The first Fallen soldier died without ever knowing someone had been standing behind him.
Castiel's Shadow Blade slipped beneath the exposed edge of the soldier's helmet, severing his life before a warning could escape his throat. The guard's knees buckled, but Castiel caught him beneath the arms and guided him backward into the thick vegetation bordering the camp.
Three paces away, Mira intercepted the second soldier.
Her Prediction Field had already revealed the movement he was about to make.
A slight turn of his head.
A shift in his shoulders.
His right hand beginning to move toward the powered blade at his hip.
Mira stepped inside his reach before the motion was complete.
One of her twin blades caught his wrist, preventing him from drawing. The other entered the narrow opening beneath his breastplate.
The Fallen stiffened.
Mira caught his weight and lowered him behind a tangle of roots.
Neither body made a sound when it touched the ground.
For several seconds, the jungle remained undisturbed.
Castiel glanced toward the narrow passage where the patrol had been walking.
Two empty positions.
No alarm.
No movement from the nearby watch station.
He turned toward Mira and raised two fingers.
She nodded.
Thirteen remained.
Beyond the outer barricade, the Fallen camp continued operating beneath the fading evening light. Illumination units mounted along the storage shelters cast pale blue circles across the packed earth, leaving deep pockets of darkness between the structures.
It was those shadows Castiel intended to use.
He crouched beside Mira beneath the sprawling roots of an enormous tree.
"Next patrol crosses the supply passage in thirty seconds," he whispered.
Mira studied the two guards visible between the shelters.
"One watching the jungle. One watching the storage entrance."
"Which one do you want?"
"The one watching the jungle."
Castiel gave a faint smile.
"Thought so."
Mira glanced at him.
"Why?"
"He's the more observant one."
"And?"
"You always take the difficult target."
She considered that.
"Then stop leaving them for me."
Castiel almost laughed.
Instead, he lowered himself farther into the shadows.
"Shadow Veil."
Darkness gathered around his armor, softening its outline until the distinction between his body and the surrounding vegetation became difficult to follow.
Mira watched the effect settle over him.
Then they moved.
The second patrol entered the supply passage moments later.
One soldier carried a long powered blade across his back. The other had a compact communication device secured against his chest.
The device concerned Mira more than the weapon.
A single warning could bring reinforcements.
And reinforcements would give the Fallen enough time to kill the prisoners.
She adjusted her approach, keeping the communication device within view.
The two guards stopped beside a stack of reinforced containers.
"Western patrol should have reported by now," the first soldier said.
His companion glanced toward the jungle.
"They're probably checking the perimeter."
"They're late."
"Then contact them."
The first soldier reached for his communication device.
Mira moved.
"Prediction Field."
His intended movement unfolded before her.
He would lift the device.
Turn toward the storage entrance.
Press the transmitter.
She crossed the distance before his thumb reached the control.
Her blade struck his wrist, forcing his hand away from the device.
Before he could react, her second blade found the vulnerable opening beneath his armor.
She caught him against her shoulder.
At the same instant, Castiel emerged behind the other soldier.
His Shadow Blade flashed across the guard's exposed neck.
The Fallen attempted to turn.
Castiel caught him before he could fall, one hand closing around the armor beneath his shoulder.
Both soldiers disappeared behind the containers.
A few seconds later, Castiel emerged alone.
Mira followed, wiping her blade with a cloth taken from one of the dead guards.
"Four," Castiel whispered.
"Eleven," Mira replied.
He glanced at her.
"You're counting backward?"
"It's more useful."
"Depends on whether you're optimistic."
Mira looked toward the inner storage section.
"I'm practical."
Castiel smiled.
"That's one way to describe it."
They continued deeper into the camp.
***
The inner perimeter was more heavily guarded.
Reinforced storage shelters stood in two uneven rows, connected by narrow maintenance passages and covered walkways. Beyond them, a larger clearing contained the holding enclosures where the captured human soldiers were being kept.
Castiel could see the prisoners through gaps between the structures.
Men and women in damaged military uniforms sat behind reinforced barriers. Some leaned against one another for support. Others remained motionless beneath the harsh light of the overhead lamps.
Several wore restraints.
One soldier lay on the ground while another pressed a piece of torn fabric against a wound in his leg.
Castiel's expression hardened.
Mira noticed.
"Stay focused," she whispered.
"I am."
"Then stop watching the prisoners."
He looked toward her.
For a moment, his expression remained cold.
Then he nodded.
"Right."
They had ten more guards to eliminate before anyone could be freed.
And the next six were scattered throughout the storage section.
The first two stood beside a maintenance relay.
One was examining a damaged power conduit while the other watched the central passage.
Castiel studied their positions from behind a reinforced container.
"Too much light."
Mira looked toward the overhead illumination unit.
"Not everywhere."
