“I’ve got him,” Fiona says, reaching for Noel. “Go to the hatch now. If the bunker has been breached, there isn’t much time.”
“Mom,” Poppy pleads. Terror widens her eyes.
“Darlington,” a voice crackles over my comm. “Command’scoming in hot. There’s a Silver Block unit already down the main hatch.”
Gunfire explodes in my ears, and for a second I think we’re being shot at until I realize it’s coming from Teriq’s comm.
“Down!” I hear him shout, as I try to make sense of the commotion. Finally, his sharp voice addresses me again. “Mako, Darlington, get the civilians out and into the trucks. Expect heavy fire.”
“How did they find us?” Fiona demands as she helps the old man into the wheelchair.
“No idea,” I reply. “But they’re here now and we need to move.”
“Mom—” Poppy starts, but Fiona cuts her off.
“Wren,” the healer orders. “Please. Get her out. I’ll be right behind you.”
I hesitate. Then I shake my head. “No. You’re coming with us. I’m not leaving anyone behind.”
Fiona searches the smoke. “There could be more people who need help.”
“Poppyneeds you.”
It’s her turn to hesitate. She looks at her daughter, and her frustration fades into resignation. “All right. Let’s go.”
I’m filled with relief as we run out of the medical bay together, Fiona pushing the wheelchair. At the end of the corridor, we find Mako helping people up the ladder of the civilian hatch. I hope it opens directly into that carport with the escape vehicles; otherwise we’re in trouble.
“Go,” Mako shouts to the next person. He’s relieved to see me. “They don’t seem to know about this exit,” he reports. “Teriq’s watching the cameras, and the entire west section right above us is clear. There’ll be some ground fire the moment people start coming up, but we still have a window right now. Teriq says to get as many people out as we can.”
“What about everyone at the main hatch?”
Mako gives a grim look. “They’re under a full-on assault. We can’t help them.”
One by one, we urge civilians up the ladder. Fiona helps Noel out of his wheelchair, and the elderly man sways on his feet. He’s so frail.I don’t know what he was in the medical bay for, but whatever it is has him wheezing for air.
The man scrutinizes the ladder. “I can’t make it up there.”
“I got you, brother,” Mako says, reaching for the older man. “Get on my back.”
“You can’t carry me,” Noel protests.
Mako won’t hear any arguments. He hurries up the ladder with the old man clinging to his broad shoulders. He must pass Noel off to someone at the top, because a moment later, he’s scrambling down the rungs, his boots thudding against the floor.
The entire bunker seems to be shaking. I can practically see the walls vibrating. Dust fills the air, the sound of gunfire growing louder, reverberating off the walls. We’ve just helped one of the last remaining civilians up the ladder when Teriq reports again.
“Enemy’s closing in on you. Get out now.”
Footsteps pound in the distance, sending a jolt of fear through me. As thick smoke clouds my vision, I tighten my grip on my gun.
“Poppy, go,” I order.
The teenager barely gets her foot on the first rung when gunshots explode from the end of the hall. On pure instinct, I dive to the side, grabbing Poppy’s arm and thrusting her behind me to shield her. Fiona dives to the other side of the hall, disappearing from my view.
Command’s here.
Fuck.
“Stay down,” I yell at Poppy as bullets whiz over our heads.
