Chapter 43

Chapter 40

The tension in the air was thick, charged with the weight of the standoff. Selene’s heart pounded as Lucas Raine’s smirk widened. His men flanked him, Syndicate soldiers in dark armor, weapons trained on her crew.

“I admire your spirit, Captain,” Lucas said, stepping forward. “But you’re outnumbered.”

Selene’s grip on her gun tightened. Callahan’s men were holding their own, but the Syndicate’s forces were relentless. They couldn’t win a straight fight.

She glanced at Kade. He caught her look and gave a subtle nod. He had a plan.

“We’ll see about that,” Selene said.

Then she moved.

Dazed, she shot, not at Lucas, but at the pipes over their heads. With a deafening hiss, steam burst into the corridor-scaldingly hot. Pandemonium broke out.

"Go!" Selene yelled.

Xara and Dante laid down covering fire as they retreated. Wren yanked a small gadget from her belt and slung it down toward the floor. A pulse of electromagnetic energy washed over them, disabling comms of the Syndicate.

Lucas cursed, shielding his face from the steam. “After them!” he barked.

Selene and her crew ran, ducking through a side passage. Callahan’s voice crackled over their earpieces.

“You’re leading them straight to the docking bay.”

“That’s the plan,” Kade replied.

Selene understood now. They weren’t escaping—they were trapping the Syndicate inside the outpost.

“We just need a few minutes,” Kade continued. “Get your men to fall back to the upper levels.”

Callahan hesitated. “You better know what you’re doing.”

“We do,” Selene said.

Or at least, she hoped they did.

The Trap

They reached the docking bay, the Aquila looming ahead. The metal floor was littered with bodies from the ongoing battle.

Selene turned to Wren. “You have the detonators?”

Wren grinned, pulling out a small controller. “Of course.”

They had rigged the docking bay with explosives when they landed. The moment the Syndicate funneled in, they'd blow the whole damn place.

Dante peered around the corridor. "They're coming."

Selene turned to Kade. "Are we ready?"

Kade checked his tablet. "Almost… Just need—"

A gunshot rang out. Kade clutched his shoulder and stumbled backward.

"Sniper!" Xara yelled, pulling Kade behind cover.

Selene swore. They'd been beaten to it. Lucas strode into the bay, gun in hand, utterly uninterested in the furiously battling forms all around them.

"You always did like running, Captain," Lucas said. "But this is where it ends."

She met his gaze, her mind racing. If she gave Wren the order to blow now, they'd go down with the Syndicate. They needed an exit route.

Then Callahan's voice cracked in her ear.

"I have an idea."

Selene frowned. "I hope it's a good one."

Callahan chuckled. "Depends on how you feel about zero gravity."

Freefall

A second later, alarms blared. The bay doors started to open.

"Are you insane?" Dante yelled.

Callahan had overridden the docking controls. The bay was depressurizing. Soon, everything not bolted down would be sucked into space—including them.

Lucas realized it too. His eyes widened. "No—"

Selene grabbed the nearest railing. "Now, Wren!"

Wren hit the detonator. Explosions erupted along the walls, sending Syndicate soldiers flying. Smoke and fire filled the bay as the pressure drop worsened.

Selene saw Lucas struggling, reaching for anything to hold onto. For one instant, their eyes met-then he was gone, sucked into the void.

Selene gritted her teeth. She knew better than to think he was dead.

"Everyone, to the ship!" she shouted.

Fighting against the pull, they scrambled toward the Aquila. Xara reached the hatch first, helping to pull Wren and Dante inside. Selene dragged Kade up with her.

The moment they were aboard, Xara slammed the hatch shut.

"Go, go, go!" Selene shouted.

Dante bolted for the cockpit, firing the ship's thrusters. The Aquila roared to life, breaking free from the station as the explosions consumed the docking bay.

They shot into open space, the outpost a burning wreck behind them.

Aftermath

Selene collapsed into a seat, breathing hard.

"That was insane," Xara said.

Callahan's voice came through their comms. "You're welcome."

Selene let out a short laugh. "Remind me to never owe you a favor."

Callahan chuckled. "Too late for that."

Kade groaned, holding his bleeding shoulder. "So… that went well?"

Selene glanced at him. "You need a medic."

"I'll live," Kade muttered.

Dante spoke from the cockpit. “Bad news. We’re not in the clear yet.”

Selene pushed herself up, walking over. “What now?”

Dante pointed at the scanner. “There’s a ship following us.”

Selene’s stomach tightened. The Syndicate wasn’t done with them yet.

She leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “Who is it?”

Dante checked the readings. Then his face paled.

“It’s Lucas.”

Selene’s blood ran cold.

He had survived. And he wasn’t giving up.

“Of course he’s still alive,” Xara muttered.

Selene blew out a sharp breath.

"This isn't over."