by R. D. Brady
“Stay down,” Rolly yelled before following her. A second later, the bullets stopped. Everything went silent. Shaken, Danny lifted his trembling head.
Lou reappeared with a scowl. “We got him. He was human, hiding in wait.”
“And he’s . . .?”
“Dead,” Lou said, no expression on her face.
Danny winced, knowing that Lou was still recovering emotionally from her violent interaction with the Priestess’s followers. Today was not going to speed up that recovery.
“Zach, Sascha, you guys okay? Is Dov okay?” Rolly asked as he appeared, blood splashed across his upper arm. He made his way over to them as Danny slowly got to his feet.
Sascha lay on the ground, curled around Dov, Zach across the two of them. Rolly paused as he reached them. He leaned down slowly to peel Zach off of them. “Zach?”
Sascha sat up, tears in her voice. “Zach?”
But Zach didn’t answer.
“Zach!” Sascha screamed, clutching at his arm. Her terror cut right through Danny, because even from his position, he could see Zach’s blue eyes staring straight ahead, seeing absolutely nothing.
Chapter 29
Galeton, Pennsylvania
Yoni called emergency services for three of the guards. They’d been hurt, but their injuries weren’t nearly as dire as Patrick’s. Two guards had died instantly. Patrick had been placed on the stretcher and put in the chopper. Yoni and Cain would take him to the nearest trauma unit. Cain’s injuries were already healing, albeit slowly. He’d changed into clean clothes, then slipped on his dark glasses before climbing into the chopper. There wasn’t room in the chopper for anyone else. Laney tended to the other wounded until the ambulances arrived. Then she packed Nyssa and Drake into the SUV and headed for the hospital.
Laney had called Henry but had been unable to get through. The phone at the gate also kept ringing out.
Neither Laney nor Drake spoke on the short drive. The Cole Memorial Health Center was only a few minutes away across Pine Creek. Laney felt numb for the whole ride. Her uncle had lost a lot of blood. And as tough as he was, he was still hitting sixty. His body was going to react like a sixty-year-old’s. When he got through this, it was going to be a long recovery.
And how do I keep him safe so he can recover?
And he wasn’t the only one who needed a safe place. She glanced in the back of the car to look at Nyssa. She didn’t know what to do with her. She needed to leave her somewhere safe, but where exactly was that? They had thought the cabin was safe.
The hospital was a white building ten stories high. Lights shone through the windows. Traffic moved in and out of the U-shaped entryway. An ambulance roared toward the emergency room on the side of the building, sirens and lights screaming into the night. Laney pulled over to let it pass, saying a silent prayer for whomever was inside. Then she turned into the parking garage.
Drake frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Parking.”
“Just park in front of the entrance.”
“That’s not how it works.” It was one of the most disconcerting aspects of modern life as far as Laney was concerned. Rushing to a hospital for a loved one, sick with worry and having to wait for the machine at the garage to spit out a ticket. Then you had to wind through the garage looking for a spot.
But the worst had to be the paperwork. You wanted to stay by your loved one’s side, but you had to provide your insurance information and explain how you planned on paying to heal them. Pulling into a spot, she glanced back at Nyssa, who’d fallen asleep.
“I’ll get her.” Drake squeezed her hand before he stepped out.
Laney pulled her phone from her pocket as she opened her door. She tried to reach Henry again, frowning when the phone just rang out. Why wasn’t he answering?
Drake walked over with a drowsy Nyssa in his arms. “What is it?”
“I can’t reach anyone at the estate. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Hm.” Drake’s gaze shifted away.
Laney grabbed his arm, turning him back to her. “What does ‘hm’ mean?”
“It’s probably nothing.”
“Drake, what are you thinking?”
He sighed, absentmindedly rubbing Nyssa’s back. “I’ve watched Samyaza for centuries. And one of the tactics he/she’s employed regularly is a multi-pronged attack.”
