Page 323 of Scars of Fate

“It never is when it’s your blood.”

He took my hand and wrapped gauze around it.

The tenderness of the gesture didn’t match the violence of the last few minutes.

That was Lucas.

A weapon to everyone else.

Gentle with me.

Always.

Adam dragged Captain Aras into the cabin.

The pilot’s face was bloody.

One eye had already begun to swell.

He looked toward the wafer in my other hand.

“You don’t understand what you’re carrying.”

Lucas stepped between us.

“Then explain it.”

Aras laughed weakly.

“The code doesn’t only unlock Fate.”

“What else does it do?” Hawk asked from the cockpit.

“It authorizes deployment.”

Ghost’s voice came over the private radio.

“Don’t listen to him.”

The pilot looked toward the speaker.

“Ghost. So Kane hasn’t killed you yet.”

“Disappointing, isn’t it?” Ghost answered.

Aras smiled.

“You still haven’t told them.”

Lucas looked toward the radio.

“Told us what?”

Ghost didn’t answer.

The silence said enough.

“Ghost,” Adam warned. “What does the key authorize?”