A soldier pushed her back down. “Quiet.”
She fought as another man’s rough hands pulled the cables out. “Reed,” she screamed again, panicking as she tried to find him.
Reed called her name from somewhere afar but was cut off by the dry thud of a punch and responding moan.
Arching back, she continued struggling against their hold. “Let me go.”
They ignored her, lifting her to her feet and hauling her out the door. Back in the main room, unconscious patients remained unmoved by the chaos in front of them. A few feet down the main corridor, Reed stood between two guards, a gash on the right side of his temple, and blood in the corner of his mouth. His gaze was frantic as he called for her.
“Reed!” Ari needed to know he was okay. He had to be okay.
“No need for theatrics.” Williams appeared, his creased forehead the only sign that Ari might have gotten to him in the VR.
She strained against her captor’s grasp, kicking behind her and twisting. She’d grown up wrestling with Marco, who never took it easy on her, and she knew how to fight. The guard hit her from behind, and her legs collapsed under her. Pain shot down her back, and she gritted her teeth.
“Stop!” Reed pulled forward.
“Don’t injure her,” Williams ordered, and her guard stilled. Williams’s gaze traveled briefly between Reed and Ari, finally resting on Reed. “The boy, on the other hand, is disposable.”
“No!” Ari shouted.
“Then behave.”
She stopped struggling and the guard lugged her to her feet.
Reed’s eyes were frantic and worried. “This isn’t goodbye, Ari.”
If it kept him safe, she would do whatever they asked. Even if that meant going with Williams. As they walked past the private rooms, her heart ached to see defeat written on Reed’s face.
As she moved past him towards the exit, the world exploded around her. The blast knocked Ari to the ground as pieces of rubble rained down on her. An alarm blared above, cutting through any conscious thought. Pain radiated up her leg and the side of her face burned. For a moment she worried she was back in the VR with Williams. She struggled to open her eyes as smoke flooded the room.
“Get your ass moving,” someone yelled in her face, someone with purple hair. Tessa.
Ari tried to speak, but started coughing instead, which sent her head spinning. Shouts sounded over the alarm. Sprinklers turned on overhead, water raining down over Ari.
A burly guard approached. A blast of light shot from Tessa’s hand, and the man fell to the ground, convulsing as if being electrocuted. Tessa pulled on Ari’s good arm, and she focused on getting her legs to stand. Ari cried out when she put pressure on her leg. A large piece of plastic stuck out of her thigh.
“Don’t look at it. Just move,” Tessa ordered.
Ari obeyed. With Tessa’s help, she could walk. Unfortunately, standing didn’t help the world swimming around her. Ari searched for Reed but couldn’t see anything through the smoke and chaos.
“Reed?” Ari yelled over the alarm.
“Up ahead. Just keep moving.” Tessa pulled her through the maze of beds. The rain didn’t bother the unconscious patients as it splattered their faces and soaked their white sheets.
Ari couldn’t help but worry some of them might have been hurt by the explosion, even though it had come from on the opposite wall. “What happened?”
“Oh, your brother is now into black market toys. Sort of cool, if it doesn’t kill him.”
Ari moaned. If they all survived this, she was going to kill him.
Reed appeared on Ari’s other side and a flush of relief coursed through Ari’s body.
He glanced down at her injured leg and swore. “Let’s get out of here.”
They hurried to where Marco stood by an emergency exit. Marco’s lip pulled up into a large smile, far too large for the trouble they were all in. “Hey, sis.”
“Save it.”
“Of course.” He opened the emergency exit and they filed out into the alley.
A shot fired behind them, and Ari instinctively ducked. Williams hollered over the alarm. Marco turned back. He pulled the gun from the back of his pants and took aim.
“Marco,” she yelled in protest.
Reed held her back. Ari knew most of the staff had already taken cover once the alarm had sounded. Armed guards stormed towards them. Marco got off several shots before the doors closed.
Out in the alley, they all ran, or as close to running as Ari could manage. Reed supported Ari’s bad leg, helping her unsteady stride. A doorway appeared up ahead, and Marco motioned for them to take it. They were in the middle of an industrial park, filled with sky-rise buildings and offices. They continued down the alley, and it opened to a street. People cluttered the sidewalks, most dressed in business attire.
“One sec.” Reed had Ari hold onto Tessa. He took off his button up flannel, leaving him in a black t-shirt.
“What are you doing?” Marco must have finally noticed Ari’s wound. “Shit, sis. That’s bad.”
She sucked in a harsh breath as Reed pulled the piece of plastic out of her leg. He tied his shirt around her leg, covering the wound. “It’s not close to a major artery, so hopefully that should hold for a little bit.”
“That’s a hell of a lot of blood for fine.” Marco’s eyes widened.
Ari tried not to look at her leg.
“I’m sorry—” Marco started.
“I’m just glad to be away from Williams, and I don’t want to go back.” She exhaled a big gust of air and focused on their next step. “We have to split up. They only want me.”
“No,” Reed and Tessa said in unison.
Reed continued, “You’re getting on that plane first.”
