Free Noah: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 6) by Anna Hackett

she’d let herself go numb. He would never have wanted that for her.
    “Okay, listen up.” Marcus faced them. He looked intimidating, his armor making his broad shoulders and muscled body look even bigger and tougher. “Finn’s going to set us down a short distance from the alien domes. We’ll move in silently and access the first dome. Elle’s identified it as the research dome. Claudia, you’re on point. Gabe will be right behind you. Reed, you’ll bring up the rear.” Marcus caught Shaw’s gaze. “You’ll stay back, find a vantage point and cover our asses.”
    Shaw nodded. “Prefer to be going in, but I’ve got it.”
    “Yeah, heard how much you like going in,” Cruz murmured. “Heard you had a little private party with Tabby from supplies and her blonde friend.”
    Shaw grinned. “My lips are sealed.”
    Cruz snorted.
    Claudia rolled her eyes. “Wow, two quickies at the same time. Talented.”
    Shaw’s face hardened and he kicked his boot against Claudia’s armored leg. “Enough with the quickie stuff. It’s not funny anymore.”
    The female soldier tossed her head back and smiled. “It is to the rest of us. Truth making you a little uncomfortable, Shaw?”
    The sniper leaned down, his face an inch from Claudia’s. “You keep this up, I’ll show you just how long I take in bed with a woman.”
    “Wow, my second offer since we boarded…and I’m not interested in either.” She crossed her arms.
    Shaw leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Laura watched a flow of emotions cross Claudia’s face before she shoved Shaw away.
    “In your dreams, Shaw. Focus on the mission or I’ll punch you in the face.”
    Marcus was pinching the bridge of his nose and Laura got the impression the bickering was normal.
    “Cruz, for God’s sake, don’t encourage them,” Marcus growled.
    The conversation turned to confirming the movements for the rest of the mission. It was then she saw Hell Squad turn from a group of joking friends to fully-focused soldiers. She knew their deadly reputation and now she was going to see it in action.
    Laura fiddled with the pins she’d stuck in her hair to keep it in place. She looked over and saw Noah was watching her. Funny how looking at him made her a whole lot more nervous than going on this mission. When he winked at her, she felt something inside her soften. It was time she decided whether she had the courage to take a risk with him.
    But first, they had to survive this mission.
    “Okay, domes in view,” Finn called back.
    “Everyone, get prepped,” Marcus said. “Hell Squad, ready to go to hell?”
    “Hell yeah,” the squad members yelled. “The devil needs an ass-kicking.”
    Laura’s hand tightened on the bar. Let’s do this.
     

Chapter Seven
    Noah stayed in line, running quickly across the sand to the nearest dome. He had his combat helmet in place and a night-vision lens over his left eye. Everything was bathed in shades of green.
    Ahead of him, half of Hell Squad moved, quickly and quietly. Directly behind him was Laura, followed by the rest of the squad. He could see in an instant they all worked like a well-practiced team, moving together as one.
    Ahead, the first dome rose up from the desert floor.
    He’d seen images of the Genesis Facility that Hell Squad had destroyed. It had been a giant construction made of a continuous, amber-like glass, riddled with black striations. This dome was different. It was smaller and made of individual panes of orange glass fitted together, giving it a mosaic look. A second dome was just visible behind the first. From inside, they glowed with light.
    “Marcus, two raptor signatures rounding the first dome.” Elle’s calm voice came through their earpieces.
    “Down,” Marcus said.
    Everyone dropped, bellies to the sand. Noah’s heart was a loud beat in his head. He waited and watched, and finally spotted the two huge shadows as they came into view. The two raptors were talking quietly to