Aaron stretched out his arms with both batons held loosely by his sides, his fierce gaze locked onto Monk standing before him.
Although Aaron desperately wanted to intervene and help the rest of his squad, it was glaringly obvious that the single best way he could protect everyone was by giving his absolute, undivided attention to the monster in front of him.
Multiple heavy thoughts raced through Aaron's mind in that split second. His primary anxiety was a lingering question: was he actually strong enough to face Monk and win?
He hadn't been lying when he said he had maintained his rigorous daily training. He had pushed his body every day to protect Max, preparing for the inevitable moment the Black Hand would come to erase him. The last thing Aaron ever wanted was to become a burden to the family that had rescued him from the darkness. But would that preparation be enough?
