Rafe was right. This was a trap.
The realization is devastating. Tank and Anthony look the same way I feel. Someone needs to do something and quick, or we're all going to be captured. I can't bear the thought of being tortured again by the Institute. I'd rather die.
My next move is spurred on by sheer panic instead of any reasoning thought. In three beats of my heart, I lunge forward and jerk the barrel of the gun upwards and twist hard until I'm the one holding the gun. Before he can come after me, I kick as hard as I can between his legs, the one weakness all males share.
This small distraction gives Tank the incentive he needs to jump into action. He knocks the gun away from the guard nearest him and punches him in the face. Anthony moves to do the same, but the other guards have begun to fire. Anthony and Tank dive behind desks.
The other members of our group seek refuge, backing into the entryway. Every other second, one of them fires their weapon toward the guards, which also happens to be in my direction too. I slide backward on my bum, keeping the gun focused on the Prime whose face is red from the pain I caused him, or he's just really mad and wants to kill me. Probably the latter by the way he's attempting to walk toward me, oblivious to the bullets flying all around him.
I shake my head. "Don't do it! I'll shoot!"
The gun rattles in my hands, and my breathing quickens. I don't want to kill him, but will if I have to.
"Don't step any closer!" I'm begging more than demanding.
"I'm going to rip your head—"
I pull the trigger, splattering the wall behind him in red. I stare at it in both shock and horror.
Other bullets fly across the room. One pierces the wall less than a foot from my head, but still I can't move. The blood on the wall runs toward the floor in tiny veins that once existed inside a human.
Hands grab me from behind and pull me behind a counter. Jenna stares me in the eyes, her face pinched. "I'm going to slap you if you don't snap out of this! We need you!"
"It was a trap," I whisper, but at least I'm blinking.
"We don't know that yet. We need to get downstairs. Colt could be down there!" She peeks around the side.
Colt. What if he was here, even the slightest chance? This thought wakes me from my stupor, and I scramble to a low crouch. I need to get inside that door, but two guards block it. Both of them are kneeling behind an overturned desk, periodically firing around the sides. We don't have a clear shot at them and neither do the other members of our team.
As if reading my mind, Jenna reaches into a small bag around her waist and pulls out a metal disk the size of her palm. "I could use this."
I push her arm back at the sight of the powerful explosive device, one she probably snuck out of Enfield. "Put that away! You'll blow a hole right through the floor. What if there are people beneath us?"
She scowls. "You have a better idea?"
I frown and peek over the table. On the far end of the room, Tank is in hand-to-hand combat with a Prime nearly his same size. Tank kicks him in the chest, knocking him through a wall. In the next second, Tank easily picks up one of the metal desks like a shield, and charges toward the guards who are locked in a firefight with Anthony and the others. The two men by the door focus all their gun power on Tank. Tank drops to the floor to avoid being hit, the desk still in front of him, but he continues to inch forward.
"Get Sage out of here!" Anthony's voice in both of our ears makes us jump.
Jenna glances back at him and nods. "You heard the man. Let's go."
She takes hold of my arm, but I jerk it away. "I have to know."
While the two guards at the door are distracted, I scurry from my spot and hurry to the open door, gripping the gun tightly. Jenna calls out to me, but I keep going. This may be my only chance.
A few bullets whiz by me. Anthony is yelling something in my ear, but I don't listen. I reach the open door and turn around. The backs of the guards aren't far away. I lift the gun. I should be able to shoot at least one, but then the other would turn around and probably shoot me. I could just spray them both with bullets, but the thought makes the gun nearly slip from my hands. Maybe I could try knocking one out, but, once again, I wouldn't be quick enough to stop the other guard. If only I was faster—
"Don't do it, Sage." Anthony's voice is surprisingly calm. This is what gets my attention. I look up and meet his gaze. He's staring at me from his position on the floor, partially concealed behind a long counter.
I inhale deeply and lower the gun.
