Page 218 of Ranger's Wildflower
It feels staged.
I approach the table slowly.
“Blaze.”
“On it.”
He steps in beside me, scanning without touching. “Remote connection,” he mutters. “Someone’s watching through this.”
Of course they are.
“Trace it.”
“Trying—”
The screen flickers.
Every muscle in my body locks.
Text appears.
YOU’RE TOO LATE.
Tessa stiffens beside me.
“Blaze—”
“Working it!”
The screen glitches again.
TURN AROUND.
Every instinct I have detonates.
“OUT!” I bark.
I grab Tessa and haul her toward the door—
And then I hear it.
A click.
Low.
Behind us.
Damn it.
The explosion hits.
Not big—but enough.
Enough to throw us forward. Enough to rattle the structure.
I hit the ground hard, rolling, dragging Tessa with me, covering her as debris rains down.
Gun up. Eyes scanning through the smoke.
