Page 41 of Warrior

That plan had come to an abrupt halt with this crazy mission.

Somehow, I needed to stay calm and learn how to use Ms.Beast to my advantage.There was too much riding on this mission to let myself slip up.

I closed my eyes and leaned back in the seat, thankful that this time I didn’t have a parachute strapped to me to make me uncomfortable.The plane was old but in better condition than the one I’d flown to Cuba on.The seats were still in their original positions, and the rest of the interior hadn’t been stripped down.

At least this time, the flight was relatively comfortable.

Unlike that first flight, I was stronger, faster, and deadlier than I’d ever imagined.Even in my human form, I was a danger to anyone if I chose to be.

It didn’t take away my worry.

I was terrified that something would happen to Che, his mother, or baby Boot while I was away.Most of all, I worried about King.He did everything he could to mentally build me up for this mission, but I sensed his fear, even though he tried hard to never show it.

All these thoughts and frustrations weighed on me.I’d barely slept the night before, and I soon drifted into a twilight sleep, only half-aware of my surroundings.

“We’re approaching Washington,” Labyrinth said, his voice pulling me fully awake.

My heart rate accelerated.I used the breathing techniques I’d practiced to slow it down.

Funny how those same techniques had once worked on me as a human, staving off panic attacks.Now, they kept Ms.Beast from tearing out of my skin.Either way, the goal was the same.

Stay calm.

It took a few minutes to find the balance I needed.

I straightened my shoulders.I wasn’t just Marinah anymore.

I was the Defense Secretary of the New Federation.

My job was to uncover corruption within my government and fix it if I could.

I was Shadow Warrior, and failure wasn’t an option.

After we landed, I was the first to step off the plane.

Waiting for me was the same pimply-faced junior officer who had handed me the overview of the Shadow Warriors before my trip to Cuba.

“Ms.Church,” he said, his tone lacking the nervous smile I remembered from before.

He tried to appear unimpressed with my new braids but he stared at them a second too long, and his eyes showed his displeasure.

“Please come this way.President Barnes is waiting for you.”

His tone was cold, and unlike our first meeting, I got the distinct feeling he didn’t like me anymore.

Kill.

Yeah, that’s helpful,I chided Ms.Beast, and she grudgingly quieted.

“The Shadow Warriors?”I asked, my voice deliberately tinged with nervousness.

It was part of the act.If I had been living with them for four months, it would make sense that I had developed some affection for them.After all, I was supposed to have negotiated their help and, as a woman with mothering tendencies—

Baby.

Stop that.

I needed to strike a balance.This was my first test, and the Federation had to believe I was firmly in the president’s corner.

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