Dr. Chopra jumped behind him, squeezing his arm.
“What’s the matter?” Finn called down.
“At least a dozen Arvies are looking at me like I’m on the menu. They are on the other side of this window.”
“Just shoot them if they break out. Don’t fire your weapon until you have to, it’ll make their job easier.”
The chopper had seen the red smoke and was hovering directly above Fisher and Dr. Chopra. They let down their ladder and began shooting everything around them.
“Malcolm, go,” Keanu said.
“What about you?”
“I’m going to hold this damn door shut until you’re outside, then I’m going to run like hell and dive out after you.”
“That’s your plan?”
“Yep.”
“Okay.” Malcolm shrugged. “See you outside.”
Once Finn lowered Malcolm, Dr. Chopra was already climbing up the ladder, with Fisher on his heels.
“Guys, once I leave this door, they will come flooding in.”
“We aren’t going with you,” Finn said.
“I didn’t think so. And neither am I,” Keanu replied. Both Finn and I narrowed our eyes. “I think Abi needs another bodyguard. Besides, anything is better than being a damn babysitter for the government. Those kids have no clue what they’re doing, and they expect me to make sure they make it home safely. Bullshit. I’m not going to be responsible for the death of those kids who haven’t yet sprouted pubic hair.”
“We need a plan,” Finn said.
“I think they’re leaving. They must believe we’re escaping downstairs because they aren’t hitting the door with as much force.”
“Good,” Finn said.
Keanu backed away and secured the door with more scraps of metal.
Malcolm was now on the ladder. We heard his voice. “What are you guys waiting for? They can’t wait. Low fuel.”
Keanu ran to the window. “Go! I’m going to stay and watch after Abi.”
“Are you sure?” Malcolm yelled.
“I’m sure. I’ll hitch a ride on the next rescue chopper.”
As soon as they pulled Malcolm to the top, they opened fire below us. Arvies screamed, dropping to their death, hundreds of feet below. There was another bang on the door. It burst open, and Arvies began sprinting in, teeth snapping, eyes narrowed, heading toward us.
I grabbed Hellfire and started firing. Despite the head pain, I had nine shots and nine kills, then she was empty.
The Arvies were still coming, but I’d run out of ammunition and didn’t have time to reload. Finn fired his last bullet, and was now using hand to hand combat to fight off two Arvies.
I wasn’t going to stand by and let this happen, even in my weakened state. I watched Finn duck backward under the arm of an Arvy. Its sharp claws inches from his throat.
I took my rage and laser focused it on the enemy. In a split second, it dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. I went around the room, focusing on every Arvy, dropping each one with ease. Despite the throbbing pain in my head, or the blood dripping from my ears, nose, and down my throat, Venge was happy to oblige. Her revenge was swift, and she showed no mercy. In seconds, the room was silent and filled with death.
If I stopped now, I’d be too weak to continue. So, I got up and walked out the door. Finn followed, and Keanu took up the rear. I could hear them reloading their weapons, but as long as I was coherent, they wouldn’t need them.
Arvies charged up the stairs, but as soon as I directed my focus to them, they fell dead.
I continued, stepping over the bodies as quickly as I could, trying to lead Finn and Keanu to safety.
“Where are we going?” Keanu asked.
But I couldn’t answer. I didn’t know where we were going. I just needed to find a way out.
At the bottom of the stairs, we found a hallway which led to another room. It was completely dark, with no windows. Keanu clicked on a flashlight.
“How the hell did you get a flashlight?” Finn asked.
Keanu leaned in close. “The dark. I freaking hate it. So, I always have one with me.”
Finn nodded. “Your secret’s safe with me, bro.”
“Thanks,” Keanu slapped him on the shoulder. “Love you, man.”
In the corner of the room, on the floor, was a massive, round metal door. “I think we found their bunker,” I said, walking over to it. “Dr. Chopra said it was in this building.”
“Holy shit!” Keanu ran toward the opposite side of the room, to something covered by a large tarp. He ripped the tarp off and shined the light on it. It looked like something fake, out of one of the old sci-fi movies we would watch in the bunker. “Hell yeah! It’s a dune buggy. Solar powered,” he said, pointing the flashlight at a solar panel on the roof.
Relief flooded my veins. “This could be our salvation. We need to find a way to get this panel in the sun.”
“This is definitely a game changer,” Finn agreed. “We could ride this thing around the globe, as long as we have land and the sun. And we have tons of both.”
“How are we going to get this thing outside?” Keanu asked.
A wave of screaming echoed in my head, dropping me to my knees. “They’re coming.”
“Secure the doors!” Keanu hollered, running across the room to the outside door.
“There is no way in hell they can get in here. This entire room is made out of steel.” He knocked on the walls, proving he was right. Thick steel. “How the hell are we going to get out of here?”
“Shine the light over here,” Finn called.
Keanu walked over and shined his flashlight on one of the walls. It was another exit. Two steel doors, side by side. The scientists had obviously planned ahead.
“We’ve got one more problem,” I said, holding my head in my hands. “If that thing is solar powered, how the hell are we going to get the sun to charge it up?”
