Something turns hollow in my chest, and I don’t know what it is, but it hurts and soothes all at once. I can’t believe she spoke, for me.
Finally, I nod. “Promise.”
I start to turn, but Griffin stays rooted to the ground. Frustrated, I tug him again, and when he still won’t budge, I look beside me to find him glaring at Sofia hard enough to burn a hole through her head.
A growl sounds from low in my throat, and my knuckles turn white around his arm. “You coming or staying?”
After a second, he rips his gaze away, wincing when I drag him down to the storage room. It’s the only door in this short hall, other than the exit at the top of the built-in ladder behind us. I unlock it, and we enter a room of rotten stench and dark corners.
Crates line the walls side by side, piled on top of each other in stacks. Arms as skinny as toothpicks immediately reach out, grabbing for us, and parched voices climb over each other to be heard.
“Help—”
“Get out while you can—”
“Don’t leave me here—”
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and I try to ignore the voices since my head is already pounding without every shrill cry.
“Here.” I set Griffin on the ground so he can rest, but he grunts and struggles back to his feet. He gestures to our left, where a single bolt cutter and a fire extinguisher lean against the wall.
I grab the bolt cutter and make my way toward the first crate. It’s holding the new kid that was just brought in.
“What the fuck do you think—” Baldy’s gruff yell is cut off when the fire extinguisher connects with the back of his head. He falls in a lump to the floor, right in the middle of the doorway. Griffin lowers the extinguisher, grimacing as he wraps an arm around the bloodied cloth on his stomach.
“Shit,” I pant, my pulse ringing in my ears and competing with the shouts around us. “Thanks, man.”
“Guess I owed you, right?” he huffs, leaning against the wall and sliding to the ground.
“Guess so. Hang on.”
Returning to the crate in front of me, a fresh sweat breaks out on my skin as I cut the padlock.
The new arrival comes stumbling out, his eyes darting from me to Griffin. He’s breathing hard, but his pupils are dilated with excitement.
What the hell?
“Thanks. I’ll stay and help you.” He nudges his chin toward Griffin. “Or I can get that guy out of here before he passes out. Your call.”
My brows pull together.
“I’m Lex,” he adds, like that somehow matters. “So what’s it gonna be?”
The kid could be making a break for it, but he’d rather risk getting caught. Fucking weird.
I glance at the wall, my thoughts swinging back to Sofia. I need to get her the hell out of here. I want to tell him to get her instead. But I don’t know him worth shit, and I hate that I can’t take the risk.
“Get him,” I finally mutter, pointing to Griffin. Then I pick up the bolt cutter and move toward the next crate. “Heads up, there might be alarms.”
“You kidding? I know alarms better than I know my way around the streets.”
“Also, you’ll probably run into someone along the way.” I glance back once more, my tone serious. “Kill them if you need to.”
The new kid’s lips quirk. “After this? Shit, with pleasure. I’ll light their fucking souls on fire.”
My head tilts. I like this one.
He takes Griffin, and I continue busting crates open, one by one. Exhaustion cripples me more and more by the second. Most of the kids say nothing, pummeling straight through the room as quick as their weak legs can take them. Some of them pat me on the back or shout thank yous. Many are crying.
