“Marcus!”
Siera stands before me, her hair primped and shiny, feeding me her flirtatious smile. She still doesn’t get it. I don’t want her.
“Where’re you going?”
“I’ve lost her.” I say, my eyes darting over her head, searching the crowd.
“You’ve lost who?”
“Have you seen Pollen?”
“Pollen?” Her voice carries a distinct sound of sourness, as if she’d just bitten into the acidic flesh of a lemon.
“She was right there and now she’s gone. I need to find her. Will you help me?” My hands grip firmly around her shoulders as I stare deeply into her eyes. “Please help me find her.”
“Of course,” she says. Siera’s flaming hair disappears into the crowd at the right. I turn left, pushing straight into a large man with his raven hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.
“Watch it!” he shouts.
“Sorry,” I mumble before moving on. Any crown of chestnut hair among the crowd could be her. Every time I think I’ve spotted her, it turns out to be somebody else. At one point, I confuse one of the shuttle technicians for her, even though I know it’s impossible. I circle the entire perimeter of the atrium with no success.
Just before I let my hopes melt into defeat, I spot her—entering the corridor that leads to the armory. She’s hunched over, strapping a holster to her thigh. Pushing others aside, I follow her trail.
As I approach the darkness I see movement in the dim lights of the corridor. Sharp, quick movements. I ease in closer and some unusual sounds filter out of the corridor—grunts, slaps, and heavy breathing. Then I hear Siera’s vixen voice.
“You don’t deserve him!”
Chapter 25
(Pollen)
No, he can’t remember now. It’s too late for that. I’ve made my decision. A decision that’s based partly on my acceptance of the fact that he doesn’t want me anymore. He can’t want me now. I have to get out of here. If he says too much, I won’t be able to go through with it. And I have to save Evie. I will not let him say it.
As I dart through the door, I feel a warm stream dribble down the face. No crying, Pollen. Stop crying.
Why now? Why couldn’t he remember a week ago? Or next week, after I’m gone? I won’t back down. I can’t. Evie’s life is more important than mine. I have to find Drake. We need to set the plan in motion as soon as possible. Before Marcus has a chance to say the words that will change my mind.
I stop by Drake’s room. The room he shares with Marcus, among others. I have no qualms about coming here now, knowing Marcus is not here. But neither is Drake. If I can’t find him now, I have to go somewhere where Marcus can’t find me. I’ll go train.
After stopping by my room to get my holster and pull my hair back, I storm into the darkness of the corridor, hoping Marcus hasn’t seen me. I slow my jog and continue into the darkness until a voice stops me.
“Stay away from him.” She steps out of the shadows, her garnet hair catching a glint from the dim amber lights above. Chills climb up my spine. This corridor resembles the Web a little too much.
“That was my plan,” I snap and continue my trek.
“You know, he could do better.”
I turn and give her a discerning look, letting my eyes glaze over her entire body, from the tip of her head to toes, and back up again. “You’re right, he sure could.”
As I turn away she tromps after me. Is she really going to do this? Push me to my breaking point. She’ll be sorry.
“I broke his heart once, but that was nothing compared to what you did.”
“Marcus forgave me for what I did.” My voice is flat, emotionless. I don’t even recognize it myself.
“So why aren’t you with him, hmm? If he really let it go, he wouldn’t have come running back to me. You ripped his heart right out of his chest. But I was there to pick it up and put it back.”
That’s it. I can’t contain it anymore. Rage sizzles inside me, pumping fury into every crevice of my body. I could say I blacked out. I could say that the unbearable stress of yesterday caused it to happen. I could say that I just lost myself. But I didn’t. If anything, I found myself. I’ve wanted to do this since the day I laid eyes on that bitch.
I whirl around and hurl myself at Siera, smashing her into the cold stone wall. My fist makes contact with her cheekbone. I draw it back to throw another, but this time she ducks and slides under my arm. My knuckles crack on the wall. A shockwave of pain strikes my hand, rising into my forearm.
