The first traces of purple dawn streaked across the dark sky as Jude rounded the corner.

Octavia had been quiet during the journey. It must be hard, leaving behind everything she knew. This was the best for her. She’d be safe with him.

His fingers clenched around the steering wheel. He had to remember that she’d been through a lot. He didn’t want to rush things. His brothers always told him he wore his heart on his sleeve and could never hide what he felt. Not this time. Octavia could take her time without feeling any pressure. She could get used to the base, and get used to how everything worked. Get used to him being in her life. Jude planned to be in it for a long time.

A big part of Jude wanted to rush her, though. Although he hadn’t seen her face clearly, what with that thick scarf wrapped around her head and jaw and her black cap pulled low, she was more beautiful than he’d imagined. Her skin was pale and her eyes large and dark blue. Wisps of her blonde hair had slid from her cap and covered one side of her face. He imagined it was silky to the touch.

He rolled his shoulders. Enough with the lusting over Octavia. She was here, sitting next to him. That was enough, for now.

“It must have been hard out there on your own.” Lincoln sat in the back of the Cobra, next to Malachi.

“It wasn’t a party,” said Octavia.

“You must have more than average skills,” said Lincoln. “Running daily broadcasts like you do and not getting caught, that takes expertise.”

She nodded. “I worked for a government agency before the State wiped them out. I know how to avoid detection.”

Jude nodded as he listened to their conversation. That made sense. Although Octavia hadn’t been explicit about her background, he knew from the way she spoke that she must have spent time in the military or special ops.

“Why do you do it?” asked Malachi softly. “Why risk your life to play music and give out information?”

Jude sat up straight in his seat, his attention only half on the road.

Octavia was silent for a few seconds. “It’s my way of helping, I suppose. Before the State arrived, I was so used to having easy access to everything. If I had a question, or needed to know something, I asked online and there was the answer. Suddenly that was gone. I felt lost and alone. I figured other people must feel the same.”

Malachi nodded. “That makes sense.”

“I doubt everyone enjoys the State lies they pump out day and night,” said Lincoln.

“That’s all the people get to listen to,” said Octavia. “Every billboard, every signal that goes out, it’s all reinforcing the belief that the State are our true leaders.”

“How come you weren’t affected?” asked Lincoln. “Why don’t their hypnotic suggestions work on you?”

Her hand went to the back of her head. “I made a rookie mistake when I first joined the agency. I got into a dangerous situation and ended up hospitalized with part of my skull caved in. I’ve got a metal plate in the back of my head. It’s the only thing I can think of that would cause their hypnotic influences to not work on me.”

Jude turned his head and stared at her. “What happened?”

“I remember little about it, fortunately,” said Octavia. “I was working undercover, trying to track down a terrorist cell. There were rumors they would hit a major city in Europe. I was working my way into the gang, using forums to get information and gain their trust. Someone blew my cover, and they found me. Everything after that’s a blank. Until the hospital. The treatment sucked. But this metal plate saved my life. It also saved me from being influenced by the State.”

Lincoln let out a low whistle. “It must have been one hell of a shock when you woke and discovered what had happened?”

Octavia nodded. “Sometimes, it still feels like I’m living in a nightmare. That morning, when I woke and the world had changed, was freaky. The monarchy was dead, the dragons gone, and everyone was walking around as if it was normal. I must have asked a hundred people on that day what was going on. Everyone looked at me as if I was the crazy one.”

Jude winced as he heard the pain in her voice. She went through that on her own while recovering from brain surgery. There must be a strong core inside her to withstand so much.

Octavia continued. “Within the first week, the broadcasts went out from Emperor Endrir, and the billboards were talking about obedience and loyalty and making sure anyone stepping out of line was reported and punished. Then the safe housing projects went up. It all happened so quickly.”

“What did you do?” asked Jude.

