At the mention of Hector’s name, I exchange a worried glance with Caden. Our best chance to overpower these Raiders will be inside the station, before they can lock us up in the holding cells.We’ll have to take down enough of them before they can shoot us, but I doubt that all of us will make it out alive.
“Boss!”the guard in the watchtower calls.
“What is it?” the mayor calls back.
“I saw something in the trees!”
“There are no trees close by!”
“I didn’t say it was close!”
“A bear maybe? We saw one the other day.”
“It was shiny, so it can’t be an animal. We should send someone to ch—”
Thunder erupts as the Raider’s head explodes, his body falling from the tower.
“Get them inside!” the mayor shouts.
They push and kick us into the station. Otto stumbles, and when a Raider is about to hit him with the butt of his rifle, I pull him back to his feet. There’s enough space for all of us in the reception area, but they keep us clustered together with our hands raised.
“How many did you bring with you?” the mayor asks from the entrance as another gunshot whizzes over the shouts outside.
“Everyone I brought with me is right here,” Caden says, “but now would be the right time to put down your weapons and let us go.”
“Nah, I think I’m gonna end this right now.” He raises his gun, and Caden moves to shield me.
“Someone jumped over the wall!” a Raider shouts from outside.
A second later, a burst of gunfire erupts close by. We all go down to avoid getting hit by a passing bullet. Some of theRaiders run out of the station to join the fight, while two remain inside, still aiming their weapons at us. The mayor stands by the doorway, glancing outside while holding his gun. He doesn’t dare to step past the doorframe. Maybe they shouldn’t have broken down the doors.
“Nobody tries anything,” Caden hisses. “Keep low and let it play out.”
“Timothy is out there,” I tell him.
“He’s smart enough to find cover.”
He’d better be.
More gunshots and screams can be heard from the street. I can’t tell how many are taking part in the attack, and I hope the civilians found cover in time. I push back memories of the times when Derek forced me to join raids against peaceful settlements.
The mayor sends his two remaining Raiders out of the station to fight. They seem reluctant, but he waves his gun at them until they dash out. Seconds later, they scream as another burst of gunshots thunders close by.
“Fuck!” The mayor turns to us as we remain on the ground, the gun shaking in his hand. He looks like he’s about to piss himself, but that only makes him more dangerous. “Listen up! We’re gonna negotiate with whoever you brought with you. I’ll let you walk out of here unharmed, but I expect—”
Pale hands appear around the mayor’s head. He has a split second to look confused before a sharp twist snaps his neck. He drops to the ground with a loud thud, his gun sliding away from him.
River wipes dust and blood from his blue raincoat and says, “Hello, Finn! Did you miss me?”
Chapter 8
Caden
I walk past Finn and River as they hug by the station’s entrance. Outside, the streetlights cast a bluish glow, enough to see a dozen or so dead Raiders lying on the ground. Scared people watch through windows, not yet ready to celebrate their freedom. I walk toward the open gate until I hear a horse getting closer. It passes through, and I let out a long breath of relief when I recognize the rider.
Josh halts his horse a few feet from me and elegantly climbs down, adjusting his sniper rifle behind his back. His clothes are plain and fit for the road, and his dark hair is slightly longer than the last time I saw him. No matter how handsome he is as a young man, in my head he’ll always remain the same skinny kid who asked me and Ruben if he could play ball with us.
I pull him into a strong hug and say, “It’s my job to save your ass.”