A narrow strip of darkness ran behind the maintenance relay.
It was barely wide enough for someone to move through without brushing against the wall.
Castiel followed her gaze.
"That'll work."
He began moving.
Mira caught his wrist.
"Wait."
Castiel stopped.
The guard beside the relay had suddenly straightened.
He looked toward the passage they had crossed moments earlier.
"Did you hear something?"
His companion glanced up.
"Hear what?"
"Something near the western storage section."
The second soldier frowned.
"Probably one of the patrols."
The first guard continued staring into the darkness.
Then he reached toward the communication device mounted on his armor.
Castiel looked at Mira.
She had already drawn one blade.
The guard pressed the transmitter.
"Western patrol, report."
Silence.
He tried again.
"Western patrol, respond."
Nothing.
His companion stepped away from the relay.
"Maybe their equipment failed."
"Both patrols?"
The first guard looked toward the western passage.
"Something's wrong."
He began moving.
Castiel knew they had seconds before the soldier reached the area where the missing patrols should have been.
He glanced toward Mira.
She nodded once.
Castiel stepped into the narrow strip of darkness.
"Shadow Veil."
His outline dissolved against the wall.
The suspicious guard passed within an arm's length of him.
Castiel waited until the soldier's attention shifted toward the western passage.
Then he moved.
His Shadow Blade struck the guard beneath the shoulder.
The Fallen twisted violently, raising his arm.
Castiel drove the blade into the same opening.
"Rend."
The second strike amplified the damage of the first.
The soldier's resistance vanished.
Castiel caught him before his armor struck the wall.
Across the passage, the second guard heard the faint scrape of movement.
He turned.
"What's happening?"
Mira emerged from behind the relay.
The Fallen reached for his weapon.
"Prediction Field."
She saw the angle of his draw before the blade cleared its housing.
Her first strike intercepted his wrist.
"Echo Strike."
Her second blade followed through the opening she had created, ending the encounter before he could call out.
She caught the soldier as he collapsed.
For a moment, both cadets remained motionless.
The communication device on the first guard's armor crackled.
"Maintenance station, report."
Castiel looked down.
Another voice came through.
"Is there a problem with the western patrol?"
Mira's eyes narrowed.
Castiel carefully lowered the dead guard behind the relay.
He touched his own communication device.
"June."
A faint response came almost immediately.
"Go ahead."
"We have a problem. One of the guards contacted the western patrol. No response. Someone's asking questions."
June's tone changed.
"Understood. Give me a second."
Castiel looked toward the central passage.
A Fallen soldier was moving between two distant structures.
If someone came to investigate, their cover would be compromised.
"June," he whispered.
"I'm working on it."
A few tense seconds passed.
Then the dead guard's communication device activated again.
A short burst of static.
A series of sharp tones.
The distant voice returned.
"Maintenance station, acknowledge."
June spoke quietly through Castiel's receiver.
"I've isolated the local channel. I can interfere with what they're hearing, but I can't guarantee their command network won't notice."
Castiel glanced toward Mira.
"How long?"
"Not long. Whatever you're doing, do it faster."
Mira was already pulling the dead guard behind the maintenance relay.
Castiel helped conceal the second body beneath a heavy equipment covering.
When they finished, the passage appeared empty.
Six guards eliminated.
Nine remained.
Mira looked toward the next row of storage structures.
"We need to move."
Castiel nodded.
"Agreed."
They slipped into the darkness.
***
The seventh guard almost discovered them.
He emerged from a storage shelter carrying a damaged energy cell, apparently intending to deliver it to the maintenance station.
Castiel and Mira were crossing the narrow passage when the shelter door opened.
The Fallen stepped outside.
All three froze.
For an instant, the guard stared directly toward them.
Castiel's Shadow Veil concealed much of his outline, but Mira stood in a narrow patch of illumination.
The soldier's eyes widened.
His mouth opened.
Mira moved before he could shout.
Her blade flashed toward his throat.
The Fallen reacted faster than she expected.
He dropped the energy cell and caught her wrist.
The heavy container struck the ground with a dull metallic impact.
Castiel lunged forward.
The guard twisted, dragging Mira toward him as he reached for the powered blade at his hip.
Mira's Prediction Field revealed the motion.
She shifted her weight, turning with his grip rather than fighting against it.
His blade cleared its housing.
Castiel's Shadow Blade struck the weapon before it could reach her.
Metal rang against energized steel.
The sound was louder than either cadet wanted.
The guard opened his mouth again.
Mira drove her free blade beneath his breastplate.
The Fallen staggered.
Castiel caught him from behind, forcing him backward against the shelter wall.
Mira struck a second time.
The soldier went still.
Together, they lowered him to the ground.
Castiel immediately looked toward the nearby passage.
No one appeared.
But the energy cell remained where it had fallen.
