Heath

by Arcadia Shield

  Annie shot Heath a worried look, as her memories fought with each other.

  “Don’t listen to him,” hissed Heath.

  “Be careful, Annie,” cautioned Dmitri.

  “We can talk about this,” said Nick, his voice sounding nearer. “I don’t want to hurt either of you, so there’s no need to hide. I want Doctor Ember restored to the university and doing work he can be proud of, not shunned and considered a criminal. And you definitely don’t want to become an outcast. There is so much you can offer the State if only you’d give up this foolish mission.”

  Annie slapped a hand against the side of her head, her vision still sparking. If only she could get her thoughts clear.

  Heath grabbed hold of Annie’s hand and squeezed. “Don’t believe him.”

  “I’m not sure what to believe.” Annie stared into Heath’s green eyes and her gaze shifted to her father. “Perhaps I can reason with him. He could let us go.”

  “He’ll never do that,” said Heath. “We both know too much.”

  “I have plenty of space for you here, as either a member of the team, or a patient,” said Nick.

  Annie frowned. Her grip tightened on the scalpel as she repositioned it in her hand to hide it from view. “You keep out of sight. I get the impression Nick doesn’t like you.”

  “It’s too dangerous.” Heath grabbed her shoulder.

  She shook her head, gave them a tight smile, and then slowly stood. Heath’s fingers wrapped around her calf like a solid clamp keeping her balanced. Her heart warmed at his touch and its racing rhythm slowed. This was something she remembered, the firm, solid stroke of Heath’s fingers on her flesh. “I’d like to leave. And take my friends with me.”

  “There you are. Bored of playing games with your friend?” Nick leveled his gun at Annie. “It won’t be possible to go anywhere.”

  “You can’t keep me as a prisoner.” Annie inched her way around the table, feeling Heath’s fingers slip from her leg. “And I’m not staying to work for you. There’s something wrong with this place.”

  “You only feel like that because you don’t understand what we do here.” Nick turned, as the door to the lab slid open, and the guards returned.

  Annie took a chance, dashed around the table and slammed the scalpel into Nick’s arm.

  His eyes flashed back to her as the gun fell from his hand. He balled his fist and smashed it into Annie’s face.

  Pain exploded across her cheek. She staggered backwards into the screen Nick had been staring at. Heath was by her side a second later, keeping her on her feet as he grabbed the gun from the ground and pointed it at Nick.

  Annie’s breath rasped out as pain lanced across her face, but her eyes rested on the screen Nick had been looking at. It showed base locations and a progress report. She grabbed the data chip from the console and shoved it in her pocket, not sure what she was looking at but wanting to find out more. She took a steadying gasp of air and turned to face Nick.

  “Weapons down or he dies.” Heath gestured at the guards who were pointing their guns at them.

  “Do as he says,” said Nick, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits as one hand clamped over the wound in his arm.

  The guards dropped their guns and raised their hands.

  “Slide them over here,” said Heath.

  The guards kicked the guns over. Annie grabbed one and Dmitri took the other.

  “I’ll restrain them. You check on Lincoln,” said Heath, his gaze remaining on Nick and the guards.

  Annie hurried over to Lincoln. He was unconscious as she undid the restraints on his wrists and ankles. She checked his pulse and his breathing and both were strong and steady.

  “How’s he doing?” asked Heath, as he glanced over from strapping the guards’ hands and feet together, before moving to Nick.

  “Can’t get him to wake up,” said Annie. “But I don’t see anything wrong with him.”

  Heath lashed Nick’s hands together, before shoving him to the ground and striding toward Annie. He leaned over his brother and tapped his cheek.

  Lincoln groaned and his eyes flickered.

  “Lincoln. There’s a hot woman looking for you,” whispered Heath.

  Lincoln sat bolt upright, his fists clenched.

  “Easy, big guy,” said Heath. “Knew that would get your attention.”

  Lincoln let out a breath and his gaze shot from Heath to Annie. “What happened?”

