I see Jackson’s face as he’s making a move for his weapon. I see Kit staring wide-eyed at me. My thoughts splinter. My body heats and white-hot fury begins to flow like lava through my veins.
I don’t even know if I’m breathing.
I don’t stop. I can’t stop.
To keep Mallory safe, I’ll never stop.
I’m about to hit Jackson again when cold meets my neck. I start to turn but it’s too late. Volts of electrical currents travel painfully throughout my body. My knees buckle as flashes of memories interrupt the pain screaming through my body.
I’m inside the med lab. Strapped to a table. Just like now, currents are surging through my body as they try to shock me into compliance. I try to scream but they’ve jammed something in my mouth. In a blink, I’m back in the present, and I’m fighting to get off the ground.
It’s Kit that’s staring down at me, an old fashioned stunner in her hand. But instead of the scowl she normally gives me, I think I see a tiny amount of pity. There’s no point telling her she’s made a terrible mistake. She’ll find out soon enough.
They all will.
* * *
Mallory.
Colours blaze around me. The dragon’s scales are illuminated in the brilliant sunlight. I feel his massive wings flapping as he prepares to take to the sky. He lets out a final roar and flames shoot out of his mouth. The ground beneath me rumbles. Smoke curls into the sky, everything is burning. Turning to cinders before my eyes.
In two strides he reaches me and I climb on to his back. We ascend into the sky where nothing can touch us. I can feel his fury as we climb higher and higher. He’s wounded, but still strong enough to carry me away.
I close my eyes and feel the sun caress my skin. My hair is blowing around my face and my fingers curl into his shoulders. We climb so high, I can’t catch my breath. I grip him tighter and try to communicate my need, but something is wrong. I can’t connect with him. I can’t reach him. He’s lost to me.
He turns too sharply and I lose my balance. With a scream, I fall. Tearing blindly towards the ground beneath me. I’m falling. Ground rushing up to meet me. I’m a breath away when I’m yanked upwards, but it’s not my dragon man. It’s a girl with hair to match the fire from the dragon. Her emerald green eyes are filled with amusement.
“Your boyfriend is certainly living up to his reputation.”
I follow her gaze and see a fuming Cristan and Jackson facing off against each other. The gunfire has stopped but our situation doesn’t seem any better. Rather than try to calm Cristan down like I saw Drew do in the Unit, Jackson seems to be goading him.
“That all you got? What’s Drew teaching you, self-defence for women?”
Sweat is pouring off Cristan, his eyes are wild, his fists balled as he holds them level with his nose, and even though he’s bleeding and his face is swelling, he doesn’t stop trying to hit Jackson. Trey is glaring at Cristan, his arms folded across his chest. My heart leaps into my throat as Jackson punches Cristan hard.
Cristan barely seems to register though it must have hurt him. His face is twisted into a horrific sneer, he’s almost unrecognisable. Jackson ducks to the left and they keep pounding on each other. My breathing is becoming rapid the more they hammer at each other. Neither of them is backing down. Each time Jackson hits Cristan, he rallies himself to respond with his own punch.
I flinch with every hit to his body, to his face, but he seems so wild with rage that he doesn’t appear to notice. I look sidelong at Kit but she has a smile on her face like this is all a big game to her. No one is going to make them stop.
I can’t look anymore. I hide my face in my hands and scream as loudly as I can. I scream until my ears are ringing and tears are streaming down my face. I’m ready to scream again when I feel pressure on my arm. I shrug off Kit’s hand and shove her away. It’s then I notice the stillness around me. Cristan is leaning to one side, sweat pouring off his drenched head. He’s staring wide-eyed at me and taking gulping breaths.
Jackson staggers slightly and relaxes his fists so they hang loose at his side. He looks sidelong at Cristan and jabs a finger. “Expected more from you.”
Cristan swipes his hand over his hair. “What the hell do you mean by that?”
Jackson rolls his shoulders back. “You’re the genius, you figure it out.”
