Page 95 of Green Ravens

“Eliminate the clan and have the disciples take Woyashi alive to the tribunal to stand trial.”

“Yes, Master,” Lion answered.

“My team has a safehouse ready for Zelmir in the forest village of Poppenbüttel, eleven miles from the extraction site,” Jo said.

“How can we be sure that Zelmir will have the physical strength to make that trek?” Valor asked.

“We have to assume he’s being kept reasonably healthy.” Master Rho continued to circle. “It’d be impossible for him to reproduce a bomb of that caliber if he is injured.”

“Very well, we leave at sundown,” Lion ordered.

Chief Styles Sawyer

Zorion

The chopper ride was silent.

Jo’s team continued to swap uneasy glances between the four assassins and the ten cloaked disciples surrounding them.

Lion and Omega were draped in flowing black, their oversized hoods concealing their faces. Their presence alone was probably enough to unnerve Jo’s team.

He and Valor mirrored Lion and Omega’s stillness—clad in lightweight and bulletproof deep-green armored suits that would allow them to blend into the forest they’d attack from.

Jo nodded to Sable, their weapons specialist, as she stood and pulled a large black case from behind her seat.

Sable smiled, raising the brow with the scar splitting the center.

“Zorion, I present to you my pride and joy. I’ve been working on it the entire time you’ve been training at the Order.”

Sable pressed several numbers into the electronic keypad before the locks disengaged and the lid opened.

“May I present the Green Raptor.”

She paused.

“Get it?” She stared at Zorion’s hood that shielded his eyes. “Green because you’re the Greens, and raptor because of your hawk.”

She paused again, but when Zorion didn’t move, she rolled her eyes and slid it into his hands.

“Just explain the weapon.”

Jo sighed.

“This is a compound bow, complete with reinforced limbs, custom-molded grip—”

“This isn’t a longbow,” Zorion muttered, turning the weapon over. “It’s mechanical.”

Sable crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah, well, your longbow was great for shooting still targets made of wood and straw. But the last time I checked, criminals shoot back with semiautomatic weapons.”

Zorion glanced at her, his gaze narrowing as he tested the bowstring. It had a smooth draw, far lighter than he expected, but something about the power behind it sent a chill down his spine.

Sable tapped the side of the bow.

“This beauty was tailor-made for you. Stronger shots, greater range, and way more precision. And the best part?” She walked over to a steel table and flipped open a case, revealing rows of black arrows. “These.”

She picked one up and twirled it between her fingers before tossing it to him.

Zorion caught it effortlessly, inspecting the tip.

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