Daystar

21| Paralysis

Tianshi Chen, Indian Ocean
July 5, 2056
07:34 Hours
22℃

Kara slid into her kitchen, half a granola bar crammed into her mouth as she ransacked the cabinets for some coffee. She spared a glance at her wristwatch and swore. Screw the coffee. Today was not the day to be late.

She stuffed the rest of her breakfast into her mouth, pulled on a pair of shoes, and snatched her purse from the couch. Two breaths later, Kara watched her hands fumble with the doorknob before finally hauling it open.

"I figured you could use this," Chester said, offering a thermos of what Kara hoped was a vanilla spice latte. Patches of blue and purple were smudged beneath his eyes, worry lines creasing at his mouth as he attempted half a smile.

"You look like shit," Kara frowned. Chester's smile was genuine as he replied, "I could say the same for you." Kara nudged him with a shoulder, accepting the thermos into her hands, grateful for the heat that seeped into her fingers.

"How much did I miss yesterday?" she took a tentative sip of her drink, pleasantly surprised to find that Chester had known exactly what she'd wanted.

"A lot," he admitted. He ran an anxious hand through his hair as he led Kara down the hall. "Yesterday wasn't a good day for the team."

Kara slowed to a stop at that, turning to look Chester in the eyes. "Asher and Somer, are they...?" Kara couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"Oh, they're alive," Chester's brows raised and he shook his head. "Probably wishing that they weren't, though."

Good enough for me, Kara thought as they stepped into the elevator. "And Bomani? Anton?"

Chester's lips twisted, face drawn. "Anton's fine. Bomani..."

Kara's heart dropped to her stomach at Chester's expression. "He didn't make it," she all but whispered, struggling to keep her breath in check as the weight sitting in her chest doubled.

"I'm sorry, Kara. There–" Chester winced. "There was nothing you could have done."

"What happened?"

"Grenade. He tried to take cover behind–"

"Why the hell was there a grenade? Where did they send them?"

Chester scuffed his derbies on the textures carpet. "The Middle East. Israel."

Kara could practically feel the blood drain from her face. She'd heard plenty about the Middle East. The entire region was practically deserted, thanks to poisoned water, war, and collapsed governments. Those who remained were territorial and brutal. The idea of her boys being sent there...

"Kara? Are you with me? I know it's a lot to take in. Do you want to go back to your room? You don't have work today, no one would even question it–"

"No." Kara cut him off firmly. As if on cue, the doors dinged open. "I need to see them."

The car ride to the facility was uneventful, though Kara didn't miss any of the worried glances Chester tossed her way. After eight minutes of stifling silence, Kara made sure she was the first out of the car and wasted no time in marching up the steps to the front doors.

"Slow down, Wonder Woman," Chester called. "Some of us haven't had any coffee this morning."

De Ven had kept his word about upgrading her clearance. Security was a breeze. Chester had barely caught up when she shoved open the twin oak doors that led to the control room.

Kara had been in this room before, the only difference was now, she actually wanted to be here. Rows of desks faced the front of the room, covered in paper and reports. Despite the desktop computers that sat at every workstation, employees ran around with one hand balancing a laptop and the other typing frantically. Rulers and red markers were strewn across the floor, and most of the rolling office chairs went unused.