“What plane? I’m supposed to meet Dave several blocks from here.” She briefly glimpsed the busy street. “We won’t last out here for long. Every cop in the area is probably looking for us.”
“I called Dave. He’s meeting us on top.” Tessa pointed up.
“There?” The sleek gray building next to them rose high in the air.
“We aren’t totally useless,” Marco said. “Let’s move.”
They turned the corner onto the sidewalk. Ari stood in between Reed and Tessa, with Marco in front trying to block the view of her bloody leg.
“When we saw Williams enter the center, we improvised with the explosives,” Tessa explained.
Reed tightened his hold around her waist. “Don’t look now, but there’s an officer across the street.”
Ari turned her gaze down, knowing her face would be the first they would recognize. After a moment, she dared a glance. The officer, dressed in dark fatigues, was approaching them, talking to into his headset.
“Run,” Reed yelled.
They hurried into the building and headed to the elevator. Their ragged appearance drew curious glances, and they ignored the receptionist’s shouts.
“Sorry this one is full.” Tessa pushed a man aside as they raced inside the empty elevator.
The door closed as a security officer sprinted towards them. Marco jabbed at the buttons for top floor and roof access. He pulled out a small device and hooked it into the system. It took mere seconds for him to override the system and grant them access.
Everyone was breathing hard inside the small elevator. Ari’s leg throbbed, and black dots danced in her vision. She focused on staying upright and ignored her desire to sag to the floor. If she went down, she wasn’t sure she could stand again. The bruises on Reed’s face blossomed into a deep purple. Marco put his equipment in his bag and slung it on his back, sweat gathering on his brow.
Ari brushed back her hair. “Do we know if Dave is there yet?”
Tessa’s face fell. “He said he’d hurry.”
So that was a no. “And if there is nothing but officers up there?”
Nobody answered. Reed reached out and squeezed her hand, saying everything they didn’t have time to say. The elevato
r passed the top floor and arrived at the roof.
The doors binged opened, and the sun shone into the elevator. Reed held the door open with a hand and waited for a moment. The roof held random maintenance units, big silver boxes scattered along the roof. There was no sign of Advisor Williams or other security.
In the corner of the roof, a sleek pale blue aircraft was parked with its engine running. It had a modern oval shape with angular wings protruding from the sides.
“Look.” Ari pointed to the aircraft. Relief coursed through her limbs. It had to be Dave.
“Run,” Marco hollered, and they raced onto the roof.
With Reed at her side, she forced her heavy legs to run towards the plane. Even though every step was jarring and painful, she pushed on. Once in view, the rear side door opened in the aircraft. Dave sat in back with an armed guard and waved them in.
Shouts erupted. Coming from across the roof, Williams, disheveled and injured from the blast, shouted to the guards surrounding him. Two of Williams’s armed men continued chasing them, while the guards dropped to a knee next to Williams.
She focused straight ahead. They were going to make it. They had to. The plane lifted a few feet off the ground, readying for takeoff. Gunfire exploded across the roof. Ari ducked her head but kept moving.
Tessa jumped inside first, and then Marco slid in right behind her.
Mere feet away, Ari and Reed fell to the ground. Pain shot down her leg from the impact. Pushing up, blood painted the ground in front of her, but it wasn’t her blood. Reed. Blood pooled from his shoulder.
Two men in full protective gear jumped out of the plane, one returning fire and the other pulling her into the plane. Rough hands picked her up. “Reed!” she screamed. “Get Reed.” Panic flared at the idea of what Williams would do to Reed bleeding out on the ground.
Deposited in the plane, she turned to the open door. Rapid gunfire and screams rang out as the plane lifted a foot or two in the air. A guard carried Reed under one arm, and they climbed on the readied plane. The door slammed shut behind them. Shots continued bouncing off the plane as it lifted in the sky.
Dave shouted orders to the pilot and grabbed a med kit. Reed moaned in pain and Ari placed a hand on his leg, wishing she could do more. One of the men pushed her out of the way as he worked on Reed’s shoulder. She turned to look out the window, not able to shake the feeling that they were still being chased. She pulled back slightly, and then moved closer to the thick window. Numbers and letters raced around Williams, replacing the roof and the men, and running like code in a VR. Her pulse quickened. This couldn’t be real, it couldn’t be happening. Her heart raced as she glanced to the others in the plane. No one else was paying attention.
She blinked and turned back to the window. The code vanished as fast as it had appeared. Williams stood, surrounded by security, hollering at the nearby guards. Then in a brief moment, he turned to her. Not that he could see her as they lifted high above him, but somehow his hard gaze bore straight inside the plane with a threat of the future. He wouldn’t forget about her.
CHAPTER 35
“Get that away from me.” Reed pushed away Dave’s hand, which held a very large needle. “Not unless you show me your degree.”
“We already gave you a local, but it’s not enough. You don’t want to be awake for this.”
“Trust me. I do.”
