“You are.”
“I’m worried about Brick and Reed. They stand out.” Even at night. Brick’s hair was wild and flame-colored. Reed had the type of face you never forgot. Staring across the dark basement, Nate pictured every detail of it—the cat-like green of his eyes, his full mouth, and the wicked dimples that snuck up when he smiled.
“I told him not to go out looking for you,” she said. “And I told you not to help those people. It got us noticed.”
He watched her over the top of Pixel’s head. “You would have done the same thing if you knew you could get those doors open.”
Sparks didn’t answer him.
They shivered in silence, time measured in hollow drips and the whisper-scratches of tiny claws. Dawn broke, casting a pale-gray light through the opening near the dank ceiling. It shouldn’t have taken this long for Reed and Brick to reach the basement.
Where are they?
Dread crept up Nate’s legs like the rancid water around them. He tried to take a deep breath, but the air resisted like his chest was full of rocks.
Brick splashed into the basement with a grunt. Pixel let out a startled cry.
“We’re here!” Sparks called, rising to a tense crouch and cracking another flare open.
Nate scrambled to his feet, his pulse buzzing in his ears.
Brick took a few churning steps toward them, her eyes wide and scared in the flickering light. No one followed her.
Fear gripped Nate’s throat. “Where is he?”
“Help me carry him,” Brick gasped out. She waved her hand wildly at the entrance.
Nate rushed into the water, kicking cold splashes up to his waist. Sparks ran alongside him, her longer stride carrying her ahead. She climbed up and helped Brick ease Reed’s limp form down into the basement. They hefted him above the water carefully.
Even in the dim light, Nate could see the dark stain at Reed’s middle.
“No.” He grasped his wet hands at Reed’s throat to find a pulse.
“Easy, Nate, don’t get that filth on him.” Brick pushed him away. She didn’t have to put much effort into it.
Nate staggered back, his knees weak. His blood roared in his ears.
“He’s alive,” Sparks said, the sound broken by a small sob.
Nate followed, hands balled into fists to keep from reaching for Reed again. “What happened?” He fought to speak, his thoughts going to bad places too quickly to keep up. “Where’s he hurt?”
“Reed took the long way so they’d follow us and not all of you. A man came after us,” Brick said. “No one I’ve seen before. He went straight for Reed and tackled him, asking where the Tinkerer was. He had a knife, and it was so quick, we couldn’t—”
Sparks swore under her breath and shouldered Reed higher to keep him out of the water. She shot Nate a sharp look. “See?”
Nate recoiled, guilt like ice at the back of his throat. He choked on it, trying not to cry—he had to stay calm. Had to help. There was no time to drown.
“Whoever he was, I broke his neck.” Brick helped Sparks lower Reed to the dry ground. “He won’t be following us or hurting Reed again.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her face wild and moon-white in the light of the flare.
Reed didn’t stir.
Being a Tinkerer made him second-in-command, and despite his numbing fear, Nate had to take charge now. Until Reed woke up and told them how to fix this mess.
My mess.
“Pix.” He steadied his voice. “You need to stay in the corner there, out of the way. Sparks—”
“I got it,” she said, already crouching and stripping away Reed’s T-shirt to try to find the gash at his belly.