My stomach starts to flip flop as I understand that we’ve been manipulated into showing how Irrelevant we are. My throat is sore from yelling when I speak. “Then there’s no one after us?”
Jackson grins at me and shakes his head. “Nah.”
Cristan’s eyes meet mine and I think he’s going to launch himself at Jackson again, but he only narrows his eyes. “You set all this up? Why?”
Jackson lifts an eyebrow. “I have my reasons. Once we’re inside, we can talk.”
Cristan doesn’t answer. He’s too busy sending a toxic look in Trey’s direction as he sidles up to Kit. For a moment we all stand in silence, then Kit’s chuckle seems to spread to Jackson. Even Trey is wearing a half smile when he looks in Cristan’s direction.
“You know that many currents should have laid you out, right?”
My eyes widen as Cristan’s seeks me out. His jaw tightens and he shakes his head. “Maybe it’s faulty?”
Jackson scoffs aloud and steps closer, though his movements appear less fluid. “That wasn’t it, but now’s not the time. We need to get inside. You should get a message to Drew and your brother.”
Cristan’s face seems to drain of all colour and he’s quick to cover the distance between us to take my hand. His breathing seems to have quietened down, but he doesn’t seem any less wary. To confirm my thoughts, he tugs me closer and whispers in my ear. “Stay close.”
And even though I’m not sure who I’m more afraid of, them or Cristan, I make sure I keep my hand in his as we walk up to the wall.
Jackson pulls a small box out of his pocket and turns to smile at me. “Welcome to the Zoo.” Behind him the wall slowly starts to rise. I hold my breath and press my body into Cristan’s.
There is no way of telling what’s awaiting us behind the giant wall. I can only hope that whoever it is isn’t planning on testing us anymore.
* * *
Cristan.
Pain is shrieking through my body, but I’m not going to give either Jackson or Trey the satisfaction of showing it. I don’t know what they think they are proving by showcasing this display of power, but it makes me uneasy they have the means to pull such an elaborate stunt out here. If it weren’t for the lure of being able to get a message to Jed, I’d have told them all where to stick it and taken off with the four-wheel drive.
The solar panels mean I could have headed back to the hut and stripped it clean and tried my luck in a different direction, but now all I can think about is that Mallory needs to recuperate, and judging by the way she’s limping, she’ll have blisters on her feet that need looking at.
The wall lifts almost soundlessly off the ground and my anxiety increases with each movement. This isn’t some ill-equipped rebel outfit. I haven’t seen that kind of roller wall tech since I left the new city. Beyond the wall, I can’t see anything much. The sunlight is effectively blocking my view and I can’t help but wonder if this is all part of the theatrics this trio seems to enjoy. Or maybe they are even crazier than I am? I hold tight to Mallory and take a step forward.
Jackson is directly in front of me. His posture seems natural and Trey and Kit appear relaxed, but for all I know, we’re walking into a trap. Every single nerve is firing almost to the point I’m not noticing the pain travelling throughout my battered body. I’m not even sure if I managed to hurt Jackson. I’m beginning to wonder if he’s orchestrated more of the day’s events, including our accidental arrival at the huts.
I scowl at his back and try to take everything in as we pass the wall. The shadows collect together and I have to squint to make out what appears to be a large arena. My eyes are drawn to the source o
f the light. Above us is a massive ceiling of stain glassed windows that enclose the area. To my left and right, sloping cream coloured walls form separate areas as though they are meant to keep something either in or out.
A memory snaps into place. It’s the Zoo. The old zoo where animals were showcased and exhibited. I glance at the wall closest and peer downwards. It’s Trey that notices my interest and tells me what I’m looking at.
“That’s where they tried out a breeding program with crocodiles.” He opens his arms wide and brings them together in a snapping motion that makes Mallory jump.
I scowl in his direction, then hurry to explain to Mallory. “Large reptiles. Big teeth, scary as hell.” Mallory’s eyes go wide, then she darts a look around and behind us as if crocodiles might be on the loose.
