The Girl Who Kicked Ass: (The Death Fields Book 3)

by Angel Lawson

  What does stun me is when she pulls me into a tight, bone-cracking hug. I’m not even sure how to react to her thin arms wrapped around me. “Thank God you’re okay.”

  “Uh,” I mumble into her shoulder. I’ve got my eyes on the room behind her and take in the comfortable, clean couches and small spotless kitchen. A wide wall of windows looks over the expansive Savannah River and I am dumbfounded by the luxury my sister lives in while the rest of the world falls apart.

  She releases me and pulls me into the swank apartment. “I’ve been so worried,” she says, more flustered than I’ve ever seen her. “Are you hungry? I’m sure you are. I apologize for the meager meals. I didn’t want the guards to get suspicious.”

  I watch her, in sheer confusion, as she walks into the kitchen and pulls out a loaf of homemade bread and a jar of peanut butter and even better, strawberry jam. Then a plate and silverware. Again, oblivious. I mean, who needs silverware when you have fingers? “I don’t keep a lot of food up here, but take what you want. There’s some dried fruit in the cabinet.”

  I do go to the kitchen and my eyes land on the knife she left on the counter. I stare at it for a moment before using it to slather peanut butter all over a thick slice of bread. Nothing that is happening right now makes sense, but food? It always makes sense.

  She leans over the counter and watches me take a bite. “How’s Dad? Is he okay?”

  I chew and swallow. “Dad was fine when I left him a few days ago. I mean, other than the obvious stress of knowing his spawn set the end of the world on fire, but you know. He’s good.”

  “Oh, good.” She looks visibly relieved despite my snarky response. “When Chloe took him…I panicked. I truly panicked.”

  “He chose to go, you know. Chloe didn’t take him.”

  I lick the peanut butter off the knife and tuck it under my sleeve, before leaving the small kitchen area.

  “Yes, but I specifically told both of them he was not to leave the facility, not after almost getting killed the last time he snuck out to meet you.” I shrug and eat my sandwich. “I understand you’re angry,” she says as I wander around, peeking in the open door of her bedroom. A travel bag sits on top of the bed. “But you need to understand that things have not exactly gone according to plan.”

  I face her and force my face into something that reflects reason. “No? That taking over the world thing didn’t turn out the way you wanted?”

  “That’s not—” she starts, but we both know the truth and she stops. “I’ve done a terrible thing.”

  “You think?” I can barely contain my anger. “You’ve completely destroyed society! Society, Jane! You brought the country to the brink of extinction and then,” I shout, “then you compounded the issue by creating genetically modified monsters to do your bidding. It’s insane! You’re insane!”

  She crumbles on her three thousand dollar ultra-suede couch and drops her face into her hands. “I thought I could fix things. I thought I could weed out the bad and protect the innocent.” She looks up at me, her eyes wild. “I thought I could make the world a better place.”

  I stare at my sister. My deranged, brilliant sister. “You’re unstable, like, for real. Do you know that?”

  She stands abruptly and rushes past me to the bedroom, proving my point about instability. She opens drawers, pulling out pieces of clothing before rummaging through her closet. “You may be right but it’s too late to psychoanalyze my mental health. What I do know is that we’re running out of time. I can get us out of here, though.”

  “What? You’re leaving your empire?” I hold my hands up. “You created all this.”

  “I did, but I’m no longer in control—well, not for much longer, at least.”

  She darts past me again and I yank on both of her arms to get her to stop moving. “If you’re not in control—then who is?”

  “The Hybrids.”

  Chapter 25

  I watch as she continues to pack her bag, and the only thing I can think of is that she’s bringing the wrong things for an escape into the Death Fields. Socks and underwear, I want to tell her. Shoes that are already worn in and fit. I walk to the kitchen, grab the jar of peanut butter and take it back to the bedroom, handing it over.

  “What’s this?”

  “Pack it. Trust me.”

