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Static filled Chase's ears as he processed Archie's words.

Jaegers? How?

That flyover was supposed to have been a fluke. A coincidence. How had Atlas found The Haven? And why didn't they attack earlier? A million other questions flew in and out of his brain like a crowded airfield.

Slowly, his hearing came back. Around him, everyone had exploded up from their seats and were looking to him for guidance. Even Victor seemed to be awaiting orders.

And, just like that, a switch flipped within Chase. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, dispelling the nervous energy that had threatened to take over his body. He nodded once to himself before addressing his group.

They needed to evacuate immediately.

"We prepared for this," he told them. "Remember your assignments. Meet back up at the vans in five minutes. I don't want to leave anyone behind but..." He trailed off, hoping his message would get across.

Judging by the looks on their faces, it did.

"Alright," he said. "It's go time."

They all split off into two groups, as was the protocol for their escape plan. Emily, Kai, and Mateo went straight to the training room to pick up their weapons. Danai, Andre, and Isra headed for the garage to start the van and prepare their exit. Victor, Bella, and Cassie darted to the bedrooms to grab the travel bags.

Everyone looked like they were on a mission, moving fluidly and with purpose. No one spoke as they carried out their tasks. There was no time to talk. In just a few minutes, Jaegers—and a few Atlas-employed Primes too—would be upon them.

He didn't want to be around when they arrived.

Chase turned to face the entrance of the bunker. The locked, metal door loomed large across the room. Beyond it, he could hear something banging on the metal. He gulped as his heart rate spiked.

They needed to get out of the bunker. And fast.

Just as he spun to leave, an explosion sounded. The ceiling shook, causing streams of dust to rain down onto his shoulders. Cursing, he made his way to the corridor to join the others.

He never made it, though.

The door to the entrance had been blasted off its hinges. It fell to the ground with a deafening thud. Before he could see what happened, the sound of something rolling into the living room met his ears.

"Flash out!" someone yelled from outside the bunker.

Chase dove behind a couch just as the flashbang went off. A sharp, high-pitched whine filled the room. His sight went completely white as he pressed his back against the old piece of furniture behind him. He scowled as he hid behind the sofa.

"Smoke out!"

Another grenade rolled into the room. Within seconds, thick, lime-green smoke began to expand around him. He could already feel it beginning to choke him. His eyes teared up and his nose stung with the acrid scent of whatever was in the smoke bomb.

Coughing, he covered his mouth and nose with the sleeve of his shirt.

I need to move.

He blinked a few times as he tried to focus his vision. Eventually, he spotted the hallway that would take him to the garage. If he could just make it there, he would have a shot of meeting the others at the vans.

"Move in!"

Shit.

He peeked around the edge of his hiding place. Through the dense fog swirling in the air, he could see at least six agents slowly encroaching on him. Red lasers from their heavy rifles cut through the gas. They searched through the commotion for their target. Chase steadied his breathing and prepared to make a break for the corridor.

"Do not move!" one of the Jaegers barked. "We will light you up!"

Chase resisted the urge to roll his eyes. They might have had superior tech compared to regular Atlas agents, but even they didn't have anything that could pierce his skin. Their bullets might as well have been made out of rubber.

Still, he didn't want to get caught in a gunfight.

He slowed down his breaths as he prepared to spring toward the hall.

Then the Jaegers threw a wrench in his plan.

Two of the armored soldiers had swung around the couch and occupied the entrance to the corridor. They pointed their rifles at him, their laser dot sights perfectly placed on his chest. Their black, visored helmets looked even more menacing in the low light of the bunker's common room.

Chase swallowed hard as he watched the soldiers surround him. He rose to his feet carefully.

"Hands up!" they ordered

"Alright, alright," he grumbled. Just as he was putting his hands up, he spotted two figures moving toward him from the hall. He raised his brows at them, unable to see who it was due to the smoke snaking into the corridor.

One of the Jaegars approached him with a pair of cuffs in hand. But he would never get to the use them, as a black-tipped arrow had just sprung through a chink in his shoulder armor. Crying out in pain, he spun around and wildly fired into the hall.

