CHAPTER 42
The jet’s landing was jarring, pulling Lauren instantly out of her exhausted haze. The sudden change from the pressurized silence of the plane to the familiar sounds of the complex hangar bay was disorienting.
Ryle stood up first, the heavy mission package still secured to his chest. He didn’t spare Lauren a glance as he moved toward the rear hatch, his mission focus absolute. “Report to debriefing in ten minutes,” he ordered, his voice cold and final.
Lauren followed him down the ramp, her body stiff from the flight and the lingering mental exhaustion that she was putting herself through. The hangar bay was busy, but something was wrong. The usual controlled atmosphere was replaced by a tense, frantic energy.
As she stepped onto the concrete, she noticed the recruits. Not t
