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Go.

Like I’d ever leave her.

“She told you to move,” Lucas says sharply.

“I don’t take orders from her.”

Miles snorts once under his breath. “Clearly.”

I drag a hand across my face hard enough to hurt.

Think.

The civilians are exposed.

The enemy’s closing fast.

Lucas is right.

And I hate him for it.

“She’s right too,” Lucas says quieter now. “If we stay here, we lose everybody.”

That lands like a punch straight to the ribs.

Because it’s true.

Because this stopped being about just us a long time ago.

Kids.

Mothers.

People depending on us to get them out alive.

Damn it.

I stare down into the canyon again, jaw clenched so hard it aches.

Then finally—

“Five minutes.”

Lucas goes still. “What?”

“You move them ahead. Five minutes.” I rise to my feet and check my rifle automatically. “Then I go after her.”

“That’s not enough time.”

“It’s what you’ve got.”

The silence that follows feels razor sharp.

Then finally Lucas nods once.

Reluctant.

Angry.