Relax. Recharge. Read!

10/16/2025

Daniel stopped short and squared his shoulders. “You?”

“It was you?” Pierre sidestepped until he was closing in on the man from the other side. Kyle caught a glimpse of the other Militia people; he was able to count three more besides Daniel and Pierre now. They had his assailants face down in a row, heads pressed against the wall perpendicular to the door. “Get them out of here,” Pierre snapped, waving one arm.

The sound of bodies being moved filled the room for a short time; then it was just the four of them.

In motion, going so fast he was hard for Kyle to keep track of, Daniel covered the last few feet to the person holding a gun on Kyle. Before the agent could react, Daniel had his wrist in a grip Kyle knew from their sparring as an iron-like vise. He twisted with enough force, Kyle heard bone snap. The man screamed when Daniel yanked him closer, flipped him around, and held him against his chest.

The gun clattered to the ground, kicked away by Pierre. Daniel used his free hand, reached to the man’s riot visor, and tugged it off his head. “You set them up!” he growled. “Set them up and killed them the same as if you’d pulled the trigger yourself.”

Kyle saw the man’s face when the helmet was removed. He lifted his gaze to look into first Pierre’s and then Daniel’s face.

“We all trusted you.” Pierre’s voice was harsh and raw. “Keller, an entire barracks trusted and followed you. This is how you repay all of us?”

Keller laughed. It was a sick, hollow sound. “You of all people should know, trust no one.” He twisted against Daniel, elbowing him in under the ribs.

Daniel growled low and menacing, letting go of Keller long enough to grip his chin in one hand. His other hand came up and took hold of the top of Keller’s head. Hands went in opposite directions in a move Kyle recognized would snap Keller’s neck. Letting go, Daniel stepped back as Keller’s body crumpled to the floor.

Stepping over the body, Daniel closed the space between them, dropping to his knees at Kyle’s side. Pulling a knife from his belt, Daniel gently turned Kyle to his stomach and sliced through the ropes. Gasping and shuddering, Kyle’s arms fell free and dropped to his sides. Tingling, like thousands of needles slicing up the flesh and muscle of his arms at once, coursed from shoulders to fingertips.

“It’s okay, I gotcha. You’re safe now. God, Kyle, I’m so sorry, this is my fault, I should have known. I’m sorry.” Daniel eased him onto his back and pulled him against his chest, cradling him gently.

The same hands that seconds ago had snapped a neck stroked over Kyle’s forehead and through his hair. His throat too raw to form words, he melted against Daniel, pressed closer to his body, and let himself sink into the oblivion that would take away his pain and chill.

Kyle had the odd feeling of being moved, picked up, and carried between Daniel and Pierre. Details of his surroundings swirled in and out of focus. One minute he was being moved, the next he heard the distinctive whir of helicopter blades. There were voices all around, all familiar and comforting. A straw was put to his lips and water drizzled over his tongue.