Finn walked around the car, then tripped on something. “What the—”
Keanu shined the light at the ground. It was a thick cord going from the car to the wall. “No way. I think this is powered electrically. This outlet is new. There is a button on it. Should I press it?”
“Yes,” I groaned. The pain was getting to be too much.
Keanu pressed the button, and a green light glowed. “I think we’re in business.”
“The scientists did something right,” I exhaled and felt woozy. My body gave way, and everything faded to black.
*
“HEY,” FINN WHISPERED.
“Hey.” I yawned and stretched my arms to my sides, my body protesting the movement. “Did I pass out?”
“Yeah, you did.”
The walls around me were dim, but they weren’t what I remembered. My eyes ached and my body felt like it had been trampled under a thousand Arvies.
“Where are we?”
“Inside the bunker. Keanu is checking out the buggy, trying to make sure he can drive it when we make our get away.”
“How long have I been out?”
“A little over ten hours.”
“What?” I tried to sit up, but my body didn’t cooperate, and I fell back down. “We could have left if I hadn’t passed out. You should have woken me.”
“No. You needed to rest. You were too weak to be transported. Besides, you’re our only hope of making it out alive. We will stay here until you are fully rested and strong.”
I rubbed my temples. “Dr. Chopra’s pill must have knocked me out, but I needed it. Too bad I didn’t get another one from him before he left. My head feels a little better.”
“Good. I thought bringing you down here, where the walls were thicker, might alleviate some of the pain. Can you still hear them?”
“A little. Not as much.”
He nodded in relief.
“What about food?”
“They left behind what little they had. We should be set for the next few days.”
“I feel like I could sl
eep another full day.”
“Then do it,” he said, offering me a sexy, crooked grin. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
“Thank you,” I breathed. He leaned over and kissed my lips, my nose, and then my forehead.
“Sleep well, my love.”
I nodded and closed my eyes, feeling exhausted and also fully protected.
*
THE NEXT TIME MY EYES opened, Finn was stretched out lying next to me. His shirt was off giving me a full display of his perfect upper body. I ran my fingers over the definitions of his abs, until his hand caught mine. I gasped, and jerked my head up to see a smile rise on his full lips.
“I’m sorry I woke you,” I breathed, my insides aching to feel his entire body against mine.
“No, you aren’t.” His left eye peeked at me.
I grinned. “You’re right. I’m not.” I snuggled into his chest, and he twisted to his side, encircling me in his arms.
“You’re clean and you smell good,” I said taking in a deep breath.
His chuckle sent tingles down my spine. “They have a shower right around the corner, and it has hot water. Why don’t you go get cleaned up, and I’ll get you something to eat. You’ll feel a whole lot better.”
Agreeing, I sat up, feeling a whole lot stronger than when we’d arrived. The aching in my muscles was all but gone, and my head wasn’t throbbing as much as it had been.
After a hot shower and an MRE of macaroni and cheese, I felt like an entirely new person. As I sat on the bed, Finn’s face was beaming with excitement.
“What’s up?” I asked, knowing he was hiding something from me.
“Are you strong enough to go for a short walk with me?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I’ve been waiting to show you something.”
“What?
“You’ll see.”
I sighed. “You know you’re killing me, right?”
“Yeah.” He smiled widely, without a care. Pushing himself up, he took hold of my hand, intertwining our fingers. “Close your eyes.”
I did as he said, and before I knew it, his lips pressed against mine, his teeth gently raking across my bottom lip. But before things got heated, he was gone.
I opened my eyes, and he was inches away, smiling brightly. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
I smirked. “You’re not sorry.”
He paused, and pretended to be thinking about it. “You’re right. I’m not. Now close your eyes again.”
I did as he said, and I felt him pull me up.
We slowly made our way through the bunker, and after several turns, he stopped.
“Okay, don’t open your eyes until I tell you,” he instructed.
“Okay,” I said excitedly.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
“Not far. So keep those eyes closed.”
I nodded, and it took everything inside not to peek. He knew how much I hated surprises, which was probably why he was feeding off it. I heard his footsteps walk away, then a door open and close. Thirty seconds later, I heard it open again. But when he came back to me, there was something different. He wasn’t alone.
“Abi,” Finn said. “Open your eyes.”
When my lids slid open, the first thing I noticed was Finn’s broad smile. Then I gasped as my eyes lowered, spotting a big, golden-haired dog, whose tail was wagging back and forth quite rapidly. I stood still, mouth agape, staring at the creature.
“It’s a dog,” Finn said cheerfully. “They left the poor guy here. He was sitting in one of the cages in the back room. “He’s gentle. He won’t bite.”
I could barely remember real animals, most of my knowledge about them came from books. I bent down and stroked his head.
“The information on his cage said he’s a golden retriever. Three years old. And his name is Midas.”
I knelt down and scratched between his ears. “Hi, Midas. My name is Abi.”
Midas lunged forward, his front paws landed on my shoulders, pushing me onto my back. In a split second, he was licking my entire face.
