I don’t like the direction this conversation’s going. My muscles tense, ready for a fight if need be. Next to me, Zeus growls and inches toward them. Only then do some of them backpedal.
“Now hold up, let’s all calm down here,” a man with a black brand says. He steps forward. I flick my eyes to his, and he raises his hands up, palms facing me. “I’ve got a proposition to make here.”
“You’re joking, right?” Cole asks.
“I’m afraid not; we need each other, plain and simple. So let’s say if you help us, we’ll help you.”
My shoulders relax some, but I don’t lower my gun. “And why would we do that?” I ask.
“Look, girl, we’re not interested in your reward.”
“We’re not that trusting,” Cole says.
“And you can’t possibly care about us,” I say.
“Actually, you’re wrong,” a lady says. “There’s not a single person standing in front of you that is happy with the way things are.”
“All we want is to get the hell out of here,” the man finishes. “We’re well aware Wilson’s a liar.”
“Okay. So, say we believe you. How can you help us?” Cole asks. He has his sights trained on them still, sweat gliding down his face and arms.
The man with scraggly hair and the black brand exhales. “Now that part’s simple. We’ll assault the main gate while you get your people out.”
“You might be crazier than me,” Bill says. “And that’s saying a lot.” I snort.
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would you risk your lives … to help us?” I ask.
“We’re starving, thirsty … dying,” the man with the black brand says. “And you’re the only hope we’ve got to end this, once and for all.” I pause for a moment as his words swim around in my head.
“That’s it?” I ask.
He chuckles. “That’s it.”
“Well, hang on a minute,” the girl interrupts. “I think we need to ask for a guarantee, don’t you?” She looks over at the man who was about to hit her and then to the man with the black brand.
The man with the black brand clears his throat. “Yes. One more thing.”
“What?” I ask.
“The packs stay here with us. After all, once you’re outta here, you won’t need them.” He smiles, looking satisfied.
“Deal,” Bill says in a scratchy voice before any of us has a chance to respond. “Here’s everything I’ve got.” He opens his backpack, pushing aside files, and holds out his water, food, and some spare ammunition.
“Line up,” the black-branded man says. He takes the supplies and divvies it out to the others as they fall into a thin line. “Make sure the children are fed first.”
I like this guy.
They pass cans of food and water down the line. At the end of it, I watch as the older Sinners summon the young children from their nearby huts. Hesitantly, the children peek out. Their potbellies and sunken eyes bleed my heart. They’ve been living in filth for how long, and now they don’t even have the basic necessities of food and water. The adults give them small servings, tenderly making sure they don’t eat or drink too fast. My stomach drops. The Sinners handle each item with care, never letting the sight of the food make them crazy.
Bill finishes handing out his food. He nods his head toward me. “Well, are you in?” he asks.
Cole and I lock glances. Bruno hasn’t acknowledged anyone yet. He stares into space with dead eyes. No more tears drop down over his cheekbones, and his hands lie limp at his sides, Grace’s body lying beside him.
“What’re you thinking?” Cole asks.
“I don’t think we have a choice.” I take a deep breath and open my backpack, emptying the remains of the food and water. “I’m in.”
“Then so am I.”
One hour later.
“Here’s the plan,” the black-branded man says. “We’ve managed to repair a car so that it runs. We’ll distract the guards while your assets drive to the entrance. As soon as we get it open, you drive through.”
“How will you make that happen?” Roméo asks. He swipes at a fly buzzing near his face.
“I’ve created a trusting relationship with a guard who works the gate, and she’s willing to help us,” the man answers.
It’s my turn to raise an eyebrow. “A guard?” I repeat.
“You’ve trusted a few, right?” The man gives me a weak smile.
“Very few,” I say.
Cole grasps my hand and squeezes it. “What’s your name?”
“Levi.”
“All right, Levi. Let’s get started.”
Two hours later.