Luckily, none of his shots found their mark.

Andre, whose skin had taken on the properties of solid cement, barrelled into the space with a guttural roar that would make a caveman proud. He crashed into the two Jaegars guarding the hall, sending them flying into opposite walls.

"Fire!" one of the remaining four soldiers yelled.

Chase spun on his heel. He delivered a swift kick to the chin of the nearest soldier. Their body spun in the air a few times before crashing back down. They didn't get up.

He rushed the Jaegar who had been standing right next to them. Bullets thudded into his chest, leaving smoking holes in his shirt. Once their clip ran empty, he grabbed the nose of their gun and squeezed. It crumpled like a soda can in his hands.

The soldier took a shaky step away from him. Even with their helmet on, Chase could see the fear in their face. Without a word, he punched them in the face. They dropped like a sack of potatoes, their visor cracked and now missing a panel.

The last soldier had been launched into the ceiling by a blast of sonic energy from Emily.

Chase turned to his two friends. Gratitude swelled within him as he joined them at the mouth of the hallway. He pushed it down, as he realized they had deviated from the plan. His brows furrowed as he frowned at them.

"Why aren't you at the vans?"

"Is that how you thank us for saving you?" Emily asked with a roll of her eyes. "We could've left you, you know."

He was grateful for their help, but the plan came first. If they got caught because of him, he would've never forgiven himself. Still, he thanked her and Andre for the assist.

"How are we on evacuating?"

"Everything's ready to go," Andre answered.

He nodded. Their plan, despite the small hiccup, was still on course.

"Alright, let's get a move on."

The three of them enter the corridor and sprinted for the garage. As they ran, Chase heard more agents enter the bunker. Bullets whizzed down the hall, but most met his skin or were stopped in their tracks by Andre's rocky exterior. They kept Emily in front of them, careful to prevent her from getting hit. The archer twisted her body as she ran and released a red-tipped arrow.

It whistled past them before exploding.

Parts of the roof cracked and caved in, sealing them off from the rest of the place they had called home for the past few years.

Chase's chest tightened. Just like that, their home was gone. They wouldn't be able to return. If they made it out, and that was a big if, they would have to start all over again. A mixture of sadness and anger bubbled within him. He could feel angry tears springing in his eyes.

He couldn't believe they had been found. They had been so careful for so long. What had given them away?

Perhaps he should've been asking who.

He couldn't help but think the farmers who had been helping them were at fault. It would've explained their disappearance. Perhaps they had been offered a reward by Atlas. He couldn't believe they would do that; they didn't seem like the type. Then again, he didn't know them. Who knew what they were capable of.

Shaking his head, he forced the thoughts from his mind. There was no use stressing over how it happened. All that mattered now was getting himself and everyone else out The Haven alive.

Finally, Chase, Andre, and Emily arrived in the garage. Their two stolen vans were sat parked in the middle of the room with the engines running. The others were all sat inside the two—except for Victor.

He was stood beside one with his sword strapped to his back. In his hand, he held Chase's blade and the boy's holo-shield device.

"Wow you did something nice for once," Emily quipped.

Kai nearly fell out the side of a van trying to get to the girl. She swept her girlfriend up in a hug and let out a nervous laugh. "We almost thought you guys wouldn't make it out. Especially after we heard that explosion in the hallway."

"It's us," Emily replied with a smug grin. "We always make it out."

Victor blew air from his nose in reply. Without even looking at Chase, he tossed him his gear. He caught it and thanked him with a single nod of his head. Victor returned the gesture before getting into the other vehicle.

Once he had placed his holo-shield around his wrist, he took his position in the driver's seat of the other van. He and Andre were tasked with driving. Glancing beside him, he spotted the walkie-talkie that would be used to communicate with his second driver.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Let's get out of here, Goldilocks."

Nodding, he held his hand out toward Emily, who was sat beside him. She handed him the garage door remote control. He pressed the big red button and waited for the metal doors to open.

The cold, wind outside rushed through the opening. Pine needles, dirt, and snow enter the garage as the doors scraped against the concrete floor. The bright sun streamed in as well, blinding Chase momentarily.

