Chapter 14: Counter Strike

They had crossed the border after nightfall.

Conditions for the raid could not have been more perfect. The moonless night was smothered by heavy cloud cover, and they had moved swiftly to take advantage of the darkness. It had only been two days earlier that new intelligence had identified several points where Blue Moon's border defences appeared particularly weak, but there was no time to lose. After some brief deliberations, a set of promising targets had been selected, and Nell had signed off on the plan. By sunset all preparations had been completed, and shortly after, four strike teams had departed their bases and ventured out beyond the Orange Star lines, heading straight for Blue Moon territory.

That multiple spots along the border appeared lightly defended was hardly a surprise. Even when the two countries were at war, the border was too long, and in many places too wild, to fully secure. That did not mean that it was remotely safe to make the crossing, however. The risk remained that they would encounter security fences, active surveillance, or even a regular patrol. Just because their intelligence had not detected any defensive measures didn't mean they weren't there. Blue Moon had hardly lacked the opportunity to reinforce its borders during the past six months. It was all but certain they had increased monitoring of the border as part of their preparations for war. Thus far there had been no indication that the enemy was aware of their presence, but Sami knew it was only a matter of time before her teams were discovered, and when they were, the mission would become a whole lot more complicated.

Ever since the war's outbreak, Sami had been fighting defensive battles alongside the rest of Orange Star's commanders. Blue Moon's armoured battalions had crossed the border in force when the invasion began, making a concerted attempt to advance along multiple axes. While Max and Rachel had taken charge of repelling the enemy's main push into Orange Star's heartland, Sami and Andy had found themselves fighting a series of smaller skirmishes. Smaller, but no less intense. Every rural town, river crossing, and main road had become a potential focus of the conflict, and it was their duty to defend them all – at least in theory. The reality was somewhat different. It was simply impossible to fight for every inch of territory, and so they had to make hard choices about which locations were most important, and prioritise their defence.

Above all, Orange Star's strategy was to make Blue Moon's advance as slow and as costly as possible. In the long run, a war of attrition worked to their advantage. The nature of combat favoured the defender; it was, after all, much harder to seize ground than to hold it. To date, that approach had been remarkably successful. Blue's Moon's gains over the past week had been minimal, and their casualties significant, but Sami knew it would not be enough. The Blue Moon Army remained a formidable force despite being eroded by successive wars, and Olaf still had the option of mobilising more troops. Orange Star meanwhile could not cover every stretch of ground, not whilst simultaneously guarding against the Black Hole threat. They needed to resolve this crisis as soon as possible, and that required weakening Blue Moon to the point where it could not continue fighting. Sami and Max had soon come to the same conclusion: they needed to take more offensive actions to cripple Blue Moon before this war could get too far out of hand.

Sami felt a twinge of dark amusement at the thought. Things were already spiralling way out of control. Wars were easy to start, but notoriously difficult to contain; like wildfires they had a habit of growing in scope and intensity, leaving only ruin in their wake. Any hope that the situation would improve had died when Blue Moon's tanks rolled across the border. Sami was not naive. She had been a soldier for her entire adult life, and she recognised that things were going to get worse before they got better.

An awareness of that uneasy truth had been gnawing at Sami ever since Blue Moon declared war, though she did her best to ignore it. The bigger picture was not what mattered right now. All she could do was see her mission through to a successful conclusion. Instead of dwelling on the future, Sami concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, jogging through the shadowed woodland at an unyielding pace. She had accompanied the first strike team, and the other five squad members were spread out to either side of her in a loose skirmish line. Her boots were still wet from when they had crossed a stream earlier, but Sami ignored the discomfort and the cold. She had always been able to push through physical pain and stress, no matter how severe.

So far, everything had gone according to plan. Four teams had crossed the border in three places, embarked on armoured vehicles to cover most of the distance to their targets. They had left the transports behind only for the last stretch of the journey. Proceeding on foot was slower than taking a direct approach, but for this mission, stealth was a higher priority than speed.

A sharp crack echoed through the night, and adrenaline shot through Sami's veins. Almost as soon as she heard the sound she relaxed. She had stepped on a particularly loud branch, that was all. In the oppressive silence of the night it was easy to see an enemy in every shadow, and a threat in even the faintest noise. The breaking branch was quickly forgotten, but Sami remained alert as her team kept up its relentless pace. They were deep enough into Blue Moon territory now that the dangers were very real.