Kit chuckles and runs a hand through her hair. “Don’t worry darlin’, the experiment failed miserably.”
I tense as Kit looks past Mallory to stare at me. They keep dropping hints like they know more about me than I’d like them to. I should be relieved no one is pushing too hard on too many unexplained things, but it makes me uneasy, and it makes me feel like they are just biding their time, waiting for me to let my guard down.
We carry on walking across the soft grass, which I’m thankful for both mine and Mallory’s sake. She must be in pain, but she’s hiding it well. Either that or its not in her nature to complain. The idea that she’s hurt and hiding it tugs at my insides a little. I could offer to carry her to our destination, but my energy is draining fast.
I still don’t know where he’s leading us. No one else seems to be around. No one else I can see, anyway. Someone was shooting at us, but so far I haven’t seen any places where they could have hidden. The ceiling doesn’t look like it’s built to support much weight, though it must be sturdy if it’s survived this long, come to think of it, the entire area is remarkably well preserved. Either it wasn’t as badly hit as the rest of the old city, or someone has spent a great deal of effort to restore it.
After we pass by more empty compounds that once housed animals from around the globe, we follow Jackson up two levels of stairs. Mallory’s face is contorted and I’m sure she’s close to collapse so I make sure to help her up the last few steps.
She takes a lot longer to recover than the others do and we stand by the railing, both eying each other. Her face and arms are still red and she has a sheen of sweat on her brow. She has to be past exhausted and every step will be brutal on her tender skin so I raise my voice to ask Jackson how much longer.
He turns as we start to walk along a narrow bridge with a steep drop on either side that plummets to a whitewashed bottom. Mallory lets go of my hand to grip the railing with both of her hands. I’m not great with heights either, but she looks worse than terrified. Jackson notices too and his voice is almost kind. “Almost there.”
With painfully small steps, she makes it across by squeezing her eyes shut and feeling her way. I match her step for step, my eyes flicking between her and the others who are already across the bridge and waiting outside a door. When we get there, I’m as tightly wound as I could possibly get. I don’t think I can take any more surprises., and looking at Mallory’s glassy eyes and cracked lips, neither can she.
Jackson opens the door and pleasant cooking aromas waft out to meet us. It stirs a rumble from my empty stomach loud enough for Jackson to snort. “It’s casserole.”
With my hand in Mallory’s limp grip, I enter the room and try to take in everything I can before guiding Mallory to the closest chair. Faded posters of animals cover the walls, metal trestle tables are lined against every wall and are filled with piles of items. One table contains a burner with a heat ring that a large pot is resting on.
I’m still looking at the room when Mallory collapses into the old-style lounging chair and looks as though she’s fighting to stay awake. In some ways, it would be a mercy if she did fall asleep now. I have questions for our companions and I don’t think she’s going to like the answers.
Jackson takes a seat and gestures to another door. “There are sleeping quarters that way.”
I try not to flinch as I take the seat next to Mallory. I don’t want him to know he hurt me in the fight so I send as caustic a look at him as I can muster. “Where are the rest of your people hiding?”
A flicker of amusement stirs on Jackson’s face. “Why? You want to take them all on too?” I don’t answer him and I don’t need to. Kit slides into a chair beside me, she’s holding a bottle of liquid and swigging from it. She passes one to me and I hand it straight to a sleepy Mallory.
Kit’s eyebrows raise but she hands me another drink. “This is the Zoo. It’s our meeting house. You won’t see anyone else for a while. We figured you’d need some time.” Her eyes shift to Mallory, whose eyes are drooping along with her head. I shoot a glance to Jackson and despite my growling stomach and curiosity, I hope he’ll let us off the hook for a few hours so Mallory can get some rest.
I don’t even need to say it, Jackson’s already on his feet. “Kit, go show them where they can sleep.” He gestures to the pot boiling on the makeshift stove. “Get her settled in. Catch a couple z’s yourself. I’ll be waiting.”
