The Girl Who Punched Back (Death Fields 2)

“Chloe?” he says, barely above a whisper.

Her attention snaps to him, because you know, enhanced hearing or whatever it is Jane’s done to her.

“Hey, brother,” she says, with a creepy smile. Even under the weird cap the Hybrids wear, I spot her shaved head. “Surprised to see you out here.” She looks between the two of us. “Or not, I guess. I told your sister putting you two together was a bad idea. Two smart but paranoid brains together is a recipe for trouble. Although the emotional connection you share could lead to stupid decisions, you know, like getting caught.”

“What are you doing out here?” Cole asks, ignoring her tirade. “You shouldn’t be out here.” His eyes search her head—looking for the scar. There’s nothing but smooth perfect skin.

“I’m fine!” She waves her free hand like she’s offering herself up for display. “Better than ever, actually.”

“Or crazier than ever,” I mutter.

Cole, still stunned, asks, “But how?”

“Jane healed me and more. Then she offered me a position with her elite team to test my new abilities. She needed someone with a specific skill set and innate knowledge of any threats to her programs.” She eyes us all knowingly, but settles her gaze on Wyatt, like she’s drinking him up like water. “Unlike some people, I didn’t bite the hand that fed me, and accepted the offer.”

“You’re working for her?” Cole asks.

She tilts her head to the side and a small grin twists on her lips. “Aren’t you?”

“Hell no,” Jude answers for all of us.

“Well that changes things.” She flips the compound bow off her shoulder and points it at the ground. “My orders were to bring you back here for some reeducation on the true mission of The Director and PharmaCorp—clearly there has been some misunderstandings. Director Ramsey is willing to overlook those if you’re all still committed to the team. If you’re not, then my orders change significantly.”

I roll my eyes, because really, the theatrics are a bit much. “So, what? You’re going to kill us?”

Again, she replies with a deranged smile. It’s a signal of how much Chloe has changed—how much this person in front of me is not the friend I had. Not the sister Cole knew. The light in her eye is wrong. The color of her skin is off. My sister is playing games in a way I realize will backfire, on all of us.

“The fence behind you is the final wall of the safe zone. The gate is right there. Beyond it is the Death Fields, unchecked territory. The Director feels like you should know your choice. You can stay here for reeducation, or you can leave.”

“That’s it? We can just walk out of here?” I ask, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Did you hear what I said?” she asks. “The Eaters have not been culled outside of here. In fact, their numbers grow daily. There’s no guarantee of fresh water or food. People have resorted to violence and more.”

“Great,” Davis speaks up from down the line. “When can we go?”

I can’t keep the smile off my face. Maybe I’m the one that’s deranged.

Without warning, gunshots crack through the night and we all duck on instinct. Well, everyone but Chloe. A menacing growl rattles from behind me, not the angry grunts the Hybrids emit, but the feral pained screams of the infected. I spin on my heel. Dirty fingers clench the fence and the spider-webbed eyes of an actual Eater are on the other side.

Great. Eaters on one side and Hybrid soldiers on the other. Oh, and a former friend turned maniacal enemy. This day couldn’t be more perfect.

A scream penetrates the night and one of the soldiers standing near the fencing is caught by the neck, an Eater biting down to spread the infection. It won’t work, but from the blood gushing down his neck, he’s not gonna survive anyway.

“Fall back!” Chloe shouts and the soldiers follow her directions as gunshots continue to fly overhead. A skirmish breaks out to my left where Wyatt head butts a Hybrid, knocking him to the ground. He drops, using his bound forearm to press against the neck, rendering him unconscious. He looks at the soldier’s discarded weapon wistfully.

“Run,” I say to Cole, but he’s still staring after his sister. I give him a hard nudge and a bullet zings overhead. “Cole…do this for me. We’ll come back for her but we can’t do that if we’re dead.” He glances down and nods, recognition sparking in his eyes. We dart under the shots, hoping not to get hit in the fray. We stop next to a small brick building, crouching in the shadows.

“What the hell was that?” I ask, trying to catch my breath. “When did Jane do that to her?”

His whole body tremors, from rage or fear. I’ll take that as an answer of “I don’t know.”

“We’ve got to get these binds off,” I tell him, just as Wyatt careens our way. He must have seen us run this direction. Thank God.

“Where are the others?” I ask.

“Scattered. Here, reach in my boot,” he says, rain water dripping down his face. “The left one.”

On my knees, I feel around blindly until my fingers swipe against hard metal in a tiny sheath. With two fingers, I work the object out. Wyatt grins when he sees it. “Press the tiny button on the side. It’s sharp, be careful.”