Page 48 of Born Savage

I only knew that from the training received as Verndari, many of us assigned to protection duties in secret bunkers protecting the generals while planning another coup.

When-the-hell-ever that would be. I was beginning to believe all the promises I’d heard had been crap.

Still, knowing she held a title and played a greater role made the mission’s reason that much more plausible.

“You will do as the lieutenant says, Rage. Hand over your weapons or our conversation is concluded.”

“Very authoritative of you.”

“A necessity and something even you should understand.” She wasn’t in any better mood than she’d been in before; in fact, given the closeness of our bodies, I sensed additional anger.

However, we weren’t getting anywhere playing with a standoff. “Hand over the weapons,” I told the others.

“Rage. You’re not serious.” Vicious was incensed.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Do it,” Wrath hissed, grabbing two of the duffels we’d brought with some supplies including additional weapons, tossing them toward the man she’d called a lieutenant.

The others in my group moved forward, piling the weapons together.

She cocked her head, staring at me with the same fire in her eyes I’d seen before. Only this time, she was on her home turf and had no intention of allowing any one of us to destroy either the peace or invade the secure bunker. Plus, I sensed amusement as if I’d reacted to hearing her title. Perhaps I had. “Now, put him down, Rage.”

“You know this fucker?” another compound member shouted out in disbelief. “Commander.”

The afterthought of her title meant not everyone in the group was pleased she outranked them.

“Yes, Shaun. I do. I’ll tell you one last time. Put. Him. Down. Do not make me ask you again. I think you know what I’m capable of.”

The lieutenant grabbed the bags, unzipping and peering inside. “Military grade. Not like what the Savages normally carry.”

Her face held more contempt than it should, given our closeness.

While laughter was rare, she had a way of allowing me to feel something other than simply nothing at all. But I sensed as soon as I chuckled, I’d gotten on her nerves.

“And I think you’re aware what I’m capable of. Commander.”

“I’m curious who you slaughtered for the weapons.”

My chuckle wasn’t about amusement. “You might be surprised.”

“State your business and leave,” she insisted.

Instead of lowering the man to the ground, I hoisted him up even higher. Her shoulders heaved as she glared at me, even twisting the knife. Did she honestly believe the short blade was of any threat?

“Rage,” another male voice said from behind her. There was something about the tone and his inflection that caused me to pause. As he walked forward, the expression he wore was one of full recognition, perhaps even a hint of admiration. “You don’t recognize me, do you? My name is Peter. We met once before.”

Met. I shifted my gaze toward him and in only a few seconds, a series of vibrations twisted down my spine as my mind fought for recognition.

When had I met him before?

Why his voice convinced me to lower Shaun was beyond me, but as soon as his feet hit the ground, he stumbled away, grasping his throat as if I’d used significant pressure. He’d know if I had, unable to breathe for an extended period.

The white-haired man continued his approach, all while Star seemed less amused and more irritated than she should be at the man’s curiosity. I sensed they were close, not in a way that would make me jealous, but as if he was her mentor.

She’d been taught how to fight by someone, although I had my doubts the seventy-plus-years old man had been her trainer.

When he was standing only a few inches away, he studied me in the same manner as I’d had done since even before I’d signed away my rights on the dotted line in becoming a lab rat. There was something familiar about his smile, although I was still having difficulty as to where and why.