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Grace

What fuckin’ war?

Grace couldn’t get Mirage close enough.

He didn’t like how exposed they were. But if the Greens turned the tables, he and Mirage would release every bit of arsenal they had before they went down.

He felt a modicum of relief that the Blacks were two minutes out.

They could stall until then.

“The ones who feed us information from within the Ravens organization are your allies, Browns, not traitors. If it wasn’t for parts of your team watching your back, you would’ve already been led to your deaths.”

Grace listened intently.

“Your handlers remain uninformed and will continue to send you on missions dictated by a corrupt director unless you provide them the evidence you’ve discovered.”

Grace felt punched in the gut. All the right he’d wanted to do in the world had been manipulated and turned into wrong.

“We must break the wheel.”

“What are you proposing?” Mirage attempted to move from behind him, but Grace stopped him.

Oh no, you don’t.

“That the Blacks and Browns join us. We know now that we shouldn’t be fighting against you. You’re more than worthy adversaries. It took the Omega and Lion to distract you enough for us to get Zelmir.”

“In which we were almost killed,” Mirage bit out.

“That wasn’t the intention. We risked everything to protect him.”

“If you choose to blindly follow the director’s orders, Zelmir will end up captive…again. They want the formulas in his head for the thermonuclear device he can build. We destroyed the first one made in an attempt to keep it out of the wrong countries’ hands. Meaning every country.”

“If it’s destroyed, then Zelmir Benton is safe.”

Mirage was relaying Grace’s thoughts perfectly.

“No, he’s not. Countries have enlisted their most dangerous mercenaries to capture him again. And just like the Ravens’ attempt, Zelmir will be starved and tortured until he makes another one. A weapon that’s worth billions.”

“Fuck,” Grace rumbled.

“The organization has manipulated us. We are pawns in a game where the rules benefit only them. It’s no longer about missions of justice. You’re being sent to take innocent lives for the director’s greed.”

The Greens went quiet, and so did the wind.

“We can no longer turn a blind eye. Together, we can expose them and set things right.”

Grace nodded to Mirage.

“We will stand with you,” Mirage agreed. “But if you cross us…you do it at your own peril.”

Grace heard the nock of an arrow to its bowstring. A half second later, another arrow sliced through the crisp air.

It flew less than an inch past Grace and Mirage’s head, but there was no thump where it should’ve embedded into the tree behind them.

He and Mirage turned to see Meridian’s outstretched arm clutching the arrow in his right hand.

Fuckin’ hell. Was there anything this motherfucker couldn’t do?

Neither he nor Mirage had heard them approach or knew how long they’d been there.

“It is an honor, Meridian. Your legacy precedes you.”

The tree limbs and leaves swayed on heavy gusts of wind as if even nature recognized superiority when it entered.

Meridian stood tall and righteous beside Ex in his tailored black suit and foot-length black trench, with his hood just covering his eyes.

He didn’t speak as he carefully removed the small piece of paper that dangled from the arrow’s fletching.

“Show yourselves,” Ex spoke in a commanding tone that implied no room for negotiation.

They all had enhanced vision, so it didn’t matter that there was little to no light where they stood.

As if choreographed, the Greens descended between a maze of twisted branches whose silhouettes resembled long skeletal fingers and touched down in perfect synchronization, a scattering of leaves accompanying their descent.

The dark green hoods shrouding their heads were slightly pointed at the top, the front half covering their eyes, leaving the bottom of their sun-kissed skin exposed.

The large wooden bows strapped across their backs made them resemble modern-day Robin Hoods.

They took two steps forward, each footfall soundless as if the earth welcomed their presence.

The six of them stood squaring off with each other, a fragile balance of enhanced skills, power, and respect.

Even without their weapons drawn, the aura of danger radiated off each pairing.

“There’s a computer in the director’s safe behind a canvas painting that contains an encrypted file.”

Grace pointed to his Hart locator, and Mirage asked, “How will we contact you?”

“Find our handler. She’s known only as Jo. There are more Ravens than the six standing here…find them while we diminish any threats in our path.”

And with that last bit of information, the Greens melted back into the underbrush, leaving no trace of their presence behind.

Meridian turned the paper over and showed Grace the note.

We all need to go back to the beginning.

“Let’s go.” Meridian turned, knowing they’d follow. “I have a promise to keep.”