I’m running on pure adrenaline. But we can’t wait any longer or we’ll lose the element of surprise we so desperately need. Before I know it, Bill’s wrapping his arms around me with a long sigh.
“Stay with Roméo, and whatever happens, you have to get those files out,” I say. “Oh, and Bill, thank you, for everything. Without you, we’d be dead.”
A slow blush creeps up his cheeks, and he shrugs. “Shucks, Lusty, I only hope to make you proud.” He smiles and salutes me.
My throat tightens, but I hold back my emotions. “You already have,” I tell him.
“Take care of yourself, and that nutty gray dog,” he adds.
This won’t be the last time we see each other, right?
“Goodbye, Roméo,” I say. He holds out his hand to shake mine, but I step in and give him an awkward hug. His one hand catches me around my back, and he steps away quickly when our bodies touch.
“Thank you for helping me,” he says. His reddened eyes and thin body look nothing like the person I met the first time. “I’ll make sure these reach the United Powers as soon as possible. Once they see the files, they’ll have all the evidence they need. They’ll have no choice but to intervene.”
“Here’s hoping,” I say. “And thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me; nobody deserves this life, and we can’t let this virus get out into the general population,” he says. “Now, go rescue Sutton, and I’ll do my part.”
Before I reply, he shakes hands with Cole, says an encouraging word to Bruno, and even pats Zeus on the head. He loads the files into the car and gets into the passenger seat next to Bill. They’ll wait until they receive the signal to go through the doors.
It’s going to be a long day.
Three hours later.
I wait in the shadows with Cole, Zeus, and some Sinners. I’ve given them the extra gun I confiscated from the dead guard during the night. We’ve spread out the remaining grenades along with Roméo’s gun, since he won’t be shooting much from the car. It’s a risk we take in order to give these people a fighting chance.
I taste sweat as it rolls over my lip and into my mouth. Flies zip around my face, even landing on my nose, but I can’t whisk them away with my gun in my hand and my body poised for attack.
I think of Bruno, who chose to stay behind. He refused to respond when we begged him to come. It didn’t seem right to force him if he wasn’t ready to leave Grace. And he wasn’t ready at all. Bruno is in no condition for this mission and, in his state of mind, would probably end up getting himself killed. I don’t know if he even cares about anything anymore, including his own life.
I don’t want to do this without him and his expertise, but I know it’s more important for him to be where he can focus on his grief. Grace. Christopher. Sometimes, mourning what you never had is just as heart-wrenching as mourning what you did.
Cole taps my shoulder and points ahead. Four guards stand at the ready while the gate opens with the sound of metal grinding metal. A black SUV prepares to roll inside. The guards salute the driver. The vehicle lumbers in as the doors bang closed behind it.
Across from us is the new lab where people were marched for their injections and the building where I first saw the projection about the history of the Hole. I blink, straining against the glare of the sun. A few minutes ago, ten p
eople were herded inside. It was painful to watch. But knowing we’re about to fight back makes it slightly more bearable.
Behind me, Sinners are getting antsy. Feet move, dust spirals upward in small tornadoes, and equipment bangs together. They’re not the most battle-disciplined group, but they’re willing to give their lives to help us.
In five minutes, we’ll unload everything we’ve got at the lab to distract the guards from the entrance.
One minute passes. Two minutes.
A fly lands on my forehead. I scrunch it up, but the fly stays, skittering around on tiny feet. I shake my head, but it won’t budge.
Three minutes. Four minutes.
“Mom, let me in!” I say, banging on the door to the study.
I hear something crash, and feet moving furniture around. Chairs or tables scrape against the hardwood flooring.
“Coming,” she says in a breathless voice.
The thick door separates the study from the foyer. Inside, my mom keeps books and a computer. Sometimes she works on projects in there, and when she does, the door is kept closed for hours. After we moved into our High Society condo, she remarried. Then Keegan left, and Mom’s distanced herself from me. Yet I keep trying to bring her back into my world.
Feet thump in my direction. “What’s wrong?” she says as she opens the door. Her eyes look tired and glassy.
