every human needed to be trained to kill hellhounds, and I planned to make sure that happened.The Federation should’ve required basic training for everyone including the children and spouses.It was a glaring oversight on their part.Anyone who wanted training on the island got it.I felt it should go a step further and be required.

We shifted back to business, putting together a list of everything we knew.That had always been our process: pooling our knowledge, turning numbers into percentages, and finding patterns.It had never failed us before.Unfortunately, we couldn’t come up with a way to stop the formaldehyde from infecting more dead bodies.Eventually, we’d need people with more expertise than us, but that would have to wait until we dealt with the Federation.

Over the next few hours, we reviewed all of our intel and pieced together a tentative plan.It wasn’t much, and I knew most of it would probably change, but it was a start.

Officer Daniels knocked on the door precisely four hours after dropping me off.The long walk back to my quarters gave me time to press his buttons.

“I thought I’d be attending meetings and assessing the military’s needs,” I said, feigning mild disappointment.“I’m surprised my analytics background isn’t being put to use.”

His shoulders stiffened.“The president makes those decisions,” he spat.

This was almost too much fun.

“I just feel the Federation could use more from me,” I said, layering my tone with sincerity.“My father did a great job.I know I can’t fill his boots, but I can help.Please let the president know I’m ready to serve my country.”

I managed to get the words out without gagging, and I was extremely proud of myself.

“I’ll share your concerns,” he replied stiffly.

I justbethe would.

“That’s all I ask.Now, tell me something about yourself.”

I caught the slightest flicker of an eye roll and fought to suppress a satisfied smile.

“My father is Vice President Daniels.”

Oh.ThatDaniels.

“You must be so proud,” I said, feigning admiration.“Do you plan on taking over for him when he retires?”

He huffed, beyond annoyed now.“The vice presidency isn’t inherited.A new vice president will be elected, not appointed.”

“Of course,” I said, nodding as if I’d just learned something.“I don’t know why we’ve kept those old rules, though.At least they gave President Barnes ten years to reorganize the country.Maybe in the next election, we should change the rules of succession.It worked for Europe for thousands of years.With the country in such turmoil, stability is more important than ever.”

“Hmm,” he muttered, his expression shifting slightly.He was thinking about what I’d said, probably considering how to use it to his advantage.Maybe now he was starting to think I wasn’t the idiot he’d pegged me to be.Either way, I knew I needed to tread carefully

Daniels held a low-level military position, but it was clear he believed he was entitled to more solely because of his father.The truth was, he lacked both the intelligence and the temperament to rise through the ranks.The president chose his vice president and even if the presidency were inherited, the president would handpick the person who served with him, yet Daniels was too blinded by his own arrogance to grasp that reality.His attitude was another major hurdle.Spoiled and egotistical, he had likely been given the role of running errands and babysitting, not out of merit but to keep him out of trouble.In the end, he was nothing more than a glorified errand boy.My job in analytics hadn’t been much better.

We were about a hundred yards from the entrance to my quarters when Ms.Beast decided to get feisty.

Run,she demanded, the word slicing through me.

The physical pain that followed zapped through my body.A solid punch to the ribs would have been preferable.

No,I replied firmly in my head, packing the word with all the warning I could muster.

Run.

Cold sweat broke out on my face, and I stumbled when she upped the ante and delivered a blinding kick to a kidney.Officer Daniels reached out, steadying me before I fell.

“Are you okay?”he asked, the words completely devoid of giving a damn.

“I think I just need air,” I said, struggling to control my breathing.“Is there any way I can go outside?”

---