FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R E L E V E N

THIRD PERSON POV

"Who the hell is Fern?"

Athena's logical reaction to whomever Crosshair insinuated her to be seemed to snap him back into reality. His jaw tightened and his eyes scrunched in agitation. "Who are you?" he growled, agressively stepping forward, his knuckles turned white from clenching them at his side. "What trick are you pulling?"

"I asked my question first." Athena narrowed her eyes as Crosshair's blazed with...a craving for answers. "And stop staring at me like that. You're freaking me out."

"You're, a clone?"

Athena's mind went blank. She was caught so offguard that Crosshair could've used that blip as an advantage. They only stood about six feet apart. He could lunge for his sniper rifle behind her and end this confrontation. Instead, neither of them moved a muscle...

...H-how did he figure it out...?

"I'm no clone." Athena snapped a little too assertively. She then cleared her throat, internally fighting to keep her composure. "You don't even look like a clone. Where do you go assuming I'm one?"

Before Crosshair could respond, his comm link beeped and his commander called in, and his modulated voice sounded distressed. "Crosshair, I've made it to the bell tower. I lost Wyler and Nova, so I need you as backup. What is your position?"

Crosshair and Athena locked eyes and time froze in place...The latter composed only one outcome in her mind: if they both wanted answers, then she needed to go with him. The bounty hunter sighed in bitter defeat, held out her hands with her wrists pressed together, and surrendered to the trooper.

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"W-wh...Fern?..." The commander was waiting for them right at the ingress of the tower, holding his helmet under the crook of his arm. He almost dropped the headgear when he did a double-take on the bounty hunter being escorted by the elite clone.

"Now is not the time to discuss it, Cody." Crosshair grimaced underneath his helmet, pushing Athena Quinn, with her hands cuffed in front of her, between him and his old friend. She studied the commander's unsettled expression. His dark brown orbs were trembling and his complexion flushed...like he had seen a ghost. The scars etched around his temple, brow, and eye were much more noticeable.

"I am not who you think I am." Athena assured him bluntly.

"Well," Cody scoffed, securing his helmet on his head and adjusting his grip on his blaster. "That only answers one of the dozen questions I have."

"Join the club." she muttered as her head cocked over to her warden, who was now firmly gripping her bicep. She glared up at him. Although his thin face was covered, she felt the disdainment radiating off him. Her eyes then gazed up at the fortress with a frown. "So...what's your plan of getting us up there?"

"Us?" Crosshair sneered. "What makes you think you are coming along?" He then dragged her over to a rusted pipe connected to the outer wall of the towering fort and momentarily deactivated her bonds to impound her. "You will sit here, like a good girl."

Athena's face burned. She reared back her foot and aimed for the space between his collar and helmet. Lucky for Crosshair, her range was restricted and he dodged with ease. Before he could counter, Cody pushed him back. "We need to get going." The commander glanced over to the bounty hunter. "Don't worry, we'll be back. We won't leave you out here to starve."

"Wait." Athena's eyes widened, actually appalled the two troopers were ditching her. "Wait. Wait!" It was hopeless. They disappeared into the first corridor, leaving her groaning with frustration. "Those two are in for a drukload of hurt. I guess my questions will be buried with them."