She rotated to verify, then shook her head, waving her hands around in thorough dissatisfaction. “Okay, what is this, really? The two of you came here to stop me? The ball’s already in motion, it’s too late for that. What I’ve started can’t be stopped. And won’t be.”
Woo Tang signaled Jade to provide them some space and discretion and inched his way closer. “Lauren Russell, would you mind holstering that weapon, please?”
She glanced at the Glock in her hand, lowered the muzzle, and sent the weapon home.
“As predicated by standing orders, I was sent to locate and retrieve you. Miss Hensley, under no obligation of her own, elected to come along. Christian and the DHS agent briefed us on the subject of your actions upon arrival. The children being found unharmed was a blessing, and owing to you, are all now home safe and sound. But your family is worried about you. And your welfare bears distinct importance and needed to be verified.”
“Okay, you verified it.” Lauren held out her arms and jostled her body about. “I’m still in one piece. Fully functional. So, is that mission accomplished for you? Or is there more to it than that?”
Woo Tang hesitated then parroted, “There is more to it than that.”
“Figures,” Lauren groaned and strolled toward the SUV once Jade had moved a distance away.
“It has been determined that your actions may have surpassed your ability to control them, and that you, now, are in way over your head.”
Lauren huffed. “And do the determiners understand that I don’t give a shit?”
“I believe most have arrived at that conclusion.”
“Good. Because I don’t.” Lauren slammed close the SUV’s rear gate. “I don’t give a shit anymore, Jae. The silent, slow, systematic attacks are over and done with. They’re launching missiles at us now—blowing up homes and churches…killing people we know and love. They almost killed my sister and her unborn child with her. Neo could die…” She trailed off into angered hisses. “And John…they just took him from me. They had no right to do that.”
“Lauren Russ—”
“No, don’t. Don’t interrupt.” Lauren pointed at Woo Tang, firing off a glare engulfed in flames. “How can you be so calm and passive? You lost people too, Jae. Those DHS assholes…they declared war on us. They drew first blood. And for what? Why? What did we ever do to them?” She paused to inhale a breath. “Apart from defying them, nothing! And now, because of that, they want all of us dead!”
“And the only viable recourse you conceive is going to war with them in return?” Woo Tang asked. “Doing so alone and in your present state of mind does not have a favorable ending attached.”
“No shit it doesn’t.”
“There is a far better expression for it, if you will permit me.”
Lauren expelled a sigh.
“Suicide.”
She gritted her teeth, eyebrows jutting up. “I know you mean well, and I know what you’re trying to do. You and Jade came here to talk me out of this, but that can’t be done. I know what needs to happen, and I’m doing it. There has only ever been one answer to this charade, and recent events have rendered that answer very clear to me.”
“And that answer is?”
Lauren glared. “Kill them. Kill them all. Every single last one of them.”
Woo Tang’s only response was to squint his eyes.
Lauren folded her arms and tensed as a thousand justifications for vengeance collided with her at once. “But death alone is too good for them. It’s too quick, too sudden. They deserve harsher. They need to feel every gram of pain they’ve inflicted.”
“And how do you intend to bring that to fruition?”
Lauren’s cheeks flushed, her eyes going alight with smoldering fury. “I’m going to ignite the sky,” she roared, “incinerate them, everything and everyone they know, hold dear, and love, anything that’s ever brought them joy or made them smile—the whole world as they know it, in the same spiteful manner they did mine. And reduce it all to ashes.” She backstepped, still casting a steely gaze. “But unlike them, I won’t make the same mistakes, I won’t leave anyone alive to see the aftermath. They’re all destined for hell, and that’s exactly where I’m going to send them.” A pause. “I don’t want war with them, Jae. I just want to kill them. They can apologize all they want, claim they were just doing their jobs or following orders, pray for mercy or beg for their lives, but it won’t matter. I won’t stop until there’s not a single one of them left…or until something happens to me.” She turned away, stormed off, and went to sit in the driver’s seat.
Woo Tang remained static for a moment, gliding forward only to keep her from closing the door. “I have heard you out and would like to request you do the same for me. Would that be asking too much?”
Lauren let out an exasperated sigh, letting go of the door handle. “No.”
“Thank you, as there are a few items of which I wish to unburden myself before we go.”
“We go?”
Woo Tang held up a finger. “You and I have touched on similar subject matter before, though not comprehensively enough. And for that, I must apologize,” he began. “I should have broached the topic long before now. I had a conversation with your father before his disappearance, before the world changed. I had been watching you evolve for some time as your training progressed and had desired to verbally review your advancement with him. The two of us spoke very highly of you for the dialogue’s majority. During the closing moments, however, I imparted unto him something of a…word of warning.”
Lauren looked at him askance.
“While I do not remember every word verbatim, I told him that his daughter was becoming capable of staggering achievements, and those achievements were certain to blossom as she grew in age and wisdom. But I also told him something to which he did not know how to respond. That you,
