Chapter 30

  My heart hammered against my ribs as I took in the man standing in the tent's entrance. The motorcycle jacket from John's description, the unkempt beard, the wild gleam in his eyes. This was Matt. Somewhere outside, Byte was still invisible, still on guard. I just had to hope he'd stayed close.

  Human, Level 12.

  He let the tent flap fall shut behind him, his gaze sweeping from me to Felix to the bound figure of Jared beneath us. A slow, predatory smile spread across his face.

  Before I could react, Matt drew his gun with a swift, practiced motion. The metallic click echoed in the confined space as he leveled it at my chest. I flinched, the cold reality of the barrel tightening around my throat like a vice.

  "Look at this," he continued, his tone dripping with condescension. "The so-called hero of Galene, caught like a rat in a trap. You really thought you could sneak in here and take me out? Pathetic."

  I glared at him, fighting the instinct to show the fear clawing at my insides. "You don't have to do this, Matt. We can talk..."

  "Talk?" He interrupted with a sharp laugh. "You think this is about conversation? You're in over your head, girl. You came here to take something that doesn't belong to you." He stepped closer, the gun unwavering. "But maybe you're not completely useless to me."

  I felt a mix of anger and confusion. "What do you mean?"

  Matt leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You're going to help me maintain control. You're going to make me communication devices, phones, like the ones you built for your little camp. And you're going to help me expand to bigger and better settlements."

  The smell of stale sweat and old canvas hung heavy in the tent, overpowering the mineral sweetness of the alien air outside. I struggled to keep my voice even. "Why would I help you?"

  "Oh, you will," he replied, that sinister smile widening. "You want to protect your little community. You want to keep them safe. I can provide that safety, if you play along. But if you refuse..." His eyes flicked to Felix, letting the threat dangle unfinished.

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  "You're delusional," I said, forcing steel into my voice despite the gun barrel staring me down. "You're not a leader. You're a tyrant. You can't control people through fear forever."

  Matt's eyes gleamed with something unhinged. "That's where you're wrong. Fear is a powerful tool. It drives people to me, makes them dependent on my strength. And you'll be the shining example of why they shouldn't work behind my back." He glanced down at Jared. "Isn't that right, Jared?"

  Jared struggled beneath me, panic seeping into his voice. "What are you talking about, Matt?"

  "Darren told me you were planning something. He also told me roughly when these two would be showing up, though he got the timing wrong." Matt's grin turned razor-sharp. "Lucky for me, I decided to check on you early."

  Matt shifted his aim from me to Jared. I held my breath, my pulse roaring in my ears.

  "What? Matt, I wouldn't..." Jared protested, desperation cracking his voice. "Darren is lying."

  "Well, there's only one way to find out, right?" Matt strode past us to a box at the back of the tent. He began digging through it, pulling out several items and supplies hidden beneath a layer of stolen snacks.

  My hand crept toward my energy sword. With his back turned, I could end this right now. My fingers trembled as I hesitated one second too long, and Matt turned back holding up a couple of high-value items.

  Jared's mouth fell open. He looked between Matt and me, panic flooding his features.

  "Looks like Darren wasn't lying after all." Without waiting for a response, Matt pulled the trigger three times.

  The shots were deafening in the small tent, each one a thunderclap that rattled through my bones. I stumbled backward in shock, crashing directly into Felix, who caught me. The acrid smell of gunpowder burned my nostrils, mingling with something hot and metallic that I didn't want to think about. Disbelief clawed at my insides as the ringing in my ears drowned out everything else.

  Matt stepped back, waving his gun dismissively. "In the morning, I'm moving on to another settlement. Have me a phone ready to go, and I'll keep in touch. If for any reason you decide to betray me like Jared did, well..." His gaze locked onto Felix. "It won't just be your life you lose."

  Every word landed like a punch, the reality of the situation settling over me like a shroud. I was caught in a trap of his making, and the very community I had hoped to save was being used against me.

  "People like you think they can save the world, but it's not about saving anyone," Matt continued, excitement creeping into his voice like something alive and wrong. "It's about power, control, and survival. You're going to be the face of my regime, girl. The strong will always rise to the top, and you'll help me ensure that the weak know their place."

  "You're wrong," I said defiantly, my voice gaining confidence even as my hands shook.

  Matt chuckled, a dark sound that sent ice down my spine. "Oh, you will help me. Or else you'll find out just how far I'm willing to go to maintain control. I've already lost too much to back down now. You'll be my greatest asset."

  "No," I said, my voice dropping to ice. "Your intel was wrong, Matt. There were three of us."