The loading sequence was a masterclass in wasteland efficiency. We didn't have time for comfort; we only had time for survival.
"Leo, you're with me," I said, grabbing the oldest of the Code-Born boys by the shoulder and steering him toward the Sovereign. "Keep your head down, wrap your arms around my waist, and whatever you do, do not let go. If you feel the bike get cold or turn blue, just hold your breath."
Leo nodded, his jaw set in a hard line. He scrambled onto the pillion seat, his faint sapphire veins pulsing against his pale skin.
Dax hoisted two of the smaller kids onto the elongated saddle of his Interceptor, securing them with a heavy cargo strap. Sienna and Reaper took the remaining three. Captain Reyes, her sleek white-and-gold armor stark against the mud and grease of our