"Now go back to Jenna and get out of here."
This command I don't follow. Instead, I duck into the door and sprint down the stairwell, but slow when I get to the bottom.
"Go after her, Jenna," Anthony says, tension in his voice.
The basement layout is just like the blueprints. A hallway goes to my left and to my right. I take a left, moving more cautiously. There may be more guards down here, even though I don't hear or see any.
Jenna quickly comes up behind me. "Where do you think he could be?"
I don't answer. My heart is beating too fast to focus on anything other than finding Colt. The hall turns again and stretches long. If he were here, he would most likely be in one of these rooms.
"Check them all," I say.
I take the right and she takes the left. Some of the doors have windows, but others don't and need to have their locks shot off the doors to look inside. The rooms are all painted the same stark white color and only hold a bed, desk, and chair. They don't look like a place where they would hold prisoners, but more of a small dormitory for scientists.
"In here!" Jenna calls.
She is several rooms ahead of me. I jog to her and peer through the window. There are two Original women inside. They are sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around their knees and staring up at the ceiling. One of them, younger with long brown hair, is crying. I turn the knob, but the door is locked.
Jenna pounds on it. The woman startles and looks over.
"Get back," Jenna says. She points toward the rear wall.
The younger-looking woman just stares, but the older one tugs on her arm until she moves away. Jenna pushes me aside and points her gun at the handle. She pulls the trigger. The metal handle breaks into a hundred pieces. A stray shard grazes the side of my arm. I shove my fist into my mouth to keep from crying out. Another shard has gotten Jenna in the leg, but she doesn't seem to notice.
She kicks open the door and rushes in. "Is there anyone else here besides you two?"
I quickly come in and kneel next to the girls. "Are you okay?"
"Who are you?" the older woman asks. Her face is pale with dark circles under eyes. The other Original cowers behind her.
"We're with HOPE," I say. "We've come to rescue you."
"Answer the question," Jenna says, her voice sharp. "Is there a male being held prisoner too?"
"Just one. In the next room." The woman points to her left.
"I'll be right back," I say and jump to my feet. I race behind Jenna. Both of us come to a screeching halt in front of the door. Jenna doesn't even warn me when she points the gun at the metal handle and pulls the trigger. Sharp debris barely misses my face.
The door slowly opens. At first, I think no one is in there, but when Jenna takes a step into the room, a voice yells, "You can't take me!"
A tall man, an Original by a quick check of his eyes, rushes Jenna with a metal pipe raised high above his head. He swipes downward, but she easily moves out of the way and shoves him hard. His head hits the wall opposite him with a sickening thud, and he slumps to the floor.
"Why did you do that?" I snap and go to his side. He's unconscious but breathing steady.
"Colt's not here," she breathes. "He's not here!"
"We need to leave. Go get the other two." I pat the man's face, none too gently. If we don't get out of here now, we'll all be dead. If we aren't already.
As she leaves the room, I shake the man hard until he begins to s
tir. "We're getting you out of here, do you understand? HOPE is here."
He blinks a few times. Finally, he nods, and I help him to his feet.
"We have to hurry," I say.
"What's your name?"
"Sage. Yours?"
"Michael."
I move into the hall. "Do you know if they are keeping any other prisoners here?"
He comes up behind me. "I don't think so. I've been here for at least three months and haven't seen anyone but these two."
The women walk out of the room. The older one holds the younger one protectively.
"Libby? Tara?" Michael asks. He stumbles over and throws his arms around them.
"We don't have time for this," Jenna says and walks off.
I let the others pass to take up the rear. Even though we didn't find Colt, I'm comforted by the fact that the sounds of gunfire have stopped.
"Jenna, what's your status?" Anthony asks. His voice is tense, but not panicked like it was before.
She groans loudly as she ascends the steps. "Colt's not here, but we found three Originals. We're coming up now."
