CHAPTER 28
The quiet of the barracks was shattered by the brutal sound of a door being slammed open.
Lauren was instantly awake, adrenaline spiking as she was yanked violently off her cot. She landed hard on the floor with a painful gasp, the thin training vest and pants offering no protection.
Towering over her was Commander Thorne, his face rigid with cold fury. Two armed guards flanked him, their expressions grim.
“Get up, Recruit Lauren,” Thorne commanded, his voice low and dangerous, carrying none of the bombast from the day before. “The Champion’s ‘caloric infusion regimen’ has been reported.”
Lauren scrambled to her feet, her mind racing. The guard must have checked with Volkov, or simply confessed out of fear. The moment she realized she was caught, a bitter, self-hating thoug