Sami glanced to either side of her, noting the vague shapes of soldiers moving in the gloom. Still no sign of trouble, or even that the enemy was aware of them at all. She did not stop checking the area as the group continued onwards. It wasn't inconceivable that their foray into Blue Moon territory had gone unnoticed, but it was unlikely. Sami had taken every possible precaution, but it was difficult to completely hide troop movements from a vigilant foe. She had fully expected to encounter some resistance as they approached the border, or even a show of force meant to deter them from going any further. Instead there had been nothing. No response, no enemy troops, nothing. The wider world had faded away, suffocated by thick shadows, and Sami was left with only the rhythm of her breathing and the beat of her boots against the forest floor. She would almost have preferred to be in a firefight than in this eerie silence. The constant need to anticipate any possible threat was playing havoc with her nerves.

Another fifteen minutes of steady jogging brought them to the edge of the woods. Sami signalled to the rest of the team, and they slowed to walking pace. The group advanced with greater caution as the trees thinned, and the ground became more uneven. Creeping through the dark, they soon emerged at the top of a ridge, a steep, rocky incline falling away beyond. Down in the plains below Sami could see faint lights in the distance, glittering like yellow stars in the night. She could scarcely believe it. They'd made it across the Blue Moon border and come within range of the target without being detected. Sami couldn't rule out the possibility of an ambush, of course, but if the enemy knew they were coming, surely they wouldn't have waited this long to attack. Deliberately leaving the facility vulnerable was madness. Sami shook her head, reminding herself that there was no use in speculating now. Her duty was to carry out her mission, and deal with the situation as it evolved.

Sami turned to the sergeant who had accompanied her squad, expression neutral.

"Get everything set up and ready to go," she said, lifting her com device from her belt. "This is Sami. All teams, report in."

One by one the status reports came through. It was the same story each time. Every team had made it to their assigned position without incident, and there had been absolutely no sign that Blue Moon was even aware of their presence. Sami allowed herself a moment to consider that. Could it be that the enemy's defences were so lax that they had completely missed this incursion? It seemed almost impossible to Sami that anyone could be so incompetent, but she was well aware that not everyone held themselves to the same high standards as she did. It was at least conceivable that Blue Moon had been so focused on their offensive that they had neglected their own defences.

Sami crossed her arms, taking note of the progress her team had made setting up their missile launchers. They were almost done. Good, she thought. The sooner they completed their mission and got the hell out of there, the better. In the meantime she remained preoccupied by the anomaly of Blue Moon's nonexistent defences. Sami could not help but think of the report the President had shown her and Nell, back before the conference in the War Room. She hadn't quite known what to make of it then, and now, she was only more uncertain of its meaning. Was it really possible that Blue Moon's ability to fight was becoming seriously compromised? Sami still found it hard to believe. Surely the country's military couldn't be in such bad condition, or else they would never have been able to survive the recent wars.

As she waited, Sami considered that assumption further. She had heard rumours that Blue Moon suffered from poor logistics and incompetent command, back when Olaf first tried to invade Orange Star. There had even been stories circulating about planes unable to fight for lack of fuel. Sami had never put much stock in such hearsay, but it was an undeniable fact that Blue Moon had lacked the capacity to send troops further abroad during the Second Great War. Even when Orange Star and Yellow Comet had dedicated everything they could spare to freeing Green Earth from Hawke's iron grip, Blue Moon had been unable to join the fight. Their supply lines, it had been said, were in shambles, and their resources were stretched too thin to send any aid. Sami had thought little of that claim at the time. She had assumed any logistical issues were simply due to wartime damages, but now she found herself reconsidering that conclusion. Perhaps they were actually a symptom of a much deeper problem.

Sami dismissed that train of thought with a toss of her head. It was foolish to underestimate the Blue Moon Army. Better to err on the side of caution and plan for the worst, especially with so much at stake. Besides, if Blue Moon was in such dire straits as some seemed to think, no doubt that would soon become apparent.

"We're ready, ma'am," the sergeant advised her.

Sami acknowledged that with a single nod and activated her com again. "All teams, this is Sami. Have you completed your preparations?"

Once again, every answer was affirmative. There had been no problems at all. Sami couldn't quite believe it. In her entire career, she had never known a mission to proceed this smoothly.