“I need help with my homework,” I say.
“Right now?”
“Yes.” I try to shove my way in, but she holds the door with an iron grip. “What are you doing in there?”
“Nothing that concerns you,” she says. She looks around nervously.
I sigh with impatience. “Mom, you’re always in there.”
“Some things are better kept behind closed doors, just don’t tell your father about this,” she says. Her forehead crinkles up.
“How would I do that? Dad’s dead,” I say.
She cringes and looks around. “No, your stepdad.”
“He’s not my stepdad. He’s a monster.”
Five minutes.
A barrage of staccato gunfire opens up, shattering the windows of the lab. The guards at the entrance scramble into a defensive position. Bullets spit at the dust.
“Fire!” Cole says, jerking me back into focus.
We spill out of the alleyway, firing off rounds at the guards as more appear on the top of the wall. The guards begin picking off our people. Bodies fall around me. I strip them of their guns and keep moving. Sinners burst through the doors of the lab and spill into the street. They trample over the cattle chutes, flipping some of them onto their sides. It’s chaos.
It’s exactly what we want.
Levi and his people spread out on rooftops and in the streets, and we move toward the lab, drawing more heavy fire. Down here, they can’t tell me apart from anyone else. I feel a shot burn past my cheek. Too close. Still, I move and react because it’s what I’ve been conditioned to do.
The four guards at the entrance barricade themselves behind a large SUV while the ones on the wall light us up. The popping of guns, screaming of voices, and the curses of those closest to me all fade into the background as I focus on our mission.
Cole runs in front of me, attempting to give me protection. Zeus stays right by my side, following every move I make.
This is it. I’m going to get Bill and Roméo out, even if it costs me everything.
My boots are covered in dust. My mouth is dry. My body follows every command my mind gives. I’m terrified, and yet, I feel no fear.
Cole jumps the barricades and pushes himself up against the doors of the lab, making himself a scarce target. I follow, and the rest of the group that’s managed not to get shot slams into place behind us. My lungs burst in and out as I check my ammo.
Two guards come out from inside the lab, but we pick them off with easy double taps. After them, Sinners in white lab coats come out with their hands raised.
“Don’t shoot!” they scream at us.
I recognize one of them. He puts his hands above his head, and his eyes almost pop out when he sees me. It’s Hank, the guy who helped Cole in the collapsed building.
“Sutton knows it’s you out here,” he shouts over the noise.
I want to ask him if Sutton’s okay, if he knows where he’s being held, but I don’t have the time. Instead, I nod at him, lowering my gun, and decide to pay it forward since he helped me.
“Go! Get out of here!” I shout at him.
“Hell no,” he says. He picks up the nearest weapon, pushes himself against the wall, and joins us with a wicked grin.
I acknowledge him and turn back toward Cole, who’s focused on the main entrance. The guards on the wall can’t see us, but the guys hiding behind the SUV have us pinned down. Their fire ricochets off the walls around us. Behind me, someone grunts.
A fierce burning hits me like a hammer. I glance down. My arm’s bleeding. Cole hears me gasp and examines me quickly, his jaw setting in place. He uses one hand, already covered in grime, to pluck a piece of shrapnel from my arm. I grit my teeth.
If we survive, it’ll be a miracle.
Anger flashes through his eyes, and a vein in the middle of his forehead bulges. He reaches into his vest, pulls a grenade, and with an umph lobs it over the SUV.
The glass shatters with the explosion, and the automobile bounces. Limbs and equipment mark the area around it. The guns on the wall turn their fury in our direction, but I can’t seem to get a good shot.
Cole darts forward.
This wasn’t part of the plan. I scream, but he doesn’t hear me. Once he reaches the corner, he’s in full view of a fifty-caliber gun on the wall. Yet, somehow, he makes it to the vehicle. He butts up against the SUV, checking around it.
The big gun cough out bullets.
What the hell’s he doing?