I'm slow going up the stairs. The adrenaline that was coursing through my body minutes ago is gone, leaving me weak and shaky. I cling to the rail and use it to help me up the stairs. Without it, I'd probably just slump to the floor. The Originals in front of me are moving the same way. We're so fragile, us Originals.
Upstairs, the scene is much calmer than when I left. Tank is huddled next to Emery saying something I can't hear, while Anthony questions one of the guards. The other guards are bound and gagged and sitting on the floor. I count only four, which means three must be dead. I spot two of their bodies right away, sprawled across the floor in red puddles. I also don't see Cesil, but by Tank and Emery's expressions, it can't be good.
"Did you find out anything?" Jenna asks Anthony.
He straightens. "No one knows anything about Colt. Rafe was right. We're lucky we didn't suffer more casualties."
"Cesil?" she asks. She must've noticed he was missing too.
Anthony nods his head toward the back room. "He didn't make it."
She kicks at a chair. "He was one of the good ones."
Behind me, Michael clears his throat. Anthony looks up at him.
"I just want to say thank you," he says. "I didn't think we would ever leave this place."
Anthony gives a small smile. "I'm glad we could help. We'll get you back to our camp at Enfield."
Michael's face pales. "Enfield? But isn't that place run by the Institute?"
"Not anymore. We took it over, including all their weapons. That place is the safest place to be right now." Anthony touches his earpiece. "Everything good outside?"
There's a long pause. "Squad two? Do you copy?"
"All clear," a voice says.
"Let's go." Anthony heads toward the door, while Tank slips inside a back room. He comes back carrying Cesil's limp body over his shoulder. Blood drips from Cesil's fingertips.
I close my eyes tight. This is just the beginning. There will be so much more blood, so many more deaths. Something needs to change, to tip the scales in our favor.
"What about these guys?" Jenna asks, motioning to the guards they tied up. "Maybe we should torture them. I'm sure they know something that could be helpful to us."
"Leave them be," Anthony orders. "There's been enough blood for one night."
Michael and the two women are the first to leave. I don't blame them for rushing from this place. Tank exits shortly after into the entryway hall along with Emery and Jenna.
Anthony waits for me to pass before he asks, "Are you okay?"
I nod and hand him the gun. I don't want to feel the weight of it in my hands any longer.
"You need to be more careful."
I nod again.
"I know we didn't find Colt," Anthony says, "but we did recover three Originals. I consider this mission a success."
Up ahead, Tank opens the door. More light than I think there should be spills into our space. Tank's barely three steps out when he stops moving. Emery does the same. I hear the light sounds of rain pinging off the armored vehicles outside.
"Out of the way, Tank," Jenna snaps, but then she freezes too.
Anthony grabs my arm and whispers, "Stay back."
"Why don't you all come out and join us?" a voice booms from outside.
And it's not one of our men.
6
Jenna ducks into the shadows with us, but Tank and Emery are too far out to do anything but stand still.
"I am deadly serious," the deep voice says again. "Aren't I—what did you say your name was?"
"Lex," a voice pants.
Anthony's hand tightens on my arm.
"Your friend Lex here," the voice yells, "has a gun to his head and a knife in his leg. He doesn't look too good. His friends aren't much better. So do what I say and come out. I'm not going to ask again."
Tank clears his throat. "There's been a misunderstanding—"
The gun explodes, echoing into the night.
"No!" Anthony cries and dashes outside. Jenna and I go with him but stay behind Tank's large frame. Water from above dampens my hair.
Lex has fallen to the ground in a small puddle of water that's quickly turning red. I grab onto Tank for support, and he holds me back protectively.
"This is what's going to happen next," a Prime with bright green eyes says. He's at least two heads taller than everyone else, except for Tank, and holds a weapon in each hand. A bow is strapped to his back. He is a Cannon and deadly accurate with anything he shoots, but he's not great in hand-to-hand combat. With how many weapons he's adorning, I don't think any of us will have a chance at fighting him.