A faint warning indicator flashed across its damaged casing.
Mira noticed it.
"Move it."
Castiel picked up the container.
The casing was beginning to emit a thin stream of vapor.
He carried it back inside the storage shelter and placed it among several similar units.
Mira dragged the body through the doorway.
They closed the shelter.
A few moments later, footsteps approached.
Castiel and Mira remained hidden behind the interior containers.
Through a narrow gap beside the door, they saw another Fallen soldier enter the passage.
He stopped.
Looked toward the storage shelter.
Then toward the maintenance station.
"Where did everyone go?"
Castiel slowly drew his blade.
Mira watched the soldier through the gap.
The Fallen approached the shelter.
His hand reached toward the door.
Castiel glanced at Mira.
She raised one finger.
Wait.
The guard opened the door.
He stepped inside.
The moment he crossed the threshold, Castiel emerged from behind the containers.
His Shadow Blade struck the soldier's weapon arm.
The Fallen staggered sideways.
Mira moved from the opposite direction.
"Echo Strike."
Her twin blades struck in rapid succession, the second finding the opening created by the first.
Castiel caught the guard as he collapsed.
Together, they lowered him beside the first body.
Mira closed the door.
Silence returned.
Castiel exhaled slowly.
"That was close."
Mira looked toward the bodies.
"Too close."
He examined the narrow opening beneath the door.
"No one saw us."
"Someone heard the energy cell."
"Probably."
Mira looked toward him.
"Then we have to finish before they investigate."
Castiel nodded.
"Eight."
"Seven."
He gave her a faint smile.
"Still counting backward."
"Still practical."
They moved toward the final inner patrol.
***
The ninth and tenth guards stood near the passage leading to the central holding area.
One carried a long powered blade.
The other wore a communication device connected directly to the camp's internal command network.
Unlike the earlier patrols, these soldiers were not wandering between structures.
They were watching the approaches.
Castiel studied their positions from behind a maintenance barrier.
The passage offered almost no cover.
A narrow walkway ran between two reinforced walls, illuminated by a pair of overhead lamps.
Beyond it, the central enclosure was clearly visible.
Five additional Fallen stood near the prisoners.
Castiel could see the lieutenant among them.
He looked toward Mira.
"Once we take these two, we're at the holding area."
She nodded.
"The communicator first."
Castiel examined the device.
"Agreed."
They waited for the guards to separate.
But neither moved.
One soldier leaned against the wall while the other examined a display mounted beside the passage.
Several seconds passed.
Then the soldier with the communication device spoke.
"Maintenance station still hasn't responded."
His companion looked toward him.
"Again?"
"Third time."
"Then send someone."
The soldier reached for his transmitter.
Castiel felt the situation tightening.
If the guards contacted command, June's interference might no longer be enough.
Mira looked toward the overhead lamps.
Then toward the narrow shadow beneath the walkway.
She leaned closer to Castiel.
"Can you reach the wall behind them?"
"With Shadow Veil."
"I'll draw their attention."
Castiel frowned.
"That puts you in the open."
"Only for a moment."
He studied the two guards.
Then nodded.
"All right."
Mira slipped around the maintenance barrier.
Castiel moved into the darkness beneath the walkway.
"Shadow Veil."
The shadows gathered around him.
Mira stepped into the illuminated passage.
The guard nearest the display noticed her immediately.
"Identify yourself!"
She continued forward.
The soldier drew his powered blade.
His companion lifted the communication device.
"Intruder at the central—"
Castiel emerged behind him.
His Shadow Blade struck the soldier's raised arm, severing the movement before he could activate the transmitter.
The device fell from his hand.
The guard spun toward Castiel, drawing his own weapon.
Their blades collided.
Castiel shifted sideways, allowing the Fallen's momentum to carry him forward.
His Shadow Blade struck beneath the soldier's shoulder.
The guard staggered.
Castiel followed with a second strike to the exact same point.
"Rend."
The amplified damage ended the struggle.
Castiel caught the soldier and dragged him into the shadows.
Across the passage, Mira faced the remaining guard.
The Fallen lunged.
His powered blade cut through the air where she had stood an instant earlier.
"Prediction Field."
Mira moved before the next strike began.
She stepped around his weapon, one blade catching his wrist while the other swept toward his exposed side.
The guard twisted away.
His armor absorbed part of the impact.
He counterattacked immediately.
Mira ducked beneath the blade.
Her first strike opened a narrow gap beneath his raised arm.
"Echo Strike."
The second blade drove through it.
The Fallen stumbled.
Mira caught his armor and guided him backward against the wall.
He collapsed without another sound.
For several seconds, neither cadet moved.
The camp remained quiet.
No alarm sounded.
No reinforcements appeared.
Castiel looked toward the central holding area.
"Ten."
Mira wiped her blades.