A lump of pressure enters my ribs and explodes into pain. I hunch over instinctively, but it comes again and again. I fall to my knees. In the dark shadows at the edge of the corridor I nearly didn’t see it, but as her boot arches toward my stomach I grasp it and yank it forward. Her body arches backwards. Her head makes a high-pitched thumping sound as it collides with the stone floor.
A tight-lipped groan escapes her lips.
I find my footing and yank a clump of her hair, lifting her upper body off the floor.
“You don’t deserve him!” she cries.
I thrust my knee forward, pulling her face to meet it.
“You’re right,” I say, slamming her face into my knee again. “Neither of us does.”
Siera attempts to bring me down by tangling her legs between mine, but I keep my feet firmly rooted to the floor. I’m not going anywhere.
“Marcus is better than both of us. He’d be better off alone.” This time I don’t know if I am speaking to Siera, or simply trying to convince myself so that I don’t back out of my plan.
I plant my fist on her face again, this time leave three glistening crimson dots from my bloody knuckles. In a final attempt escape, Siera digs her claws into my forearm and slides them down. I scream out and release her hair, throwing her head back into the floor again.
I study the marks on my arm. Three deep jagged lines stretch from just below the inside of my elbow down to my wrist. Blood rises to the surface of all three scratches, but drips freely from the one on the right.
Siera rises to her feet. Her fiery mane is a tangled nest and the side of her face is beginning to puff up with swelling as it takes on a rosy hue. She looks like a crazed banshee. I half expected her to run off, crying to Marcus. But here she remains; ready to finish what she started.
I launch myself at her again and she lunges forward to meet me. She yanks my hair and I flail my fist blindly, making quick contact with her chin. She releases me but attacks again. I block her mediocre punches, grateful that I’ve spent so much time training. Finally she backs off, but doesn’t accept defeat yet.
We circle each other as if we were in a boxing ring, trying to predict the other’s next move. She jabs and I step back. I jab and miss, but immediately kick and make contact with her stomach. She hunches over and grabs my foot before I have time to retract it. She twists my foot backwards until the pain climbs from my ankle into my calf. I spring my other foot off the floor, swinging it around until my body is horizontal and completely air bound. The top of my foot smacks the side of her face and we both fall to the ground. Pain shoots from my elbow to my shoulder like lightning bolts, and though the pain is intense I’m relieved to know that I simply landed on my funny bone. I roll around on the floor so intently focused on the pain, that I lose track of Siera.
“Siera! Don’t!” His voice echoes in the vast emptiness of the corridor, drawing my attention back to the moment.
I turn over on to my back to see Siera standing over me with something metallic in her right hand.
She looks up at Marcus and I use the opportunity to plunge both my feet into her stomach. She lurches back and tumbles into the floor by the far wall, dropping the blade.
Before I can regain my balance, Marcus hoists me up into his arms. Instantly I push away from him. The electricity between us is so strong, I’m not sure I can resist his temptation. His eyes bore into mine; even in the darkness his eyes seem to sparkle like the clearest blue la
ke on a sunny day. I can’t look away. The hatred in his eyes is gone. His gaze lowers to my stomach. I’m clutching my abdomen with my bloody hand and I realize something about this scene is familiar. It’s like that moment when he learned I was shot in the stomach at Crimson. The look in Marcus’s eyes proves it. He’s remembering. I have to leave.
As I turn, he grabs my arm, tight enough to leave imprints of his fingers in my pale skin.
“Don’t leave, Pollen. We need to talk.”
“I can’t, Marcus. Not now.” I feel the warm drops glide down my cheeks, and for the first time I hope that they are drops of blood. But as the salty moisture reaches my lips I know they are not. I love him so much; it kills me to do this. I can’t let Evie down. I have to do this.
“I can’t wait. Pollen, you need to know—”
“No!” I tear my arm from his grasp. “Don’t say it. I can’t . . . I don’t want to know.” The tears are coming out full force now. No, no, no. Can’t cry. Marcus’s face changes. It’s filled with hurt now. And I’m filled with regret. I don’t want our final moments together to be like this.