When his sight came back, he was half-expecting Atlas vehicles to be parked outside preventing their exit. However, there weren't any. Had they only covered the front entrance? Or perhaps they hadn't yet discovered the back.

Either way, Chase wasn't complaining.

Just as he pressed his foot on the gas pedal to take him up the ramp leading outside, someone descended from the sky.

Shit.

All the air vanished from his lungs once she landed. Her dark hair, tied into a long braid, fluttered around her before settling on her shoulder. Her white and gold mission suit shone with the light of the sun behind her. The bright, ethereal rays cascading around the young woman made her look like a warrior angel. She wore a stern look on her face. Even from inside the van, he could see her piercing, hazel eyes staring at him.

"For fuck's sake," Victor hissed.

"Is that Stella?!" Emily exclaimed.

Chase took a shaky breath before nodding.

It was her. He hadn't seen her in years. She looked just as beautiful as the day he left her—if not even more so.

She also looked incredibly pissed.

Black Jeeps with armored guns mounted to the roofs rolled through the snow-covered woods and settled in behind her. Jaegers stepped out of the vehicles with their weapons drawn. Slugger and Field—otherwise known as Angus and Lucky—could be seen among them. The dark blue Atlas insignia could be seen on the sides of their trucks, a violent reminder of who they were and what they came to do.

Chase's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

"What's the call, Sentinel?" Andre's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.

He didn't answer. He could barely even breathe. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut with the force of a high-speed locomotive.

Stella glanced at the soldiers behind her and motioned for them to stand down. They did as they were told and lowered their guns. She then faced the two vans still stuck in the underground garage.

"Turn the vehicles off and step outside!" she yelled.

"We're not gonna do that right?" Mateo asked from the backseat.

"Not a chance," Chase said.

Stella took a step toward them. The white bands wrapped around her wrist pulsed with golden light as she conjured up two spears of light. "I won't ask again."

"Looks like we don't have a choice," Emily grumbled.

She was right. While Chase didn't want to admit it, he didn't see a way out of this. They were surrounded on both sides. If they tried driving off, they would surely be blown to smithereens by the turrets.

Cursing under his breath, he cut the van's engine off. Next to them, Andre did the same.

"Good," Stella said. "Now step out the vehicles. All of you."

"I can take them," Victor said, his gruff voice low. He was gripping the hilt of his katana.

Chase shook his head. "You'll get us all killed."

The black-haired Prime grumbled under his breath.

"Step out now!" Stella ordered. She was scowling at them now. The glowing spears in her hands shimmered angelically as if they had been created by God himself.

Sighing, Chase opened his door and slowly exited the vehicle. The others followed suit. They all formed a single-file line in the snow. No one said a word as the cold wind whistled around them. It nipped at their skin and grabbed at their clothes.

"See? That wasn't so hard," Stella said. "No one has to get hurt here. Just follow my orders and you'll make it out of this in one piece."

Victor unsheathed his blade and pointed it at her. "I would rather die than go anywhere with you."

The rest of The Exiles nodded and murmured in agreeance. Chase could see they were itching for a fight. It had been a while since they had scrapped with anyone. While he didn't want to get captured, he wasn't sure if they would be able to fight their way out of this one.

Then again, the only other Primes among the Jaegers were Stella, Angus, and Lucky. Angus wasn't much of a threat and Lucky wasn't a gifted combatant. Stella may have strong, but she wasn't powerful enough to take on all of The Exiles.

An electric current of confidence surged through him. They could take the Jaegers. If they fought smart, the fight wouldn't last long. They would be able to do just enough to get back in their vans and escape.

"Everyone on your knees," Stella commanded. Her soldiers stepped forward until they were in-line with her.

Archie, who had been rolled out of the van by Andre, raised his hand timidly. "Er, I can't really move my legs. Does that still apply to me?"

Stella pursed her lips at the boy. "You know what I meant, Archie."

Chase shook his head at her. "That's not happening."

Her lip twitched. "Don't do this. Please don't do this."

