“Meet you in the middle.” Ruk charged the far right of their line as I ran toward the Soldier on the far left. Both knives out, I leaped into the air as an ion blaster hit me from the side. The energy bolt stung but did no real damage. Score another win for Styx armor. The fact that the Hive had our tech was a fucking nightmare I couldn’t think about right now.

I landed on the ground and rolled on my shoulder. Coming up in a crouch just to the left of the Soldier’s boots, I drove my blade up through his groin, going deep.

The Soldier cried out, bending over in agony.

I lifted my remaining knife as his head dropped low and slit his throat.

Blood spilled in a hot flood when I pulled the knife free of his body, giving my blade an extra twist on the way out to make sure this fucker bled to death before any of his friends could save him. The Hive had no mercy, no remorse, no conscience. They would give no quarter. Neither would I.

In the corner of my vision, I saw Ruk’s first target fall. He bellowed as he moved on to the next. “I’m coming for you, Four-seven-two. I will bathe in your blood!”

The Soldiers fought viciously, but they were not fighting for anything or anyone. They did not have a mate to protect. A brother who needed them. A legion that needed to be warned about our stolen armor.

They did not have a low-life traitor to hunt.

I rolled and dodged and fought like the monster all of Rogue 5 had named me. I would not lose because I could not. Rage boiled in my blood at the thought that they would harm Abby. That fury gave me speed. Strength. Power. I was Hyperion and Prillon and Everian. I would not fail.

The two Soldiers I faced took turns trying to draw me close. Surround me. Get their hands on me. But I was Hunter fast. Hyperion fast. I did not have to wait the split second it took their bodies to receive their orders from whatever kind of group mind controlled them. The delay made them slow enough to kill.

The first I knocked to the ground. I drove my boot through his helmet to crush his head. His skull cracked and shattered beneath my heel like an oversized egg as I drove my boot all the way to the ground.

The death of his friend seemed to stun the other. I took the opportunity to move in close and shove my knife up under his ribs and into his heart.

With a roar, I twisted the blade before I pulled it free. Time to kill another. And another. And another. I would not stop until Abby was safe.