“Glenn was right. I really did screw up.”
No!
“What? Marcus I—”
A thunderous BOOM disrupts the calm and the entire facility vibrates with repercussions. Marcus and I grapple each other’s hands and Siera clutches the wall opposite us. Out in the atrium all movement has ceased. The residents all freeze looking upward as if an answer would come sprinkling down from above like raindrops.
Suddenly another BOOM! Closer this time. Marcus tightens his grip on me and we stare at each other wide-eyed when the howling of the sirens sound. The squealing pierces my eardrums and I have to let go of Marcus to cover my ears. We must be standing very close to a speaker.
Disbelief takes hold of me. We can’t be attacked now. It was only yesterday that the Trinity sent warning and they gave us a week. Or did they? They can’t be trusted. I of all people know that. They gave us that time frame to throw us off. To give us another week to feel safe and secure; to catch us off guard. They had no intention of letting us live freely. Even if I had sacrificed myself. They were planning to attack anyway.
As the other soldiers begin to descend the corridor at break-neck pace, I take off toward the armory with Marcus at my side. It’s time to fight.
Chapter 26
Another resounding explosion sounds as Granby directs our squads to our assigned arenas.
“Marcus, go with your own squad,” Granby commands.
“I’m staying with Pollen,” Marcus states firmly.
“Drake will look after her. You will stay with your squad. That’s an order,” Granby shouts down at him. Marcus doesn’t even blink.
“Then consider it disobeyed,” he growls and follows Drake and me.
The exit from the new underground facility is at the foot of a steep hill well outside the perimeter of Ceborec. I don’t know if it was done for strategy or safety, but we’ll certainly take the Enforcers by surprise if they’ve surrounded the entire grounds. I won’t be able to enter the perimeter, though. Not without losing my memory.
I make sure to let the others know, though they seem to be content not letting me anywhere near the actual fighting. I speed up my pace. I won’t allow them to hold me back.
“Going somewhere without me?” Glenn pulls up behind us. I roll my eyes and give him the cold shoulder. Why is he here? After what he said last night he’s the last person I want to see now.
“We’ve got it Glenn. Go to your arena,” Drake snaps at him. He says nothing, but continues running with us.
Marcus stops and yanks my body to him. I try to avert my eyes, but I can’t when I’m only inches from his. The gravity between us is too powerful. And now that Ceborec has been attacked, my plan for rescuing Evie has fallen through. I give in to my weakness, only to find I feel stronger. I’ve always felt stronger when I’m with Marcus. Without him it’s always felt like an act; a mask that I wore to protect my own integrity. This is real. He is my backbone.
“I remember,” he says before he crushes his lips against mine. “I remember everything. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.” I allow his kiss pull me in. I’ve missed his taste. Drake shouts down at us, but I revel in the moment. Anything could happen today. I want to cherish this kiss.
“I love you,” I utter, tilting my head back to take in the carved features of his face that I’ve missed for too long.
“I love you.” He kisses me once more before we rejoin the others. Drake proudly wears his frustration on his face, though he does seem content to find Marcus back to his old self.
The hum of a jet streaks above us and soon another BOOM rips through the air. Red smoke billows through the bare tree limbs above. The forest surrounding us smells faintly like a mixture of smoke and noxious chemicals. We’re too far from Ceborec to see, but something tells me the building has been destroyed.
Gunshots ring out in the woods ahead of us. Some of the first soldiers in the front lines have entered the battle. Within minutes, Enforcers come into view. But this time, they are not in their hideous blue jumpsuits. Now they are cloaked with rust-colored suits, which upon closer inspection hold tangles of beige, henna, and maroon.
Suddenly, Drake shoves me to the ground behind the large base of a beech tree. His eyes dart from Glenn to Marcus and back again.