Ari didn’t blame Reed. They weren’t quite safe yet. The plane was parked at Tessa’s father’s sky-rise. Tessa and Marco had headed inside to talk with her father, while Reed was treated on the plane. Ari’s wound had already been taken care of, her one pant leg torn to shreds. Reed’s shoulder looked worse, blood staining his arm and shirt. Dave had bandaged Reed’s shoulder, saying the bullet went straight through, but Reed would need to go to a doctor to make sure there was no other permanent damage.
Sitting back against the chair, Dave ran a hand over his head. “I think you guys just aged me ten years. That was a close call.”
“I know.” Ari kept a firm grip on Reed’s hand, not wanting to let him go for a moment. Looking at Reed though, guilt ate at her. None of this would have happened if not for her. Now she was expected to just drop him and leave. It didn’t sit well with her.
Ari trusted Dave. They had out maneuvered the government drones and easily stayed off radar as they travelled to Tessa’s father’s corporate office. Dave had saved them, and Ari planned on letting Tessa’s dad and his attorneys deal with the authorities. But they weren’t in the clear yet. Marco and Tessa were meeting with her father and his attorneys, planning their next step.
“Do you think Marco and Tessa will be okay?” she asked.
Dave turned to Ari. “Tessa and Marco weren’t ever in custody, so with Tessa’s father’s connections they should be fine. We do keep tabs on family left behind.”
But not Reed. Ari read into what Dave didn’t say. Williams knew Reed was with her. There was no going back for him.
She glanced at Reed. She’d ruined his life and she worried he might not like the results. “Reed needs to come with us. It’s not safe for him here.” Ari was too chicken to watch Reed’s reaction, so she kept her gaze on Dave.
“I know.” Dave’s eyes betrayed a touch of sympathy as he turned to Reed. “If you want to come with us, there is always a spot for data security support. You will be required to sign the same contract and be under the same restrictions.”
Ari watched Reed’s face, pale and drawn, and his silence worried her.
“Can you give us a minute?” she asked Dave.
“We’re in private airspace, but it doesn’t mean we’re safe. You have two minutes, and then we’re taking off.” Dave stood and left the aircraft.
A cut on Reed’s temple stood out, the clear bandage slowly sealing it. All because of her. And now his schooling and life there was over. How could he still care for her after everything she’d put him through?
“You don’t have to come with me,” she offered. “Maybe they can hide you somewhere. Take your mom to safety. If you want to bargain for something else, I will. Just let me know how to make this right.” Her throat tightened with emotion. This goodbye had been coming for a while, but she’d never wanted to face it.
The plane’s motor hummed as Reed reached for her. He traced down the side of her cheek. His touch sent a soft tingling sensation along her neck, and she blinked back tears.
“I’m not going with you because my schooling and career are over or because I may end up in jail. It’s just not a good enough reason.” He lifted his gaze, blinking thick lashes. “I’m going with you because I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. I didn’t know it was love at first. I thought I was just being a big brother, caring for you, and making sure you were happy and safe. At some point it turned into something more, something amazing that I don’t want to end.”
She let go of the breath she’d been holding. “So, you’re coming with me?”
He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. “Just try to get rid of me.”
Their moment of peace together didn’t last long. Marco and Tessa appeared alongside Dave to say their final goodbyes.
Tessa gave Ari a hug. “Life is going to be so boring at school now.”
Ari laughed as she pulled away. “I’ll miss you, too. Thanks, Tessa.” Thanks, wasn’t enough for what Tessa had done for her, but it was all she had. Ari turned to her brother and hugged him.
“This isn’t goodbye, little sis.” He held onto her just as tight. “I will see you again, even if I have to hunt you down.”
“Promise?” Her eyes burned as she held back the tears.
“Promise.”
“Take care of yourself.” She stepped back, though her heart ached to do it.
“You take care of my sister.” Marco slapped Reed on his good shoulder.
Reed still winced in pain. “You know I will.”
Dave approached. “We need to go now, before anyone knows we’re here.”
Ari nodded. She couldn’t hold back the tears as she buckled into the aircraft. She watched Tessa and Marco until they shrunk into nothing. Wiping her eyes, she turned to the horizon. The sun set in a ball of gold as they headed to the ocean, the real ocean, a blue sheet of water traveling farther than she could see. Both Ari and Reed were on pain meds but refused to be put under. No, she needed to be awake. With Reed’s steady frame beside her, she didn’t want to miss a minute of the rest of her life.
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Also by DeAnna Browne
DEMON RISING
Some sacrifices cost more than death.
Thirty years ago, dark magicians unleashed a new power on the earth fueled by demons. Governments toppled, millions died, and magicians seized control. Twenty-four-year-old Becca survives these dangerous times by relying on her wits, her fists, and the limited goodwill of her boss, a local crime lord. When news comes of a fire back home and the parents she left behind dead, grief-stricken Becca realizes her dark past has finally caught up to her.
On the hunt to save her missing sister, she must rely on Darion, a treacherous ex-boyfriend with ties to the local coven for back-up. Problem is he’s a pyromancer that can’t be trusted, especially with her heart. Becca’s forced to navigate a sticky web of deceit and must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save her sister’s soul.
AMAZON
UNHOLY SUNDERING (Dark Rising Trilogy #2)
(Out Summer 2018)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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