“I kept my mouth shut until I was strong enough. Then, I ran for it. First off, I tried some of my contacts in the agency. Those who survived were as brainwashed as everybody else. One of them even reported me. After that, I grabbed what I could and fled. I had cash and assets that I kept in a secure location. It’s wise to do that when you worked in an agency like mine—you never knew when you might be black-balled. Once your cover’s blown, they cut you off and make out like you’re dead. I used the money for as long as I could, then stole myself that van and have been living out of it ever since.”

“The bunker is a good place to be,” said Malachi. “It beats the State prison these guys found me in.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing it,” said Octavia. “It’s weird. I’ve heard so much about the place from Jude, I feel like I’ve already been there.”

“Jude talks too much,” said Lincoln.

“I gave away nothing that would cause us problems,” said Jude.

“Just in case I was a Dinnorm in disguise?” There was a teasing edge to Octavia’s words.

“Don’t take it personally,” said Lincoln. “The State would love to see us strung up on a death wall. We need to take precautions.”

“I get it. Jude was careful when we talked.” Octavia smiled at him. “It sounds good to be in a safe place with people all fighting for the same cause. Maybe I shouldn’t have stayed away for so long.”

“You’re here now,” said Jude. “This can be your home if you want it to be.” He hoped she would stay. He wanted her to feel safe. It must have been a long time since she’d experienced that.

“If I can, I’d like to keep broadcasting Flame,” said Octavia. “A lot of people benefit from it.”

“We have the most secure comms system you can imagine,” said Jude. “Kade makes sure that any messages we send out can’t be tracked back to the source. I helped him rig up the system. It most likely operates the same way yours does. It’s a mixture of ultra-high-frequency radio, satellite tech, mobile multi-channel microwaves, and radio relays.”

“You’ve lost me,” said Lincoln.

Octavia grinned. “That’s pretty much the same with me. I overlay everything with my wireless mesh net, ensuring a wide signal spread. If anyone picks up my messages, they have a search radius of about one hundred kilometers to work through. Chain links help, as well. I also use an omnidirectional transmitter.”

“Someone put me out of my misery,” groaned Lincoln. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

Jude returned Octavia’s grin. “Ignore him. We also use multi-point links.”

“I bet you’ve got a kick-ass early warning system.”

“Of course,” said Jude.

“I had one in the van,” said Octavia. “Any time someone hooked into my signal, I could change frequencies and send them hunting down a dead-end.”

Jude liked her style. She knew how to keep her broadcasts secure. “You should be fine to carry on transmitting Flame from the bunker. I imagine Arlo will insist on it. He loves your music.”

“How about you?” asked Octavia. “What do you think of it? When we first started talking, you kept asking for songs I didn’t have.”

“Jude likes songs full of tortured, broken love,” said Lincoln. “Or hippy tunes. He loves folk rock.”

“Again, ignore my idiot brother.” Jude’s smile softened as he saw Octavia’s eyes shine. “Honestly, I didn’t know much about rock until we got talking. Your music has kept me awake on so many late shifts. Any time I was dozing off, the scream of guitars or someone slamming the drums would keep me wide awake and ready to go.”

“We all love Flame,” said Lincoln. “It would be a crime if you stopped transmitting.”

“I won’t get in the way when I do,” said Octavia. “I’ve operated with a small kit all this time. I’ll take up a tiny corner of a room. You won’t even know I’m in the bunker.”

Jude nodded. He would know she was there. Ever since he’d fixed his gaze on her, he’d felt a frisson of tension between them. Maybe he was the only one who felt it, but there was a connection there. He’d know if Octavia was in the next room to him.

“I’ll message through to the bunker that we’re about to come in,” said Lincoln.

Jude nodded as he turned another corner and squeezed the Cobra along a narrow alleyway. He headed to the back of the bunker, the concealed door in the wall already sliding open. Two armed guards stood by the door, both nodding in acknowledgement as they saw Jude driving.