"Okay," she said. "You all know what to do. If everything goes well, we should be able to stay one step ahead of the enemy, but be prepared for anything. We've got no idea what the enemy's response will be."

Sami paused. Her eyes settled on the cluster of lights down on the plain, and she felt anticipation pulse through her veins.

"All teams, fire!"

Several bright flashes cut through the oppressive gloom in rapid succession. Sami watched as a volley of compact missiles blasted into the sky and were lost to sight. A split second later, a cluster of explosions rocked the stillness, and the lights below were obscured by a smoky conflagration. There was no time to wait and see the results of their handiwork. Sami gave a quick gesture, and her team began dismantling the launchers as fast as possible. She cast one last glance back towards the plain as they prepared to leave, but all she could make out where the target had been were fires burning. It was impossible to say how much damage had been done, and there was nothing she could do except put the question aside as her unit withdrew into the woods. Hopefully it had been enough.

The retreat through the trees was measured in short breaths and tense heartbeats more than any real sense of time. Sami and her team ran as fast as they could without exhausting themselves, heading for the transports they had left on the other side of the woods. It had been too risky to bring the armoured vehicles any closer to the target. Taking them that far into enemy territory had been a gamble, even with good cover from the terrain and the moonless night. That there was no sign the transports had been detected was encouraging. Still, Sami remained alert for any sign of danger, even as her muscles began to ache from the distance they had covered. She was no stranger to physical exertion, but the journey through the forest, covering rough terrain at speed in the dark, had been gruelling. Even the meagre comforts of an APC seemed like a luxury by comparison. They were not far out of reach now; Sami found she could track their progress by the landmarks they passed. First a small hill, strewn with fallen trunks, and then the stream they had crossed shortly after entering the woods. Ahead came a dip in the terrain, and a short distance beyond that, their transports were waiting at the mouth of a ravine. They were nearly home.

Several soldiers burst into a smile as they emerged out into the open and glimpsed the transports. Sami slowed, letting the others go first and bringing up the rear. Her team swiftly descended over the rough ground and rocks, making a beeline for the faint orange shapes sitting in the gloom. Sami waved to the soldiers standing guard as she approached.

"Any trouble?" She asked, breathless.

"No ma'am. It's been quiet as the grave."

After the astounding success of their mission, Sami had expected that answer, even if she couldn't quite believe it. But then, nothing seemed to be going the way she expected any more.

Her heart gave a strange tremor at the unbidden thought. Sami raised a hand to wipe some of the sweat from her brow as she struggled to keep her composure. Summoning all her willpower, she pushed both the thought and the bitterness lurking beneath aside.

"Alright," Sami said. "Load everyone into the transports and let's get out of here."

Like everything else that night, the orders were carried out with simple efficiency. Before long they were all aboard the transports, and speeding towards the border. Sami allowed herself a moment to sit back and catch her breath as the APC sped onwards, rumbling and jolting as it drove across the rough terrain. Her part of the operation was complete. There was just one last thing she had to do.

Sami lifted her com device again and input a different signal. "Bravo leader, this is Strike Team Alpha. Do you copy?"

"Copy that, Strike Team Alpha," Max's deep voice answered. "What's your status?"

"We're on our way home now," she replied. "The mission was a perfect success. You're all clear."

"Now that's what I like to hear," Max said. "We'll move in right away."

He sounded pleased, and for good reason. This was the confirmation he'd been waiting for. Now, the second phase of the operation could begin.

Sami and Max had devised the plan together. Sami's role had been to lead her strike teams across the border and take out several air defence and tracking stations. Their objective had been to create a gap in the enemy's defences so that Max could launch an air raid deeper into enemy territory. By hitting a string of targets along a section of the front, Sami had created an opening for him to attack what they suspected was a vital supply hub for the main invasion force. If everything went according to plan, any logistical woes Blue Moon was suffering were about to get a whole lot worse.

"You doin' okay?" Max asked after a short time.

"Fine. We didn't encounter any problems at all," Sami said. "No resistance, no pursuit. I don't think I've ever had a mission go this smoothly before."

She heard Max grunt. "And you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sami asked, a guarded tone creeping into her voice.

"Nothing, just that things haven't been easy lately, for any of us. No shame in admitting it."