  “No time to explain,” said Annie, as she helped Lincoln off the table. A memory came to her in a sudden flash. “Where’s Malachi and Arlo?”

  “They weren’t brought in here,” said Heath. “Think Arlo’s the one messing with the power supply.”

  “He ducked out of the vent just as we were discovered,” said Lincoln. “Guy’s like a shadow. I didn’t even see him vanish, but glad he did.”

  “You’ll never get out of here,” spat Nick, from his kneeling position. “Reinforcements are on their way.”

  Annie ignored the fear those words caused. Memories were hurtling back to her in a dizzying array of colors and images. She suddenly knew, without a doubt, that they had to get out, no matter how.

  “Where’s Juniper?” asked Lincoln.

  “Taken out of here by the guards,” said Annie, as she moved to the other tables and unstrapped the two female dragon hybrid prisoners.

  “If Arlo is still free, he’ll be waiting for an order to blow this place up, before the copters arrive for the evacuation,” said Heath. “We need to make the base safe before the copters arrive, or they’ll be shot out of the sky.”

  “I can take out the tower guards when we leave,” said Lincoln.

  “We still need to get Juniper and Malachi,” said Annie, keeping a reassuring hand on her dad’s arm.

  Heath handed Lincoln a gun. The group headed to the door.

  “You’ll be dead before you step foot out of this base,” growled Nick.

  Annie ran back, slammed the gun into his head, and watched him slump to the floor. “That’s for Juniper. And for trying to force me to have dinner with you.”

  Heath grinned as she returned to his side, making her insides melt. How could she ever have forgotten these feelings?

  They ran along the corridor, heading in the direction Juniper had been dragged. Annie was right behind Heath alongside her dad, with Lincoln and the female prisoners following. They slowed, as they reached a locked door.

  “No time for subtleties.” Heath blasted the access panel.

  As the door slid open, they met three startled-looking guards. Pulse laser fire shot over their heads. They all dived to the ground.

  Heath was on his feet in an instant, and took out two of the guards. Lincoln blasted the third guard off his feet.

  “There’s Juniper!” Annie scrambled to her feet and hurried to a bed.

  Juniper raised her bleary-eyed gaze to Annie. “Knew the bite would work.”

  “It did, although it stung like a bitch.” Annie helped Juniper to her feet. “I’ll have your teeth marks on my arm for the rest of my life.”

  “It’s a badge of honor,” said Juniper.

  “Let’s go,” said Heath, beckoning everyone back to the door.

  Annie flew out of the door, keeping a tight hold of her father’s arm. She slammed into Heath as he did an about-face and shoved them back into the room. “Not this way. Guards coming.”

  Annie’s heart raced as she looked around, searching for another way out. But there was only one way in and out of this room. They were trapped.

  “How many?” asked Annie.

  “A dozen,” said Lincoln. “All armed.”

  “We’ll fight our way out,” said Juniper.

  “There’s too many,” said Heath, his gaze going to Annie.

  “We’ll fight them,” said Annie, her fists clenching. She was not going to lose Heath now that she’d gotten him back. “And we will get out.”

  Heath and Lincoln dragged two examination tables in front of the door, u
sing them as blockades.

  Despite Annie’s confident words, she knew the tables wouldn’t hold for long with a dozen guards firing at them.

  “Weapons ready,” said Heath.

  Annie swallowed and tightened the grip on her gun. If this was the end, then she was glad she’d done it. Glad she’d tried to rescue her father. And so grateful for finding Heath again, and realizing what an incredible guy he was and how amazing he made her feel.

  A laser shot slammed into the door, just as a flash of light blinded Annie, and a hole appeared in the wall behind her.

  Chapter 18

  Heath grabbed Annie and shoved her underneath him as choking smoke filled the room. He heard the clatter of what sounded like grenades hitting the floor, and curled himself protectively around Annie.

  No explosion came, just more thick, black smoke. He recognized this bomb. It was one of Arlo’s.

  “Are you okay?” Heath asked Annie.

  “Fine,” coughed out Annie. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Arlo.” Lincoln grinned at her. “Just in time as usual.”