  I haven’t asked her about the Hybrids and how they took over. Do I need to? Every step of my sister’s career is a cautionary tale on genetic warfare and manipulation. Don’t do it. Wyatt may have been on to something about the Ramseys and their God complexes.

  “So what’s your plan?” I ask, eyeing the overflowing bag. She’ll have to get rid of at least one pair of shoes. “Run away?”

  She holds up a makeup bag and considers its dimensions. “Actually, yes.”

  “So you’re just going to let the Hybrids take over? Let them have this entire territory?”

  “For now, yes. I don’t have any other choice.”

  “There are survivors out there, Jane. A lot of them. Children. Your Fighters that Erwin has taken prisoner. You’re willing to let them fall into the hands of the Hybrids?”

  She glances up at me and brushes her dark bangs out of her eyes. “They’re taking over PharmaCorp as we speak. Infiltrating the guard and Fighters. Hacking into the labs and computer systems that carry the genetic codes and vaccines. I’ve set up what protective barriers I could, but it’s only bought me so much time.”

  “Who is doing this?” I ask her. “It can’t be the mindless army of Hybrids. I’ve seen them. They don’t have an original thought in their head. Someone has to—” I stop. “Chloe? This is her work?”

  “Yep. I gave her the first shot, thinking she could be my first in command. Most of the Hybrids have a flaw—something that makes them unqualified for the Fighters or as a civilian worker. I needed someone flawless to lead them. Little did I know there was a glitch that would cause her to rise up and take over.”

  “Why don’t you kill her? Can’t you stop her?”

  She looks at me like I’ve slapped her. “You don’t think I’ve tried? Why do you think I’ve allowed your little Resistance to continue?”

  We stare at one another and I can tell from her expression there’s no other way. She holds up a metal case. “I have everything I need in here. Back-up files. A small supply of vaccines. I’m not giving up on what I’ve built, but I can’t fight them from here.”

  “This is crazy—even for you.”

  She shrugs. “By daybreak tomorrow I expect they’ll have full control, and if I’m still in the building they’ll kill me. Same with you.”

  “So you’re taking me with you?”

  “If you’re willing to go.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  Her face softens and she takes my hand. “I know you have friends out there—it’s the one thing you always did better than me. You connect with people. You have genuine relationships. It’s one of the reasons I picked Chloe in the first place. I knew she was your friend and I thought it may help you come around to seeing that this wasn’t such a bad idea.”

  “It was an awful idea.”

  “I didn’t know that then!” She inhales and recomposes herself. “The best thing you can do for your friends is help me stop this. They would tell you the same thing. Not one of them would want you to sacrifice yourself and the future of mankind in an attempt to save them. Not even Dad.”

  “I’ll think about it,” I tell her. “Give me a couple of hours.”

  She zips up the bag and nods. “That’s all you’ve got.”

  *

  Jane makes a call and I return to the hallway. The same guard arrives and I brace myself for the ride, clutching my stomach as the elevator zips to the basement. I search the guard’s face for any signal that she’s aware of what’s about to happen at the Fort, but she’s a blank slate. In another life I may have warned her. I don’t think I’m that girl anymore.

  Nothing has changed on my isolated cellblock and from th
e limited details given to me by Jane, I think I’m the only one here. Actual criminals are sent to the Hybrid programs. I step into my room and sit on the bed. The guard closes and bolts the door, leaving me in the dark.

  A movement in the corner catches my eye and I jump to my feet, slipping the knife I stole upstairs into my palm. I hold it next to my leg and squint. “Who’s there?

  “It’s me,” Cole replies, stepping into the minimal light. He’s dressed in black, his hair clean and combed. He looks taller. Different.

  I exhale with relief and drop the knife on the mattress. “You’re alive,” I whisper-cry, moving for him. Without hesitation I run my hands up his arms, across his chest and touch his face. He’s solid as a rock. My rock.

  “I heard you were brought in after pulling some stunt out at the front gate,” he says. “It took me days to figure out where they were holding you.”

  “It wasn’t a stunt,” I say. “I surrendered.”