"Five."
The remaining guards stood beyond the next barrier.
And unlike the patrols they had eliminated, those five were all positioned around the prisoners.
Castiel studied the enclosure.
His expression slowly changed.
"This is going to be a problem."
Mira followed his gaze.
She had already reached the same conclusion.
***
The holding area was surrounded by reinforced fencing and illuminated by several powerful overhead lamps.
Forty-three human prisoners were visible inside.
Some sat against the barriers, their uniforms torn and stained with dried blood. Others remained standing, supporting wounded companions who could barely hold themselves upright.
A Fallen lieutenant stood near the entrance.
His armor was darker than that of the ordinary soldiers, with crimson markings running across the breastplate and shoulders.
Four guards surrounded him.
Two watched the entrance.
One stood on an elevated platform overlooking the prisoners.
The fourth remained beside a control station connected to the enclosure's locking mechanisms.
The arrangement was deliberate.
Each guard could see at least one of the others.
Any attack against the lieutenant would be witnessed by the soldiers near the entrance.
Any attack against the entrance guards would be visible from the elevated platform.
And the soldier at the control station could activate the alarm or seal the prisoners inside.
Castiel examined the positions.
"Five targets. No blind spots."
Mira nodded.
"Not enough for a conventional approach."
"I could reach the elevated guard."
"The lieutenant would see him fall."
"Then we take the lieutenant first."
"The entrance guards would react."
Castiel frowned.
"We could draw one away."
Mira shook her head.
"Not without attracting attention."
He looked toward the prisoners.
A wounded soldier near the entrance was struggling to stand.
Two others tried to help him, but his legs refused to support his weight.
The lieutenant noticed.
He approached the barrier.
"Get away from the gate."
The wounded man attempted to move.
His companions helped him backward.
The lieutenant struck the fencing with the hilt of his powered sword.
Several prisoners flinched.
"Did you hear me?"
One of the soldiers supporting the wounded man raised his hands.
"He's injured. He can't move any faster."
The lieutenant turned toward him.
"Then perhaps he should be removed."
Castiel's hand tightened around the hilt of his Shadow Blade.
Mira noticed.
"Don't."
Castiel stared at the lieutenant.
"He's threatening a wounded prisoner."
"I can see that."
"Then we need to move."
"If you rush him, the others will react."
Castiel looked toward the guard beside the control station.
He understood.
The prisoners would be caught between them.
Mira studied the five Fallen again.
Their positions.
Their weapons.
The distances separating them.
The shadows beneath the elevated platform.
The narrow darkness cast by the enclosure walls.
The lieutenant's stance.
The way the entrance guards shifted their weight.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
When she opened them, her expression had changed.
Castiel noticed immediately.
"What?"
Mira reached toward a narrow compartment concealed beneath her armor.
Her fingers brushed against something inside.
"There's another way."
Castiel looked toward the guards.
"What way?"
"I can eliminate all five."
He turned toward her.
"At once?"
"Close enough."
Castiel studied her face.
She wasn't smiling.
She wasn't boasting.
She spoke with the same quiet certainty she used when identifying an opponent's weakness.
"How?"
Mira looked toward the holding area.
Then whispered something.
"Aces and Eights."
Castiel frowned.
"What did you say?"
"I said Aces and Eights."
"What's that?"
Mira slowly drew her twin blades.
"It's an old Solen Clan expression. We use it when a mission is considered impossible and death is almost certain."
Castiel glanced toward the five guards.
"That's a cheerful tradition."
Mira ignored the remark.
"Aces and Eights. A dead man's hand."
Castiel studied her.
"And what does that have to do with killing five Fallen?"
Mira looked toward him.
"It means there's no room left for hesitation."
He glanced toward the guards again.
"You're planning something."
"Yes."
"Something dangerous?"
"Very."
Castiel's expression became serious.
"Mira, we can call David. Gamma can move in."
"And the prisoners?"
He looked toward the enclosure.
The lieutenant had drawn his powered sword.
The wounded soldier was still struggling to move away from the gate.
Castiel knew what would happen if the guards became aware of an attack.
The prisoners would be the first to suffer.
Mira stepped closer.
"Stay here."
Castiel frowned.
"You're going alone?"
"For this part."
"Five armed Fallen, including a lieutenant."
"I counted."
He looked at her.
"Mira—"
"Trust me."
There was something in her voice that stopped him.
Castiel had known Mira long enough to recognize when she was uncertain.
This wasn't uncertainty.
It was preparation.
He slowly nodded.
"All right."
Mira turned toward the holding area.
She examined the five guards one final time.
Then she loosened her shoulders.
Her fingers briefly touched the concealed compartment beneath her armor.
Castiel noticed the movement.
"What are you doing?"
"Preparing."
"For what?"
Mira didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze settled on the lieutenant.
