False Gods | The Prime Archives #3 ✓

eleven

Stella nodded slowly even though she had no idea what he was feeling. How could she? She had twenty-years to learn how to be a human. Orion had a few weeks.

"They'll warm up to you eventually," she told him. She pursed her lips. "Actually, they probably won't. They barely like me. But that's the Jaegers for you. I promise everyone else at Atlas is much more welcoming."

"You're probably right."

He kept his eyes on his hands. Stella shifted in her seat as she watched him. A few seconds later, the pilot announced that they would be landing soon.

"Well, it was nice talking with you," she told Orion. "I'll see you around."

"Yes," he replied as he looked at her. "You will."

#

Stella was dreading her call with General North.

Upon arriving at the abandoned barn, she found herself pacing in front of the makeshift communication center built in the center of the hay-covered floor. A television screen along with a few speakers and a computer sat before her. The general's contact had already been pulled up on the screen. All she had to do was press enter on the keyboard.

A bead of sweat formed on her temple as she bit her fingernail.

Sighing, she started the call. After a few long, agonizing rings, the man picked up.

He was sat in his office back at The Acropolis with a cigar hanging out the side of his mouth. The wrinkles in his forehead revealed themselves as he squinted at her.

"Good afternoon, sir—"

"So, let me get this straight," he interrupted, his tone sharper than a knife. "You let them escape?"

"Er, not all of them sir," she replied through gritted teeth. Clearing her throat, she forced herself to stand up straight and kept her expression neutral. "We're working on tracking down the others."

"Which ones didn't you get?"

"Sentinel, Titan, Reverb, Apex. Archie and Isra are with them as well."

General North paused and stroked his bushy mustache. "Did you manage to capture Black Hole?"

She nodded.

The man smiled from ear-to-ear. "Excellent news." He dropped his smile and replaced it with a look of disappointment. "Still, it is concerning that you allowed such high-profile targets to escape."

"I promise it won't happen again, sir."

"Oh, you're right about that."

She blinked at him. "Excuse me? I'm not sure I get what you mean."

"You won't be leading our next encounter with The Exiles."

She blinked again. This she was more agitated than stunned. "You can't do that."

"I can and I will." The man took a drag from his cigar. The gray smoke poured out from his mouth like the snout of a dragon. "We cannot allow them to slip through the cracks again."

"This is my squad," Stella protested. Her lip curled as she stomped her foot into the ground. "This is mymission."

The general arched an eyebrow at her. "Don't forget who you're talking to, Starchild."

A half-hearted apology left her lips as she stared at the floor. She ran her tongue over her teeth as she tried to prevent a sneer from appearing on her lips. At her sides, her hands curled into fists.