Laney’s mouth fell open. “You don’t think—”
Drake spoke quickly. “That’s why I didn’t want to say anything. It’s just a guess at this point.”
But the growing pit of dread that appeared in her stomach knew it was more than a guess. She brought up her phone and pulled up a news service. “EXPLOSIONS AT THE CHANDLER ESTATE” was scrawled across the top of the page.
“Oh God.”
Drake leaned in to read the screen. “Laney, we don’t know anything for sure yet. And your people have proven to be incredibly resilient. So let’s just focus on what’s in front of us right now, okay? Let’s go see about your uncle.”
Laney nodded, but a vision of everyone at the estate raced through her mind.
“Come on.” Drake tugged her toward the parking garage exit. Nyssa reached out a little hand. Laney forced a smile to her face as Nyssa wrapped her hand around her finger.
Laney looked toward the entrance. Yoni and Cain were waiting just inside the hospital entrance. Neither smiled as they caught sight of Laney, Drake, and Nyssa. In fact, their expressions grew more serious.
Laney’s stomach clenched as she prepared herself for the news.
Chapter 30
Baltimore, Maryland
It had been two hours since the explosion. Jake had helped over two dozen people out of the wreckage. He’d seen the remains of at least another six people. Emergency services had arrived quickly and helped with the search and rescue, but there was just so much ground to cover.
Jake wiped the sweat from his brow. His hand came back dark with dirt. It was like a war zone—not a reminder Jake wanted. He took a swig of water. In the distance, he saw the triage tent that had been set up. All the people he could see were walking carefully through the debris, looking for survivors. He pulled out his radio.
“Fricano, switch to channel eight.”
Rescue was using channel six, but he didn’t want certain things broadcast.
“Roger. Switching.”
Jake switched channels. “Mark?”
“Here.”
“Any word on Henry or Jen?”
“No. No one’s seen them.”
“Okay, let me know.”
“Will do.”
Jake switched back to the group channel.
Damn it, Henry. Where are you?
Fallen SIA agent Hanz Olsen walked to the triage tent, carrying a man with a bloodied leg. He disappeared inside, then reappeared a few seconds later at the other side. He paused, looking around, but catching sight of Jake, quickly made his way toward him.
Jake had hired Hanz after the SIA facility had been closed. The tall agent didn’t say much, but he did his job. Jake hadn’t had any problems with him. But now he had to wonder. . .
Hanz stopped in front of him, but his gaze was on the debris a few feet away. “There’s someone here.”
“What do you mean?”
“I sense someone. There’s someone under the rubble.”
Henry. Carefully, he and Hanz started moving the debris. Jake called over some of the other movers in the area. Every once and a while, the removal of one piece would cause the others to shift.
Jake was about to call for a halt when he heard something. “Hold on. Everybody quiet.”
Nobody moved.
“Here.” The voice was weak, but Jake heard it.
Heart racing, he carefully picked his way over the debris. “I hear you!”
“Here,” the voice came again.
In a blur, Hanz appeared at Jake’s side and started to move the debris. “They’re here.”
“I need
help over here!” Jake yelled into his radio.
Dylan and Mark hustled over. “What have you got?” Mark asked.
“Someone’s under here. I think it might be Henry.”
Dylan studied the pile. “We’re going to need a crane.”
“We can move some.” Hanz picked up an incredibly large piece and tossed it toward open grass.
“Uh, I’ll go grab some ropes and gear.” Mark took off at a run.
Trying to get to the survivors underneath was a painstaking process. Jake wasn’t even sure who it was they were trying to reach.
Forty-five minutes later, they had half the debris removed.
“I can see someone!” Dylan yelled.
Jake hurried over to him. Four feet down, he could just make out the back of someone’s head. They were covered in dust, but he thought the person’s hair was dark and from their size . . .
“Henry?”
“Yeah.” His voice was weak.
“Move, people! Get him out!” Jake yelled. As everyone doubled their efforts, Jake realized that, from what he could see of Henry’s position, he had been holding up the debris to keep it from crushing him.