“Stay with her!” he shouts to Glenn, and pulls Marcus with him to charge ahead. Marcus glances back at me, but does not protest.
I try to get up, but Glenn straddles my legs and presses his hands into my shoulders.
“He’s just trying to keep you safe. We all are.”
I narrow my eyes and I swear I feel steam rising out of my ears. “Get off me Glenn.”
“Polly, I’m sorry for the crap I said last night. I didn’t mean it, really. I was buzzed and pissed off at life. And I took it out on you. I really don’t hate you. I swear it.”
“Whatever.” I shrug, looking away.
“Polly.” He cups my chin and forces my face to meet his. Even with only one eye I can see the sincerity shining through. But I still loathe him for what he said. “I mean it. I’m still your friend. Remember that.”
I soften a bit at his tone. Not because I forgive him, but because now is not the time to hold grudges. Not in the middle of a battle. We’ve got to get up and fight together. Our comrades need us.
“Glenn we can’t just sit here and hide. We need to help.”
Behind Glenn, I watch the approaching soldiers dodging trees and cresting the small hills in the terrain. Timber is among them.
“Damn, Pollen, what happened?”
I look down to find Glenn clasping my arm, palm up, gazing intently on the three long scratches, courtesy of Siera. They have already crusted up to a scab.
“I was scratched by a rapid dog. Hope I’m not infected,” I snarl.
I turn out of Glenn’s grip to try to see what’s going on behind me. The gunfire has drawn much closer. Soon we’ll have to move anyway if Glenn wants to keep me out of harm’s way. Out of the corner of my eye I find Timber again. An Enforcer has disarmed her and wrenches her arm tightly behind her back. She wails in pain.
“Timber needs help!” I cry out, trying to push Glenn off of me. He won’t budge.
“Please Glenn.” My eyes plead with him. Finally he gives in and stands, taking my hand to help me up.
“You don’t leave my sight, you understand?” His eye grinds into me and I nod obediently.
I take the lead, dashing off over the hill where I last saw Timber. Enforcers and fellow soldiers fight on either side of us. Some shooting. Some swinging their rifles like baseball bats. Others fighting fist to fist. Bodies lie scattered across the forest floor. I pay them no heed and just hope I don’t get caught in any crossfire.
Over the hill it’s more of the same. I spot Timber being dragged away by a husky Enforcer with short umber hair and a grisly beard.
�
�Over there!” I aim my gun, but she’s too far away and the Enforcer is too close to her. I don’t trust my aim enough to take that chance. “Can you get a good shot?” I shout at Glenn.
“Not without putting her in grave danger. We need to move in.”
As we draw closer, I have an idea.
“Here, hold this,” I say, shoving my gun into Glenn’s chest. He takes hold of his gun in his right hand and mine in his left. I unstrap my holster from my thigh and pull out the retracted fork. But when I reach back to pull out my hair band I suddenly realize it’s not there. Siera must have torn it off during our scuffle. As if I didn’t have enough reasons to hate her. Now I’ve got no sling.
Glenn seems to know what’s going on and hands me something.
“Here, use this.”
He pulls an elastic band off of his arm. When he sees my puzzled look, he explains, “I’ve been carrying it around with me ever since the attack with Marcus. In case we need a tourniquet or something.”
Using my teeth I rip the circle and attach each end to the rivets on the fork. I load a bullet into the makeshift sling, take aim and release. I miss by about ten feet. I need more leverage. I run forward a few more steps and aim again, pulling the sling as taut as possible. I release my fingers. The husky Enforcer drops Timber and smacks the back of his head as if he were just stung by a bee.
“Now!” I shout.
Glenn draws his gun up and pulls the trigger. The Enforcer drops right on top of Timber, who screams in terror.
I rush over, with Glenn trailing close behind, and push the sweaty body off of my friend. She gasps for breath and says nothing, but wraps her arms around me. I feel her heart hammering against my chest. I know how frightened she was. I felt the same when I was taken by one of them.
The Trinity Page 16