The Girl Who Broke Free (Death Fields 5)

“Because they’re almost here.”

There’s no logical way for Cole to know this but Paul moves to the heavy metal door and presses his ear against it. Again, bizarre, but he makes a face and says, “If you’re taking that shot you better do it now.”

Jane and I make eye contact. I nod, I’m in—I have been since we came up with this plan. She reaches for her bag on the floor and extracts a small case.

“I have enough injections for everyone,” she says, holding up a vial of amber fluid. “But only if you want. There’s no pressure.”

I fight a laugh. No pressure. Sure. Two armies of super soldiers are coming our way and we’re the odd people out. Yeah, no pressure, at all.

I step forward and Jane tells me to sit in the chair Jude had occupied before he hopped up to freak out about the EVI-3. I roll up my sleeve and look away from the needle. I glance at Cole. He’s watching me closely and I realize something’s not right.

“Wait.” I pull my arm away and Jane frowns in confusion. I hold Cole’s eye. “You do it.”

His eyebrows lift in surprise but he’s not. No. This was our thing. This is how we fell into this crazy situation. Together. One shot at a time. He stands, stretching his legs in the cramped quarters. Jane looks at us both with confusion but hands the needle to Cole.

He sits across from me and I pull up my sleeve. I watch as he expertly adjusts the level of the fluid. He rests the needle on the table to tear open the sanitizer pack. He cleans the spot on my arm, eyes flicking up to mine. They’re no longer blue and I miss him more than ever in this moment. His friendship and his loyalty. I miss fighting with him instead of against him.

“I’m ready when you are, Lab Guy.”

The familiar curve of a smile tugs at his mouth and it’s the last thing I see before he plunges the injection in my arm. I wince, never getting used to that type of pain.

“How long does it take?” I rub my arm.

Jane has another vial ready and Mary Ellen is the first to step up. Jude still looks hesitant but less angry than before. Jane nods at Cole. “Ask him.”

“It’s hard to say, but it comes on pretty quick.” I move to stand but Cole grabs me by the arm. “Good luck, Alex. I hope this works for you.”

“Thank you—” I start to reply but I’m knocked off kilter by an enormous explosion outside the bunker. Strong and near enough to feel underground.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jane inoculates everyone in the room, including herself and Jude. It’s a no-brainer at this point, and as cement shakes loose from the ceiling I know we’ve got to get out of the bunker.

“How do we want to do this? Just go out the door?” I ask, strapping weapons to my legs, ankle, and waist. I tug on my jacket, pockets filled with ammo Paul had stashed onsite. Finn secures a knife to Mary Ellen’s leg. She rubs the spot where she got the shot.

“There’s another exit.” Paul tugs his bandana over his mouth, the eerie skull teeth stretch wide across his face. I search the room for another door. With a long knife he points up and we all look at the ceiling. A circular hole is cut above us, the disk made of metal.

Jude leans over. “Is that a manhole?”

“Nuclear grade, but yeah.” Paul moves the chair right underneath. He points to a heavy metal tool on the table. “Hand that to me, will you? It’s the key to unlock the grate. We’ll come up on the bridge and hopefully get a better vantage point.”

Cole assists Paul and even in the smallest movements I notice a difference. The anger and rage has melted—maybe not completely—but his shoulders aren’t tense and tugged up under his ears.

“Okay,” I look at the rest of the crew. It may be the faint light of the lantern but the eyes of my friends look a shade darker. “Let’s get out there and end this.”

Paul and Cole shift the grate aside and chunks of dirt and sand shower over their heads. The shift in sound is immediate. Voices, gunshots and explosions carry down into our hole. The sky above is a cloudy and Paul jumps up easily, lifting himself out into the late, gray afternoon. The last thing I see is his frightening skull face.

Jude follows, then Mary Ellen and Finn, both looking agile.

Jane stops and to my surprise gives me a hard, spontaneous hug. “Love you, sis,” she says, her arms like a vice.

“Love you too. See you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

A hand appears in the hole and she grasps it, vanishing into the air.

When it’s my turn Cole says, “Need a boost?”