As soon as we left the briefing room, the doors shut behind us with a soft hiss. The silence didn't last long.

  “It’s nice when Becca argues with someone else for a change,” Katherine whispered, barely audible over the sound of Becca and Aaron screaming at each other down the hall.

  “I suppose it is,” I replied.

  “Becca should learn to get along with people better, though,” Alicia sighed, shaking her head.

  “Look who’s talking,” Lexie said slyly.

  “That’s completely different,” Alicia protested, clutching her chest.

  “If you say so, Alicia,” Lexie replied with a smirk.

  “It’s not my fault! Ray was being completely unreasonable and—”

  I tuned out Alicia’s defense. I wasn’t a Judge, and I definitely wasn't getting paid enough to mediate this.

  As the others continued talking, my mind drifted. What could we expect tomorrow? Was this team really going to survive? I was glad—of course I was—to have my friends with me. But the thought of losing them...

  A light tap on my shoulder pulled me back.

  “Cassandra?”

  “Huh—oh. Yeah?” I turned. It was Vance.

  “Sorry if I startled you,” he said. His voice was low, designed not to carry.

  “No big deal. What’s up?”

  “I was wondering if you could get your friends to, uh… cooperate.” He gestured vaguely at Becca, who was currently threatening to kick Aaron into a black hole.

  “I couldn’t do that even on Earth,” I admitted.

  He let out a breathy laugh. “I’m trying to get Aaron, Theo, and Ray to be friendlier, but it feels like trying to talk sense into a gorilla.”

  “Heh. You’ve been on missions before, right?”

  “Only around six.”

  “That’s still six more than me.”

  “Everyone has to start at the bottom somewhere.”

  “What were they like?” I asked.

  “Each one taught me something.”

  “Like?”

  “That how well your teammates get along determines the outcome.” He looked at the group ahead of us. “Personal grudges almost always bleed into professional life. At least, that’s what I’ve seen.”

  An uncomfortable knot formed in my stomach. He was right. If Becca hesitated to help Aaron, or if Ray ignored Alicia’s call for help… we were dead.

  “I’ll try talking to Alicia and Becca,” I promised. “Nothing can compromise the mission.”

  “Thanks. It’s good that at least some of us get along pretty well.”

  “I agree.”

  Walking beside him, I realized Vance seemed like the wisest among us—like an older sibling keeping the entire pack in check. Even the seniors respected him. His scarred appearance made him look intimidating at first, but his warm voice and calm blue eyes dissolved any fear.

  “How’d you get those scars, by the way?” I asked, nodding at his face.

  “If I tell you, you might laugh.”

  “I won’t,” I promised.

  “I don’t know…”

  “Oh, come on. I want to know. Was it a tiger? A rogue droid?”

  He sighed. “Fine. I got them fighting a cactus like monster.”

  I blinked. “You got scarred… fighting a plant?” A laugh slipped out before I could stop it.

  “You said you wouldn’t laugh!”

  “It is a little silly,” I admitted, pressing a hand to my mouth. “You should’ve used hedge trimmers.”

  His expression darkened slightly. “It wasn’t silly when it punched holes in the stomach of three of my teammates ,” he muttered.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  The laughter died in my throat. Guilt washed over me like ice water. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “It’s fine,” he said quickly, waving it off. “I didn’t like them anyway. They were huge pains. The rest of us managed to complete the mission. But that incident did teach me not to underestimate anything.”

  “So it was a good thing, then?”

  “I suppose it was. Although, their deaths are not something to be celebrated.”

  “Really?” I asked, surprised.

  “Yeah. I may not have liked them, but human death is something that should never be celebrated, no matter who it is.”

  “I suppose that’s true,” I replied, though privately, looking at Aaron’s back, I wasn’t sure I fully agreed.

  We walked in silence for a moment. Ahead of us, Becca and Ray were now absorbed in a discussion that seemed genuinely interesting, probably involving violence. Alicia was still rattling off excuses to Lexie, who was shooting them down one by one. Katherine walked beside them, silent, probably just glad she wasn’t the target.

  Aaron trailed behind on his own, hands in his pockets, head lowered. I had no idea what was going on in his mind. That guy had beef with the entire universe.

  “I do have another question,” I said softly.

  “Fire away.”

  “What was your life like before?”

  For a brief moment, surprise flickered in Vance’s eyes. Something unguarded crossed his face, a crack in the armor.

  “If it’s too painful, there’s no need to answer,” I added quickly.

  “What? No—no, it’s fine,” he said. “I’ve just never been asked that before.”

  He looked straight ahead. “I guess I had a pretty normal childhood. I was the oldest of five siblings. I took the drug because… well, we needed the credits. I lost everyone in the war—except my youngest brother.”

  “Is he on Earth right now?”

  “I’m not sure. He ended up in the Eastern Nation.”

  “You’re kidding!” I exclaimed. The Eastern Nation was our sworn enemy.

  “I wish I was,” he muttered.

  “How do you know?”

