When Nick returned to the warehouse, the guards had dispersed. He re-entered the metal building, where preoccupied guards directed captives and barked orders. When Nick opened Avery’s cell door, the floor and the wall appeared spotless at first glance. The liquid had been sopped up, and ruddy streaks lined the base of the wall. The concrete had absorbed the fluids quicker than Nick had expected.
Avery sat against the wall she shared with Kate, and Nick assumed they had been communicating while he was gone. Now that Nick was present, Avery eyed him without suspicion, only curiosity.
“Thank you for cleaning up,” Nick said.
“Thankyou.” Avery produced the best smile she could manage.
Nick nodded and pulled black leather gloves from his pocket. He slipped his fingers into them before picking the towels up.
“No, seriously.” Avery stood up and took several steps toward Nick. She faced him, and he noticed she was rubbing her fingers back and forth on something small in one of her hands. “I haven’t been here long, but Travis was quick to start spending time in this room with me. I’m glad he’s gone.”
“I wish I could have done it sooner,” Nick replied, his eyes darting to her hand. “What’s that?”
Avery opened her hand and looked into it. She cradled a tooth in her palm—one of Travis’s. “I’m keeping this,” Avery announced each word with confidence. “It’s a token of how the new world has broken people and turned them into monsters. But it’s also a reminder that there are really good people still in it.”
Though Avery could not see beneath Nick’s helmet, he smiled. Ready to rid himself of the towels reeking of Travis’s death and fear, Nick turned to leave.
“Wait,” Avery called after him. Nick paused and turned. “Do you think one of the other guards will claim me now?”
“No,” Nick answered with haste.
“How can you be sure?” Avery’s voice shook with doubt and worry.
“Because I won’t let them.”
Nick returned to the burn pile, adjusting the towels beneath Travis’s body. He made a trip to the storage shed around the corner, and returned with a canister of gasoline. He doused Travis’s body and used the lighter to set it all ablaze.
The flames danced in his eyes until the perverse man was nothing more than charred bones and melted flesh. This place was stealing pieces of Nick he hoped would return once he was gone. He should have felt victorious. He succeeded in protecting someone and ridding the world of a devastating evil. Pride and confidence should have been at the forefront of his emotions. While they were there, somewhere in the mix of things swimming in his brain, exhaustion consumed his thoughts. Everything was clouded by a hazy fog, as though he were operating on a deadly autopilot. Nick was never more ready to break Kate free and leave this underworld far behind.
Chapter 40
Nick entered Kate’s cell, sweat from the fire trickling down his temples. Kate’s body was pressed against the wall. Upon Nick’s entry, Kate stood with a smile that faded when she examined Nick. His chest heaved, and his eyes sagged with fatigue as he pulled off his helmet.
Kate approached him, placing her hands on his chest.
“I’m sorry.” Kate pushed a strand of sweaty hair off of Nick’s forehead.
“For what, Kate?” In Nick’s attempt to sound as though everything was okay, his voice came out strained and weary.
“I’m sorry I put you through all of this and ask so much of you. You should rest for a while.” Kate tried to pull his head onto her shoulder in the hopes he would let some of the emotional burdens fall on her. He pulled away, taking her hand in his.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Nick said, kissing the back of her hand. “You’re not responsible for the evil other people choose to do. But I can’t rest. Not here.”
Tears stung Kate’s eyes as she gazed at the strongest person she had ever known cracking at the seams. She wondered if heknew she was going to ask something of him that would test his fortitude and may break him completely.
“Luke will be back soon. I need to work out the details of my plan,” Nick said.
Kate nodded.
“Not much longer, babe. We’ll be out of here soon.” Nick pulled Kate into a hug.
When they parted, Nick pulled on his helmet, pulled on his disguise both externally and within. When he closed and locked her cell door, Kate fell to the floor and wept. Nick would have to stay intact for a while longer because there was still work to do.
Nighttime settled in. Nick performed one last round to check on the prisoners. He brought them food and water and ensured all locks were secured. Derek settled into a chair in the hall to begin the first stretch of watch. Halfway through the night, he would switch out with another guard.
The remainder of the guards retired to a room filled with cots where they would listen to music and play cards until turning out the lights and going to sleep. Luke always spent several hours into the night on the roof, keeping an eye on the area around the building, then swapping out with another guard in the middle of the night. Whoever was assigned to the roof would climb a ladder attached to the outside of the building and sit between the solar panels in a patio chair, staying alert and watching for signs of danger.
Nick had taken to accepting first watch in order to avoid removing his helmet before the other men went to bed. When his watch was over, he would spend a few hours under the covers. Some nights, Nick could manage an hour or two of sleep until his watch buzzed that it was time to wake up. Other nights, he tossed and turned, restlessly navigating plans for Kate’s rescue.
