Chapter 13: The Near Discovery

The moment was shattered by the crackle of the radio.

"Lion 6, this is Viper. We’ve got movement at the base of the ridge. Six o'clock from your position."

James snapped back into the Commander instantly. He pulled his hand away, the coldness returning so fast it made my skin sting. "Copy, Viper. We’re moving to intercept."

As we scrambled down the ridge to rejoin the squad, Thorne—who was back on light duty after the ambush—was waiting at the rally point. He looked better, though a jagged scar now ran through his hairline where I had patched him up.

His eyes darted between me and James. He saw the way James was positioned slightly too close to me, the way the Captain’s breathing was just a fraction off-tempo.

"Everything alright up there, Sir?" Thorne asked, his voice dripping with a knowing, oily tone. "Looked like a pretty tight squeeze in that OP."

James didn't even blink. "Focus on your sector, Thorne. Unless you want to spend the rest of the deployment cleaning the grease traps in the chow hall."

Thorne went silent, but the look he gave me wasn't one of hate anymore. It was curiosity. A much more dangerous thing.