IDON’T KNOW IFI’m being walked to prison or to my execution, and I’m not sure if there’s a difference.
Blue Braid has me at gunpoint, and we’re making our way past the living quarters in silence as I frantically run through everything I know, everything I’ve learned, trying to come up withanythingthat could save me.
I don’t think it’s going to work, though. I’m realizing with a kind of dull surprise that I’m out of ideas. I think this is it.
Then Sabrina steps out into the path ahead of us, gun in hand, and I stop. She’s grim, her jaw squared, her lips pressed into a thin line.
‘I’ll take her,’ she says quietly.
‘I’ve got it,’ Blue Braid replies from behind me. ‘The boss said—’
Sabrina shakes her head – a quick, sharp movement. ‘I vouched for her,’ she says. ‘It’s my responsibility.’
My mouth goes dry, my throat closing. Holy shit, this is actually it. My breath’s shaking as it rasps in and out of lungs I can’t seem to fill.Hunter, where are you?
Except I don’t want him to come – even though I selfishly want him with me, I need him to stay with Marguerite. I need him to stay and fight for the thousands of people we’re trying to save. And I’m praying he’s strong enough to choose them, not me.
Blue Braid pushes past me, and for an instant I consider lunging for her gun. But Sabrina’s weapon is pointed straight at me, and I force myself to stay still.
‘Your call,’ Blue Braid says, shrugging. She claps Sabrina on the shoulder and heads around the curve of the hallway.
Sabrina and I stay right where we are as she disappears out of sight. I’m running through every delaying tactic in the book and coming up empty – she’ll know them all for what they are.
Then Sabrina holsters her gun. ‘We don’t have a lot of time,’ she says. ‘Let’s go.’
I spin around, my mouth open as she strides off in the opposite direction to Blue Braid. She doesn’t slow her pace, though, and I jog behind her, scrambling to understand.
‘Sabrina, what’s happening?’
‘Keep up. We’re heading for the rovers.’
‘I … what? Marguerite’s decided to take me with her?’
Sabrina snorts. ‘You’re not that stupid.’
We make our way into the empty garage, and Sabrina heads straight for the parking bay on the right. The rover there is sitting in its airlock, the two doors in front and behind it sealed shut.
‘The other two are disabled,’ she says quietly. ‘The only people who were meant to get out of here were Marguerite Graves and Nico – and then possibly your boyfriend, once he showed up.’
Shock ripples through my body as I absorb what she’s saying. And then I understand. ‘Hunter told you what’s happening.’
‘He sure did,’ she replies. ‘Now let’s pray he can dance like he promised.’ She presses her hand to the garage door, and her shoulders sag with relief as it opens.
I follow her inside, stepping out of the way as she swings the door of the rover open and climbs in to begin the start-up sequence. ‘How far away is Hunter?’ I ask as I climb into the back to leave a front seat for him.
Sabrina shoots me a look I can’t read, though it’s not patient, and fishes off her headset, passing it to me. ‘He’s on channel one,’ she says. ‘I made sure the others aren’t there, told them it kept getting bursts of static, so they’re over on three. You can talk without them listening.’
I tune it quickly, pulling my harness into place. ‘Hey, hurry up,’ I say, hoping Hunter’s listening. ‘We’re ready.’
It’s a moment before his reply arrives, crystal clear in my ear – as if he’s right behind me, so close I could touch him.
Cleo, he murmurs. He’s speaking low – I can hear other voices behind him, and the sounds of monitors throwing up alerts.Cleo, I’m … You need to go right now, and send a warning message as soon as you can.
‘But how will you …?’ And then my heart clenches, because I already know the answer.
For a moment I’m perfectly still, refusing to acknowledge it, refusing to even let myselfthinkit. There’s a strange ringing in my ears and everything around me seems far away.
Hunter won’t get out. He’s given the last working rover to me. He’s gettingmeout. He’s found a way to choose meandthe thousands of people at stake – but only at the cost of himself. He’s going to die here.
