Lucas slammed his elbow onto the man’s forearm. The bone snapped with a nauseatingsnick!The gun dropped to the ground.
Another Hunter charged the stairs as several others closed in from behind. I zeroed in on the lone man coming for me.
“You’re that bitch from the video.” He raised his voice. “She’s here!”
My gun rose as he sprang at me, and the kickback resonated in the bones of my hand. A single shot unloaded into his brain.
Heads spun in my direction.
One, two, three more Hunters fell from my bullets.
“Where is he?” one demanded.
Four.
I slammed against the wall as a couple of Hunters knocked into me. My bad leg spasmed.
Five. Six.
Blood sprayed with each slice and swipe of my comrades’ knives. I leapt back at the sharp silver aimed toward me.
Seven.
Hunters swarmed like bees, and I squeezed the trigger until my magazine was empty. Heart slamming, sweat soaking the roots of my hair, I locked eyes with a large man in Hunter black.
His smile froze my blood to ice.
“If I make you scream, will he come running?”
He launched, and I raised my knife, prepared to collapse under his tremendous weight.
Lucas materialized between us. His knife sliced into the monster before giving it a violent twist. A kick to the chest, and the giant was gasping his last breaths on the floor.
Several Hunters turned to Lucas.
“…fucking traitor…”
“…slit your throat…”
I reloaded my magazine and handed him my gun.
The crowd of Hunters parted.
“Get down!” Adam shouted.
Lucas jerked me into the stairwell as I caught sight of a Hunter armed with something large.
“Come out, come out, Scott!”
Bullets came for Lucas through the wall. He shoved me away. Staggering, I tipped over the top stair, tumbling to the landing eight steps below, knife clattering away. My elbows and knees barked as they knocked into wood. Above me, plaster showered Lucas.
Left leg throbbing, I scooped up my knife and hustled back toward him. Lucas edged to the threshold, knife ready. He waited in silence as the gunman approached. The black metal of the barrel peeked through the doorway.
Lucas slid under the firing line. He swiped his knife, tearing a hole through the gunman’s flank. The Hunter grunted, and I yanked the gun from his pliant hands. Trigger still warm on my finger, I blasted through his chest, then emptied the magazine on the nearby enemy.
Beyond the stairs, Adam and the other Defiants were locked in hand-to-hand combat in the hallway.
Lucas leapt at the swarming Hunters, flipping one and burying a knife in his chest.
