Page 45 of Us Defiant Few

Serene, Winnie, and Adan quickly affirmed their support, and Brock wasted no time joining them.

“I’ll go too,” Elise’s soft voice chimed in, and Adan gave her a smile of encouragement.

Jack clasped his hands together. “So that’s six—”

“Seven.”

She gulped at the deep voice speaking from the end of the table.

“Are you sure?” Lane spoke up, frowning at Takeshi. “You recently underwent major surgery and are still recovering—”

“I’m not asking for permission,” Takeshi said in a dangerously low voice, the tension expanding.

Jack thumbed his chin as he considered all points.

“All right,” he finally said. “The seven of you will leave tomorrow, and in two weeks we’ll meet up at the dome.”

Khalani and her family sucked in a deep breath. They’d been in Hermes for so long, it was hard to believe that it would be their last night there.

But they’d never belonged in the sinful city.

All roads led back to Apollo.

And no matter how much she hated her birthplace and everything it represented, she couldn’t turn her back on the innocent people still living there. The thousands of families who would soon die from crop failure.

Maybe other people wouldn’t care.

Maybe that would’ve been easier.

But change only happens when one person dreams about what the world can be…and stops accepting what it has been.

12

Even though tomorrow is never guaranteed, I still find hope in it.

Hermes was the city that never slept. Bright lights shimmered across the streets and climbed toward the cavernous ceiling like an echoing celebration.

Khalani watched from a distance as hundreds of men and women drank and laughed raucously, trying to drown their problems under oceans of liquor. There was something infinitely sad about the scene as they raced through the back alleys, using the darkness as a shield.

No one spoke as they drifted farther from the revelry and the people who believed blankets of pleasure were enough to mask their oppression.

For the majority, it worked.

But a select few remained who knew that golden greed was nothing to aspire to. One day, the people who abandoned their morals and cut down others to get ahead would pay the price.

It might not be today or even next week. Judgment may come late, but it always arrives.

“We’re here.” Spade raised his voice over the howling wind as he brought the transport to a screeching halt, silencing her thoughts. Khalani jerked in her seat, grabbing Serene for support, but Winnie merely let out a giddy laugh and hopped out of the vehicle like she was exiting a merry-go-round.

“You drive like a crazy person.” Serene panted, her hair sticking up like she’d just gotten electrocuted.

“When you know how to handle a vehicle, you like making the engine purr.” Spade grinned, lithely jumping out of the transport.

Brock threw Spade a cold glare as he joined them, hoisting the heavy duffel bag filled with weapons over his shoulder. Part of the deal with Desert Spring was bringing back guns, and Jack had spared what he could.

“Who’s taking the other transport?”

“One of our boys is waiting nearby and he’ll drive it to another safe house.” Spade straightened to his full height as they grabbed their equipment.