  “Rumors,” he said simply.

  A sudden wave of gratitude washed over me. The war had ripped apart families, scattered them like ash. Anthony might annoy me endlessly, but at least I knew where he was.

  “I lost my parents in the war too,” I said quietly. “It’s just been me and my brother Anthony since.”

  “It’s good that you managed to stick together,” he replied.

  “What are you two discussing so secretly?” Ray suddenly asked, dropping back to walk with us.

  “Nothing serious,” Vance said, his mask of command sliding back into place. “Just backgrounds.”

  “Sounds boring,” Ray grinned. “Why don’t you tell her about that shadow monster you fought single-handedly?”

  “A shadow monster?” Becca squealed, turning around. “And I thought you couldn’t get any cooler!”

  Vance groaned, rubbing his temples. “What have you been telling people, Ray?”

  “Only the truth,” Ray said innocently.

  “I’d tell you to stop, but I know it’d be fruitless.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with showing off your victories.”

  “I agree,” Becca added, eyes wide. “I was honestly worried about the team before, but after hearing about Vance’s accomplishments, I can safely say we’ll succeed—one hundred and one percent.”

  “Damn right we will,” Ray said.

  “There’s a thin line between confidence and overconfidence, Ray,” Vance warned. “Be careful.”

  “Oh, shut it. You’re too humble for your own good.”

  We arrived at the residential wing.

  “Well, this is where we part,” Ray said. “We can continue our discussion tomorrow, Becca.”

  “I’m counting on it,” Becca replied with a smile that was actually genuine.

  The guys headed to their room while we entered ours.

  If the mess hall was impressive, the bedroom was absurd. It was enormous—at least five times the size of our barracks on Earth. It was brighter too, filled with a warmth that made it feel alive. And the beds—don’t even get me started. They looked softer than clouds.

  We’d even been given nightwear made of satin or something equally luxurious. It felt less like a military assignment and more like a hotel stay before an execution.

  “Ugh, I am so tired,” Lexie groaned, plopping straight onto one of the beds.

  “No surprise,” Becca smirked. “Alicia’s talking has that effect on people.”

  “Hey!” Alicia protested.

  It honestly felt like a sleepover—minus the snacks, movies, and staying up all night.

  “Well, I can hardly sleep,” Katherine muttered, sitting on the edge of her bed.

  “Don’t worry, Katherine. I’m sure you won’t suffer for long. You’ll be the first one to die, after all,” Becca said sarcastically, pulling her shirt off.

  “Now, Becca? Really?” Alicia asked, scandalized.

  “I speak nothing but the truth,” Becca replied innocently.

  I was busy changing, but I heard the distinct sound of a pillow hitting a face.

  “Ow! Okay, okay—I’ll stop,” Becca laughed.

  “We should probably go to bed now. We do have a big day tomorrow,” Alicia said.

  “Whatever you say, Mom,” Becca muttered.

  Alicia ignored the comment, turning off the main light.

  “Don’t worry, guys. I’m sure we’re all going to make it back,” Lexie said from the darkness. Her voice was hopeful, but it trembled slightly.

  “We will,” I confirmed.

  “I hope Aaron doesn’t make it back,” Becca muttered into her pillow.

  “Aren’t we all on the same side, Becca?” I asked.

  “Hell nah,” Becca said. “I’d rather get along with Alicia. That egotistic, self-absorbed sponge can go get shredded by some random beast.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Alicia said.

  “Vance thinks it’d be a good thing if we got along better,” I added.

  “Did he?” Becca asked. There was a pause. “You sure you didn't mishear?”

  “I’m positive.”

  “Well then,” Becca sighed. “That statement might actually hold some weight.”

  “So when I say it, it’s useless—but when Vance says it, it’s gold?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “I don’t understand why you guys worship Vance so much,” Alicia said.

  “I mean, he is pretty—”

  “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Becca interrupted. “He’s got the experience, Alicia. Respect the rank.”

  “I guess he’s sorta okay,” Becca continued, her voice getting sleepier. “He does have a little bad reputation, thanks to Ray, but—”

  “Ray doesn’t have a bad rep,” Alicia argued.

  “Are you kidding me? He’s probably been blacklisted!”

  “For what? Being the best out of them all?”

  “In what universe is—”

  “Maybe we should call it a night, guys,” Lexie suggested loudly.

  “Good idea, Lex.”

  Alicia and Becca stopped bickering, but the tension still hung heavy in the air.

  “Good night, everyone,” Katherine whispered.

  “Good night,” Lexie and I replied together.

  “G’night,” Becca mumbled.

  “Good night,” Alicia said.

  I lay there, staring up at the sleek white ceiling. I couldn’t even get Becca and Alicia to be friendly with each other. How was I supposed to get Becca at least civil with Aaron?

  I hoped Vance had better luck with the guys.

  I closed my eyes, trying to force sleep to come. But every time I drifted off, I saw the green clouds of Planet 81 waiting for us.

  Tomorrow, the game ended. The nightmare began.