STEALTH and TRACK: BOOK ONE

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y-F O U R

HUNTER'S POV

I gasped awake, hacking up a few coughs as I rolled over on my hands and knees. My throat was sore from where Wrecker had strangled me. My head throbbed from when he busted me against the wall. Gradually, my memory was restored: Omega had distracted Wrecker, and he had chased after her. I needed to find them both before he hurt her. I pushed myself to my feet, staggered in place, and looked up...

Who did I see but Fern...pointing her blaster at my chest.

"Oh, Fern..." I panted in disbelief. "No...not you, too."

"You are in direct violation of Order 66." she disclosed monotonously. "All clones in violation must be terminated."

"Fern, " I cautiously held up my hands in surrender and warily shuffled my feet towards her. "This isn't you. Try to think." Even in the dimmed, desolate corridor, I could see her dark eyes glaring directly into mine, and I realized...

She's fighting it...

"You're stronger than it." I assured, regulating a calm tone. "Fern, I know you, better than anyone. You can do it."

"Y-you..." Fern's lips pursed as the inhibitor chip forced her to articulate the programmed words. Beads of sweat formed along her hair line. Her hand that gripped her weapon began to tremble. While her eyes burned with hostility and her scowl deepened in her brows and lips, a single tear offhandedly trickled down her cheek... On the outside, she was under the influence of the Empire, but internally, she was actively fighting with all her might... And it pained me to see her under so much stress...

"It's me, Hunter." I continued my subtle coaxing to reach her as I gradually closed the gap between us one centimeter at a time. "We haven't seen eye to eye these past few years, but now, I think we understand each other better than before Clone Force 99 was formed. Don't you agree?"

"Good soldiers..." Fern's teeth clenched. "follow orders..."

"You are a good soldier, Fern." I nodded. My voice involuntarily cracked. "And that's why—"

Pow!

A blue laser bolt whistled right passed my ear and impacted the wall behind me. 

I blinked. My body shuddered sharply once my mind managed to comprehend what happened.

"H-hunter..." I heard her voice. Her real voice.

"Fern?" My eyes refocused on her as her hand with the blaster dropped to her side exhaustively. Her eyes then rolled to the back of her head and her whole body crumbled. "Fern!" I skidded to my knees and caught her underneath her shoulder blades before she could hit the metal flooring. Supporting her weary head with one hand and her spine under my opposite arm, I shook her lightly as I called, "Hey, can you hear me?" I received no response. My hand moved on its own and cupped her jawline; my thumb slowly stroked the spot where that single tear stained her cheek.

It must've took everything she had to break free.

"Hunter, come in." Rex's voice sounded in my comm. I adjusted my hold on Fern and rested her head on my sternum before reaching around to activate my mic. "I'm here."

"Wrecker has been contained. Echo and I will bring him back to the med bay. Omega is with us. What is your location?"

"I'm with Fern...Her chip activated, but she fought it off. She's unconscious, but stable. I'll meet you back at the med bay with her."

"Copy that."

I returned my comm to my belt and, after attuning Fern's body so I could slip my arms underneath her legs and around her shoulders, I hoisted her and myself to my shaky feet. Although I felt immense fatigue, I muster all my strength to secure her close to me as safely as I could.