Page 100 of Aviatrix

“She didn’t come from Langdon,” Lark replies before I can. “She came from somewhere else.”

“Where?” Sasha presses, arching a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

Lark smirks. “That’s above your pay grade, Ivanov.”

I stifle a laugh as Sasha lets out an indignant huff.

“We’ll reconvene tomorrow morning at 0800 hours,” Lark finishes. “Ivanov will present Space Command’s findings then.” He pauses before adding, “If there’s anything to report on their ships.”

“There will be,” Sasha promises.

“Dismissed until tomorrow,” Lark announces. “Captain Quay, please stay behind.”

I groan as Eli pulls a pager-like device from his pocket and exhales.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Yeah. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Everyone files out. I linger, stomach twisted in knots. There’s already too much on my plate, and I have a feeling Lark’s about to flip it into the air and set it on fire.

“What’s up?” I ask him once the room is empty.

The scent of his cologne hits me. Woodsy, grounding, once comforting. Now, it’s just… off. Familiar, but no longer welcome.

“Walker was a dead end?”

I nod. “Yep. He gave me nothing.”

“You’re hiding something,” he says quietly. I didn’t think I was that transparent, but I did live with him for almost three years. He knows my tells. I never could read his.

“You sent me to meet with a guy who thinks aliens abducted him. He gave me nothing.” I swallow hard before adding, “I’m not hiding anything.” But I am. I just don’t trust what Lark will do if he finds out the aliens made contact again. I’ll be locked inside this mountain base forever.

“Did you sleep with him?” Lark blurts.

My breath catches at the slap of it—unexpected, cheap, and beneath him.

“No.” My response is immediate. “Why would you even ask that?”

“Because you’ve been unreachable for three goddamn days, Kinley!”

“The General knew where I was,” I shoot back. “He knew how to reach me. He knew I was safe.”

“Were you?” His breathing is staggered. “Or were you sleeping with your ex-boyfriend?”

I scoff, dragging a hand over my face. “We’re nothing, me and you. I don’t answer to you. And even if I did, my personal life is not your business anymore.”

“I’m your commanding officer!” he snaps. “You’re under my command and my authority.”

I laugh, disbelieving and bitter. “We’re not at Langdon anymore, Lark. That base is gone. Just like us. So no, I’m not under your authority. I don’t answer to you any more than I do Sasha. This is war. This is real.”

“You don’t think I know that?” His voice breaks just a little. “You don’t think I’ve lost everything in this war? I lost you and I lost my dad.”

“Then, tell me why you were at a Legion meeting eighteen years ago.”

His expression hardens. “You’ve got a lot of nerve walking in here and accusing me like this.”

“Just seems like you know more than you’re saying,” I press. “Walker knew the Legion was real, and he had your job before you. Makes me wonder if you do, too.”