"Thirty seconds," she whispered.
Castiel frowned.
"What?"
"That's how long I have."
Before he could ask another question, Mira stepped into the darkness beside the enclosure.
Her voice was barely audible.
"Shadow Ghost."
The shadows moved.
Not outward.
Not toward her.
They seemed to fold around her body.
For one impossible instant, Castiel watched her outline stretch across the ground like a reflection disturbed by water.
Then she vanished.
His eyes widened.
"Mira?"
There was no answer.
A faint movement crossed the edge of the holding area.
Castiel turned toward it.
Nothing.
Then the first Fallen soldier stiffened.
***
The guard nearest the entrance was watching the prisoners when a shadow passed behind him.
He felt something cold touch the opening beneath his helmet.
A blade.
Before his body could react, Mira caught his wrist.
Her other hand moved with astonishing precision.
Two cards slid between his fingers.
An Ace of Spades.
An Eight of Spades.
She closed his hand around them.
Then she disappeared into the darkness.
The guard's knees had only just begun to bend.
The second soldier noticed movement beside him.
He turned.
His eyes caught a fleeting shape.
A woman.
Twin blades.
Then darkness.
Mira passed inside his reach.
Her blade entered the narrow opening beneath his armor.
As his weapon slipped from his grasp, she caught his hand.
Two cards appeared between his fingers.
An Ace of Spades.
An Eight of Spades.
She secured them in his grasp before releasing him.
Two.
The first soldier was still falling.
Mira moved again.
The third guard stood beside the control station.
His attention had shifted toward the entrance.
He saw the first two soldiers beginning to collapse.
His mouth opened.
His hand moved toward the alarm.
A shadow crossed the control panel.
Mira appeared between him and the transmitter.
Her blade struck before his fingers touched the controls.
She caught his wrist as his body began to fail.
An Ace of Spades.
An Eight of Spades.
The cards settled into his hand.
She closed his fingers around them.
Then vanished.
Three.
Castiel tried to follow her movement.
His eyes swept from the entrance to the control station.
He saw bodies beginning to fall.
But he couldn't see Mira.
Not clearly.
Only fleeting distortions in the shadows.
A dark shape moving faster than his eyes could track.
The fourth guard stood on the elevated platform.
He noticed the movement below.
Three soldiers were collapsing.
The lieutenant was reaching for his sword.
The guard opened his mouth to shout.
A shadow rose behind him.
Mira appeared.
Her blade flashed across the exposed opening beneath his helmet.
The soldier's body stiffened.
Before his knees buckled, Mira caught his hand.
Two cards slipped between his fingers.
An Ace of Spades.
An Eight of Spades.
She secured them in place.
Then released him.
Four.
The guard began falling from the platform.
The lieutenant finally understood that something was attacking them.
But understanding came too late.
He had seen his soldiers begin to fall.
He had seen movement that should have been impossible.
And now he felt something approaching from the darkness behind him.
He spun.
His powered sword cleared its housing.
A dark blur crossed his vision.
He swung.
The blade struck nothing.
Mira appeared beside him.
The lieutenant reacted with surprising speed, turning his sword toward her.
For the briefest instant, Castiel saw the two figures clearly.
The armored Fallen officer.
And Mira standing inside the reach of his weapon.
Then she moved.
Her first blade caught the lieutenant's sword arm.
Her second struck beneath the edge of his breastplate.
The Fallen staggered.
Mira stepped closer.
Her blades crossed.
The lieutenant's resistance vanished.
Before his weapon struck the ground, she caught his wrist.
Her fingers moved across his palm.
An Ace of Spades.
An Eight of Spades.
She closed his hand around them.
Five.
The shadows rippled.
Mira emerged several paces beyond the lieutenant, her twin blades held low.
For a moment, the entire holding area seemed frozen.
Five Fallen soldiers stood in the final instant of their lives.
Their weapons were slipping from their hands.
Their bodies were beginning to collapse.
And every one of them already held two playing cards.
Then the first body struck the ground.
The second followed.
The third collapsed beside the control station.
The fourth fell from the elevated platform.
And the lieutenant dropped to his knees before pitching forward onto the packed earth.
Five bodies.
Ten cards.
Not a single warning.
Not a single alarm.
Castiel remained motionless.
He had watched battles against creatures capable of tearing through reinforced armor.
He had seen David wield Spatial Severance against enemies far beyond their level.
He had witnessed Gifts that bent light, manipulated blood, and shattered stone.
But this was different.
Mira hadn't overwhelmed the Fallen with destructive power.
She had simply removed five lives from the battlefield before anyone could understand what was happening.
Castiel slowly stepped from the shadows.
"Mira?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Her breathing was heavier than usual.
She stood with her blades lowered, staring toward the enclosure.
Then her right hand trembled.
Only slightly.
