“What is this place?” Nix slows to walk behind me down the narrow hallway of the underground lab.
The overhead lights aren’t coming on, but Iva follows the distant glow from the cells ahead. I cough out the overpowering bleach and ammonia haze coming from the lab.
“No, no, no, no.” Iva races in and I’m fast behind him.
His boots skid to a stop and he slams a fist into the glass door of the center cell.
The cell Dr. Quinn occupied. The cell that’s now as empty as the rest of them.
The concrete floors are no longer stained and puddled with excrement and blood. They're a chalky pale gray from a recent cleaning.
“Incoming.” I step around Nix and move between her and whoever is coming our way.
“Let’s go.” Nix whispers but I shake my head and plant my feet.
“It's only one warrior. And we need answers.”
“Who’s there?” Their breathing picks up with their heartbeat and they back up a few steps.
We stand in silence. My powers beg to enhance my sight to peer through the darkened entryway. Footsteps resume and the dark haired guard from last time comes into view. His red haired friend is not with him. He stops before us and holds his fists up in reflex.
He studies Iva and stops on me, lowering his arms. “You’re him. You’re the Oren.”
I lower my brows and take a step forward. I don’t have time for the Oren hate, for his fear or anger about who I am. He raises his palms in surrender.
“Wait. Wait. I didn’t mean… I’ve been looking for you.”
“No one looks for him.” Iva pushes the guard further into the lab until his back is against Quinn’s old cell.
Carver is stitched on his gray guard uniform. He doesn’t resist Iva, but his warrior marks flare bright across his collarbone from the threat.
“Look, there’s some seriously messed up shit going on here. Everyone keeps telling me it’s good, that it’s all done for our good. But how can torture…and using demons...” He swallows hard and squeezes out a hard blink before looking at me again.
“All my commanders, my friends, are in on it. But if anyone is not in on it, it’s you, right? Because you’re not in on anything. You’re as outside as it gets.”
“He's cracked, not making any sense.” Nix's dismissal draws the guard’s attention.
He does a double take and tilts his head to the side as if puzzling something.
“Why are you…”
“We don’t have time for this.” Nix cuts him off and paces around us.
“She’s right. Spill it. What do you want with Oren?” Iva swipes his device and holds up five fingers.
“You’re here for the captives, right? I know you were here before. I was the one that changed the schedule to give you more time before anyone found out about the Rex demons. I can take you to them, all of them. They’re being moved to the transports you arrived in.”
“Addy!” I race to the hallway.
She’s all alone.
“Wait! Take me with you. Please.” Carver stumbles forward chasing after us.
“Iva?” I leave it up to him. I’ve already got an extra warrior to worry about.
“No.” He says without hesitation. “Carver, we need you here. There are people here that need you. Go see the librarian assistant Astrid and Dr. Jane Quinn.”
“But...” He follows us as we turn through another dark hallway I haven’t been in before.
I spin around and face him. “Thank you for all you risked. But you can never return if you come with us. You’ll leave your sworn duty, your family, your life.”
Carver pales and can’t hold my eyes. I don’t blame him. Leaving the nightmares he’s endured is easy, but leaving your family should be a deal breaker.
“You’re a true warrior.” I grip his shoulder.
He keeps his head down, his shoulders round, and gives me a nod. I sprint away before I take it all back and take him with us.
“What do you think?” I run next to Iva and Nix keeps pace behind us.
“I think we caught another lucky break. And I don’t believe in luck.” Iva nods at the door ahead.
It’s not really a door, more like a sliding metal slab with fist size bolts along the edges.
“The release is on the right side somewhere.” Iva runs his hands along the top and I start at the bottom.
The small click from the pressure plate and soundless opening is anticlimactic for the imposing barricade. I dust my fingers off on my pants and we slip through as it starts to slide closed again.
“We’re in the courtyard.” Iva taps his device. “I realigned the cameras all the way to the loading bay.”
We’re out of time. I’m hoping the captain and the others took off already. It’ll be easier to track the captive's transports and come up with an escape plan en route.
“Algar, Oren. Move your asses.” Kane rumbles from up ahead.
We sprint to catch up, but he’s in the wind.
“How the hell does he move so fast?” Nix pants next to me.
“Don’t waste your time trying to figure it out.” I stretch my senses to locate the captives.