Gliding the Cobra down the slope into the vehicle bay, he stopped and turned to Octavia, keen to see what she thought of the place. “Welcome to our home.”

***

STEPPING OUT OF THE Cobra, Octavia did a slow turn, keeping her head tilted so her scars weren’t obvious in the light of the vehicle bay. “This place looks incredible.” Half a dozen vehicles were parked. They looked to be modified military trucks. Several people were working on them.

“We made use of a former government’s worries about nuclear war and accessed their extensive system of underground bunkers,” said Jude. “This is one of many we operate out of.”

Octavia nodded. She’d heard about these bunkers. There were supposed to be over a thousand of them in this country.

“Come on, Malachi.” Lincoln draped an arm over his shoulders. “I can see we’ve served our purpose. Let’s allow these two to get to know each other better.”

“Thanks for the help.” Octavia watched them walk away.

“Any time,” called Lincoln. “We’ll see you around.”

“I can give you a tour,” said Jude. “The place is big. Everything looks the same. It’s all the same shade of gray. It’s easy to get lost.”

“I’d like that.” Octavia walked alongside Jude as they exited the vehicle bay and entered a large corridor. The floor was compacted stone and the walls had thick steel joists. She kept him on her left side, so he couldn’t see the right side of her face. She was putting off the inevitable. She’d have to reveal her scars at some point, but she wanted the illusion to last a little longer, to make him think she was beautiful.

The people who passed Jude all nodded and smiled at him. The place seemed friendly and organized. It was also warm. She’d spent too many freezing nights in her van. Heat felt like a luxury.

“When we first started this, there were less than a hundred of us here,” said Jude. “Heath began it all. He’d been unaffected by the hypnotic suggestions of the State. Similar to you, he’d sustained a head injury just before they came to power. He was in a medically induced coma when they took over. He woke up, and the world had changed. Heath didn’t like that. He came here and established a resistance movement.”

“Why weren’t you influenced?”

“I was.” Jude grimaced. “We have a device called the Jolt. It burns out the hypnotic suggestions and returns old memories. It’s not a fun thing to go through. We’re perfecting other methods that are not so brutal. Dragon hybrids use certain herbs to help restore memories. It’s a work in progress.”

“I’m glad you remember,” said Octavia. “I’d hate for you to be under the influence of the State.”

He grinned at her. “So would I, because that would make us enemies.” Jude pointed at a door. “This is our nursery.”

“You have families here?”

“Some. We rescued a group of infants who’d been experimented on by the State. They had their hybrid abilities activated while they were still young. We found them and brought them here.”

“And they’re doing well?”

“They love it here. We love having them.”

Octavia’s eyes widened as she continued to follow Jude. This place was more than she’d hoped for.

“We’ve got a training room and a weapons room to your right. Either of these corridors will take you to the living quarters. I’ll get you set up in one of those as soon as I can. Annie handles inductions for new arrivals.”

“That will be good.” Her own bed in a safe place. She couldn’t help but smile. Octavia tried to keep a mental map of where everything was as Jude continued to show her around. She was sure she would get lost.

“You’ve got the bio zone down there.” Jude pointed to the right. “We’re growing our own food and experimenting with modified crops to increase yield. It’s a great setup when you get the chance to take a look.”

“I’ll do that.” Octavia’s mouth watered at the idea of fresh food.

Jude pushed open the next door and walked through. “This is our canteen. This is where you get to eat.”

She hurried after him eagerly, the thought of food making her stomach growl.

“Go take a seat,” said Jude. “Is there anything in particular you’d like?”

“So long as it’s not cold and isn’t beans, I’m not fussy.”

He smiled at her before walking to an open serving area, where platters of food were set out alongside a row of white mugs.

Octavia watched as Jude chatted to the attractive brunette behind the counter. They seemed to share a joke and laughed together.

She was surprised to feel a stir of jealousy. Jude wasn’t hers. She had no claim over him. He could flirt with anyone he wanted to.