Finally, piece by agonizing piece, they got the debris off of Henry. It looked like an entire floor had landed on him—parts of the floor were embedded in his back, which was now coated with blood.
Jake climbed down carefully and touched Henry’s shoulder. “Henry, we’re here. Let’s get you out.”
“Get her out first.”
Jake’s gaze whipped to the space that Henry was hunched over. He had been wrong. Henry hadn’t been holding the debris up to keep it from crushing him. He’d been keeping it from crushing Jen, who lay unmoving beneath him.
Chapter 31
Galeton, Pennsylvania
The automatic doors of the hospital opened up with a swoosh. Cain stepped forward, taking Nyssa from Drake with a hug. “Is she all right?”
“She’s fine. She slept most of the way,” Drake said.
Cain ran a hand over Nyssa, looking like he was trying to assure himself that she truly was all right. Satisfied, he turned to Laney. “How are you?”
“I’m, uh, I don’t know. How’s my uncle?”
Yoni and Cain exchanged a look that sent Laney’s stomach plummeting. “What?”
Yoni’s words seemed to be carefully chosen. “He was taken into surgery. He’s holding his own.”
She looked between the two of them. “That’s good, right?”
Yoni was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “Laney, the doctors are working on controlling the bleeding, but they aren’t sure how much damage has been done. With injuries like his, there’s a good chance he may not regain control of his legs.”
Laney stumbled. Drake reached out a hand, steadying her.
“We’ll need to wait and see, but we thought you should know,” Cain said.
Laney nodded, feeling light-headed. Her uncle might lose the use of his legs. While part of her knew that the fact that he was alive was a win, the cost of this attack was high.
“But he’ll be all right?” Drake asked.
“The doctors are very hopeful,” Cain said.
“Hopeful?” Laney asked.
“Stop,” Drake ordered. “You will not lose yourself in possibilities. Now, Cain is going to show me the OR. I will stand guard against anyone who thinks to harm Patrick or to inspire any medical staff who think they are allowed to do any more than their very best. All right?”
Laney nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
Drake kissed her on the cheek. “No, I think you’ll follow in a few minutes.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I think Yoni has more to tell you.”
Laney turned her gaze to Yoni.
He nodded. “It’s not good, Laney.”
“We’ll be waiting for you.” Drake followed Cain and Nyssa to the bank of elevators.
Taking a breath to try and calm her racing heart, Laney turned to Yoni. Yoni, who always seemed to have a smile no matter the circumstance, looked serious. No, not serious—devastated.
“I saw the news headline,” she said. “Something about explosions at the estate.”
Yoni nodded. “There were six—front gate, Sharecroppers Lane, and the main house. So far, over three dozen have been confirmed injured, another eight killed.”
“Oh God.” She swallowed, everyone at the estate flowing through her mind, but three people stood out.
Yoni nodded, reading her mind. “Jake’s fine, but he couldn’t find Henry and Jen for a while.”
Laney found herself listening to Yoni’s words but staring at the hospital tile. It looked exactly like the floor tiles in the last hospital she’d been in. Images of the Chandler estate in flames flashed through her mind. She shoved them away, focusing back on the tiles. And even as she did, she wondered if she was going into shock.
“Laney?” Yoni touched her arm, his big brown hound-dog eyes looking at her with concern.
She took a breath. “How bad?”
“Henry’s arm was nearly torn off, and his back was full of shrapnel. It can’t start healing until all the pieces have been removed. Jen . . . Henry covered her, but she received a serious blow to the head. She hasn’t regained consciousness.” Yoni paused. “Did you know she was pregnant?”
“What?”
“Some shrapnel embedded near the baby. There’s a lot of bleeding. She’s still being worked on.”
Laney didn’t even know what to think. Jen, pregnant? And the baby, good God. There was no guarantee the baby would develop abilities, but even if it did, they wouldn’t manifest until his or her teenage years. Right now, that baby was as fragile as any other baby.