Their slow drag and whimpers trail behind us. I jerk a thumb back for Iva. He nods and presses his comm. He gives the squad the update on the captives heading their way.
“Kane, move Addy’s transport out and meet our contact. Over.” The captain orders.
“I’m here. We’re moving out.” Kane replies.
“Luce, report.” The comm stays silent.
“Shit.” Iva slows and checks over his shoulder.
“I’ll go.” I’m the fastest.
Nix grabs my bicep, digging her nails in to keep me from moving away.
“Negative, Oren. We’re moving out.” The captain’s clip command isn’t enough for me to leave Luce behind.
“Oren, you’re the only one that can...we need your help with the captives.” Iva shifts his eyes over Nix and presses his lips together.
But it's not me, it’s my power they need. My energy is the only thing that can break the locks. The stampede of approaching combat boots have me pushing Iva and Nix ahead and running behind them.
If anyone can take care of herself it’s Luce. I have no choice but to believe that’s true. Because there’s no way I’m leaving all those captives again. Or leaving the captain alone in the tunnel with an army descending.
“What’s the plan?” We join the captain past the transports in the tunnel entrance. “We can stay back and track where they move the captives or…”
Her hand moves to the small of her back. A flash of light shines from the edge of her shirt.
“Fighting warriors is the last resort.” Kane steps from the shadow and Nix jumps back with a swear.
“Where’s Addy?” Iva checks behind Kane.
“She made me stop a few feet ahead. She’s not leaving anyone. And neither am I.” His deep sea stare is a welcome sight.
Whatever he’s had to do to make it through, to function with what haunts him, he’s done it. And never once did he let us down. Even when it felt like he abandoned us these past weeks. His eyes stay on the captain and they speak mountains in the silence until both come away taller.
“It’s too great an opportunity to miss.” Iva rubs his forehead. “All the captives loaded up on transports, easy to move.”
We all nod our heads and the captain frowns when she finds Nix at my side. Her hazel eyes flash green at me before she turns to Iva.
“What do you have in mind?” She says.
“Well, I have a shit ton of these.” Iva rummages in his bag and holds up the tranq guns we use for capturing demons.
Kane sighs and grabs one. “This I can do.”
“They’re here.” I walk away from Nix's furrowed brow and searching stare when she sees no one coming.
I need to remember to keep my abilities in check around her.
“Spread out and stay in the shadows. Wait until the captives are loaded and the guard escorts move out. When the transport team is behind the wheel, take out the drivers. Then fall back to the cargo ramp and take care of the warriors inside.” The captain signals Kane and Nix to stay together and the rest of us are on our own.
I position myself on the same wall as the captain and slide closer. Her honey scent is faint. I run a hand over the center of my chest, there's no struggle or strain. And this stillness threatens the tight hold I have on my thoughts, thoughts of Fletcher. I tap my head against the wall to keep from following that mental trail.
“When did Luce last report? There’s still time for me to find her. You know I can.”
“What is she doing here?” Her hushed words don’t mask the irritation as she watches Nix crouch next to Kane.
“I asked her to come. Because…”
“You couldn’t leave her.” She's so quiet I'm not sure she said anything.
Dr. Lutz's thinning hair shines under the halogen lights when he enters the loading area. My chance to explain about Nix disappears. Lutz leads Centrum Guards marching two by two. A twenty warrior squadron escorts quaking, shuffling captives in thin hospital gowns. They duck their heads from the light and stumble ahead.
A skeletal male civilian who is about ten years old trips over his bindings. He tumbles into the shaggy haired man in front of him. The man's face is covered in a thick brown beard. He's the healthiest of the lot with clear muscle definition still. He turns around and gently pulls the boy back to his feet. And tugs him close to carry his weight.
“Hands to yourself and keep moving.” A female guard sucker punches the man in the gut.
He gasps for air but never drops the boy. I stand away from the wall and the veins in my forearms ignite blue. The captain throws her body into mine and shoves me back against the wall.
“Look.” The captain points to the man when I try to slide away.
He stands tall and places the boy on his feet in front of him. The white glimmer of his warrior marks flicker through the gown from his hip. It’s him. It has to be him. The captain nods in agreement with my silent hope. Hasta is alive and right in front of me.
