Chapter 80 How Have You Been
If you weren’t going to listen, you got corrected. Simple as that.
Iris wasn’t the type to put up with attitude, and Louisa’s outburst had crossed a line.
She met Damon’s gaze, and he nodded, saying, “Let’s go.”
“Sure!” Iris replied, in a good mood, as she led her companions and dogs behind the team.
Louisa swiped her card at the access control panel, and the glass door slid open with a soft hum.
Iris finally got a clear view of B2, realizing it was far more expansive than she’d anticipated.
A spacious hall stretched before them, flanked by office areas on either side.
Each area contained rows of neatly arranged glass–walled offices, and a quick visual estimate put the total number at over a hundred–far exceeding the size of any above–ground floor.
This, without a doubt, was the true core of the pharmaceutical research factory.
grieking with Damon’s team was the right call. 10:57
8
+3 Bonus
< Chapter 80 How Have You Been
“Left or right?” Damon asked Louisa.
Still pale from her earlier ordeal, Louisa had lost much of her edge. Her tone softened as she replied, “I don’t know. The intel only leads here. We’ll have to check them all.”
Damon inwardly cursed his incompetent teammate–only someone this unprepared would rush into such a high–stakes
mission.
His gaze drifted to Iris, who was observing her surroundings with sharp intent.
She’d never be this sloppy.
“Pair up! Search the left side first!” he ordered.
“Yes, sir!”
The team quickly formed pairs, twelve soldiers splitting into six
groups.
Louisa joined Damon, while he glanced back to see where Iris would go only to find her approaching Derek and Brett’s
group.
“Captain Flint, let’s go,” Louisa said, relaxing slightly now that Iris wasn’t beside them.
2/6
10:57
+3 Bonus
< Chapter 80 How Have You Been
Damon tore his gaze away and led her to search the first row of offices.
“Iris! Logan!” Derek and Brett exclaimed excitedly, seeing them join their group.
“How’s it going?” Logan asked.
“Surviving. What about you?” one of them replied.
Logan glanced at Iris beside him and smiled, “Couldn’t be better.”
Derek and Brett heard the warmth in his tone and knew he was thriving with Iris.
A twinge of envy crept in–life with Iris was truly good.
“What are you here for?” Iris asked, walking with them along the last row of offices.
Locked doors lined both sides, and through the glass walls, various precision instruments were visible inside.
“Sorry, it’s a classified mission,” Derek said firmly.
Iris fell silent, amused by his professionalism.
3/6
10:57
+3 Bonus
< Chapter 80 How Have You Been
However, Derek then stepped closer, lowering his voice to a whisper, “But Iris, just stick close when we pull out. Don’t hang back. It’s dangerous; there is a self–destruct system.”
Surprise flickered across Iris‘ face as she raised an eyebrow, but when she turned to Derek, he’d already slipped back into a serious, unyielding demeanor.
Amused by his tough–guy act, Iris chuckled, reaching up to ruffle the hair under his helmet–he stood at 6 feet 1 inch, tall and imposing, yet she treated him like a kid.
“Got it, kid. I’ll remember,” she said.
Derek froze, flustered and embarrassed. How could she ruffle
his hair?
Didn’t she know boys hated that?
He faltered for a step, then hurried to catch up with Iris and Logan, his ears burning under his helmet.
*****
An hour passed, and the team finished searching the left side, returning empty–handed.
The only good news was that B2 had no zombies.
4/6
10:57
+3 Bonus
< Chapter 80 How Have You Been
Damon checked his watch. “Take thirty. Rest up.”
“Yes, sir!”
They’d left Base K1 at 3 a.m. for the mission, suffering heavy losses on B1. A short break was needed to replenish their strength.
The team split into small groups to rest.
Blake, Connor, and Tyler joined Derek’s group, where Iris was.
“Iris!”
“Boss!”
“Your Majesty!”
They greeted her enthusiastically.
“How’s life back at the base? Not as good as with me, huh?” Iris joked, looking at them.
Embarrassment crossed their faces–she was right.
After fighting tooth and nail to return, they’d faced not honor, but a major restructuring of the base.
Onge proud soldiers serving their country, they were / 10:57
+3 Bonus
< Chapter 80 How Have You Been
reorganized into base guards, no longer part of the military. Without Damon as their captain, they would have been
scattered to different posts.
Iris had warned them before–base civilization would define the future, and their era of glory was over.
Write your comment
Similar stories
Gifts
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