  “Why in the world would you do that?”

  “To get inside.” I glance around the bare room. “The hidden cell is Jane’s idea, I guess. I’ve been down here catching up on my sleep.”

  “There are worse things.” He touches my cheek.

  “Tell me what happened,” I say, trying to connect with his blue eyes in the faint light. The eyes that provide me with sanity when the whole world is going to hell. It’s too dark and I don’t like not seeing his face.

  “I’m sure you can guess. Chloe and I were fighting when the Center came down. I thought I had her and if it had just been the two of us maybe, I could have held onto her.”

  “But the Hybrids showed up. I saw them just before we went below.”

  “Yep. They steamrolled me. I had no chance. One of them knocked me out and the next thing I know I’m back here with a nasty concussion and a broken arm.”

  I frown, feeling his arms again, but there’s no split or cast. His biceps are hard with muscle. “You seem okay now.”

  “They patched me up. It wasn’t as bad as it seemed. More like strained—I guess I exaggerated a little.”

  “No need to play tough with me. I’ve seen you in action. Plus,” I add, touching him once again. “You’re still here. That’s enough for me. Does Jane even know?”

  Jane didn’t mention Cole once. And I didn’t bring him up either, not wanting to give up his importance to me. She’s already proven bad things happen to my friends. There was no way to get to him, locked up in this cell, and I’d been singularly focused on getting into the building and to my sister with the intent of stopping her. It never occurred to me that he’d be roaming freely in the building.

  He bends, pressing his forehead to mine; it’s intimate but I wrap my arms around his back. He feels different—harder. I wait in the dark for a kiss—for something, but he starts speaking in a low tone, close to my ear. “Jane has no idea I’m back in the building. After our fight, my sister revealed she still has a soft spot for me. I guess even Jane’s Hybrid vaccine can’t wipe away all of our genetic memory. She offered me another chance and I took her up on it. I’m on the inside, Alex, just like we’d planned all along. I think with a little more time we can stop this whole thing.”

  For the first time in days I’m filled with hope. Particularly after my talk with Jane. Maybe she doesn’t have to abandon PharmaCorp. Maybe there’s another way and Cole is the path towards it.

  “And she trusts you?” I ask.

  “She’s my sister. Why wouldn’t she trust me?”

  I almost laugh—because I have a little history on why I wouldn’t trust my sibling. In fact, I still don’t trust her, but here I am, considering working with her again. “So, you’ve gained her confidence. That must have been hard to do.”

  “It’s been a challenge, but we all make sacrifices during war.”

  We’re still close together, whispering so the guard won’t hear. I tilt my head and ask, “Have you heard any rumors about Jane and her leadership?”

  He pulls back. “Why would you ask? Did a guard say something?”

  “No, I just overheard something when I came in. Like that things are weird. Maybe people are scared.” His body stiffens and the hairs pinprick on my neck. He knows something. Something he doesn’t want to share. “Maybe the Resistance is working?”

  “Maybe so,” he replies, all hesitation gone. “We’re here, aren’t we?”

  “Well, then tell me what we’re going to do? What’s the next step? Can you get me out of here?” I have information on Jane, and if I tell Cole and he informs Chloe, she can stop it before Jane leaves.

  But what if Jane is right? What if Chloe has bigger plans? Worse plans? I try again to see Cole’s face to assess what he’s really thinking but it’s too dark.

  When you have to pick between two devils, which one do you choose?

  “I want to get you out of here but I can’t. Not yet. But don’t worry, I’ll come back for you soon. You’ll know the signals. Then we’ll take out The Director.”

  I have other questions to ask but he rests his hands on my hips. He tugs me off balance and I crash into his solid chest. I feel his lips on mine, the familiar spark flaring between us. This time though, there’s something more. His lips are demanding. Urgent. His fingers move under my shirt, digging into the soft flesh of my sides. He lifts me, bringing my face closer to his. “I’ve missed you,” he whispers, before pressing me against the wall.

