  RIKA POV
  &quot;All right. All systems are go,&quot; I inform Samson as I step away from his office computer. I ve just finished upgrading the Commander s security system for all his electronic communications. Between the VPNs and the layers of encryption and required authentication, it would take a very skillful, determined hacker to listen in on the call we re about to make.
  &quot;Excellent,&quot; Samson replies. &quot;You ready, Drake?&quot;
  &quot;No,&quot; Drake admits. &quot;But if the tech s ready, we might as well get this over with.&quot;
  &quot;Best chance we got for gettin  Sasha outta HQ alive,&quot; Samson reminds him. We ve been over the plan multiple times, and Drake s eye roll indicates he doesn t think the repetition is necessary.
  &quot;Yeah. So you ve said. I m dialing.&quot; He s using the computer I ve secured to make a video call to his parents. I m a little

  SASHA POV
  Five minutes until midnight.
  Five minutes until Tempest and Ariadne come to spirit my team and me away from Samson s Underground.
  Everything is packed. Everything is ready. In the next room, a secret one whose entrance is hidden behind a large painting in Samson s office, Zoe and Rika are waiting for my fae assistants to arrive.
  I m so glad they re coming with me. Anselm dealt me a lot of shit cards, but I have him to thank for giving me the best teammates and friends anyone could ask for.
  I don t deserve them. They re in danger because of me. If this plan fails….
  Well, if this plan fails, none of us will live to tell the tale. And there s no use thinking about that now. We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat.
  All that remains to handle, in these last five minutes, is the last goodbye.
  As if on cue, Drake comes into Samson s office—the Commander 

  DRAKE POV
  &quot;Wasn t expectin  t  see ya up an  at  em so soon,&quot; Commander Baryshnikov remarks to Sasha once his heavy steel office door clangs shut behind us. The office itself is nicely furnished, with a large antique desk, brown leather couches, and framed abstract art, but the lack of windows bothers me. I m sure it s for security reasons. But how far underground are we?
  &quot;I thought our plan requires me to be in optimal condition, Commander. I simply wanted to see how far in the future that might be,&quot; Sasha answers smoothly.
  &quot;I already told ya, you outrank me now. None o  this 'commander  nonsense.&quot;
  &quot;Old habits die hard. And we both know you re in charge here.&quot;
  &quot;Not so much that I could deny yer demand that Drake join us.&quot; Baryshnikov sends a cold glance my way. &quot;Care t  explain why ya invited him?&quot;
  &quot;I find it

RIKA POV
  &quot;All right. All systems are go,&quot; I inform Samson as I step away from his office computer. I ve just finished upgrading the Commander s security system for all his electronic communications. Between the VPNs and the layers of encryption and required authentication, it would take a very skillful, determined hacker to listen in on the call we re about to make.
  &quot;Excellent,&quot; Samson replies. &quot;You ready, Drake?&quot;
  &quot;No,&quot; Drake admits. &quot;But if the tech s ready, we might as well get this over with.&quot;
  &quot;Best chance we got for gettin  Sasha outta HQ alive,&quot; Samson reminds him. We ve been over the plan multiple times, and Drake s eye roll indicates he doesn t think the repetition is necessary.
  &quot;Yeah. So you ve said. I m dialing.&quot; He s using the computer I ve secured to make a video call to his parents. I m a little surprised they have the reception and technology to receive such a call out in the middle of now

Chapter 49 Call to Action