SHILOH

  Shiloh leads the way toward the open bay door on the starboard side of the ship, running as fast as she can, both Viper and Cade tagging behind.

  It probably takes about a minute or so to get to the hallway just next to the starboard bay. But it feels like much longer than that. Too long. Long enough that it must already be too late.

  She comes to a halt just outside one of the ship's many secure sliding doors. The bay is just beyond.

  Panting, she activates the console on the side of the door and starts typing in the code. Her throat and lungs are screaming at her. Feels like she's never going to be able to catch her breath again. But she can't afford to slow down.

  "So," Cade says. "We're just supposed to ignore the fact that we don't know where Echo is, or what he's up to?" His voice is somewhat muffled by the oxygen mask he puts over his face, setting it into place, adjusting the straps to the tank on his back.

  "He's been sending encrypted messages over the comm line," Shiloh says, "That's all I know."

  "Uh, that seems like something you should have mentioned before," Cade says.

  "And what are we supposed to do about it?" Shiloh says, pressing the confirmation button with her thumb. "I've already told you I can't find him. The best we can do is keep moving. Get this done. Quickly."

  The door buzzes and cracks open. Shiloh rushes forward and through the gap while it's still opening. Into the big, open bay. Big enough to house several decently-sized land vehicles.

  The ramp is lowered. Sunlight streams in through the open bay door, casting a wide bar of sunlight onto the rusty steel panels under Shiloh's feet. There's a long, thin shadow cutting down the middle of that section of sunlight. The shadow of--

  Shiloh comes to a halt, just a few paces away from the top of the ramp. There's a figure. A man, standing most of the way up that ramp, wearing camo fatigues, a backpack, an oxygen mask, and a shoulder-strap attached to a rifle. He's holding the rifle by the grip with one hand. The other arm is in a makeshift sling.

  Even before the man looks up, and the light shines on his face, Shiloh knows who it is.

  Gavin.

  He frowns, for a second. Then smiles. His eyes flick to one side of Shiloh, and then the other, as both Viper and Cade come up alongside her.

  "Easy," Gavin says, pointing the rifle at Shiloh. "Take a couple steps back. Both of you. Shiloh, stay right where you are."

  Cade takes a slow, easy step back.

  Viper stays put, staring Gavin down.

  "Well, aren't you a cute little slip of a Ruster," he says, looking her up and down. "Listen, I'm not feeling patient. You might be able to get to me by the time I pull the trigger. You might come out of it just fine. But I don't think you can cover these two at the same time. So what's it gonna be?"

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  For a second or two, Viper stands her ground, holding Gavin's gaze, one hand on the hilt of her knife. But then, something gives.

  She takes a few steps back, away from Shiloh. But she doesn't relax her grip on the knife.

  "Much obliged," Gavin says.

  He makes his way up the ramp and into the bay. He comes to a stop about five paces in front of Shiloh.

  "Well," he says. "If this isn't a twist of fate."

  "More like the devil's luck," Shiloh says. "I wonder how long it'll last."

  "God willing, a long time to come. I've always known my good deeds would pay off eventually. It's a good feeling when one's faith is rewarded."

  He takes another step closer, boot heels rapping on the steel under their feet. "I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye. But I think at this point, we can agree--"

  Shiloh holds up a hand. Her guts fall and her heart jackhammers in her chest as realizes what she has to do. "You don't have to say anything, Gavin. You were right. I was wrong."

  Gavin frowns, taken aback. "Just like that?"

  He's not going to buy that, is he? There's no way.

  But then he smiles. "I knew you'd see it my way. You were just resisting me. Testing me. Women do that. But you took it too far. You know that, right?"

  Shiloh nods. "I didn't want to submit. I resented your position of authority over me. I wanted to call the shots. That was wrong of me. I should have supported you from the beginning."

  "Good." He takes another step forward. "I forgive you, Shiloh. And I want you to know...I realize that I was petty at times. Disrespectful. I'm sorry for that. It's not going to be like that. Not anymore."

  "Good. We have a lot to talk about. But first, Gavin, we have to get those people out of there. We have to get them somewhere safe. This is our chance to make a better world."

  Gavin's face falls. "No. They're not worthy."

  "Because...they didn't choose to follow you?"

  "Because they have no faith." He takes another step closer. "I've thought about this a lot. God promised to never flood the earth again. And he didn't. Instead, he allowed humanity to destroy itself. Only, it's not too late. This is our Ark. We are the new Adam and the new Eve. We have been chosen for this."

  It takes every bit of willpower for Shiloh to master herself, conceal her revulsion. With any luck, he sees it as her being timid, nervous.

  She leans forward, holding out her hand.

  Gavin hesitates. But not for more than a couple of seconds. How long has he waited for a moment like this? For this kind of validation from her?

  He lets go of the rifle, reaching out to take Shiloh's hand.

  In that moment, Shiloh unclips the shoulder strap and yanks the rifle away from Gavin. She jumps backward, out of his reach.

  He leans forward, making to grab the rifle back, but he thinks better of it. Still, his face is one of confusion and betrayal. "I-- I thought--"

  "I'm sorry, Gavin," Shiloh says, as Cade moves up alongside her, drawing Viper's pistol from out of his waistband. "At this point, it's not even personal, anymore. We simply can't afford to make the same mistake twice."

  "Wait, Shi--"

  But of course, it's completely out of her hands, anymore. There's no choice.

  A gunshot. A muzzle flash at the bore of the pistol. A ringing sensation in Shiloh's right ear. A spot of red blooming on Gavin's chest, spreading, turning his camo fatigues red.

  He falls back, slamming on his back on the steel floor.

  Shiloh stares down at him, unsure how she's supposed to feel. He's an evil man, a murderer. But he's also been a permanent fixture in her life for as long as she can remember. Now, it already feels like there's something missing. Something is gone. She can't tell whether she should mourn or rejoice the passing of it.

  Cade walks past her. Kneels down next to Gavin. Feels his neck for a pulse. "He's gone."

  So that's it, then. For Gavin.

  It's over.

  Cade grabs a pistol out of Gavin's holster. Pockets it. "Why didn't he pull this?"

  Nobody answers. Shiloh certainly doesn't want to think about the answer.

  Cade also grabs an ammo pouch, which he tosses over to Shiloh. Shiloh catches it.

  "Come on," Cade says, making his way down the ramp. "We can't afford to stand around."

  And of course, he's right.