He turns back, diving for cover. Dust flicks up behind him where bullets trace his steps, and Cole hits the earth, taking me with him.
Next thing I know, his body covers mine like a shield. He’s coughing. I’m coughing. My chest burns, and my body aches in the places where he smashed me into the ground. His sweat drips onto me, and his arms feel solid around me.
When he realizes the gun can’t reach him, Cole rocks back, pulling me up with him. In his eyes, fear remains. In my heart, I know he’d die a thousand deaths if it meant saving me. And I trust him with my life, with everything.
Courage, like an explosion, rocks me. He believes in me, Sutton trusts me, and my father knew I could lead. The Sinners I just met believe in me. I reach into my vest while Cole watches. I pull out the orange and black flare gun. He nods. I point it up to the sky and squeeze the trigger, which makes a whooshing sound.
The red glare of the signal slashes across the sky. In my mind, everything’s paused around me, except for that flare. I stare upward as it fizzles out. Bill and Roméo have to see that.
In the background, the gate begins to open, and the guards up top scramble around. Some of them appear to be fighting one another. Their figures look black against the blue sky and piercing light of day. Then a flash of blond hair in a dark uniform catches my eye.
That must be Levi’s connection. God help her.
I train my gun on the entrance as it opens, each inch bringing us closer to our goal. The car carrying Bill and Roméo is in sight now. Dust kicks up behind it, and the sun reflects off the glass. Bill drives like a wild man, speeding and swerving to avoid getting hit. Please let the doors stay open long enough for him to blaze through.
A body falls over the walls. The figure hits the ground with a thump.
Gunfire persists, riddling everything in its wake. Bodies lie dead or dying in the street. Bill rolls over one of them, and it sounds like his car is bottoming out. I hold my breath, but it keeps going.
Through the windshield, Bill’s smiling. Inside, he looks as if he’s yelling bloody murder and a few choice expletives. He’s freaking crazy, but I love him. Roméo looks terr
ified, his hands gripping the side of the car as it flies.
Just a little bit farther, guys.
I step on shell casings everywhere I turn. My ammo’s almost gone. The pain in my arm is dull compared to the fear coursing through me.
“Bruno!” Cole yells. His face lights up.
I turn around, and Bruno sprints toward us, gun poised, eyes focused. He lifts his head to acknowledge Cole but then focuses on where he’s going. He fires off rounds at the wall, quickly stepping in with us alongside the lab.
“You came!” I shout, keeping my eyes on Bill’s oncoming vehicle.
“Grace wanted me to fight with my family,” he yells back. Cole smacks Bruno’s shoulder and then trains his sights back on the car. “Let’s do this.”
A guard crawls out from behind the SUV and points his gun at the car. I can barely get the words out. My throat’s on fire.
“Twelve o’clock!” I shout.
Cole’s face scrunches up, his eyes becoming slits. “Shit!”
But Bruno fires, and his aim is true. The figure doubles over, and his gun rolls from his limp fingers.
“Nice shot,” I say.
Just then, the faded blue car with rusty edges enters the opening of the gate. I raise a fist as Bill’s eyes meet mine. The guns on the wall pour fire down like rain, puncturing the metal of the car with bullets.
Oh my God.
Roméo’s head slumps over.
Oh my God, no.
Bill’s no longer looking at me. He grips the steering wheel with tight knuckles and screams profanities as he passes through the opening. Roméo’s chin bobs on his chest, his hands sliding off the sides of the car and out of sight. I feel sick to my stomach.
They’re through.
But I can’t celebrate. They’re not in the clear yet. The men on the wall turn their attention outward. The glint of blond hair I saw earlier has disappeared from sight, and the gates begin closing. With most of the guards’ attention diverted toward the car, I sprint out into the open. Zeus pants beside me. Cole and Bruno follow close behind, firing off rounds to cover me.
As we stand in the open, our guns pointed in various directions, I watch the blue car rumble over the railroad tracks and past the guard checkpoint.