Tearing her gaze from his broad shoulders and the tight fit of his combat pants, she selected a table in the corner. It would be quiet here and they could talk without being disturbed.

Adjusting her scarf, she tilted the baseball cap and tucked her hair across her cheek. It probably looked strange, but if she sat at the right angle, Jude wouldn’t notice anything was wrong.

She raised her hand as she saw Jude turn, a tray full of food in his hands. He nodded at her and walked over, placing the tray in front of her.

Octavia licked her lips as she stared at the food. There was bread, apples, what smelled like coffee in the mugs, and a rich-looking slice of fruitcake.

She looked up as Jude chuckled as he sat next to her.

“You don’t have to just look at it. You can eat it.”

Octavia grabbed a slice of bread. “I haven’t had bread for months. The stuff in the stores goes off too quickly.” She sniffed the bread and closed her eyes, inhaling the floury scent.

“You have Juliet to thank for that,” said Jude. “She creates amazing food given the supplies we’re able to get our hands on. Don’t get too fond of it. Bread isn’t an everyday thing. For a few weeks, we were living off of a lot of chickpea fritters and tinned vegetables.”

“Even that sounds good.” Octavia tore off a piece of bread and placed it on her tongue. She groaned. “I’m in heaven.”

Jude shrugged, the smile remaining on his face. “I wouldn’t call the bunker heaven. It’s a safe place, though. You won’t need to worry about looking over your shoulder now you’re here. There are others to do that for you.”

Octavia gave up on trying to be delicate and shoved the rest of the bread in her mouth. Her stomach growled in appreciation.

“Can I ask you a question?”

She nodded as she took a swallow of coffee, suddenly nervous Jude would ask her something awkward. Maybe he’d noticed her scars. “This is actually coffee?”

“We always make sure to have coffee,” said Jude. “This place would fall apart without it. It helps when you’re on night duty.”

“The only thing it’s missing is cream.”

“That’s not something we get too often,” said Jude. “We might have some powdered stuff in the back room.”

“This is fine. Better than fine. It’s all amazing.” She stuffed more bread into her mouth and glanced nervously at Jude.

“So, how have you managed so long on your own?” Jude’s tone was serious as he cupped his hands around a mug.

“My training helped,” said Octavia. “I’m guessing you know something about that. You and your brothers were all in the military, weren’t you?” From their chatter on the radio, and the way they conducted their recon and search and rescue missions, they all had to have specialist training.

“That’s right,” said Jude. “I was a Signal Fusilier. I know my way around a communications network.”

“I spent a lot of time working deep undercover,” said Octavia. “You have to be prepared for that. You have to know what it will be like if your cover is blown. Torture is inevitable. Death is also highly likely.” She finished the second slice of bread. “You’re not having any of this?”

“Take what you like,” said Jude. “It looks like you need it.”

Octavia frowned, her hand hovering over an apple. Did she really look that dreadful?

“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” Jude grimaced and touched her arm. “I meant you look hungry.”

She dropped her hand into her lap. “You think I look half-starved?”

“Shit! I’m not saying this well. What I mean is, I’m guessing you didn’t have much to eat when you were in the van. I’ve had three regular meals every day for months. I don’t need it.”

Her gaze flicked over his broad shoulders and chest. He was right there. Jude filled out his clothes perfectly.

Her hunger won out over her manners. She shrugged as she tried the fruitcake. The sweetness of the dried fruit made her eyes roll back in her head. “I get it. I’m not what you expected from the voice. You wanted some hot chick in knee-high boots and a push-up bra. Someone with tousled hair and come-fuck-me red lips.”

Jude’s nose wrinkled. “That’s not my type. You’re exactly what I imagined.” He raked a hand through his dark hair, making it stand up in messy peaks. “I mean, I imagined what you’d be like. I already knew what you sounded like.”

“I had the upper hand on you,” said Octavia. “The State post pictures of you and your brothers everywhere.”