  Heath swiped his hand through the air, trying to clear the smoke. He peered at the hole in the wall.

  Arlo poked his head through and grinned. “I couldn’t miss the party, but the guards said I didn’t have an invitation, so I had to find my own way in.”

  Heath squinted at Arlo and saw someone behind him. “Who’s with you?”

  “I got some help.”

  As the smoke cleared, Heath saw the gray-haired woman who’d been on the prisoner truck.

  “She insisted on helping,” said Arlo, giving a shrug. “She’s got a good throwing arm, and she’s handy with the tech. She’s been disrupting the power supply, keeping the guards on their toes while we figured out where you were.”

  “I’m good at making things blow up too,” said the woman, looking remarkably calm, given the chaos she was staring at.

  “Arlo, take Juniper and get out of here,” said Heath.

  “I can take myself,” said Juniper, as she waved away Arlo’s hand.

  “See being a prisoner in here hasn’t calmed you down.” Arlo smiled at Juniper as she dashed past him.

  “As if,” said Juniper.

  Lincoln slapped Arlo on the shoulder. “Good work. Knew you’d work your magic on this place.”

  “It’s time to go,” said Heath to Annie.

  Annie caught hold of her father’s hand. “You okay to move, Dad?”

  “I’ll be fine.” Dmitri’s expression was one of surprise.

  Annie held her other hand out for Heath. “Lead the way.”

  “You go first,” said Heath. “Arlo, we could do with another smoke bomb in here.” He could already see the choking, stumbling figures of the guards getting closer.

  “Happy to oblige.” Arlo tossed two more smoke bombs, as Heath backed toward the hole, Annie and Dmitri behind him. He wanted to make sure the guards couldn’t get a clean shot.

  “This way,” said the gray-haired woman. “We found a route into the yard where the trucks are parked.”

  “She’s clever for an old girl,” said Arlo.

  “That’s enough of your lip.” The gray-haired woman turned her attention to Heath as they hurried along the corridor. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Ember.”

  “You too,” said Heath, keeping his focus on the hole in the wall until they’d turned the corner and were out of the guards’ laser sights. “You are?”

  “Mary Rusby,” said the woman. “A friend of Artorius’. Arlo explained what you’re doing here. I insisted on helping.”

  “Good to have you on board,” said Heath.

  “Anything I can do to make Falmouth’s life more difficult is fine by me,” said Mary. “He’s the scourge of the Badlands.”

  Heath nodded. “Arlo, check the route to the nearest truck.”

  “On it.” Arlo dashed along the corridor, disappearing into the gloom.

  Heath turned to Annie. “We’re almost out.”

  Annie slowed and her face paled. “What about Malachi? We can’t leave without him. We promised Clarissa we’d bring him back.”

  “Malachi Larch?” Mary looked over and her eyes widened. “He’s here? He’s been missing for over a month. I thought something bad had happened to him.”

  “Something did,” said Lincoln.

  Heath looked back along the corridor. “He could be in any of the medical rooms.”

  “This is our only chance to get him,” said Annie.

  Heath cursed under his breath. “Catch up with Arlo and stay with Mary and Juniper. I’ll track back with Lincoln and find Malachi.”

  “I don’t—”

  Heath pressed a kiss to Annie’s lips. “Go. We haven’t got time to argue. Get the truck ready and be waiting. We’ll be right behind you.”

  Annie pulled Heath closer and intensified their kiss. “Make sure you are. We have a lot to talk about.”

  “We’ll do a lot more than talk when this is over.”

  He heard her suck in a breath and she nodded. “Yes, we will.”

  Heath watched as Annie stepped away and dashed along the corridor with the others. They’d have time, they were almost free. He had to hold it together for a few more minutes.

  Resisting the urge to chase after Annie, he looked at Lincoln. “Let’s find Malachi and get the hell out of here.”

  Lincoln nodded. “We can’t go back that way, the guards will track us.”

