Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,156

zeroed in on Webb's weapon belt. This could escalate—and fast.

"Step aside, Dormas trash," Webb growled out.

"I'm sure Cavil will want to hear how his soldier pissed off the men responsible for saving your sorry asses. You want Maverick to find a cure and save you? Leave her alone. Or it won't be the vaccine rejection that kills you, it'll be me ."

"Pretty ballsy for Dormas scum. The only reason you're alive right now is because Ethros soldiers saved you. I'd be careful who you piss off. Ethros isn't known for being pacifists." Webb walked off, and I exhaled in relief.

All around us, men and women looked down their nose at us with scowls on their faces, but Jacob didn't care. He grabbed the lunch basket out of my hand and started pulling me down the street in the direction of the lab.

"Were you following me?" I asked in a soft voice while trying to keep up with his long strides as he barreled down the brick road.

"Yes," Jacob said through gritted teeth. "We told Jules not to send you, but she did anyway. By the time we found out you were gone, it was too late to stop you. You're lucky I run fast. I'll give that brat a piece of my mind—"

"Hey! I needed to see Maverick. Jules may have given me formal permission, but I'd have gone regardless. Maybe if one of you talked to me first, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Jacob froze and turned around. His eyes were filled with concern, regret, guilt, and fury. I felt bad for my snippy tone but still hurt.

"What have you been doing all day? First you all treat me like...li-like a Companion , then I don’t hear from you. It’s like you don’t care." My voice wavered on the last word.

“Of course I care, Ash! How could you—” Jacob’s voice cut off as he realized that some of the Ethros guards were still staring. "Come on, I'll explain everything at the lab." We walked the rest of the way as I tried to fight back tears. I pulled my hand away from his and crossed my arms over my chest. This was all so wrong.

The lab was a tall building surrounded by Ethros guards. Towering trees and bushes covered the front lawn, and I was scanned for weapons twice before allowed inside. Two sets of locked doors had to be opened before I could see Maverick, but once our eyes connected, I let out a sigh of relief. He looked pale and exhausted, his hair was rumpled, and his eyes bloodshot, but he was alive.

"Ash," he said in a breathless voice while walking towards me. The guards around us sneered as they went back outside, leaving us alone in the lab.

The lab was a large open space with a hallway leading to stairs. The fluorescent lights flickered above, and screens covered each wall. Three long tables filled the center of the room and were covered with expensive equipment. The outer edges had lush, black leather couches.

Maverick was in front of me within two strides, then picked me up and twirled me around before placing a forceful kiss on my forehead as I slid down his frame. "Are you okay?" he asked while inspecting my face. His hands cupped my cheeks as he looked into my eyes .

"No." I didn’t see the point in lying about how I felt just to placate him. Maverick wanted brutal honesty.

"This is ridiculous, she isn’t a Walker. She’s a Dormas citizen."

"It doesn't work like that, Maverick. They scanned her. She's a registered Walker from her time in Galla," Jacob said with a frown.

"So?" Maverick threw his hands up in exasperation. "They need me, right? Tell them if they want their cure, then Ash is to be kept safe and treated like the rest of you."

"She still wouldn't be safe!" Jacob yelled.

"How do you know? Look at her, she's terrified!" They both flicked their gazes towards me, and I shivered from the adrenaline and their attention.

"You want to see terrified?!" Jacob began while walking towards a large computer on the west wall. He typed in something before a video came up. I walked closer to the screen as he hit play. “This is why we have to be careful.”

A Walker woman with brown curly hair and bright blue eyes stood on a platform as Commodore Cavil read from his tablet. His voice echoed over the crowd. She looked haunted—empty almost. Her thick lips were