At least a dozen Primes have us surrounded. At the center, they have six of our guys weaponless and on their knees. A quick count in my head tells me that we still have four men in the forest. I hope they are hiding and not dead.
"What do you want?" Anthony growls. His hands are balled into fists.
"We want you to behave nicely and go for a ride with us," the Cannon says. "If you can do that, you'll all live. If you can't, you'll die. As for these Originals, especially that one," he motions his gun toward me, "we have special instructions."
Anthony's eyes shift to mine.
"It's okay," I say. "I'll go with them."
I say the words for their benefit, but the truth is I'd rather die than get captured again.
"Like hell," Tank says. "No one's going anywhere."
I glance up at him, surprised. These men aren't the kind you want to mess with. Tank is smart and knows this, so what's his plan? I scan the forest, narrowing my eyes to see through the rain. That's when I see it. A small light blinks rapidly. Our guys. But how do we stand a chance, especially with a Cannon pointing guns at us?
A shot fills the air. The Cannon's eyes widen, as blood blossoms out of his chest. He drops to his knees, then falls face first into the ground.
"Drop your weapons!" a voice calls from the forest.
Tank shoves Jenna and me behind a vehicle. The other three Originals scramble our direction but disappear behind the side of the building. I glance back at Anthony. He's running toward a truck while Tank fires at the guards. Jenna reaches around the vehicle we are hiding behind and joins in, the gun gripped tight in her hand and her face red with anger.
I scan the ground looking for something I can use to help them. The disc!
While Jenna keeps shooting, I reach inside her pack and remove the small weapon. I've never used one before, but have seen it in action. They cause a lot of damage, exactly what we need right now.
"How does this work?" I yell over the sounds of gunfire.
"Let me see that!" She takes it from me and lifts the top cover. She presses a blue button and mouths the words, "One, two, three", then tosses the disk in the direction of the guards. A few gun shot sounds later, an explosion rocks the ground we're sitting on. Dirt and chunks of metal and glass join the
rain from above. I cover my head with my arms until it’s only water falling.
"You stay here," Jenna says. "We're going to end this once and for all."
She jumps to her feet and scrambles away. I reach out to stop her, but I'm too slow. I crawl to the rear of the vehicle and peek around. Flames are engulfing a large armored truck and dark smoke swirls into the moist air. Several bodies are lying on the ground. Some are Institute guards, but some are ours. I swallow around my tight throat. I can't see Anthony or Tank through the fiery haze, but there are enough bullets flying around that I'm sure they're in the fray somewhere.
"Help me." I barely hear the voice. "Help."
I crawl to the other side of the vehicle where I have a better view. Searching the ground, I finally find the source. There's a woman, one of ours, who's lying on her back with her hands clutching her stomach. Blood pools between her fingers.
My breathing quickens, and I clutch the car's metal bumper. I need to get to her somehow. Maybe if I can stay as low as possible to the ground…
Just then a bullet whizzes by my face and embeds itself into the side of the car. I drop to my belly. Don't think, just move. I army crawl quickly toward the injured woman. At one point, I have to scramble through a puddle of water that's more red than anything else. I clench my jaw tight and think of something else to continue on.
The memory of the first time I caught a fish with my father is what surfaces. I was so happy. The salmon must've been at least ten pounds. I remember how hard it was to reel in. My father said I did it all on my own, but looking back, I don't think as a seven-year-old I could've done that without his help.
Before I know it, I reach the woman, which brings me back to the present. From this viewpoint, I spot Tank. He's fighting against two Primes, one of whom is a Speeder, which worries me. Tank is strong and fast, but not that fast. Jenna is nearby trying to get a shot on one of the two Primes fighting him.
"Can you move?" I ask the woman. I've seen her before in the training room, but this is the first we've spoken.
She grimaces. "I don't think so."
"You're Evie, right?"
Saving Eden (Original Series book 3) Page 4