  Heath studied the different routes the corridors offered them. “Take the right-hand corridor. Should lead us back parallel to the medical rooms.” He gritted his teeth as they ran. Nick would want revenge for what they’d done to his prison, and wouldn’t hesitate in taking it out on Malachi if they didn’t get to him in time.

  “Almost there,” muttered Lincoln. His fingers closed around the door handle in front of him, his weapon raised.

  “Wait!” Heath raised his hand and Lincoln stopped. Hurried footsteps and the sounds of guns being checked passed by on the other side of the door.

  “We can’t be far from the rooms,” breathed out Lincoln. “Once we’re in the next corridor, we’ll be able to access them.”

  A muffled explosion had them ducking.

  Heath grinned at Lincoln. “Arlo causing some useful distractions.”

  “Give him any excuse, and he’ll set off a bomb.”

  Heath eased the door into the corridor open and peered out. He watched as guards turned the corner at the end and vanish. He beckoned Lincoln out, and they slunk into the corridor and hurried to the first door. Heath smashed the access panel and jimmied the door open, using his fingers to force the hole wider before getting his foot in the gap and shoving it open.

  There were a dozen beds inside, several occupied, but none of them were Malachi.

  They tried the next two rooms without success. Heath’s nerves jangled. They were taking too long and could get discovered at any second.

  “Over here,” whispered Lincoln. “This is him.”

  Heath hurried to the bed and discovered Malachi. He was unconscious, a tube leading into his arm. “They’re draining his blood.”

  “And replacing it with what?” Lincoln leaned over Malachi.

  “Nothing,” growled Heath. “They’re killing him to get his blood.”

  Lincoln yanked the tube out of Malachi’s arm. He grabbed hold of Malachi and scooped him into his arms. “This is getting to be a habit. Hope people don’t get the wrong idea about the two of us.”

  Heath shook his head. “The way you go through women, there’s no likelihood of that happening.”

  “It would be cruel to deny them all my attention.”

  Leading the way back along the corridor, Heath paused now and again when he heard guards approaching.

  They reached the door leading to their escape corridor when three guards ran round the corner. One of them looked straight at Heath. His eyes widened.

  “They’re here!” The guard raised his we
apon and fired.

  “Go,” shouted Heath as he yanked the door open.

  They sprinted along the corridor.

  Heath turned as they reached the corner and fired at the guards.

  A blast of pulse laser skimmed his cheek. Heath hissed in pain as blood slid from the wound.

  They sped toward the exit, and what he hoped would be a waiting truck with Annie and the others inside.

  Heath kicked the door open and ran into the pale dawn light, covering Lincoln in case any guards spotted them. He let out a sigh of relief. There was the truck, waiting, with the back open.

  “Come on!” yelled Arlo.

  Lincoln heaved Malachi into the back of the truck and climbed in. “Are we keeping you from something important?”

  Arlo grinned as he ran around to the driver’s seat.

  Heath jumped onto the truck. His heart warmed as he saw Annie sitting next to Mary and Dmitri. Juniper sat with the two dragon hybrid prisoners. Lincoln hopped into the cab, with Arlo.

  Annie held her hand out to Heath, and all the pieces fell into place. She was his, they were together at last. “Let’s get out of here.”

  HEATH’S HAND FELT SOLID and strong, as he laced his fingers with Annie’s and held on tight as the truck pulled away.

  “You’ve been hurt.” She raised a hand to his bleeding cheek.

  “It’s nothing serious,” said Heath. “Hold on. Arlo is as crazy with his driving as he is with the explosives.”

  The sudden crash of laser fire caused everyone to duck. Clearly, they’d been spotted. “Everybody down!” Heath shouted, as he dropped Annie’s hand and slid to the tailgate, using the back of the truck to steady his gun as he aimed at the guards. “Keep your heads down, people.” He fired back at the guards, taking one out.

  Annie dropped to his side and returned fire on the guards herself, nicking one in the shoulder.

  “Good shot,” said Heath.

  “I learned from an expert.” Annie grinned at him, a sense of belonging and purpose giving her a warm glow inside, as she fought alongside Heath.