Page 41 of Stars in Umbra
They’d gone from the streets of Eden II to designing high-end luxury yachts and racing boats, all while juggling a significant side hustle: covert surveillance, mercenary armies,and military ships to help defend the System against the coming conflicts.
He’d observed them from the outside with yearning for years.
To be asked into their hallowed kinship was beyond his wildest dreams.
‘You are the first beyond our original crew that we’d like to initiate,’ Kainan confirmed with a rasp. ‘So, what do you think?’
Mirage turned with a smile. ‘He probably needs some time, boss; he’s having a hard time breathing.’
‘Fokkoff,’ Mo growled, but she was right; he was struggling to inhale. His chest was burning, his heart pounding.
Zane spoke up for the first time. ‘Brother, we need you to step into the fire and become one of us.’
Mo’s internal axis tilted, not with fear, but with the sudden clarity of a door that had been unlocked from the inside.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
His pulse beat hard at his throat.
The ask hit deeper than he desired to admit, into his soul, where he’d long buried his desire for belonging beneath grit and silence.
He was a man of the shadows, a ghost on the perimeter, stationed in the dark and pointed at the threats no one else wanted to face.
He was a tool, a weapon, and an unseen force.
Yet now, the men and organization he admired the most were offering him a place inside.
‘You sure, bossKhan?’ Mo’s rasp was raw, rough, like gravel underfoot because the rock-hard ground he built his life on didn’t feel so steady anymore.
He searched Kainan’s face for the catch, the test, the crack in the offer, but there was none. Just an honest, open, level gaze that gave nothing but truth.
‘Fokkyeah,’ Kainan said, not missing a beat. ‘You’ve walked beside us for years. You’ve guarded our doors, our people, our peace. You’ve put yourself in the line without ever asking for a seat at this table.’
He raised his chin, the heft of his words pressing in. ‘You’ve earned this, and your expertise in weapons, logistics, and security is second to none. Once you agree, your compensation will include a profit share and a new base salary four times your current pay.’
For a moment, Mo couldn’t speak. He let out an extended breath, the tension slipping from his frame, though his heart still pounded like a drum.
Zane gave a jaw lift from his post against the wall, a slight upturn to his lips that expressed his solid respect.
Mirage turned from the window, arms crossed, a flicker of warm approval in her discerning gaze.
For a long moment, the pulse of the city filled the silence.
In that quiet, the offer they were extending hit him.
They meant it.
They really were offering him a seat at their table.
Throughout his years working with them, the Riders never recruited new members from outside the organization.
They didn’t hand out trust with ease.
Mo let out a slow breath, the elation thrumming through him unfamiliar and humbling all at once.
He cleared his throat, forced a ghost of a grin. ‘How can I refuse? I’m in.’
Kainan stepped from the desk, clapping a firm hand on his shoulder, grounding and real. ‘Good man.’
