I n f i n i t u m

Chapter Twenty One

The ride toward the territory was fairly short, given that it was only a small branch of this organization's dominion. Nonetheless, it was still too close to Aegis Stronghold for comfort. Roary parked the humvee underneath the tree-line, where it would be sheltered by the wild undergrowth, and the other vehicle Roary and Hudson rode in pulled up behind us. We all filed out with our packs already strapped onto ourselves.

"Alright ladies," Wren began, nudging his helmet lower down above his eyes, "I want a full spread of the perimeter. Hak with Santiago to the north, Hudson you take east with Roary, Fang and I'll take care of west. Anything suspicious, you radio in."

I stuck to Wren's heel, silently following him through the forest until we reached a clearing that overlooked a valley miles down. Right at the center was a chain of buildings surrounded by a chain-linked fence and a cement wall. There were armed men sauntering at all corners of the compound and a single watch tower positioned alongside what appeared to be the entrance in.

Just as the thought of whether a sniper was posted there or not crossed my mind, a minuscule flash of light reflected off of what was definitely a scope that had swept past where we stood. Wren quickly pulled me behind a bush and we both crouched down.

"No getting caught today, Fang," he joked with a toothy grin.

I didn't smile, but only turned back to train my vigil again on each of the men I could lay my eyes on. I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for. We crouched and sat for what seemed like hours. Wren tried to initiate a conversation throughout the duration of the time, but I'd let it die out each try.

"Sarge, do you copy?" Santiago's voice suddenly crackled through the walkie on Wren's chest.

"Come in."

"Convoy incoming. Three clicks from south. Over."

We both snapped our heads in the direction he'd said and sure enough, there was a dust cloud in the near distance gaining.

"Keep alert. Over and out."

Wren looked off. He looked...too serious. Either he didn't expect for this convoy to come, or that was just how his face was, but I doubted the latter because the guy was almost never serious, always cracking a joke whenever he could.

I kept my gaze planted on the convoy until I could make out two black vans and a matching sleek sports car leading from the front. I raised a brow at the extravagance of it. I could hear the engine from all the way over here.

"This place was practically deserted for the past four months. We've been keeping tabs on it, but this is the first time anyone's ever approached the compound."

I watched as the black sports car screeched to a stop in front of the gates. That door opened and out stretched a bulky male. Clad in all black, his pale blond hair stood out like a sore thumb while dark shades were propped low on his perfect nose bridge. I almost couldn't look away until the passenger side door swung open and Irene stepped out, making me sharply intake air as all the blood drained from my face.

I would know that monster from anywhere.

She was practically burnt into my memories— the very backs of my eyelids every time I'd go to sleep, I'd hear her laughter and my friends screams in my nightmares.

Wren must've sensed my growing meltdown because I felt a cool grasp around my wrist in the next moment. His eyes showed genuine concern.

Irene and the man were gone, already inside the gates.

I spared Wren, who now looked startled, a single glance before I moved. He scrambled to his feet, rushing to reach out and grab a hold of me, but I escaped his hands and began to sprint down the hill, dodging branches left and right. I could hear the blood roaring in my ears. It became all that I could focus on until something whizzed past my face— a burning sensation accompanying the jarring feeling soon after.