Gemma let go of his arm, and he stepped forward, falling back into his role as leader. “Come on.”
Christian led them through a maze of tattered buildings, each of them taking turns as they crossed waterlogged streets and scorched alleyways,sprinting from one side to the other to avoid detection by snipers or bounty hunters.
Gemma’s heart had never beat so fast, and it had nothing to do with the speed at which they moved.
She kept picturing Hawk’s body lying cold and bloodless in the middle of the street. One of them could be next. Any moment now, another person she’d come to care about could blow up in front of her face.
It didn’t matter that this was a simulation. She could taste the air, feel the sweat rolling down her back, smell the rotten corpses they passed inside every building.
It might as well be reality.
Christian stopped at the far wall of what felt like their hundredth building. He peered through a large hole to the world outside and cursed under his breath.
“What’s wrong?” Gemma asked, sweat rolling down her face.
“I can see where we’re trying to get to, but from here on, there’s no cover. None whatsoever.” He ran his fingers through his messy, light brown hair darkened by sweat. After a moment of silence, he shook his head. “We have no choice. We have to run for it. How’s everyone’s energy?”
They all agreed they were up for the challenge.
The tiny muscles in Christian’s jaw flexed. “All right. As fast as you can. Those bounty hunters are likely going to spot us. Ready?”
After a unanimous “yes” from the group, Christian popped through the hole, and Gemma, Imara, and Colton followed closely behind.
Gemma held her rifle tight to her chest and pushed her feet hard into the ground, increasing her momentum to keep pace with Christian’s long legs. Her breaths burst in and out of her body as her heart beat in time with her footsteps.
“Oh, fuck,” Christian shouted. “Run, Gemma! Keep running. Do not stop.” He slowed his pace, disappearing from her side.
Then bullets were flying.
Gemma staggered. She looked over her shoulder—
Her knees almost gave out. A massive beast galloped toward them, and Christian just stood there, shooting at it.
The creature was as big as a cab on Perileos’ mining transit and was covered with mottled, jagged scales the color of Reva’s surface. Here, on another world, the beast stood out in stark contrast to its drab, gray surroundings, but back home, it would’ve blended seamlessly into the environment. Its forearms ended with long, curved claws, and it moved with so much agility that Gemma froze, unable to tear her eyes away from the creature as it barreled toward Christian.
“What are you doing?” Imara grabbed her hand as she ran passed Gemma. “We’ve gotta go.”
She spun Gemma around, forcing her to resume her sprint toward their destination, and Gemma’s heart sank.
This isn’t real, she tried to remind herself. Yet, leaving Christian behind felt so wrong. She should go back and help him.
But he told her to keep running, and she had a competition to win, no matter what her heart told her to do.
Gemma and Imara jumped through a gap in their destination’s wall. Standing on either side of it, they peeked at the action.
Colton had stopped to help Christian, and the beast was taking hit after hit from their rifles. It screeched at every shot that connected, leaning back to swing at one of the men. Every time its claws got close, Gemma held her breath, releasing it shakily when the boys managed to dodge the attacks.
Christian held out a hand to Colton, and he tossed Christian his other magazine.
Gemma frowned. If Christian had run out of ammunition already, that wasn’t good. They still had this whole building to work through.
Colton shouted at Christian, his words unrecognizable given Gemma’s distance from them. But three quick shots from Christian’s rifle made the creature hiss loudly. It flailed its arms, stepping backward and clawing at its neck. Then it collapsed, and its chest stopped moving.
Gemma sucked in a slow breath, releasing it through pursed lips, her hands shaking. Somehow, Colton had found its weak spot, and Christian’s aim had been true.
Thank the stars it wouldn’t be just Gemma and Imara trying to figure out where to go from here.
The men jogged until they caught up with the ladies, the guys’ foreheads glistening with sweat. Christian pushed his hair off his forehead before reaching into his vest to pull out the map.