But Castiel noticed.
He approached.
"Are you all right?"
Mira drew a slow breath.
"Yes."
"Your hand."
She looked down.
Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade.
The trembling stopped.
"I reached my limit."
Castiel glanced toward the bodies.
"Your limit?"
"Five."
He stared at her.
"You just eliminated five Fallen soldiers before the first one hit the ground."
"Yes."
"And you're calling that your limit?"
Mira nodded.
"Thirty seconds. That's all I can maintain Shadow Ghost."
Castiel looked toward the lieutenant.
Then toward the guard who had fallen from the elevated platform.
He examined the cards in their hands.
"How did you even manage those?"
Mira followed his gaze.
"The cards are part of the technique."
"What do you mean?"
"Each target has to be killed and marked before I move to the next. If I fail to place the cards during the killing movement, the sequence is incomplete."
Castiel stared at her.
"You're telling me you were carrying playing cards while moving that fast?"
"Yes."
"And you placed two in every soldier's hand?"
"Yes."
"Before the first body hit the ground?"
Mira looked at him.
"You watched it happen."
Castiel opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
He looked toward the lieutenant again.
The Ace and Eight of Spades remained in the Fallen officer's hand.
"Why those cards?"
Mira sheathed one blade.
"Aces and Eights. A dead man's hand. It's the Solen Clan's signature when Shadow Ghost is used."
Castiel frowned.
"So anyone who knows about your clan will recognize them?"
"Anyone who knows what the cards mean."
"And the more experienced assassins?"
Mira sheathed her second blade.
"Some can eliminate ten targets during one activation."
Castiel slowly turned toward her.
"Ten?"
"Ten kills. Twenty cards. Each victim marked before moving to the next."
He stared.
Mira adjusted the fastening on her armor.
"I still need more practice."
Castiel gave a disbelieving laugh.
"More practice?"
She nodded.
"Five isn't enough for every situation."
He looked toward the five dead Fallen.
Then back at her.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Mira turned toward the prisoners.
"Now you're sounding like June."
Castiel gave a faint smile.
"That's a terrifying thought."
Mira was already moving toward the holding area.
"Then keep up."
***
The prisoners had seen everything.
Or at least they had seen enough to know that something impossible had happened.
One moment, five Fallen soldiers had been guarding the enclosure.
The next, all five were dead.
Several prisoners stared at Mira as she approached.
Others looked toward the bodies, their expressions caught somewhere between disbelief and fear.
A wounded sergeant near the entrance pushed himself upright.
"Who are you?"
Castiel stepped forward.
"Unified Defense Command. Academy Gamma Squad."
The sergeant blinked.
"Academy?"
"That's right."
The man's eyes moved toward the fallen lieutenant.
Then toward Mira.
"You two did this?"
Castiel glanced at her.
"Mostly her."
Mira ignored the remark.
"How many prisoners?"
The sergeant straightened as much as his injuries allowed.
"Forty-three."
"How many wounded?"
"Most of us. At least twelve can't move without help."
Mira nodded.
"We have medical support coming."
Castiel approached the control station.
He examined the display.
"Need an access code."
Mira looked toward the fallen lieutenant.
"Check his armor."
Castiel crouched beside the officer.
He recovered a compact identification unit and carried it to the control panel.
The device activated the display.
Several unfamiliar symbols appeared.
Mira examined them.
Then selected the enclosure controls.
A heavy metallic click echoed across the clearing.
The main gate unlocked.
Several prisoners immediately moved toward it.
"Wait," Castiel said.
They stopped.
"We need to get everyone out safely. Help the wounded first."
The sergeant turned toward the others.
"You heard him. Anyone who can walk, help someone who can't."
The prisoners began organizing themselves.
Mira activated her communication device.
"David."
The response came immediately.
"Mira. Status?"
"All fifteen Fallen eliminated. No alarms."
A brief silence followed.
Then June's voice came through.
"All fifteen?"
"Yes."
"Already?"
"Yes, June."
Another pause.
"Remind me never to make you angry."
Castiel smiled.
"You're a little late for that."
David interrupted.
"Good work. We're moving in."
Mira looked toward the prisoners.
"Forty-three survivors. Multiple wounded. At least twelve need assistance walking."
"Understood," David replied. "We'll bring medical supplies."
Vance's voice followed.
"Maintain security until we arrive."
"Yes, Commander."
The channel closed.
Castiel turned toward the sergeant.
"What's your name?"
"Marcus Rell. Sergeant, Third Expeditionary Division."
Castiel nodded.
"Sergeant Rell, how long have you been here?"
"Two days."
"Where were you captured?"
"Outpost Two."
Castiel's expression sharpened.
"Outpost Two?"
Rell nodded.
"The Fallen attacked during the night. We tried to hold the eastern defensive line, but there were too many of them."
