I stick it in her arm and take off before she slumps over, downing two suppressants. I walk as calmly as possible down the stairwell, coming across one of Dominion, but I act as if I’m doing my duty as he watches me closely. “Excuse me, sir,” I say, smiling politely, raising a hand in acknowledgement, acting casual despite the adrenaline that makes my legs shake. I head down the stairs without looking back at him—that would only add suspicion—and make it to the back courtyard, where we have a few cars. Cages, as bikers call them.
The brick building has stains from years without proper washing, and the garage doors are open. I hurry inside and locate an old iron that we leave on a shelf, with a key underneath it. I use that to unlock a nearby security box that has the keys to the car. My hands shake so badly I nearly drop the keys, like I’m in a dream and nothing works properly.
I’m in the front seat, tossing my bag to the back and starting the engine when I see somebody round the corner. I contemplate hitting the pedal, only hesitating when I realize it’s Selene. Her short hair flops about, and she looks like she got herself together much faster than intended. “Go! I’m coming too!”
“Selene—” I say as she opens the passenger door.
“No time, Diana! Get us out of here!” She chucks her bag in the back, opening the glove compartment to pull out a pistol. All vehicles here are equipped with two pistols, a rifle, a shotgun, and spare rounds. “Go!”
I start driving without thought, like my life no longer has consequences. There are three ways into the Enclave, and I’m already headed to the back roads, which tend to get used for shipments, so it looks as legit as possible to buy usanytime. “I passed by one,” I say, my mouth dry. “By someone in Dominion. I don’t think he knows.”
For a moment, it’s just the sound of silence and our heavybreathing. Selene looks over her shoulder. “Well, I think we’re catching them by surprise. They’re not following.” She places the pistol in her lap, finger off the trigger. “Where is Judge?”
“Sedated.”
“My girl!” She whips her head to look at me, grinning ear to ear. “He went after the wrong omega!”
My smile is shaky, but then finally holds its place when I accept I’m actually doing this. I don’t care what Judge said about people in the south. If I can get through these mountains, then the Black Mirage is on the other side.
Once our tires are off the gravel and on the cracked pavement of the freeway, I finally breathe with relief that we somehow got away.
JUDGE
Everything is warped and stuttering,like I’ve been dropped mid-dream. My limbs are heavy as I slowly sit up, the broken handcuff dangling from the cot. I immediately know the smell ofBeast. I crane to look up at the giant, the ink of a skull and dagger around his throat, bringing immediate familiarity. That mask of his is less than comforting, steel shaped into the mouth of a beast, metallic tubes carrying the sound of air and medicine. Yellow, glowing vials are hooked up to the back like roots. His eyes are the same color as mine.
He nods at my leg. “I took the needle out that broke.”
I glance down. The needle’s gone. A sharp ache throbs, and I need to piss after all those fluids they gave me, but it’s not what has my attention.
That little omega… the one who sat here like prey, trying not to breathe too loudly. Many things course through me, from thinking that attacking me like she did is how people die, all the way to wondering if she’ssafe. It’s offensive how much she’s covered in that fucking tang of suppressants, like slathering on a false veneer that’s cracked at the edges.
She wasterrifiedof being found out.
She has no idea she’s been found.
It can’t be… And yet I can’t deny there’s something in her scent, even if covered, that I’ve not encountered before. It was soft and elusive, like the first edge of spring with something feral beneath, laced with honeysuckle.
It completely warped my mind and practically let out a dormant creature that’s finally being called to its duty. Inhaling deeper through my nose to scent the stench of disinfectant and recycled air, her already-fading, medicated scent is still lingering in trace amounts.
Lost.I need to find her.
My heart pounds as I stare at the chair she sat in, my fists clenching. I need to smell her without all that synthetic bullshit, my mind still slowly accepting what this possible revelation means. A few nurses enter, which ruins what was left of the omega’s scent. One of them asks in that calm, clinical voice, “How is he? We are so sorry. We have no idea what happened. Even Maggie was attacked.”
I examine the wrist that was bound, still processing some shock that the omega got the best of me. I truly didn’t think she’d be a threat. Since when do omegas attack like she did?
I only agreed to being cuffed so she’d sit in here. Coax her into safety.
Dangerouslittle creature.
I ignore the question from the nurse. “Where is that omega?”
“We… can’t find her.”
I turn my gaze on the nurse, full force. Her face blanches. “What do you mean?”
“She’s missing.”
Without much prompting, I ask, “What is her name?”