I nod as tersely as I can do to a man I don’t trust as far as I can throw. For Mallory’s sake, I hope we can because I’m tired of running. I down half my water and am glad Mallory is drinking hers too. Kit is a step away from Mallory as we leave the room, her eyes keep roaming over her as though she’s checking Mallory isn’t going to pass out. Where she’s gotten her training is anyone’s guess. Out here, I can’t imagine there are hospitals, but then the more I’m out in no man’s land, the more I realise I know jack about what survived past the limited area we investigated.
There’s a white corridor that leads to what appear to be old offices. I can only guess this is the administration block. We pass by a clinic that still carries the sign ‘Vet’ lasered on the Perspex door and windows. Mallory is almost crawling as we walk, I’m just about to ask how much farther when Kit opens a door. The lights blink on instantly, illuminating a double bed amongst an assortment of storage boxes and a lot of junk that’s been dumped in here.
Mallory groans aloud as she sees the bed and she immediately flops onto it. She turns on her side, facing away from us. Kit huffs a breath and gestures to the soles of Mallory’s feet. “High pain tolerance?” I’m not sure I understand until I notice how bad her feet really are. Multiple blisters are covering the skin. More guilt swells in my gut, strangely it’s Kit that soothes the raw ache. “I keep meaning to get boots for the hut,” she says.
I frown in her direction, though I’m no longer carrying any anger. I’m more exhausted than anything. “How many Irrelevants have you done this to?”
Her eyes narrow, then her face hardens. “Lots. But you don’t really count among them, do you?” Before I have time to come up with a reply, she stalks to where a cupboard and shelves are slotted into the corner. I can’t see what she’s doing, but when she turns around a bag is in her hands. She shoves it into my chest and keeps her tone flat. “Everything you’ll need except clothing. Trey and I can go find something and have it waiting in the med bay for when you want to shower. What size are your feet? 10? 11?”
She looks down at my filthy toes and scrunches up her face as she waits for my answer. “10.”
Her eyes are on Mallory as she steps towards the door. “Don’t keep Jackson waiting for too long. He’s got high hopes for you.”
I don’t even have time to blink, let alone ask her what she means before she’s gone. I stare at the door for a few seconds until my head starts to spin and I give up fighting the fatigue pulling at me. I dump the bag on the floor and search inside for some cooling gel, antiseptic cream, and a special adhesive dressing that will allow healing.
Mallory doesn’t even move as I carefully treat her burns. My hands are shaking by the time I finish up. Every muscle on my body aches. I’m covered in sweat, in dirt and my
stomach is raw with hunger. I’m so spent I don’t even bother to dim the room. I just curl onto the bed, wrap an arm around her waist, close my eyes, and try to give my fried brain the respite it sorely needs.
* * *
Mallory.
My eyes pop open and my heart speeds as I try to remember where I am. I hear Cristan’s breathing and feel his body pressed into my spine. His arm is draped over me, locking me in place.
My feet are itching and I can feel something has been stuck to my skin. I frown down at them and wiggle my toes. I don’t know if it was Kit or Cristan that treated the blisters on my feet, but either way, it’s nice to know someone cares enough to do so.
I roll my neck so I can study the inkwork on his muscled arm. His eyes are still closed, and I’m again fascinated by the beautiful swirls of black that cover his muscled forearms and biceps. I don’t bother to resist the impulse to caress his skin. I drag my fingers down the ridges of the hard knots in his muscles and wince as I get to his fingers. My fingers hover over the torn skin before I bypass the damage and continue trailing my fingertips over his exposed skin.
My heart flutters wildly in my chest as he stirs. His arm tightens around me, then he tenses as he stretches and murmurs into my hair. “Hey.”
I wriggle out from under his arm and shift so I can see him. He smiles lazily and covers a yawn. His face is bruised and swollen and he needs a shower, but I don’t care. My own skin feels sticky from where the gel has dried but it feels less painful so I smile. “Did you do something to my feet?”
He glances downwards and nods, his forehead creased. “Why didn’t you say they were they that bad?”
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