Mira approached.
"How many soldiers were taken?"
Rell hesitated.
"From our outpost? More than a hundred."
Castiel looked toward the other prisoners.
"But there are only forty-three here."
Rell's expression darkened.
"Because the others are gone."
Mira studied him.
"Gone where?"
The sergeant looked toward the eastern side of the camp.
"That's what you need to understand."
Castiel waited.
Rell swallowed.
"This isn't the first group they've brought here."
Mira remained silent.
The sergeant continued.
"They've been moving prisoners through this camp for three days. Soldiers from all three outposts."
Castiel felt his stomach tighten.
"How many?"
"Hundreds."
"Where are they taking them?"
Rell looked toward the eastern clearing.
"Offworld."
Castiel stared at him.
"Offworld?"
The sergeant nodded.
"They're loading prisoners onto transports. The transports carry them to Fallen ships waiting beyond the planet."
Mira's expression hardened.
"Why?"
Rell hesitated.
Then answered quietly.
"Slaves."
The word settled between them.
For several seconds, neither cadet spoke.
The sergeant continued.
"The Fallen are taking our soldiers offworld. Anyone strong enough to survive the journey gets loaded onto their ships. The wounded are left here until they decide what to do with them."
Castiel looked toward the prisoners.
A young soldier was helping an older man through the gate.
Another carried a wounded companion across his shoulders.
Several appeared barely conscious.
"How many have already been taken?" Castiel asked.
"I don't know. Hundreds, probably."
Mira looked toward the eastern clearing.
"When did the last transport leave?"
"A few hours ago."
Castiel turned toward her.
The same thought passed between them.
If the convoy had only departed a few hours earlier, there was still a chance it could be intercepted.
Mira activated her communication device.
"David. We have new information."
"I'm listening."
"The Fallen have been transporting prisoners offworld for three days. Hundreds have already been taken."
Silence.
Then Vance spoke.
"Confirm that, Cadet Solen."
"Sergeant Rell witnessed the transports. The latest convoy departed several hours ago."
"Destination?"
"Unknown. The prisoners are being taken to Fallen ships as slaves."
Vance's voice hardened.
"Understood. Secure the survivors. We'll discuss the convoy when we arrive."
Mira lowered her hand.
Castiel looked toward the eastern jungle.
Somewhere beyond the camp, hundreds of human soldiers were being carried toward a future none of them had chosen.
And they had already lost several hours.
***
David entered the camp with the rest of Gamma Squad several minutes later.
The western perimeter remained silent.
Ten Fallen soldiers lay concealed throughout the storage section, their bodies hidden behind equipment, reinforced containers, and dense vegetation.
David noticed the precision of the work.
There were no signs of a prolonged battle.
No destroyed structures.
No activated alarms.
Castiel and Mira had eliminated the guards without giving the camp a chance to respond.
June examined one of the concealed bodies as they passed.
"Remind me why we bother training for squad combat when we apparently have two professional nightmares walking around with us?"
Lucian gave him a sideways glance.
"Because the rest of us occasionally have to fight something that notices we're there."
"Fair point."
Vance said nothing.
But David noticed her studying the positions where the guards had fallen.
When they reached the central enclosure, the prisoners were already being organized for evacuation.
Nyra immediately moved toward the wounded.
A soldier with a damaged leg was attempting to stand.
She crouched beside him.
"Don't put weight on that. Let me help."
The soldier looked at her Academy insignia.
"You're a cadet?"
"Yes."
He shook his head.
"Didn't think I'd be rescued by Academy students."
Nyra carefully supported his arm.
"Then we'll try to make a good impression."
Lucian approached another group.
"Anyone who can walk, help someone who can't. We're moving out together."
The wounded sergeant began directing the others.
Vance approached him.
"Commander Elara Vance. Unified Defense Command."
The sergeant straightened despite his injuries.
"Sergeant Marcus Rell, ma'am."
"At ease, Sergeant. You're safe for now."
Rell looked toward the fallen guards.
"Those two cadets saved our lives."
Vance glanced toward Castiel and Mira.
"I know."
David approached them.
"Good work."
Castiel gave a small smile.
"Wasn't too difficult, D."
Mira looked toward him.
"You nearly let the seventh guard draw his weapon."
Castiel's smile faded.
"Nearly."
David raised an eyebrow.
"The seventh?"
Castiel sighed.
"She's counting everything."
Mira looked toward David.
"All fifteen guards are dead. No alarms were activated."
David nodded.
"That's what matters."
Then he noticed the bodies near the holding enclosure.
Five Fallen soldiers lay scattered around the entrance.
Each held two playing cards.
David crouched beside the lieutenant.
He examined the cards.
An Ace of Spades.
An Eight of Spades.
He looked toward Mira.
"What's this?"
Mira remained still.