“They have good doctors working on her and Henry. It will be okay, Lanes. You have to believe that.”
She nodded, even though optimism was the last thing she was feeling. “Okay. They’re alive. That’s good. As soon as we get an update on my uncle, I’ll—”
“Laney.” Yoni’s voice was somber. “That wasn’t the only attack. They went after the cats at the preserve.”
“What? Are they okay?”
“They got out okay.”
“Okay, that’s good.”
“Sascha and Dov were there, too.”
“What? Why—” Laney stared at him. “Were the kids there, too?”
Yoni nodded. “Lou, Danny, Rolly, and Zach were with them.”
Laney’s eyes narrowed. “Are they okay?”
Yoni looked away for a moment. His chin trembled. “Zach. He saved Dov and Sascha. Offered himself as a shield for them.” Yoni turned back to her, his eyes wet with tears. “He kept Dov and Sascha safe. They’re okay. Zach protected them, but Zach . . . Zach’s gone.”
Laney felt her world tilt. Zach. He was the quietest out of the foursome, even quieter than Danny. He’d only been sixteen.
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she had to speak past the lump in her throat. “The other kids?”
Yoni wiped at his eyes. “They’re okay, physically, at least. They’re at Dom’s. So are Sascha and Dov.”
Laney nodded, not knowing what to focus on first—the grief of the teenagers, the worry about Jen’s baby, her uncle upstairs, the others injured and killed at the estate. There was just so much.
Yoni wiped at his tears and nodded toward the elevator bank. “So that’s Nyssa. She’s cute. She looks a little like you.”
Laney gave a small laugh, because otherwise she was going to cry. “Yeah. So I hear.”
“What are you going to do with her?”
“I don’t know. We were hiding her out at the cabin. Because she’s, well, special.”
“Henry and Jen kind of special or your kind of special?”
“Victoria kind of special.”
Yoni’s eyebrows rose. “Oooh-kay. So you need a place to keep her safe.”
Laney nodded. “Yeah, but I can’t think of anywhere.”
“Oh, I can.”
; “Where?”
“Well, it just so happens I know a guy with his own bomb shelter.”
Chapter 32
Laney stood on the hospital’s helipad as Yoni strapped a car seat into the backseat of the chopper. Cleo hopped up next to him, watching him carefully. Matt had sent a group of SIA agents, who now covered the hospital, easing at least some of Laney’s immediate worries, but getting Nyssa out was critical. When she’d reached Matt, he’d told her about the attack at Göbekli Tepe. Matt thought he might know what Elisabeta was after, but he said he’d brief her when he saw her.
She’d finally reached Jake a few minutes ago. He’d assured her the bomb shelter and all its defenses had not been damaged. Seven, not six, bombs had been exploded on the estate. Someone had planted them on the estate, which meant someone was on Elisabeta’s payroll.
Yoni’s annoyed voice cut through her thoughts. “Cleo, you need to back up.”
Cleo inched her paw back, her gaze on Yoni.
Yoni glared at her. “You know staring at me like that is not going to make this happen any quicker.”
Cleo lay down, not taking his eyes off of him, her nose inches from the seatbelt.
“Oh, that’s much better.”
Cain walked the edge of the roof, jostling Nyssa and speaking quietly to her.
“We’ll get her there, and then I’ll head right back here,” Drake said.
“Okay.” Laney smiled in spite of the pain in her heart.
Staring down at her, Drake paused. “I can’t help but feel like I failed you. You left me in charge, and everything just—”
She put a finger on his lips. “Don’t. You are not to blame for this any more than I am, or Cleo or my uncle or Cain. The only one to blame for this is Elisabeta.”
“But I should have been better. They never should have been able to sneak up on us.”
Laney opened her mouth, then shut it, not sure what to say. Because the truth was, she partly agreed with him. “Look, we all get distracted. They hit at the right time. That’s all.”