Strength (Book Two of the Into The Fray series)

Chapter Ten

Ben's blood ran cold.

"Were there specifics?"

"No--just that he's missing and that there's reason to believe he's been coerced and is being held against his will."

"It was on a secured line, but not encrypted," a second voice spoke.

There was a long pause. "What should we do, Ma'am?" the last voice said.

"Did they state where they were looking for him?"

"No," the second voice replied, "we think this was just a preliminary message that was sent days ago."

"Any other transmissions?" Leia asked.

"Negative. This is the only First Order message we've managed to pick up in months."

"Is there a ship nearby?"

"Not that we can tell, but we're being cautious in our searches to not compromise our location."

"Excellent. Until any further developments, we do nothing. We're going to keep our heads down for as long as we can. Keep me posted."

"Sorry to have awoken you, General."

Ben hurried away quietly.

~

"I'd like to leave."

"Well, hello to you too."

Ben hadn't spoken to his mother since their last testy interaction. Ben remained silent, not saying hello back. Leia frowned.

"Leave?"

"Yes. The planet."

Days had passed since Ben had eavesdropped on the conversation the Resistance members had with Leia. Since then, Ben had been avoiding everyone as he tried to make up his mind about what he was going to do.

Leia walked away from the small group of people she was talking to, briefly muttering "excuse me". She took her son by the arm, and they walked through the encampment, arms linked.

"May I ask why?"

"Is there someplace private we can talk?"

"Of course. Let's go to my bunker."

As soon as they were inside, Leia shut and locked the door. They moved to where she kept her desk and they both sat down. Ben immediately put his head in his hands, rubbed his face, and then looked at her.

"I don't belong here."

The General rose her eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"Everyone hates me."

She laughed. "That's a rather sweeping statement."

Ben remained serious. "Most people here would love nothing more than to stab me in the back; literally."

"Rey likes you. Poe seems to have warmed up to you. I love you."

"Finn told me that if I ever did anything to harm Rey, he'd kill me."

Leia frowned, briefly drumming her hands on the desk.

"You can't deny that I am the very embodiment of everything everyone here is fighting against. I am the very vessel of what they hate. They don't want to see past what I've done," he said, becoming impassioned. "I don't blame them."

"Give it time."

"How much?"

"As long as it takes."