“She’s not ready,” said Jack. His characteristic light-hearted grin had disappeared and his face was flushed.
“We don’t have any other options,” Taylor said gruffly.
Jack rubbed his temples. “It’s been two days. She’s not fit for combat and you know it.”
“She can handle it.”
“She shouldn’t have to.”
“We need agents.”
The two exchanged glares. Jack’s nostrils flared. “Falko doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand!”
“He’s the commanding officer. He’s tying up loose ends.”
“At what expense? Her life? Mine? The Exodus Project?”
Taylor’s fists balled up. Insubordination and responsibility battled across his features. Responsibility to his commanding officer seemed to be winning. The look in his eyes clearly communicated that he wasn’t going to back down. Jack shook his head and cursed.
“Did I miss something?” Jessica asked. Taylor and Jack turned as she appeared in the doorway at the opposite end of the barracks.
Taylor turned to Jack. “Suit up. Control room in ten.”
Jack was about to spit back another protest, but his datapad buzzed—incoming call. He rushed out of the room, pausing only briefly at the door as he passed his fellow timeslinger. “I’m sorry, Jess.”
Jessica walked across the room to where the colonel was standing and eased down onto the end of Sam’s cot. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Taylor stared at the ground.
“You need me back in the lineup, coach?”
Taylor nodded. “I’m sorry. We’re all sorry. He was a good man. One of the best I’ve worked with.”
“He was. Maybe still is,” She offered a sad smile. “What happened, Colonel? How did we get here? How did we let this happen? Kennedy. Apollo 13, 14. Hector.” Her throat cut off the words. A tear ran down her cheek. “Sam.”
He didn’t answer.
She stared at the wall. “The Exodus Project. It’s important, right? Worth dying for?”
“It’s supposed to save billions of lives. Solve over-population. Give generations to come a shot at colonizing a planet that hasn’t been rung dry. He’ll go down as a hero.”
“At least until some timeslingers change the history books again, right, Colonel?”
There was a long pause before Taylor continued. “We need you. I need you. I don’t trust anybody besides you and Jack. You two are the only hope we have for stopping the XLS.”
She pushed herself off the cot. “Control room in ten?”
The barrack’s door opened. Jack hurried into the room. His face was pale, and his breathing heavy. “Hector just called. We may have something.”