Sami felt a twinge of irritation. What did Max think he was getting at? She had no desire to dwell on her feelings, let alone discuss them with anyone. Even if she had, Max was not the friend she would have turned to. His heart was in the right place, but offering emotional support was not one of Max's strengths. If he knew the extent of what had passed between her and Eagle, Max would probably have broken his nose.

In a twisted way, Sami was almost grateful Olaf had decided to invade. Defending her country was a welcome distraction from the wreckage of her personal life.

"And are you okay?" She snapped.

"I've been better," Max said, his voice darkening. Without warning he let out a short burst of laughter. "Man, look at the two of us. I guess we've all got our demons, huh?"

"Except Andy, maybe," Sami said.

Max let out an amused snort. "Yeah, unless you count not knowing how to tie your own shoelaces." He went quiet for a time. "I don't know. It's been gettin' to me lately, Sami. I didn't think it'd be this hard, being at war with Blue Moon again. Figured we did it before, so we could do it again."

Sami considered that, her irritation subsiding. "A lot's happened since then. It isn't the same."

"Damn right it's not," Max said. "Last time it wasn't so suicidal of them. I can't believe Grit would be dumb enough to go along with this invasion, not with Black Hole breathing down our neck."

"Maybe he wasn't," she said, aware of the simmering anger in Max's voice. "Maybe he just couldn't do anything to stop it."

"More like he couldn't be bothered, like it was just too damn hard." Another snort. "That's what Grit does, Sami. As soon as the going gets tough, he bails. I've cut him a lot of slack over the years, and you know what? I'm done."

Sami said nothing. There was some truth to what Max was saying, but there was also a lot of nuance he was leaving out. Sami had never worked all that closely with Grit, and in many ways they were as different as night and day, but she had nonetheless come to respect him. Grit may not have been a model military officer, but there had been many times when she had seen him go to great lengths to do what he thought was right.

She scowled to herself. Max raised a good point. It was hard to see how Grit could be anything but complicit in Blue Moon's war. He was a commanding officer in their army, and there was only so far his actions could be separated from those of the country he chose to fight for. Perhaps she'd simply misjudged Grit like she'd misjudged others.

"Have you heard anything more about Brown Nebula?" She asked, eager to change the subject. "Last I heard, we had a lead on Black Hole worth following there."

"Nah," Max said. "I don't think anyone can spare the resources to chase that up. Maybe Green Earth can scrape something together, but it'll probably take 'em a while."

"We don't have a while," Sami said sharply. "We need to get to the bottom of this, fast." She paused. "What about Yellow Comet? Surely they could send a force to look into what's going on while still staying neutral. Call it an independent investigation. I'm sure Sonja would love that."

She heard Max draw a sharp intake of breath. "You haven't heard."

"Heard what?"

"Yellow Comet's out," he said. "They quit the Allied Nations this morning."

"What?" Sami exclaimed.

"I know," Max said, his voice grim. "Beats me what they're thinking. I get not wanting to wind up in the middle of this stupid war with Blue Moon, but they're just makin' it easy for Black Hole to pick us off one by one."

Sami could barely believe what she had just heard. Coming to terms with the breakdown of their alliance with Blue Moon had been difficult enough, and that was when considering the history of bitter rivalry between their two countries. In that case, working together had very much been the exception rather than the norm. Yellow Comet and Orange Star, on the other hand, had been firm allies ever since fighting side by side during the Cataclysm. So deep were the bonds between them that the future head of the Orange Star Armed Forces had been trained by Sensei himself, the most skilled commander Yellow Comet had ever seen. Many years later, Orange Star had returned the favour by accepting no less an esteemed student than the Emperor's daughter to their military academy. Excepting the skirmishes provoked by Sturm's campaign of terror and deceit during the first war, they had been steadfast friends for almost thirty five years.

So why had Yellow Comet decided to abandon them now?

"Sami?" Max asked. "You still there?"

Sami started. She had almost forgotten that Max was still on the line.

"Yes," she said, struggling to clear her head. "Yes, I'm here. The news just took me by surprise, that's all."

"I'll bet. Listen, I'd better go. Our jets will be coming up on the border soon." A brief pause. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

Sami sighed. "You too. Oh, and say hi to Rachel for me."

"Will do. Max out."

