"No way. It's too dangerous, we aren't doing that again." Kade's whole demeanor changed. Gone was the goofy smile he had worn only moments before. His arms crossed tightly over his chest and his brows pulled together.

I couldn't exactly blame him. He had gotten shot the last time, after all.

Coming up beside him, Kam pursed his lips. "You wouldn't have to get close this time. Someone else could do it."

Kade turned on him, brows raised high on his forehead. "Yeah? Like who? You or TJ?" He snorted, "Not happening."

Feeling like I was missing something between them, I shook my head and turned towards Regris. "Where is this compound? Is it far?"

"It's on a remote part of Rama, in the middle of the desert."

So not too far, considering we were sitting on an asteroid between Rama and Antares. Shrugged my shoulders, I turned to Kade. "We could make it quick. I could use a drone or something to place the bomb this time. No need for any of us to put our necks in danger."

"No, TJ. It's a suicide mission. I was stupid enough the first time to think it was a good idea and I won't make that mistake again." I could see the pleading behind the pull of his brows. "Come on, they have other people who can do it. Right?" He directed the question at Kam.

My old friend tipped his head from side to side. "Not really...all of our faces are registered within the GPF. We're spotted and it's all over...but you guys..."

Lenna's shoulder brushed against my own. "Are smugglers and disposable."

My eyes slid shut. This was not going well.

"None of you are disposable," Regris said, his voice firm. "But you've done this before and now we're hoping you can do it again."

When I opened my eyes again, Kade was looking at me, his head shaking slightly. My stomach felt like it was going to reveal what little I had eaten for breakfast that morning. My heart felt like it was being pulled in two different directions. I knew where Kade was coming from - but I could also see why my father was asking us to do this. It made sense. Taking a deep breath, I turned from Kade and looked back at Regris. "I'll do it. When do we leave?"

"Right away."

Wearing sand colored clothes and a mask that covered every inch of my face and hair, the compound looked red through the goggles I wore. Swallowing, I glanced to my left. Kam laid in the sand beside me, binoculars over his eyes. It was just the two of us; a skeleton crew. The others had refused to come and I was working hard on not panicking. This was the first job I had done without in...well, ever. We never did things alone. I kept picturing Kade's face as I had agreed to do the job. It was both pained and betrayed. It made my stomach clench.

"You ready?"

Turning at Kam's words, I nodded. I knew the plan, I could do it. I just had to get a little closer to the building and then I'd use my telekinesis to lower the bomb onto the roof. It was more powerful than the one we had made on the Phoenix and should destroy the product without a problem.

"I've got your back covered. Just be careful."

Eying the long blaster in the sand beside him, I wasn't exactly worried about my back. I was more worried about my front. Clamping down on my rising anxiety, I nodded my head before I started to crawl closer. Behind one sandbank and towards another. We were lucky it wasn't windy, so my movement didn't create much a cloud. Otherwise, my position would've already been compromised.

Getting to the next sand dune, I pulled up on my elbows to peek over. I could see the guards doing their rounds, if you could even call it that. Security at this place was much higher than it had been at the other. But then I figured that was probably because of what we had done. Giving the guard tower a once over, noting that there was only one person up there, I started moving again. Just a little closer.

A light blinked on my wrist com and I froze. Kam must have seen something; it was the signal to stop and wait for the all clear. My heart pounded in my ears and I was sure anyone close by could hear it. It sounded deafening to my own ears. The mask made me feel like I couldn't breathe properly, even though it was designed to filter the sand out of the oxygen so it didn't get into your lungs. I could swear my lungs were made of more sand than oxygen in that moment.

Another light blinked on my wrist; all clear. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I started to crawl again. I was almost in position, I just needed to get a bit closer to the watch tower. Theoretically, I should've been able to use my abilities from the dune where Kam still waited. But I was so out of practice and this had to be perfect. I couldn't miss the target. So I was risking everything by getting as close as possible.

Finally, I reached the dune closest to the watch tower. Burrowing most of my body into the sand a bit, I should've been almost invisible to the guards and even Kam. I took a deep breath and then another. I only had one shot at this, it had to be perfect. Trying to not disturb the sand around me, I reached into the pocket on my back and drew out the bomb. It wasn't very big, which had surprised me. But apparently it packed a punch. Which I kept in mind as I wired it together and set the timer. Two minutes and dropping. Don't mess this up, TJ.

Holding out my palm, I focused and let the device rise out of my hand and move along the ground, close to the sand. Sweat started to bead on my forehead almost instantly, the hot suns of Rama beating down on my back. Keeping my breaths even, so the device didn't waiver in its path, I focused harder than I ever had. One wrong move and I'd blast us all to bits. I had to get it to the exact right spot.

A guard walked lazily down the path beside the building. The device hovered just beyond the flattened sand. Freezing in place, I held it as close to the ground as I dared. Sweat began to drip down my face, I had to blink it out of my eyes. My heart pounded like I was running a marathon. Silently, I cursed myself for not keeping my abilities at their height. I was straining myself and I could feel it.

The second the guard passed, I lifted the device up an inch and crossed the path. Once at the edge of the building, it started to crawl its way up the wall. This was where Kam's eyes were better than my own, so when his voice crackled into existence in my ear, I tried not to jump.

"Easy, the guard is looking in that direction."

My eyes glanced up, as if I could see the guard in the tower from my place on the ground. I slowed the bomb down but I couldn't stop, not again. I didn't have much time left.

"Okay, keep going. He's moved to the other side now."

Pushing harder, I sped up until the bomb crested the roof. Now I was flying blind.

"Okay, easy. Keep going straight. That's it."

I gritted my teeth as my breath threatened to become labored. I couldn't stop now and I couldn't slow down. One glance at my wrist and I knew I had as little as twenty seconds to get it in place. And get out of the blast zone but I'd worry about that after I set the damn thing down.

"To the left a bit, bit more, okay stop. Drop it."

He made it sound so easy. With my teeth clenched to a painful degree, I set the bomb down as gently as I could without being able to see it. The second I let it go, the energy I was using to move it left me in a wave. I was exhausted, beyond anything I had experienced recently. Blackness threatened the edges of my eyes. I squeezed them shut tightly to hold it off. I couldn't black out, not now, not here.

"TJ! Move!" Kam snapped in my ear, his voice louder than it should be under the circumstances.

Turning, I started to crawl away, my limbs feeling like they were full of lead. My breath was no longer controlled, it came in and out in gasps as I struggled to keep my eyes open. Why was I so tired? I'd used my abilities before but it never left me feeling so utterly smashed. I was about to crest the first sand dune when I heard it. That first crack of the bomb before everything exploded.

Adrenaline pushed into my veins, giving me a little boost of energy. Scrambling to my feet, unconcerned about the guards now, I ran for it. I made it a few steps before something slammed into the side of my head. I saw red before I didn't see anything at all.