Multiple teams assembled outside the East Gate, ready to act to save the families being used against the scouts. A protective shield covered them so the Kreq's scanners would not find them if scanned. It was vital that the scanners couldn't detect their presence. It would hinder the rescue mission and put the teams in danger.

Renn stood with Renk, both still uncomfortable with the situation. They weren't yet sure how it could have happened. Because of the bond, they had an interest in each other, but were uncomfortable with it. It was something that everyone knew. Their discomfort was clear. The same-gender relations were uncommon in both of their races.

Mia was with Nevle. She was a little standoffish, considering what had happened to her when Travis had kidnapped her. Mia and Nevle had to soul-mingle if they were going to do any good to save the scouts and their families, along with the rest of the Kreq population. There were only two bonded couples that could produce the effects that dissipated the controlling serum, leaving her no choice, regardless of whether she was ready or not. The teams spread out. They wanted to be prepared to act, no matter where Commander Grev ended up.

As if they had summoned him, his shuttle lowered, landing in front of the East Gate of the main dome. A swarm of fighter pilots surrounded his shuttle protectively, all facing near the dome, their blaster cannons aimed at the East Gate. All of them were prepared to fire on the dome at a moment's notice.

Jada stood watching, her hands on her hips. Orik stood behind her, one arm around her waist as he looked through a pair of binoculars at the scene playing out. Jada surveyed the scene, understanding the setup of the fighter pilots. "Seriously? What do they think they're going to do? Demand that the scouts be released, and as soon as we open the shields, they fire on them?" Her words were dripping with sarcasm.

Orik bent down and whispered in her ear. "I think that's exactly what they planned to do. I think they're using the scouts to get us to open the blast shields so that they can attack. Our blast shields are too powerful. It can withstand the blasts from the fighter's weapons, so if they want to attack, they have to get us to lower our shields."

As Commander Grev positioned his shuttle, the swarm of fighters landed, positioning themselves protectively around Commander Grev's shuttle, all of them ready for whatever was supposed to happen. There was a slight distortion on the blaster cannons, letting everyone watching know that they were already charged to shoot.

Moments later, the lead shuttle's wide door opened, and Commander Grev strolled out. A wicked smirk on his evil face. He looked around at his men and then faced the dome. Folding his hands across his chest, his smile grew. Either way, someone will die today. He didn't care who it was. Whether it was his men or the enemies, he didn't care.

Renn and Renk immediately stood together with their foreheads pressed together. One hand touched the other, caressing the other's temple as they soul-mingled while Mia and Nevle did the same. They were asked to do what they needed to for as long as possible. The longer they could keep it up, the more of a chance it was that at least some of the soldiers were cured of the effects of the serum. They wanted it to affect as many of the Kreq soldiers as they could for as long as possible. They weren't even sure if they were close enough to Commander Grev's men, but they felt that they had to try at least.

Behind Commander Grev, a group of soldiers pushed a family forward. There was a woman and four children. All of the children were in their late teens. One was a female, and the other three were male. They looked pale and frightened, knowing that they would all die today. All of their eyes were wet with tears.

The woman and her four children were positioned in front of the gate. One of the scouts tensed. It was his mother and siblings. There was nothing he could do to save them. He had to hope that something would happen that would save their lives.

Commander Grev smiled, which didn't reach his eyes. "I want my scouts!" he demanded. "Bring my scouts, or this family dies." It was an ultimatum.

Seeran, still arguing the point that Grev shouldn't know who the leader is, spoke in Vorik's place. "Why? So you can kill them?" he asked. They all knew that Commander Grev was going to kill all of them as soon as he was given an opportunity. He was using them as pawns. After what the scouts had said, all of the scouts, as well as their families, were already dead. They just hadn't stopped breathing yet.

Commander Grev lifted a brow. "They are mine to kill if I deem it," he spat out. "I won't let you do what is for me alone to do!" His words were a confirmation of what everyone was thinking.

Jada lifted a rifle, ready to shoot, aiming for his head. When she looked through the scope, she could see the image of Commander Grev flicker briefly. "Shit!" she gasped. "He's a hologram. That's not even really him! I can't shoot a hologram!" Jada hissed. All the images surrounding the hologram of Commander Grev were real. He was the only one who wasn't. The hologram of Commander Grev turned toward his men. Giving the order to kill the family.

Jada threw the rifle down on the ground and ran with superhuman speed toward them in an attempt to stop them. By the time she got there, it was already too late. A guard stood behind each member of the family; as one, they brought a sharp dagger to their throats and slashed. Blood seeped down their necks as their bodies fell limply to the ground.

Jada tackled the closest guard, pulling the knife from his hand and slashing deeply into his chest. The knife cut through his chest and hit his spinal cord like butter. She dropped the dagger to the ground and pulled out a bladed, short staff. Niki and Aleigha had taught her. She was a fast learner. She had found it was her favorite weapon.

She snapped it open. The ominous sound echoed through the area. All eyes turned, looking at her. With the blade fully extended, she pulled it back, ready to fight. She scanned the crowd, seeing who would be the first to die.

She watched as some of the closer Kreq began to shake their head as if trying to clear their head. She sniffed. The Serum was disappearing. Jada smiled. Using the pause the guards were giving her, she looked around the crowd and then called out tauntingly. "Grev!" she yelled. "You're a coward! You send a hologram out of fear! You wouldn't even come down here yourself. You're a coward! Come and face me!" she yelled, taunting.

Jada looked around the crowds. It was more than the guards who appeared to be clearing their heads. She smiled. The two couples were succeeding. Those with their serum dissipating will, hopefully, bring free will back to the people of their respective disks when they return to their ship.

There was silence. The hologram of Commander Grev suddenly flickered out of existence. The need for his presence was no longer needed. The swarm of fighters slowly began to rise one by one, flying back to the disk. Commander Grev's shuttle stood silently alone. There was no reason to keep a guard since it had already been discovered that he wasn't even there.

The doors to the shuttle suddenly closed, then rose into the atmosphere and out of sight. Commander Grev's shuttle and his swarm of fighters were gone, and Jada and the teams outside the dome had failed to save the family. There had been nothing they could do.

Jada turned around and stormed back to the team. She scanned the group for her mate. Orik was already heading toward her. He wrapped his arms around her, seeing her anger. The pain of failure was visible in her eyes. She failed, and it cost the family their lives.

A single tear ran down her cheek. The scout whose family it was walked up to her. His face was like stone. It was pale with all the color drained out of it.

She pulled away from Orik, standing in front of him. It was a protective gesture, preparing for the young scout to attack. "I'm sorry I failed. I can run fast, but it wasn't fast enough."

The young scout looked at her and said the one thing she would never have expected, "When you go to kill Grev, I want to be the one to end him," he told her. His voice was like steel.

Jada nodded. "Then stick close to me. If I get the chance, I will subdue him so you can end his life for what he's done to your family."

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