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Jake lay on the ground, wrists bound, the rope biting into his skin. He dragged air into his lungs, each breath shallow and burning. It only got harder when he lifted his head—
—and saw a dead man standing in his peripheral vision.
No.
A man who should be dead.
“I killed you.”
Quaritch smiled. Not wide. Not warm. Calculating. Like a devil weighing its prey before deciding how to carve it open.
“I guess I don’t die that easily, Corporal.”
His eyes locked onto Jake’s, unblinking.
“We’ve got a debt to settle, don’t we, Princess?”
Jake swallowed.
“You betrayed me,” Quaritch continued calmly. “You killed good men and women. But that?” His eyes darkened, something old and vicious stirring behind them. “That’s nothing compared to you
breaking your promises.”
He scoffed softly, as if amused by his own memory.
“‘Till death do us part.’ Funny, isn’t it—”
“Colonel, it’s Spider’s mask. Full.”
Lyle’s voice cut in. He stood a few steps away, holding the breathing mask.
Quaritch didn’t turn.
“Yeah—” Jake seized the opening, words tumbling out fast. “If we don’t get to the kids right now, the mangkwan will. And there’s no telling what they’ll do to them.”
Quaritch finally glanced at him, amused.
“Relax, Cupcake. I didn’t come all this way just for you.”
He clicked his radio.
“This is Blue One. I repeat, this is Blue One. The savages have the Sully kids and Spider. Conduct an aerial search. I want them alive. Kill the savages if you have to.”
“Lyle—go with them. Take the mask. Tell Ardmore that Jake Sully escaped, and that I’m following his trail.”
“Sir,” Lyle hesitated, “that’s not the mission.”
Quaritch turned.
The look he gave Lyle stopped him cold—pure, focused hatred. Lyle had seen anger before. He had never seen this.
“I have a debt to settle.”
“Yes, sir.”
Quaritch turned back to Jake, hauled him upright, and secured him onto his ikran. Moments later, they were airborne.
They flew for hours.
Jake lost track of time somewhere between fear and exhaustion. Wherever Quaritch was taking him, it wasn’t anywhere good.
“What are you doing?” Jake finally demanded over the wind. “Don’t you have to take me to Ardmore?”
“Oh, Princess,” Quaritch replied easily. “Don’t act so surprised.”
The ikran descended, landing on one of the floating rocks—with a cave carved into its side.
“That’ll do.”
Quaritch dismounted, yanked Jake down beside him. He crouched until they were eye to eye.
“Remember,” Quaritch said softly, “when you first got to Pandora? When the scientists treated you like an outcast?”
Jake’s throat tightened.
“You came to me looking for advice. For purpose.” A pause. A smile. “For a lover.”
Guilt flooded Jake’s chest as memories clawed their way to the surface.
----
“Sir,” Jake reported, eyes fixed on the man in front of him. Gray hair. Blue eyes. A claw-mark scar across his head. Tanned skin, rigid posture.
Colonel Miles Quaritch.
“The trees are tall, but hollow.”
Quaritch raised a brow. “Is there something on my face, Corporal?”
“No, sir.”
At the recruitment booth, they’d asked Jake why he wanted to join the Marines. He hadn’t had an answer then.
He did now.
Leadership. Certainty. Strength. Everything Jake felt ever wanted.
“Sir,” Jake ventured, “if the mission is successful—and my spine gets healed—could I join you here? On Pandora?”
Quaritch studied him for a long moment.
“Easy, Corporal. One step at a time.” His voice softened just a fraction. “You should get some rest. I’ll walk you back.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jake wheeled himself toward the exit. Quaritch followed.
Halfway down the corridor, Jake noticed something strange.
Quaritch wasn’t walking ahead.
He was matching Jake’s pace.
Most people didn’t bother. They walked fast, expecting Jake to keep up or be left behind.
But not Quaritch.
Not him.
They stopped outside Jake’s room.
“Have a good night, Corporal.”
“Yes, sir.”
Quaritch hesitated, then handed him a slip of paper.
“If you need anything—this is my contact.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Jake watched him walk away, fingers tightening around the paper.