He grinned. “You’ve been checking me out?”

She felt her cheeks heat and looked down at the food. “I figured it wouldn’t do any harm. It’s always good to know who you’re working with. If I hadn’t done a background check on you, I’d have been an idiot.”

The smile remained on Jude’s face. He was even cuter when he smiled, with two dimples on each cheek. “Of course.”

She stuffed the rest of the fruitcake in her mouth and drank more coffee. She was growing warm in the scarf and cap but there was no way she was ready to take them off.

The canteen door opened. A tall, trim woman in her mid-forties walked through. She had short dark hair. What surprised Octavia was the eyepatch the woman wore. “Who’s that?”

Jude looked over. “That’s the big boss, Danni Hannigan. She runs this place.”

Octavia watched as Danni collected a coffee. Her gaze drifted around the room before settling on Jude. She stared carefully at Octavia before walking over.

“I take it you’re Octavia?” Danni held a hand out.

Octavia shook it. “That’s right.”

“It’s nice to meet you in person.” Danni settled into the seat opposite her. “The squads enjoy listening to your music when they’re out on missions. They tell me it gets them pumped up and ready for a fight.”

Octavia liked the confident tone in Danni’s voice. She could see why people would follow her. “I’m glad it helps. Most of the time I play that kind of music because it stops me from falling asleep.”

Danni nodded. “That must be important when you’re out there on your own.”

“She’s not on her own anymore,” said Jude. “Octavia’s staying here.”

A warm glow filled Octavia when he said those words. It sounded like Jude wanted her to stay. That was fine by her.

“You’ll be an asset to our team,” said Danni. “I’ll be interested in learning how you’ve acquired so much information about the State. And also about us.”

Octavia sensed a note of hardness in Danni’s voice. “If the methods I’ve used to get through the State comms system can be of any use to you, you’re welcome to them.”

“I appreciate that,” said Danni. “What are your thoughts about the signals you’ve picked up from the State?”

Jude cleared his throat. “Danni, if it’s okay, Octavia’s only just got here. She needs a break.”

Octavia waved away his concern. “I’m fine. Honestly, I can run on only a few hours’ sleep. I’m awake until the early hours of the morning, anyway. This is normal for me.”

Danni sipped her coffee and waited for Octavia to continue.

“I’d detected a sub-channel system a while ago,” said Octavia. “It operates like the dark web. Individuals use it to send messages covertly. Unless you’re aware the sub-channel is there, you wouldn’t be looking for it. I have a program that operates on an old-style public switched radio system. It frequency hops every thirty seconds and scans whatever it has hopped onto for chatter. I was playing with it one evening when I first picked up on this strange language.”

“We believe it’s Dinnorm language,” said Danni.

“So Jude’s been telling me,” said Octavia. “I’m still surprised they even exist.”

“So were we,” said Jude.

“Anyway, they don’t use the same channel,” said Octavia. “They frequency hop like I do to avoid detection. I’m still working out the pattern they use so I don’t have a break in their messaging.”

Danni leaned forward, setting her mug down. “You have more recordings of their communications?”

“I’ve got eighty percent of a single communication,” said Octavia. “They’re clever. They change their pattern of frequency hopping every seven days. I thought I’d had it figured out, then had to start from scratch.”

Danni let out a sigh. “Which suggests they’re keen on avoiding detection. Normally, they use basic encryption. They’ve never been this difficult to hack into.”

“I can show you the program I use to keep up with the messages,” said Octavia. “It might help.”

“That would be great,” said Jude. “It’s not so much a language problem, but we’re missing letters, which means we struggle to get a complete sentence.”

Octavia grinned at him. “We’ll figure it out. Frequency hopping is my speciality. We just need to keep up with them.”

“Between the two of us, we can do that.”

Jude’s warm smile made her feel fuller than the food she’d eaten. With him by her side, she felt like she could achieve anything.