Chapter 4
Riley did not celebrate.
Five dots remained.
Talon One’s voice snapped through the radio.
“Stay on her!”
Riley pulled left so hard her body pressed against the harness.
Another fighter tried to cut her off from above.
She let him think he had the angle.
Then she dropped.
The Apache fell like a stone into a lower channel.
The fighter followed too late.
His own wingman had to break away to avoid him.
Their formation split.
Riley’s eyes flicked across the screens.
Split them.
Scatter them.
Make six become one.
That was her father’s voice in her head.
Make the bully chase you alone.
The second fighter came too low.
Riley turned into the shadow of the canyon wall.
For one heartbeat, she disappeared from his sight.
When she rose again, she was behind him.
The pilot shouted, “Where did she go?”
Riley’s answer was a hard, clean missile launch.
The fighter erupted in flame.
A parachute opened seconds later.
The American command room went silent.
Then someone whispered, “That’s two.”
But now the remaining fighters were angry.
Talon One stopped joking.
“Reaper,” he said, voice colder now, “you don’t know who you’re playing with.”
Riley’s eyes narrowed.
“I know exactly who you are, Voss.”
The radio froze.
At headquarters, Commander Grant turned sharply.
May you like
“How does she know that name?”
Read Part 5 to discover the secret between Riley, her father, and Talon One.
