Hell Divers Read Online Free

tonsure. He positioned his glasses farther down, against the bulb of his nose, then smiled when he saw she was looking at him.
    Even though she should be accustomed by now, she still gasped at the sight of the woman next to him. Her pale skin accentuated the bags under her green eyes, and her tailored white uniform couldn’t hide the weight she had lost. Her face was haggard, and for a moment she wished she could buy makeup off the black market. But she had to set an example, even if it meant looking like a walking cadaver.
    She ran a hand through her bright-red hair. At least that had come back. Her hair had always been a defining feature, and losing it had been like losing part of her identity. Two days ago, when one of the Hive ’s doctors told her the throat cancer had returned, the first thing she had done was touch her hair. It was her one luxury, the one bit of femininity she could still show to the world. She deftly twisted it into a bun and secured it with a handful of pins.
    Mark put a hand on the back of her shoulder. “I love you, Maria, since the day we met nearly twenty-five years ago. I don’t want to lose you.”
    She turned away from the mirror to face him. “And I love you, but you know how important my dream is to me. I have to find us a new home. I know there’s a place out there for us—a surface area that’s habitable. I will find it.”
    He gave a little sigh. “You want to believe it’s out there, but even your own staff doesn’t think such a place exists. Please, I’m begging you. Let Jordan take over. Accept treatment again. I almost lost you once already.”
    Maria shook her head and turned back to the mirror. She was a fighter. Always had been. Before she was captain, she had been a lieutenant in the Militia. She always wore her uniforms with pride.
    â€œThe ship needs me, now more than ever. We just dropped Team Raptor into an electrical storm, for God’s sake!”
    Mark crinkled his nose—something he did when he wasn’t sure what to say.
    â€œThere are only two airships left in the entire world ,” she said. “I will not abandon my duty now.”
    â€œOkay, I understand.” With a defeated nod, he opened the bathroom door and left her staring into the mirror.
    Maria picked her wedding ring up off the sink and twisted it back into place. It was loose on her bony finger, and she had to curl her hand into a fist to keep it on. Mark was right. Most of her staff didn’t believe there was anywhere on the poisoned surface where humanity could start over, but she had to believe. Most days, that small ray of hope was the only thing that kept her going.
    An undecipherable voice broke across the PA speakers outside, recalling her to the bridge. After losing contact with Team Raptor, she feared the worst. They needed those nuclear fuel cells to keep their home in the air, and to stiffen her resolve to keep looking for a new home. It wasn’t often that they came across potential locations for nuclear cells—which made today’s mission even more vital.
    Maria flicked off the light and walked back onto the bridge. Mark had returned to his shift at the water treatment plant, but her stone-faced executive officer, Leon Jordan, was waiting for her at the entrance of the room. She studied him from afar, trying to get a read before he broke whatever news he had. He was a stoic young man with stern features that she might expect from someone twice his age. His strong jaw and dark brown eyes revealed no hint of anxiety, only strength. It was partly why she had selected him as her XO. He was smart, loyal, and ambitious, and like her, he cared about the Hive and its passengers. He would make a fine captain someday—maybe someday soon—but she wasn’t ready to hand over the reins just yet.
    Maria stepped out of the shadows and gripped the railing, looking out over the room below her. “Any news on