"A Solen Clan calling card."
David studied the cards again.
"Your clan leaves these?"
"When Shadow Ghost is used."
David looked up.
"Shadow Ghost?"
Mira nodded.
"A technique I was trained to use."
He glanced toward the five bodies.
"You used it on them?"
"Yes."
David considered asking more.
But Vance approached before he could.
"David."
He stood.
"Commander."
"We have a larger problem."
Vance gestured toward Sergeant Rell.
"Tell him what you told me."
The sergeant looked toward David.
"The Fallen have been moving prisoners offworld for three days. Hundreds of our people have already been taken."
David's expression hardened.
"Where?"
"We don't know. The transports leave from somewhere east of here."
"How long ago was the last group moved?"
"A few hours."
David looked toward Vance.
"Then we might still be able to catch them."
Vance nodded slowly.
"Possibly."
June approached with his scanner.
"I found something in the camp's communication records."
David turned.
"What?"
"Transport schedules. They're encrypted, but the timing matches what the sergeant described."
"Can you identify the destination?"
"Not yet. But the movement records show repeated departures along the same eastern route."
Lucian joined them.
"Then we follow it."
Vance looked toward the prisoners.
"Not until we've secured everyone here."
David nodded.
"Nyra and Lucian can organize the wounded. June, establish a connection with Outpost Three and request medical transport."
June activated his transmitter.
"On it."
Vance turned toward Sergeant Rell.
"One more question."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Did the Fallen say anything about why they're operating on Kharos Vale?"
Rell hesitated.
"They talked about the planet."
Vance's expression sharpened.
"What did they say?"
"Something about the conversion. They kept saying the humans were getting too close."
David looked toward her.
"Whitefall."
Vance nodded.
"Continue, Sergeant."
Rell swallowed.
"One of the officers said they couldn't allow humanity to finish converting the planet."
Lucian frowned.
"Because they want it for themselves."
"Yes," Rell answered. "They said Kharos Vale was going to belong to the Fallen."
Vance's eyes narrowed.
"Did they use a specific term?"
Rell thought for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Greyfall."
The word settled over the group.
David looked toward the jungle beyond the camp.
The missing soldiers.
The destroyed outposts.
The prisoners being transported offworld.
The Fallen weren't simply raiding military positions.
They were attempting to seize control of Kharos Vale before humanity could complete its conversion.
Vance turned toward Gamma Squad.
"Then we know what they're planning."
David met her gaze.
"And we know where to go next."
June suddenly looked down at his scanner.
"Wait."
David turned.
"What?"
"I've got something."
June adjusted the display.
A narrow route appeared across the screen, stretching eastward from the camp toward the distant mountains.
Several transport markers were recorded along it.
Most had already disappeared beyond the scanner's available range.
But one remained.
June enlarged the display.
"There's a convoy still moving along the eastern route."
David stepped closer.
"How far?"
"Too far for my scanner to give an exact position, but the last recorded movement was recent."
Vance studied the route.
"Can you determine whether it's carrying prisoners?"
June shook his head.
"Not from this data."
Sergeant Rell stepped forward.
"The last transport carried prisoners. I watched them load the soldiers."
David turned toward him.
"How many?"
"At least sixty."
The number struck David harder than he expected.
Sixty soldiers.
Sixty people who had survived the attacks on their outposts only to be dragged toward Fallen ships.
He looked toward Vance.
"Commander, if we leave now, we might catch them."
Vance studied the route.
Then looked toward the wounded prisoners gathering near the enclosure.
"We secure these soldiers first."
David nodded.
"Of course."
Vance turned toward June.
"Confirm medical transport and request a security detachment. I want every survivor evacuated before we move."
June acknowledged the order.
Nyra approached David.
"Some of them are in bad shape."
He looked toward the wounded.
"How bad?"
"Several need immediate medical attention. The rest are exhausted, dehydrated, or injured."
David's expression tightened.
"Can they survive the evacuation?"
"With help."
He nodded.
"Then we make sure they get it."
Nyra looked toward the eastern jungle.
"And the others?"
David followed her gaze.
Somewhere beyond the camp, a convoy was carrying dozens of captured soldiers toward the Fallen fleet.
He remembered what Sergeant Rell had said.
Hundreds taken.
Three days of transports.
Human lives reduced to cargo.
His hands slowly tightened.
"We're going after them."
Nyra studied his expression.
Then nodded.
"Good."
A faint breeze moved through the camp, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant vegetation.
Behind them, the rescued prisoners were gathering beneath the watchful eyes of Gamma Squad.
Ahead, the eastern jungle stretched toward the mountains.
And somewhere within that darkness, the last convoy continued moving.
David looked toward the route displayed on June's scanner.
They had saved forty-three soldiers.
But hundreds more were still missing.
And Gamma Squad wasn't finished.