She heard a faint beep as Max broke the connection, and Sami was left to let the news sink in. There was little else to occupy her mind as the APC continued homeward. The drive back to their base was a long one; it would take over an hour at top speed, and by then it would be well after midnight. It was a quiet trip. Some of her team members closed their eyes and got what rest they could, dozing if not deeply sleeping. Sami wished she could do the same, but she was far too tense. Part of her was still waiting for Blue Moon forces to launch a pursuit, and as the mission's commander it was her duty to be ready for them. Even after they crossed the border and were back in Orange Star, Sami found she couldn't relax. With the war raging, there was no place in the border regions that was truly safe.

As it turned out, the drive was uneventful. Sami's thoughts alternated between forming plans to thwart any pursuit, and bursts of frustration at Yellow Comet's decision to leave the Allied Nations. The resignation might have meant little in practice, considering the point things had already come to, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow.

Eventually the APC slowed to approach their base, driving through the main gate and coasting to a halt. Sami and her team of soldiers disembarked, stepping out onto the asphalt yard to stretch aching limbs and breathe the crisp night air. Sami found herself surprised by just how cold it was outside. During the mission she had barely noticed the chill, her body temperature kept high by constant physical activity. That had changed after sitting idle during the long drive. Now, the night air felt like ice against her skin, and Sami could not keep from shivering. It would not be long before winter was well and truly upon them, she reflected. Everything was cold and silent. There were sentries and guards on duty, even at this late hour, but for the most part the world was deathly quiet, blanketed by the stillness of the early morning. Sami's team brought no fresh chatter. Everyone was far too tired for idle conversation.

She strode across the yard, heading towards the main building rather than the barracks. Sami had a small office with its own bathroom, and she had set up her bed inside as well. They were hardly luxurious accommodations, but she was at least grateful for the privacy. She hurried through the base until she reached her room, growing more aware of her exhaustion with every step. Now that her teams were safely back home, she could finally lower her guard. More than anything Sami wanted to lie down and close her eyes, but she needed to shower first, to wash the grime and sweat of the night off her skin.

Sami did not procrastinate in the shower, although the hot water tempted her otherwise. She kept her movements quick and efficient, focusing on what needed to be done, and was soon finished washing. Sami stepped out of the shower, dried herself off, and changed into her sleepwear. She turned towards her bed, only to find herself hesitating to get under the blankets as she again thought of Yellow Comet. Max's news was not sitting well with her. Sami knew the sensible course of action was to ignore the thought, but she couldn't bring herself to let it go. She needed to see what had just happened for herself, to try and understand why their allies – their friends – had chosen this path. With a resigned expression Sami turned away from her bed, sat down at her desk, and flipped open a laptop.

Yellow Comet's withdrawal from the Allied Nations wasn't entirely unexpected, she had to admit. For months they had been determined not to take sides, even while Orange Star and Blue Moon were at each other's throats. For whatever reason, they were committed to neutrality. Still, Max was right. It made no sense strategically. Sami didn't believe that Yellow Comet would choose to ignore the recent spate of Black Hole attacks, but how could they maintain such an isolationist policy otherwise? It made no sense to her.

The laptop had finished starting up. Sami quickly searched for news stories related to Yellow Comet. The first link was dated six hours ago. Sami clicked on it and was taken to an article about the formal resignation from the Allied Nations. She skimmed through it, but it told her little that she did not already know. Most experts thought the announcement was largely a formal acknowledgement of the existing situation; there was speculation that Orange Star and Green Earth's new alliance – the New Allied Nations, they were calling it – had made it necessary for Yellow Comet to clarify their position. Several times the author made reference to 'a rapidly changing global security environment'. It was a phrase that annoyed Sami more each time she read it. She'd always hated political jargon. As far as she was concerned, it served no purpose but to obscure the truth, and this was one of the worst cases she'd ever seen. Orange Star and Blue Moon were once again in a state of total war, to say nothing of the fact that Black Hole was back. It was conceivable that the freedom and autonomy of every country in the world was threatened. To say the global security environment was changing was a monumental understatement.

As Sami came towards the end of the article, she paused at an embedded video. It was an excerpt from a press conference, given by none other than the Emperor of Yellow Comet himself. Even on a small video with poor resolution, Kanbei stood tall and proud in his pressed uniform and flowing cape, his jaw set in a look of firm determination. Strength was one quality no one would ever accuse Kanbei of lacking.

