Fragments

name is Tia Mulhuti. And th

said it - but she definitel

a cri

arcastic bow. "Ple

feel eyes on her - officers wondering why an elite Iron

: this wasn't just a t

't sure who s

r supe

ot even

with the handcuffs an

soo

on - and sometimes, the person you're supposed

one hand on the wheel, the ot

port vehicle, hands cuffed, but looking

d, glancing her way. "Not even

w you did," sh

that filled the small space. "Rig

k. "Keep talking and I'll

grinned. "I

he steering wheel. He was baiting her. Testing the waters. She couldn't let

rackle on

caution. We've detected a breach in your

d. "Copy that, bas

ole to change their cour

O

itch with a bone-rattling crash. Metal twisted. Alarms blared. Tia's head sl

, smoke filled the cabin. He

k......

unbuckle hersel

mn

e wreckage, weapon dra

hind her. She spun around just in ti

wasn't

bleeding from his fore

ntly. "They're not afte

rds echoed in her hea

smoke, the wreck, the mi

ildhood home, in uniform for the first time. Her father stood in

im go," he s

ou mean?"

her." He turned to her, voice

believe it

t - Case Dismissed. Lac

moment every

ng in gray areas - and started se

present snapping

d. Gunshots cracke

lding out his hand like he was

incts sc

ispered someth

bbed hi

chests, boots pounding dirt. Behind them, the forest e

tly.Mark caught he

l," he

arm back. "Do

t nodded and kept moving. Bu

year

hallway. A c

ronhogan's Cyber Division, with access to blueprints, security cores, a

n ops room for a surprise brie

sed unautho

ach. A backdoor. Someone insi

ace was blank. "Yo

You're s

he room. The flash of a smirk from a

when h

just bei

being s

ance, branded a traitor, and sent on t

er sto

r broke

the perfect

sideways at Tia as they crouched i

I'm the bad guy?"

t answer

ence told hi