To almost anyone watching, Rhett Hays seemed completely engrossed in his weight lifting. His face was a picture of concentration as he pushed the silver barbell and black weight plates smoothly into the air above his chest. Chiseled mounds of muscle rolled beneath his tight skin as he worked. His gray-green eyes were crisp with calculating intelligence. Rhett’s rise to the top of 17th Company wasn’t a surprise to anyone. No one even came close to his level of charisma and leadership. Rhett wielded both effortlessly.
His spotter, Nate, watched his movements beneath the barbell—ready to step in the moment he was needed. Not that he ever was. Rhett was as strong physically as he was mentally.
The gym was nearly empty at oh-one-forty and a conversation would easily go unheard by outsiders, but Nate knew better than to speak unless spoken to—especially when Rhett was deep in thought.
Nate Townsend and Valen Springer were excellent at reading their leader. As his seconds in command, they prided themselves in discretion and intuitive obedience.
They were invaluable in Rhett’s eyes; each with a special skill set.
The female metasoldier, Valen, was the weapons and battle expert. She fought efficiently, taking down targets using the fewest strikes necessary—viper fast, and one after the other until no one was left standing.
Nate was a one-man (meta) Human Resources specialist. He handled details and logistics—orchestrating the thirty-three soldiers in 17th Company with tough-as-nails effectiveness, consistency and brilliance.
Rhett valued both their opinions, appreciating the way they worked like two hemispheres of one brain.
Two hours before, the entire 17th Company had been ordered into active duty and were to fly out at oh-eight-hundred hours. Their destination was Texas. Their objective was to aid in the extermination of the faction known as “The Winters.” A hastily assembled dossier detailing the target had been compiled by administrative staff left to oversee the Facility in the Director’s absence. The highest-ranking soldier remaining at the compound hand-delivered the stack of papers to Rhett an hour before. Nate and Valen read it after him.
Immediately, Rhett ordered an emergency meeting of 17th Company. They were to meet at the Retribution Pit at oh-two-thirty hours. He hadn’t shared his considerations with his seconds in command, but he didn’t need to. Nate and Valen knew his orders would be a balance between daring and cautious—and always in the best interest of those in his charge.
With thoughts weighing heavily, Rhett had chosen to work out at the gym instead of catching a few hours of sleep before gearing up for departure. And though he didn’t require them to, Nate and Valen had followed his lead, staying at his side no matter what.
Valen was stretching after her workout nearby. The female metasoldier’s athletic physique was both handsome and stunning. She looked as lethal as she was, her yellow tiger’s eyes watching every corner of the large room, aware of every movement, every voice—measuring them against her senses as she discreetly guarded Rhett.
Valen looked up at the clock and caught Nate’s eye. Knowing she was warning him of the time, he nodded once.
As though reading their minds, Rhett carefully moved to replace the barbell onto its rack. Nate grabbed the bar and helped ease it onto the hooks.
“Clean up and meet me downstairs in five,” he nodded to both soldiers as he sat up from the bench and swung his legs over.
“Yes, sir,” the soldiers clipped respectfully.
Four minutes later, Nate and Valen were standing at the ready as Rhett came bounding down the stairs. All three were still damp from showers, but they were wide-eyed, alert and revved up.
“Let’s do this,” Rhett nodded and walked with confidence out the doors. Ever cautious, Rhett didn’t risk taking the Jeep waiting for him in the parking lot. Instead, he took off in a long-legged sprint, feet barely making a sound as he navigated by starlight the path to the Retribution Pit. Valen and Nate took up their positions behind and to either side of their leader.
Within minutes, they were rounding the stadium-like seating. The murmurs died down immediately as thirty-three sets of eyes followed Rhett. He took his place in front of the watchful group and acknowledged each of his soldiers before looking around the Retribution Pit thoughtfully.