He forces his body up and collapses on the ground before standing again, and half-picking me up in the process as well. “If we can’t find the others, we need to get to the city a few klicks east. I have a feeling they had to take off, so no matter what, just keep running,” Cam orders. Gage is already flanking my other side, helping me move along.
The three of us run and limp as fast as we can, counting down the seconds.
Then the ground quakes violently and sends all three of us straight to the ground.
24
EMERY
Three horrifying minutespass as the ground trembles viciously beneath us. The sound of the crumbling cement beams and snapping electrical wires of what could have been my deathbed, sinks deeply into me.
After the trials and every dangerous thing I’ve done in my life, a goddamn building crumbling was almost the end of me.
I swallow the dryness in my throat.
All three of us lie flat on the ground with our noses to the dirt as the second round of mines go off. The wave of dust consuming everything in its path catches us in a matter of moments, but thankfully we made it far enough to avoid the dangerous debris.
I open one eye enough to see Cameron at my side, his gaze already on me and warms the moment I look at him. As the ground stops trembling and the air becomes quiet again, voices start rolling through Gage’s headset.
He gasps and answers, “This is Volt, we’re in the field about a quarter klick from the northern side of the building.” Gage listensas the other person replies and then lets out an audible sigh. “Copy that. Over.”
“Well?” Cameron grumbles impatiently.
We look ridiculous lying in the field on our stomachs, but it’s also oddly comforting being this close to my squad. I’ve always worked alone in the past, and I’ve truly been able to appreciate how important a tight-knit team is. Cameron and I would still be locked up in the hideout if it weren’t for them. The sensation brings Bree and Bryce back to mind too.
Gage lifts his head and beams at us. “Lieutenant Erik reported that everyone made it back to the helicopter. Mavestelli’s men have already evacuated the area and are fleeing to the city. The squad is going to pick us up in ten.”
That’s the best news I’ve heard in what feels like a fucking lifetime.
The three of us start laughing. I don’t know if it’s from the shock or adrenaline, but I’ll take it over everything we just went through.
Ten minutes floats by and we finally hear the blissful sound of the helicopter cutting through the night sky.
“Hey, Volt, we don’t need to worry about being shot down, right?” I entertain the terrifying idea.
He laughs and shakes his head like it’s the dumbest question I could’ve asked. “Mikah confirmed that she has her systems back up and running, and her jammer is actively blocking all Mavestelli’s missile tracking equipment.”
“That’s reassuring, considering how long it lasted in their headquarters,” Cameron says sarcastically, sounding about as confident as I feel.
We watch with bated breath as the helicopter descends successfully. The three of us board with the assistance of two squad mates. Their helmets are on and masks are secured around their faces, so I’m not sure who they are.
Once on board, relief hits me when I see Mikah with her headset on and computer in her lap. She effectively ignores us like we weren’t just kidnapped for two weeks, but I figure it’s better that she remains focused on keeping us safe from enemy missiles.
Erik clasps his hands on my shoulders, then pulls Cameron in for a hug.
Cameron’s eyes widen with surprise before he hesitantly returns the sentiment and wraps his arms around the lieutenant.
Unease drifts through my heart and I glance away. It feels like I hardly know either of them, even though I trusted them with my life.
Gage plants himself on my side and exhales dramatically as he sets his helmet down at his feet and takes the soundproof headset that Thomas tosses back to us from the pilot’s seat.I didn’t know he could fly.
The helicopter lifts slowly. We’re back in the air and steadily heading away from the city lights below and toward the safety of the coastline. There has to be a transport plane hangar nearby if Fury crossed the fucking ocean for us. I don’t doubt that the Dark Forces have connections with potential foreign versions of our secret operations.
The two soldiers that have masks on finally take their seats and uncover their faces. I smile and hug Damian the moment his hopeful grin lands on me. The fact that I didn’t recognize him in the Under is a punch to the gut. How could I lose him and Bree…even Bryce for that matter. Forgetting Cameron hurt the most, especially knowing now why he always looked so miserable when I was around him.
I change my radio channel on the headset so it only feeds to Damian’s, and he does the same. I’m sure more than a few of our squad mates can read lips, but it still makes me feel better about keeping our conversation somewhat private.
“I remembered her, in dreams and in the simulation. I couldn’t recall her name at the time, but Bree came to me in many different ways,” I say mournfully. It’s been over a month since she was killed in the trials, but I had no time to grieve properly before she was wiped from my memory like water wicked from glass.
