Then the lead security male gestures sharply to his team. “Fall back.”
They retreat to their vehicles. Doors slam. Engines roar to life.
One by one, the vehicles pull away, leaving deep ruts in the soft earth. The rumble of their engines gradually fades into the distance.
Becca dismounts from Mist, her boots hitting the ground with a solid thump. The male rider on the green dragon does the same.
Drake shifts back into his human form. He staggers but manages to keep his feet under him.
The riders approach us cautiously. Like they’re not quite sure what to make of the situation…of us.
“Does someone want to tell us what the hell is going on here?” Becca asks, crossing her arms over her chest. She’s in full leathers, as is customary for riders.
“It looks like the Mainland is putting something into our vaccinations that doesn’t belong,” Drake says. “Anti-vaxxers raided the Vaccination Center. They were intent on proving it.”
“Is that why they wanted access to the vaccination doses?” Wren asks. “We thought they wanted to destroy them.”
“What anti-vaxxers?” Becca asks, frowning. “This is making less and less sense.”
“The ones that took us hostage,” Wren says.
“The ones that were gunned down in cold blood,” I add.
“No, they weren’t,” the male rider says. “There were no anti-vaxxers.”
“Yes, they were. They were trying to surrender along with Sally and Ethan Porter, who worked in storage,” Drake tells them.
“That’s not how it—” the male rider starts to say, but Becca puts a hand on his chest, and he stops talking.
“I have evidence. I can prove it,” Drake tells them. “I need to get it to—”
He falls down on one knee, clutching his side.
“Dammit, that hurts.” He grunts. “I hate being shot.”
“At least we’re alive,” I tell him. “Being in pain is better than being dead.”
“And this all really happened?” Becca asks me. “You didn’t suddenly go rogue and shift and—?”
I’m shaking my head the whole time.
“I’m Wren.” She steps forward.
“Wren?” Becca frowns, turning to her. “You’re supposed to be dead. Grim was supposed to have killed you.”
“As you can see, I’m very much alive and can vouch for everything Drake just said. I saw the anti-vaxxers. I watched them being gunned down…my friend, Sally, too.” Her eyes fill with tears, but she blinks them back.
“What do you need from us?” Becca asks Drake. “We’d better hurry, because I have a feeling those Mainland pricks will be back before long. I think they might bring reinforcements.”
Drake hands Becca the cellphone. “I need you to take this to the Head of Technology at the Council building. His name is Vulcan. Tell him I sent you. Tell him that I need him to get into the memory and extract the last video that was recorded. Once he has it, he should send it to all the Council members, myself included, as well as the head of Draig Security.”
“Yes, sir.” Becca nods.
“How did you find us?” I ask her.
“I watched you fly away. You were slow AF.”
“Injured, you mean,” I tell her.
