he would be happy to explain it to you.”
“ Where are you two from?” Scott asked.
“ Cambridge.”
Maksim grinned. “Novosibirsk.”
“ Novosibirsk?” Galina asked in a surprised tone.
“ Da.”
A local boy , thought Scott. This was already his home. “This isn’t much of a jump for you, then?”
“ I live twenty minutes away from here, lieutenant.”
“ It’s a smidge farther for me,” said Esther.
Scott turned to her. “Don’t worry about getting too lonely. Our captain’s from Britain.”
Her smile grew large. “Fancy that, sir!”
“ He will love the new company,” Galina said. “We give him hard enough time as it is.”
As Scott stepped out from the hangar, Galina lifted her umbrella and he edged beneath it. “You two don’t mind a little rain, do you?”
“ No sir,” Esther said as she followed. She blinked as the droplets hit her face. “I’m fond of water anyway. I feel at home.”
Scott almost said something, but bit his lip before he could. The poor girl just had no idea.
The journey to Room 14 was a wet one, at least for the rookies. Despite the rain’s lack of severity, it drenched them from head to toe. Scott found it amusing. It was good to be on the dry side of the spectrum. The stormy arrival was a rite of passage, and his dues had already been paid. As they stepped into the barracks, their wet shoes squeaked down the hall.
“ So you’re a scout, Esther?” Scott asked.
Esther brushed the damp strands from her face. “Yes, sir. I’ve graduated with high results, in the upper twentieth percentile for all Type-2s.”
Scott smiled. It was boasting, but it wasn’t arrogance. It was eagerness to please. “So what exactly does a Type-2 do?” He already knew the answer, but it gave them something to talk about.
“ Tactical observation, sir. We listen, we watch, and we report. We’re choice for sniper supplementation and tactical planning.”
“ We have a sniper in the Fourteenth. Delta Trooper Jayden Timmons. He’s from Texas.”
“ Texas, sir?”
“ Blue Creek.”
“ Shall I need to adjust to a slurry accent?” she joked.
Scott chuckled. “He’s not so bad. I’m sure you’ve had your fill of southerners in Philadelphia .” Captain Williams was a southerner. Scott switched his gaze to Maksim. “You ever fought Captain Williams, Maksim?”
“ Da, lieutenant,” said Maksim, laughing. “He beat me quick.”
“ He beats everyone quick.”
“ Did you fight Captain Williams, sir?” Esther asked.
“ I did. I lasted about fifteen seconds.” Which actually wasn’t bad. There were more than enough cadets who went down with the first hit.
Since Dostoevsky had taken Scott under his wing, Scott’s hand-to-hand prowess had soared. He didn’t plan on being a Nightman anytime soon, but he had to hand it to them—they knew how to fight. He wondered how he’d handle Captain Williams now.
Within a minute, they stood outside the door to Room 14. Though water droplets fell to the floor, the alphas remained properly silent.
“ Here’s the drill,” Scott whispered. “Curfew for most units is 2100 hours, and we’re no exception. After nine, we expect lights out and lips sealed. Understood?”
They nodded.
Scott gripped the knob. “All right, then. Let’s be quiet while we slip inside. You’re on your own to find bunks. Just don’t wake anyone up.” He turned the knob, pushed the door, and slid into the darkness.
Or where there should have been darkness.
The room was lit up and alive with operatives milling about everywhere. Even Clarke was there, entertaining Boris with a game of chess in the corner.
Scott stood in dumbstruck silence, as Becan pranced in his direction.
“ I’m guessin’ these are the new ones, then?”
Scott was too stunned to reply.
“ Howyeh!” Becan grinned to Esther and Maksim. “Becan McCrae, pleasure to meet yeh both!”
As the alphas stood in the doorway, the room’s focus turned to them.
“ Here
“ Where are you two from?” Scott asked.
“ Cambridge.”
Maksim grinned. “Novosibirsk.”
“ Novosibirsk?” Galina asked in a surprised tone.
“ Da.”
A local boy , thought Scott. This was already his home. “This isn’t much of a jump for you, then?”
“ I live twenty minutes away from here, lieutenant.”
“ It’s a smidge farther for me,” said Esther.
Scott turned to her. “Don’t worry about getting too lonely. Our captain’s from Britain.”
Her smile grew large. “Fancy that, sir!”
“ He will love the new company,” Galina said. “We give him hard enough time as it is.”
As Scott stepped out from the hangar, Galina lifted her umbrella and he edged beneath it. “You two don’t mind a little rain, do you?”
“ No sir,” Esther said as she followed. She blinked as the droplets hit her face. “I’m fond of water anyway. I feel at home.”
Scott almost said something, but bit his lip before he could. The poor girl just had no idea.
The journey to Room 14 was a wet one, at least for the rookies. Despite the rain’s lack of severity, it drenched them from head to toe. Scott found it amusing. It was good to be on the dry side of the spectrum. The stormy arrival was a rite of passage, and his dues had already been paid. As they stepped into the barracks, their wet shoes squeaked down the hall.
“ So you’re a scout, Esther?” Scott asked.
Esther brushed the damp strands from her face. “Yes, sir. I’ve graduated with high results, in the upper twentieth percentile for all Type-2s.”
Scott smiled. It was boasting, but it wasn’t arrogance. It was eagerness to please. “So what exactly does a Type-2 do?” He already knew the answer, but it gave them something to talk about.
“ Tactical observation, sir. We listen, we watch, and we report. We’re choice for sniper supplementation and tactical planning.”
“ We have a sniper in the Fourteenth. Delta Trooper Jayden Timmons. He’s from Texas.”
“ Texas, sir?”
“ Blue Creek.”
“ Shall I need to adjust to a slurry accent?” she joked.
Scott chuckled. “He’s not so bad. I’m sure you’ve had your fill of southerners in Philadelphia .” Captain Williams was a southerner. Scott switched his gaze to Maksim. “You ever fought Captain Williams, Maksim?”
“ Da, lieutenant,” said Maksim, laughing. “He beat me quick.”
“ He beats everyone quick.”
“ Did you fight Captain Williams, sir?” Esther asked.
“ I did. I lasted about fifteen seconds.” Which actually wasn’t bad. There were more than enough cadets who went down with the first hit.
Since Dostoevsky had taken Scott under his wing, Scott’s hand-to-hand prowess had soared. He didn’t plan on being a Nightman anytime soon, but he had to hand it to them—they knew how to fight. He wondered how he’d handle Captain Williams now.
Within a minute, they stood outside the door to Room 14. Though water droplets fell to the floor, the alphas remained properly silent.
“ Here’s the drill,” Scott whispered. “Curfew for most units is 2100 hours, and we’re no exception. After nine, we expect lights out and lips sealed. Understood?”
They nodded.
Scott gripped the knob. “All right, then. Let’s be quiet while we slip inside. You’re on your own to find bunks. Just don’t wake anyone up.” He turned the knob, pushed the door, and slid into the darkness.
Or where there should have been darkness.
The room was lit up and alive with operatives milling about everywhere. Even Clarke was there, entertaining Boris with a game of chess in the corner.
Scott stood in dumbstruck silence, as Becan pranced in his direction.
“ I’m guessin’ these are the new ones, then?”
Scott was too stunned to reply.
“ Howyeh!” Becan grinned to Esther and Maksim. “Becan McCrae, pleasure to meet yeh both!”
As the alphas stood in the doorway, the room’s focus turned to them.
“ Here
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