Chapter 10 · Photo Betrayal

"On your knees. Hands behind your head. Now."

The rifle barrel slammed into my temple. Hard. My teeth clicked together from the impact.

"Wrong girl," I snapped. My knees hit the concrete before I could even think. "You want the lab rat? She's not here."

"Maya Reeves." The hunter didn't blink. He kicked the door wider and two more poured in, boots thudding, guns leveled. "Live capture. Commander wants her breathing."

Kade moved. One blur of motion and he was in front of me. He shoved his hand back, pinning me behind his frame, shielding me with his own body.

"Touch her and you lose the hand," Kade said. His voice was low. Flat. The kind of tone that made the air in the room feel heavy.

"Kade Mercer," the lead hunter laughed. "Man, you're famous for a dead guy. Commander Vance has been hunting you for ten years."

"Yeah?" Kade didn't budge. "Tell Vance he can get in line."

The hunter's eyes flicked to me—then to Kade's hand still locked tight around my wrist. "You know who you're guarding, ghost? That's Elena's kid. Vance's little secret."

Iris stepped out from the shadows by the lab bench.