  I’ve never been handled like this, certainly not by Cole. He’s always been a little tentative. My innocent, sweet Lab Guy, under the exterior of an apocalypse survivor. Now the latter is in charge and my stomach burns with a mixture of feelings. His mouth moves to my throat and his hands to my backside and I wonder, truly wonder, where all of this is headed when there’s a sound outside the door. He grunts displeasure before separating.

  I catch my breath and slide my hand up his arm, over the hard, lean muscles to his shoulder. I clutch the fabric in my hand, steadying myself. Before that kiss, I almost told him everything I knew about Jane and her plans.

  Almost.

  He pecks me on the cheek and walks by the bed, leaning over quickly in a move I barely see, it’s so fast.

  “I’ll be back,” he says, straightening his uniform and banging on the door once with his fist. The guard slides the bolt on the other side and opens the door, bathing the small cell in yellow light.

  It’s here that I can finally see Cole’s eyes. The familiar ice blue, muted and dark. I see the purple bands that I felt stitched to the shoulders of his uniform. My hand goes to my mouth, touching my swollen lips, and I fight back a gag.

  Chloe must have accepted Cole’s return on one condition.

  He had to turn Hybrid.

  Chapter 26

  The bolt slides and I’m scared. Maybe more scared than I’ve been in a long, long time. Eaters I can handle. Death is something I’ve come to accept. Even the Hybrids are a force I acknowledge, but Cole being one of them isn’t.

  Hours pass and I do nothing but sit on the mattress, knees to my chest, and run the encounter with Cole through my mind. I don’t know when it clicked. The minute I saw him in the corner of my room? When he kissed me? At any rate, something triggered the warning signal in my brain and I knew before I saw him in the light that something had changed in my soulful, sweet friend.

  He didn’t seem like a monster, but maybe that was just my bias playing tricks on me. Maybe I wanted him to be the same and I humanized him. His lips, as well as other parts of his body, certainly felt human.

  My stomach rumbles and it feels like it’s time for the third meal of the day. It feels long past time for a bathroom visit, but my guard never appears. I eye the unused bucket in the corner.

  Both Cole and Jane told me to keep an eye out for something happening. Cole was a little vague, but with their information put together a larger plan unfolds. I guess the question for me is who will get to me first. My fate may be decided for me.

  I stand and go to the door. “H
ey,” I yell, slapping my palm against the cool metal. “Can I get some food down here? I missed lunch!”

  I wait for movement. The echo of the guard’s boots, but I’m met with silence. Pressing my ear against the door, I’m sure there’s no one out there.

  “Perfect,” I say to the empty room. “There’s a revolution starting up somewhere and I’m locked in the freaking basement.”

  I don’t have to wait long before I’m startled by the shrieking alarm echoing down the hallway, bouncing off the walls. I press my ear to the door and hear a muffled voice—no, an announcement—issuing directions.

  “This is not a test. This is a code one emergency. All members of the community should follow the evacuation procedures.”

  Jane was right. It’s happening and there’s little I can do but wait.

  Footsteps echo down the hall and I scramble to my feet, wondering if it’s smarter to get their attention or wait. In the end, it’s a decision I don’t have to make—the door flings open, revealing a Fighter in full black, chin and nose covered. The stitching over his heart says, Rowe.

  “…not a test. This is a code one emergency. All members of the community should follow the evacuation procedures…”

  “Move!” he yells, over the ear-splitting alarm, while waving a massive gun at me. I do what he says.

  There’s only one direction to go, down the hall and toward the elevator. I really don’t want to get in that thing. Fortunately, there seems to be an alternative, and he faces the wall and lifts the cover for a key pad I hadn’t noticed in my limited time out of the cell. A quick swipe makes it light up green and a door slides open.

  “That way. Go.”

  We pass through the door and it slides shut behind us, the alarm is louder here, or at least it seems to be. We’re in a hall that looks vaguely familiar. I grab Rowe by the arm. “Where are we going? Can you just tell me that?”

  “Follow me and maybe you’ll get out of here alive.”