Bounty Hunter

Chapter 40

Val scanned the moonlit landscape before entering the cove that hid the silo. She parked and turned to the six people crammed into her cutter. They were thin and had no possessions except for the worn-out clothes they wore.

"We're here," she announced.

None spoke—they were still too afraid. She led them to the door and pressed her hand over a panel. The door opened to reveal an elevator. She still held the keycard. It was the only way to fully lockdown the silo should the need ever arise—though she prayed she'd never need it again.

She stepped onto the lift first, to show that it was safe, and then the group joined her. She pressed a button, and the elevator carried them down so far that her ears popped. When it stopped, a woman stood outside, holding a blaster.

"We have new people joining us," Val said.

The woman with the blaster smiled and then tapped another button. Within seconds, a man arrived. He was still too skinny, but Val was glad to see he'd put some weight on since she'd last seen him.

"Welcome," he said. "If you come with me, I'll get you processed, and your credentials into the system. You'll have your own cabins within the hour."

One of the women who'd come with Val grabbed her hands. "Thank you, sheriff. You've saved our lives."

Val gave her a warm smile. "I do what I can."

With that, Val left the latest group of refugees in the silo and returned to the surface. Her smile fell into a frown as she left the silo behind. She'd continue to bring refugees—people who'd escaped from Roderick's farm—to the silo, but until the Sloan brothers were killed, there'd always be more slaves she couldn't save.

Havoc had told her he'd return to help her take down Roderick once and for all. He'd told her he was a man of his word. But he hadn't returned, and she knew that if he was coming back, he would've been there by now.

It didn't matter. She should've known better than to trust a hunter...a Raven. Ravens had killed the rest of her squad during the Revolution, which meant that it was likely that Havoc had had a hand in the death of the soldiers under her command. She tried to never think of the past, but it had a way of creeping back up on her. Like how she'd thought she was finally free from Zenith's control, then realized they'd never stopped watching her.

She climbed into her cutter and pulled away. She'd found a home for the refugees, a place where they'd be safe from the Sloans. Now, it was time she prepared to go after the brothers on her own.