A pang of sorrow jabbed at his heart. Hundreds of memories rushed into his head. He squeezed his eyes shut. His hands balled into fists at his side as he tried to force them out; now wasn't the time to start reminiscing. He couldn't afford to let himself get distracted—especially not by his ex.

Still, he couldn't help but revisit the past.

Everything had gone so wrong so fast. The signing of the PRA and President Crane's ascendancy was the beginning of the end. The original team had been split the day Pearce Shaw had been fired by Atlas. Nothing had been the same ever since.

But here they were. Face to face. On opposite sides of the same war.

Chase exhaled and watched the cloud leave his lips.

Stella turned to her men. "Apprehend them. Quickly."

The soldiers approached the group of renegade Primes but they didn't make it more than a few steps. Emily moved forward with her bow drawn. Another explosive arrow had been pulled against the bow's string, a silent warning. The soldiers seemed to have taken heed of it, as they had stopped dead in their tracks.

"Good choice," she said.

Stella's face softened as she set her stare upon Chase. "Listen to me. You won't win this fight."

He lifted his chin at her but said nothing. Beside him, Victor chuckled.

"She thinks she can take us with just a few Jaegers?" Victor chuckled. "Good luck with that."

"No, I don't think we can take you," she replied. "But I'm pretty sure he can." Before any questions could be asked, she pressed a finger to her ear. "Orion. We're ready for you."

Orion? Was that a new Prime they weren't aware of?

His answer came from the aircraft entering the sky above him. It cast a large shadow over the white forest as it moved into view. The ship slowly lowered itself, branches and leafy canopies crushing beneath the weight of the air being dispelled.

A panel in the underside of the hull slid open with an echoing, mechanical whir.

He dropped from the ship like a mortar shell. The force of his body hitting the ground was enough to cause a strong breeze. Everyone lifted their arms to shield their faces from the impact cloud. The man landed with his knee bent and his fist in the ground.

Chase stiffened. His grip tightened around his sword. Suddenly, he felt a lot colder than he had a moment before.

The newcomer, Orion, wore a white Atlas uniform just like Stella. It hugged his tall, muscular frame like a second skin. The colored lines running along his suit were bronze just like the hair cut closely atop his head. His skin was the color of copper and so were his eyes. As he rose to his feet, a golden lance could be seen in his gloved hands.

Victor twirled his katana in his hand with the grace of a master ninja. "Looks like they brought the calvary."

Stella looked back toward The Exiles. A hint of desperateness could be seen in her eyes. "This is your final warning. Please...stand down."

"What do we do?" Isra asked. She was stood behind Chase, her bottom lip trembling as she peered at the armed men and women across from her. Cassie and Mateo also looked visibly afraid—which was a surprise to no one. Neither of them had been involved in a serious battle before.

He couldn't expect them to be ready to throw themselves into a fight like this.

But they would have to if they wanted to evade capture.

His holo-shield activated on his wrist. The sharp, familiar rushing noise was a welcome one. He turned to his group, his jaw taut.

"We fight."

Across the way, Stella stomped her foot into the snow. "You're making a mistake." She sighed and shook her head. "But fine. Have it your way." She turned to Orion. "Show us what you can do."

The man nodded. In a flash of white and gold, he surged forward.

He collided into Andre, whose skin had now taken on the metallic properties of his prosthetic arm. They vanished into the thin air, their bodies propelled deep into the forest.

"Engage!" Stella shouted.

The Jaegers rushed forward. Gunfire rang off in the winter air.

Chase was quick to step in front of his companions. Bullets bounced off his skin and shield, protecting them from harm. He glanced at them over his shoulder as he warded off the Jaegers.

"Cassie, Mateo, Isra, Archie. Get inside one of the vans. Bella, drive them out of here."

"What about the rest of you?" Bella asked as she began herding the young ones back to the vehicles.

"We got this," Danai assured the woman. "Go."

Without another word, she took off for the sky. The wind rushed around her as she evaded bullets arcing toward her. She retaliated with bursts of air from her hands that sent the soldiers crashing into

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