Sami didn't expect the video to tell her anything she did not already know, but she nevertheless felt a certain cynical curiosity as she hit play.

"After great deliberation, it has been decided that Yellow Comet shall resign from the Allied Nations," Kanbei began.

He was considerably more subdued than usual, Sami noted. Kanbei was reading from a prepared speech, and his voice was almost a monotone.

"Together, we have won great victories. But this is a time of great and rapid change. Our country must adapt for the future, in order to preserve our traditions. So it is that for now, Yellow Comet must stand alone."

Kanbei stopped speaking and glanced away. As Sami watched, he fidgeted briefly with his maroon cape, before apparently remembering where he was and looking back to the camera.

"This does not mean that we have forgotten the events of recent years. As ever, our country will honour its friendships, especially those forged in the heat of battle, but we must do so at greater distance than before."

The video reached its end and went to black. A frown came over Sami. This was not the kind of speech she would have expected from the Emperor of Yellow Comet. Kanbei had a reputation for honour and integrity, and Sami had never known him to be anything but honest and direct, if occasionally given to bouts of extreme bombast. This speech, by contrast, was full of evasive nonsense and vague platitudes, to the point it seemed to have come from someone else entirely.

It was baffling, just as every decision Yellow Comet made lately was baffling to Sami. They seemed determined to keep their distance from their former allies, and to say nothing that would explain it. Their silence had been nagging at Sami ever since she'd tried to contact Sonja, back before Blue Moon launched its invasion. She had spent hours trying to reach her old classmate, and without any success. Official requests were met with polite rebuffs from junior officials, and any more discreet enquires received no answer at all. Over and over Sami had been told that Sonja was occupied with matters of the highest import, and that Yellow Comet was unable to provide any assistance at this time. It was infuriating. She hadn't been able to get through to Sonja no matter what she tried, and Sami had long since stopped expecting any reply.

The worst part of it was not knowing why Sonja was refusing contact. Sami didn't doubt that there was a reason: with Sonja, there always was. The only explanation Sami could come up with was that Yellow Comet didn't want to risk antagonising Blue Moon by providing any help to Orange Star. It wasn't a particularly satisfying explanation. Sonja had always possessed an alarming tendency to disregard rules and norms if they got in the way of her plans, and Sami did not for one second believe that Sonja had suddenly decided to restrain herself because she might risk causing offence. Either Sonja's hands were tied by factors outside her control, or she was up to something that required her to keep her distance. Neither possibility was especially comforting.

It wasn't just losing an ally that bothered Sami. She and Sonja were more than that, even if friend was perhaps not the right word to describe their complicated relationship. Over the years they had been rivals, foes, and comrades, but there had always been a mutual understanding between them. Now? Sami no longer knew what to think. Ever since the end of the Omega War, it felt like everyone was pulling away, like every connection she had ever made was being set ablaze. First Blue Moon, then Eagle, now this.

Eagle. A flash of anger ran through her, mingling with all the pain she had tried so hard to bury. Over the past few weeks Sami had discovered that she couldn't entirely keep from thinking about him, no matter how hard she tried. He was still with her, even after their relationship had been so abruptly terminated. In some ways the aftershocks of what had happened were worse than the initial hurt. Sami didn't know how to cope with this ongoing anger and heartbreak, didn't know what she was supposed to do with it. All she wanted was for the feelings to fade, and that was the one thing they refused to do. Eagle yet lingered in her heart and in her memory, and she hated him for it.

Sami leant back in the chair and rubbed her tired eyes. She didn't have the energy to think about Eagle. She needed to sleep. In a few short hours, an alarm would wake her before dawn, just in time for her morning briefing on the latest developments in the war. After that, everything would start all over again. She would be in for another long day of commanding forces, coordinating troop movements and fighting back Blue Moon attacks. Their success tonight might relieve some of the pressure on their positions, Sami thought as she turned off the laptop. Perhaps things would get a little easier, at least in the short term.

She stood up and walked to her bed, doing her best to push it all out of her mind. Blue Moon, Black Hole, these endless wars, the dwindling list of friends she could count on. Eagle. All of it. She was too exhausted to think about any of those things any longer. The hot shower had already helped relax her aching muscles, and as Sami climbed beneath the blankets, she felt herself simply collapse into the bed.

She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, falling into a deep and dreamless slumber.