Fury and Flame | 3

4 | 6

A R L O

We all huddled around the radio. The question came again when no one gave a response. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

       Kane and Jaxon exchanged a glance. The former gave a nod, so Jaxon said, "We are. What do you have to say?"

       The answer came after a pause. "I'm sorry I couldn't go with you that day. Not when this opportunity presented itself."

      "And what is 'this opportunity'?" Riley demanded, staring down at the radio. "To be our spy? Or to lead us into a trap?"

      "Just because I went with the soldiers does not mean I am loyal to them—it only needs to look like I am. I will do anything I can to deliver sensitive Imperium information to you. As their top engineer, I will inevitably be let in on many secrets they don't want you to know."

"Convince us," Finn told her, authority in his voice. "Tell us what you know."

"I know they're trying to create more Mind Sweepers—they want me to learn how they work and make more. As of now, they have only one; they're very difficult to build and get the supplies for."

"What else?" Benton crossed his arms, wanting more information on his old leader.

"Unfortunately, everything is working smoothly around here. They've gotten a new batch of soldiers who joined willingly. Production of weapons is booming—they're manufacturing more than ever before."

"They're preparing to mobilize," Delphinium muttered, her breath hitching. Benton silently agreed with her.

Finn spouted out, "Weapons...Scorpions, Mind Sweepers..." He looked to Riley. "You said they all run on a certain type of fuel Imperium uses."

Riley's dark head dipped. "I saw them coming out of the engine room as well. Their whole fortress runs on it."

"She's right," Rong's voice came through the speaker. "It's called Hydrocarbon Petromensium—very rare and requires a lot of heat. Powering their whole operation with it is more efficient and costs less than using several different types. It also allows them to create weapons like nothing else."

"How rare is it?" I could practically see the gears in Riley's head turning.

"Imperium's scientists made it specially for their own operation and then opened up production with a second party manufacturer. As far as I know, they're the only ones using it."

      Jaxon's eyes narrowed. "A second party manufacturer? Who are they?"

"I don't know. No one's revealed it to me yet."

      "Find out. Give us as much information on the manufacturer as possible."

There was no response; we could only hope that she took those orders. Once she gave us the name of the manufacturer, there would be several options for us to choose. But until she did, we simply had to wait around here.

      As soon as I threw myself back onto the chair I'd been asleep in, something rose up in me. I could feel it coming, a strange nauseating dizziness. I coughed once, twice, hoping it would relieve the tightness in my chest. It didn't.

      Because I'd been surrounded by the others, I hadn't taken the pills today. My symptoms were gradually getting worse as my six-month deadline neared, but they had never gotten this bad yet.

      Feeling as though I was suddenly about to collapse, I muttered something like, "I'm leaving. Don't follow me," to my friends, hoping they wouldn't see me taking the pills. They didn't even shoot me any strange looks—they were used to me by now.