I yelped and Finn grabbed the dog’s collar, pulling him back.
“Shit, sorry. I had no idea he was going to attack you.”
“Oh, he wasn’t being mean. He was kissing me,” I cooed. “Weren’t you, buddy?”
Midas barked, which made me laugh.
“Kissing?” Finn looked down at the dog, who cocked his head to the side. “No one kisses my girl without my permission. Not even cute, mangy mutts.”
Midas barked at him like he understood, then turned back to me and lifted his paw.
“I think he wants you to shake his hand.”
I shook his paw, and he set it back down.
“Midas, you’re so smart.”
“He was raised by scientists. He’d better be smart.” Midas turned to Finn and barked again, then growled a little. Finn turned to me, his eyes wide before he turned them to Midas. “I’m sorry, boy. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful.” He held his hands up in the air. “Shake?”
Midas lifted his paw and Finn shook it. “I think this dog’s brain is more human.”
“If he’s three years old, he was born here. I wonder where his mother is.”
Midas whined, then ran down the hall. At the door, he stopped and twisted back toward us, barking once.
“I think he wants us to follow him,” Finn said.
“I think your right.”
We opened the door and followed him quite a ways, making a few turns before we came to the end of a hall. Midas stopped and stood before a door which was painted black.
“Have you been down this way?” I asked Finn.
“No, I haven’t been back this far.” Finn stepped in front of me and drew a handgun from the waistband of his pants. He twisted the knob and pushed it open. As soon as he did, the lights went on, and Midas dashed in.
Passing through the threshold, we found ourselves standing in a garden of sorts. The room was covered with grass, flowers, and a few trees, but this was not a traditional garden. In the back of the room, two tombstones could be spotted. Midas scampered over and stood in front of one, whining. He dropped on his belly, put his head between his paws, and stared at the tombstone.
Finn nudged me. “Do you think?”
I shrugged. The only way to find out was to look. I walked over to Midas and sat down next to him, rubbing his head. The tombstone read:
RIP, OUR DEAR ATHENA
GODDESS, AND DOG OF WISDOM
MOTHER OF MIDAS
“Finn, it is his mother.” I pet Midas in long strokes down his back. “I’m sorry, boy. You must miss her terribly.”
He barked once, and I was sure he was answering me.
“This other one was a child. Nathaniel Brooke,” Finn paused, then read the rest. “I held you for a moment, your tiny hand in mine, I never got to say hello, and only God knows the reason why. Sleep sweetly, our dear child. Until we meet again.”
“It sounds like he was a stillborn,” I breathed, my heart aching. “Can you imagine?”
“I hate to say it, but it’s probably for the best. Look what the child would have had to endure. It most likely wouldn’t have survived extraction.”
“Oh, Finn.” I became overwhelmed with a deep sadness. I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like, to have a life growing inside of me, but to never have the chance to look into their eyes.
Finn bent down and wrapped his arms around me pulling me close. He rocked me back and forth, until I broke the silence.
“Do you think there will ever be a day when it’ll be safe for children again?”
“Yes, I do,” he replied softly. “That’s what our quest is for. To find a place where we can settle, where our children can play and grow under the big sky.”
I sat back and wiped my tears, my heart wanting to burst. “You want children?”
“Not now, but eventually, yes. I’d love to have a fe
w little Armstrong’s running around.”
“But, what if the serum—the injections they were giving me…what if I can’t have children?”
His hands steadied my face, forcing me to look at him; his eyes, filled with so much love and warmth. “I will love you no matter what. Children or not, my love for you will never change.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m thankful every day you’re in my life,” I said, my face falling into his chest.
Midas barked, reminding us we weren’t alone.
“Hey.” I sat up and scratched between his ears. “Are you hungry?”
He stood up and whined.
“This dog understands everything we say,” Finn said.
“I think you’re right.” I leaned over until we were face to face. “Midas, if you understand me, bark once for yes, and two for no.”
He barked once, and Finn and I glanced at each other.
“Midas, were you given injections to make you smarter?”
One bark.
“Do you know where your food is?”
One bark.
“Can you show us?”
He gave one more bark, then ran out of the room. We followed until he stopped at another door. Finn opened it to find a small closet. Midas slipped past him and in seconds came out with a bag of dog food in his mouth.
“Holy crap, this dog is amazing.”
“We have to take him with us, Finn. We can’t leave him here.”
“Abi, how can we take care of a dog, when we can barely keep ourselves alive?”
I glanced down at Midas. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about him. I believe that this dog is much smarter than we think, and I think he just might surprise us. Besides, he’ll die if we leave him. If he comes with us, at least it gives him a chance.”
Midas gave one more bark, his tail wagging madly.
Finn shrugged. “Fine. As long as you’re happy, I am.”
“Hey, where are you guys?” Keanu’s voice echoed down the hall.
“Back here,” Finn hollered.
As soon as Keanu walked in, his eyes went directly to the dog.
“What the fu—”
“Keanu, this is Midas,” I said stepping aside so he could see him fully.
“Where the hell did you guys get a dog?”